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WATNEY CUP 1970 to 1973
The Watney Cup was one of the first sponsored competitions in England. It took place for four seasons from 1970 to 1973 and was played before the regular League season started.
Two teams from each of the four Football League Divisions participated and qualification was based on the highest number of goals scored during the previous League season, providing that the teams weren’t involved in European Football or promoted. A novel feature was that there were no replays – extra time was played and then a penalty shoot-out, if needed.
The Final was a one-leg game, played at the home venue of one of the Finalists.
The Watney Cup was the first football competition to be screened live on television.
| WATNEY CUP 1970 to 1973 | |||
| 1970 | |||
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four |
| Derby County | Hull City | Fulham | Aldershot |
| Manchester United | Sheffield United | Reading | Peterborough United |
| First Round (1st August 1970) | |||
| Aldershot 0-6 Sheffield United | |||
| Fulham 3-5 (aet) Derby County | |||
| Peterborough United 0-4 Hull City | |||
| Reading 2-3 Manchester United | |||
| Semi-Finals (5th August 1970) | |||
| Derby County 1-0 Sheffield United | |||
| Hull City 1-1 (aet) Manchester United (won on penalties) | |||
| Final (8th August 1970) | |||
| Derby County 4-1 Manchester United (Baseball Ground) | |||
| 1971 | |||
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four |
| Manchester United | Carlisle United | Halifax Town | Colchester United |
| West Bromwich Albion | Luton Town | Wrexham | Crewe Alexandra |
| First Round (31st July 1971) | |||
| Colchester United 1-0 Luton Town | |||
| Crewe Alexandra 1-3 Carlisle United | |||
| Halifax Town 2-1 Manchester United | |||
| Wrexham 1-2 West Bromwich Albion | |||
| Semi-Finals (4th August 1971) | |||
| Colchester United 2-0 Carlisle United | |||
| Halifax Town 0-2 West Bromwich Albion | |||
| Final (7th August 1971) | |||
| Colchester United 4-4 (pens 4-3) West Bromwich Albion (The Hawthorns) | |||
| 1972 | |||
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four |
| Sheffield United | Blackpool | Bristol Rovers | Lincoln City |
| Wolverhampton Wand | Burnley | Notts County | Peterborough United |
| First Round (29th July 1972) | |||
| Bristol Rovers 2-0 Wolverhampton Wanderers | |||
| Lincoln City 0-1 Burnley | |||
| Notts County 0-3 Sheffield United | |||
| Peterborough United (won on penalties) 0-0 (aet) Blackpool | |||
| Semi-Finals (2nd August 1972) | |||
| Burnley 0-2 Bristol Rovers | |||
| Peterborough United 0-4 Sheffield United | |||
| Final (5th August 1972) | |||
| Bristol Rovers 0-0 (pens 7-6) Sheffield United (Eastville Stadium) | |||
| 1973 | |||
| Division One | Division Two | Division Three | Division Four |
| Stoke City | Bristol City | Bristol Rovers | Mansfield Town |
| West Ham United | Hull City | Plymouth Argyle | Peterborough United |
| First Round (11th August 1973) | |||
| Bristol Rovers (won on penalties) 0-0 (aet) West Ham United | |||
| Mansfield Town 0-3 Hull City | |||
| Peterborough United 1-2 Bristol City | |||
| Plymouth Argyle 0-1 Stoke City | |||
| Semi-Finals (14th August 1973) | |||
| Bristol Rovers 0-1 Hull City | |||
| Stoke City 4-1 Bristol City | |||
| Final (18th August 1973) | |||
| Stoke City 2-0 Hull City (Victoria Ground) | |||
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English Domestic Football Major Trophies Winning Managers 
Pre-WWII English Trophy Winners from 1871-72 to 1938-39 
Post-WWII English Trophy Winners Table 1945-46 to 2018-19 
All-Time English Trophy Winners Statistics 1871-72 to 2019-20 
English League Championship Winners all Four Flights 1888-2019 
FA Charity & Community Shield Winners & Runners-Up 1908 to 2019 FA Charity & Community Shield Order of Merit 1908-2019 
BBC Television Goal of the Season Awards 1970-71 to 2019-20 
Combined FA CUP & League Cup 1871-72 to 2010-11 
Last Major Trophy Won by English Clubs from 1874-2020 
British Clubs Order of Merit in UEFA Major Competitions 1955-2019 
Football Personalities United Kingdom Honours List 
British Football Player Transfer Records from 1893 to 2018 
WATNEY CUP 1970 to 1973 - First Sponsored Competition in England 
TEXACO CUP 1970-71 to 1974-75 - Sponsored by Texaco Petroleum
English Domestic Football Major Trophies Winning Managers
Pre-WWII English Trophy Winners from 1871-72 to 1938-39
Post-WWII English Trophy Winners Table 1945-46 to 2018-19
All-Time English Trophy Winners Statistics 1871-72 to 2019-20
English League Championship Winners all Four Flights 1888-2019
FA Charity & Community Shield Winners & Runners-Up 1908 to 2019
FA Charity & Community Shield Order of Merit 1908-2019
BBC Television Goal of the Season Awards 1970-71 to 2019-20
Combined FA CUP & League Cup 1871-72 to 2010-11
Last Major Trophy Won by English Clubs from 1874-2020
British Clubs Order of Merit in UEFA Major Competitions 1955-2019
Football Personalities United Kingdom Honours List
British Football Player Transfer Records from 1893 to 2018
WATNEY CUP 1970 to 1973 - First Sponsored Competition in England
TEXACO CUP 1970-71 to 1974-75 - Sponsored by Texaco Petroleum
