Touch of nostalgia: Magic moments for Yorkshire clubs in the League Cup

FOR THE second time in four seasons, at least two Yorkshire teams will line up in the last eight of the Capital One Cup next month after intoxicating evenings for both Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City.
3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal
3-0 to Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal

It was like the good old days at Hillsborough as the Owls, roared on by 35,000 fans, were afforded one of their most famous nights in years with an exhilarating 3-0 success over Arsenal - who were comprehensively outplayed at S6.

Hull made eight changes for their game with Leicester City at the KC, but still managed to create a spot of history by reaching the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in its 55-year history after a deserved penalty shoot-out success over Leicester City.

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It was a case of fifth time lucky for the Tigers, after bowing out at the fourth-round stage on fourth previous occasions.

Middlesbrough could yet become the White Rose’s third representative in the last eight - although they face the tallest of orders at Manchester United tonight.

Two White Rose sides have made it through to the quarter-finals of the League Cup in its various guises on nine previous occasions. In two of those campaigns - 2012-13 and 1961-62 - three have made it through to the last eight.

Here, the Yorkshire Post takes a historical rewind. Enjoy...

2012-13 (Bradford City, Leeds United, Middlesbrough).

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Christmas came early for Bradford, who stunned the world of football by sending Arsene Wenger’s gloved-up Gunners packing 3-2 on penalties at a freezing Valley Parade. Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen missed the crucial penalty for the vistors, for whom Santi Cazorla and Marouane Chamakh also fluffed their lines - with Nathan Doyle, Gary Jones and Alan Connell giving the Bantams a famous win.

In the process, Bradford - who claimed their ninth successive penalty shoot-out win - became the first team from the bottom tier of English football to reach the semi-final of the competition since Wycombe in 2006-07.

Meanwhile, across West Yorkshire, Leeds were dismantled 5-1 at home to Chelsea, despite taking the lead through Luciano Becchio in front of 33,816. The Blues, who scored five or more goals in a League Cup tie for the third time in a row, prevailed through goals from Juan Mata, Branislav Ivanovic, Victor Moses, Eden Hazard and Fernando Torres.

Boro lost out 1-0 at eventual winners Swansea, Wetherby-born Seb Hines conceding a late own goal.

2005-06 (Doncaster Rovers, Middlesbrough).

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Doncaster Rovers were seconds away from a remarkable place in the semi-finals of the competition, only for Arsenal midfielder Giberto Silva to break their hearts with a late extra-time leveller at the death in a dramatic 2-2 draw at Belle Vue - with the Gunners prevailing 3-1 on penalties.

Dave Penney’s third-tier Rovers, who had beaten Manchester City on penalties and Aston Villa en route to the quarter-finals, led twice through Michael McIndoe and Paul Green - but were pegged back by Quincy Owusu-Abeyie and then cruelly, Gilberto.

Neil Roberts, Paul Heffernan and Green all failed to convert penalties for Rovers, who were beaten, but unbowed.

Boro were also eliminated, with a last-gasp goal from future Doncaster manager Paul Dickov enough to give Blackburn Rovers a 1-0 win at the Riverside.

1991-92 (Leeds United, Middlesbrough).

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For the second successive season, Yorkshire had two last-eight standard-bearers in the quarter-finals, but it was a painful occasion for Leeds, who lost out 3-1 at Elland Road to eventual winners and bitter foes Manchester United.

Leeds were also pitted against the Red Devils in the FA Cup and hosted their arch-rivals three times in three separate competitions in the space of 17 days.

The visitors prevailed despite Gary Speed giving Leeds a 17th-minute lead - but strikes from Clayton Blackmore, Andrei Kanchelskis and Ryan Giggs turned the tables.

Lennie Lawrence’s Boro drew 1-1 with Peterborough United - who had knocked out Liverpool in an earlier round - at London Road, but won the replay at Ayresome Park 1-0, thanks to a fine strike from Stuart Ripley to set up a semi-final with Manchester United.

1990-91 (Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday).

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Both the Whites and the Owls booked their place in the semi-finals following victories, with eventual winners Wednesday winning 1-0 at Coventry City, courtesy of a goal from skipper Nigel Pearson - with Chelsea awaiting in the last four.

Howard Wilkinson’s Leeds produced a resounding display to overcome more Midlands opposition in Aston Villa, humbled 4-1 at Elland Road - with home goals arriving from Gary Speed, Lee Chapman (2) and Gary McAllister. It set up a Roses battle with Manchester United in the last four.

1987-88 (Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford City).

Both the Owls and the Bantams saw their cup hopes end following defeats to eventual finalists Luton Town and Arsenal.

The Gunners triumphed 1-0 at Hillsborough - a far cry from events last night - in front of 34,531 with Nigel Winterburn netting his first goal for the Londoners after a howler from Martin Hodge in front of the Kop.

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Bradford, who had knocked out Fulham, Charlton and Reading in earlier rounds, went down 2-0 at Kenilworth Road, with Steve Foster and Mick Harford netting for the Hatters.

1983-84 (Rotherham United, Sheffield Wednesday).

South Yorkshire’s two representatives both exited with the Millers crashing 4-2 at home to Walsall at Millmoor - who claimed the prize draw of Liverpool in the last four after the Merseysiders beat the Owls after a replay.

Walsall’s Mark Rees netted twice for the Saddlers against the Millers following on from his strike to knock out Arsenal in the previous round.

The Owls, who clinched promotion back to Division One in that memorable 83-84 campaign, also made waves in the cups with 49,357 flocking to Hillsborough to see their quarter-final with Liverpool, which ended 2-2 with Gary Bannister and Gary Megson netting for Wednesday. The Reds won the replay 3-0 at Anfield.

1975-76 (Middlesbrough, Doncaster Rovers).

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Fourth-division Rovers - managed by Stan Anderson - had knocked out Grimsby Town, Crystal Palace, Torquay United and Hull City, but were no match for Tottenham Hotspur, who thrashed them 7-2 at White Hart Lane, with John Duncan leading the way with a hat-trick and Martin Chivers hitting a double.

Jack Charlton’s Boro fared better with goals from David Mills and Willie Maddren giving them a 2-0 win against Burnley at Turf Moor. The Teessiders bowed out 4-1 on aggregate to Manchester City in the semi-finals - following a calamitous second leg after winning the first one at Ayresome Park through a solitary strike from John Hickton.

1967-68 (Leeds United, Huddersfield Town).

Eventual winners United booked their place in the semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over visiting Stoke City, while Huddersfield made it a memorable West Yorkshire double after winning 2-1 in a replay at Fulham.

Billy Bremner and Peter Lorimer were on target for Leeds against the Potters - to secure a last-four passage and tie against Bryan Clough’s up-and-coming Derby County side.

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Tom Johnston’s Town drew 1-1 with Fulham at Craven Cottage, with Frank Worthington netting and goals from Jimmy Nicholson and David Shaw saw them through 2-1 in the replay at Leeds Road in front of 23,801 - to set up a semi-final tie with Arsenal.

1961-62 (Sheffield United, York City, Rotherham United).

Just like in 2012-13 - and possibly this season - three teams from the Broad Acres reached the quarter-finals, but sadly on this occasion, all bowed out to opponents from across the Pennines.

The Blades, after a 0-0 draw to Blackpool at Bloomfield Road, lost the Bramall Lane replay 2-0, while York went down 2-1 to eventual finalists Rochdale.

The Millers, beaten finalists to Aston Villa in the competitions’ first season in 1960-61 and conquerors of Leeds United in the previous round, lost out 1-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers.