The 1988 Associate Members' Cup Final, known as the Sherpa Van Trophy Final for sponsorship reasons, was the 5th final of the domestic football cup competition for teams from the Third and Fourth Divisions.
The final was played at Wembley Stadium in London on 29 May 1988, The game was contested by Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers before a crowd of 80,841, a then record for the trophy, which was not bettered until the 2019 final between Sunderland and Portsmouth. Wolves won the match 2–0 thanks to goals in either half by Andy Mutch and Robbie Dennison.
Background The match took place three weeks after the end of the domestic league programme. Wolves had already won the Fourth Division title in their second ever season at that level, and boasted the division's top goalscorer in Steve Bull (34 league goals; 52 in total). Burnley had finished tenth in the division and would take four further seasons before being promoted. Wolves had won both league games between the two clubs that season 3–0.
It was the first time in the cup's history that two previous English champions met in the final, and Wolves were the first of the former champions to have won the trophy.
In a further twist of irony, Burnley and Wolves had contested the English league title between the two of them only twenty-eight years previously, Burnley emerging as champions on the final day of the 1959–60 season by a point (denying Wolves, FA Cup winners that season, the first English League and Cup 'double' of the 20th Century.)
Match details
GK 1 Chris PearceRB 2 Peter DanielLB 3 Ray Deakin (c)CM 4 Ian BrittonCB 5 Steve Davis CB 6 Steve GardnerRM 7 Andy FarrellCF 8 George OghaniCF 9 Steve TaylorCM 10 Paul ComstiveLM 11 Shaun McGrory Substitutes:DF 12 Ashley HoskinMF 14 Leighton James Manager: Brian Miller GK 1 Mark KendallRB 2 Gary BellamyLB 3 Andy ThompsonCB 4 Floyd StreeteCB 5 Ally Robertson (c) CM 6 Phil RobinsonRM 7 Robbie DennisonCM 8 Keith Downing CF 9 Steve BullCF 10 Andy MutchLM 11 Micky Holmes Substitutes:MF 12 Nigel Vaughan FW 14 Jackie Gallagher Manager: Graham Turner MATCH OFFICIALS Assistant referees: Dennis Palmer (Avon) Graham Butland (Chelmsford) Reserve referee: Michael Peck (Kendal)MATCH RULES 90 minutes. 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Two named substitutes Maximum of two substitutions.
Road to Wembley
Burnley Northern Section Group 1Tranmere Rovers1–2BurnleyNorthern Section Group 1Burnley3–2RochdaleNorthern Section First RoundBurnley1–0Chester CityNorthern Section Quarter-finalsBury0–1BurnleyNorthern Section Semi-finalBurnley0–0Halifax Town Burnley won 5–3 on PenaltiesNorthern Section Final 1st LegBurnley0–0Preston North EndNorthern Section Final 2nd LegPreston North End1–3Burnley
Wolverhampton Wanderers Southern Section Group 1Swansea City1–1Wolverhampton WanderersSouthern Section Group 1Wolverhampton Wanderers3–1Bristol CitySouthern Section First RoundWolverhampton Wanderers4–0BrentfordSouthern Section Quarter-finalsWolverhampton Wanderers4–0Peterborough UnitedSouthern Section Semi-finalWolverhampton Wanderers1–0Torquay UnitedSouthern Section Final 1st LegNotts County1–1Wolverhampton WanderersSouthern Section Final 2nd LegWolverhampton Wanderers3–0Notts County
References
External links Official website