The 1983–84 Associate Members' Cup was the third staging of a secondary football league tournament, and the first staging of Associate Members' Cup. It was a reconstitution of the Football League Group Cup. The format was changed to a knock-out competition for English football clubs in the Third Division and the Fourth Division. Previously it had been an invitation 32-team tournament with a group stage and knock-out competition, with clubs from all 4 levels of the football league. The winners were Bournemouth and the runners-up were Hull City.
The competition began on 20 February 1984 and ended with the final on 24 May 1984 at Boothferry Park, the home stadium of the losing finalists.
In the first round, there were two sections: North and South. In the following rounds each section gradually eliminates teams in knock-out fashion until each has a winning finalist. At this point, the two winning finalists faced each other in the combined final for the honour of the trophy.
First round
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team20 FebruaryTranmere Rovers (4)2–0Halifax Town(4)21 FebruaryBurnley(3)2–1Bolton Wanderers(3)21 FebruaryBury(4)1–0Wigan Athletic(3)21 FebruaryMansfield Town1–3Darlington(4)21 FebruaryRotherham United(3)0–1Sheffield United(3)21 FebruaryScunthorpe United(3)2–1Chesterfield(4)21 FebruaryYork City(4)1–2Hull City(3)22 FebruaryBradford City(3)3–2Hartlepool United(4)22 FebruaryChester City(4)2 – 1after extra timeBlackpool(4)22 FebruaryLincoln City(3)0–2Doncaster Rovers(4)22 FebruaryRochdale(4)0–3Preston North End(3)22 FebruaryStockport County(4)2 – 2Crewe Alexandra(4)Crewe Alexandra won 3–0 on penalties
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team20 FebruarySouthend United(3)5–0Reading(4)21 FebruaryBournemouth(3)4–0Aldershot(4)21 FebruaryBrentford(3)3–2Leyton Orient(3)21 FebruaryColchester United(4)2–1Wimbledon(3)21 FebruaryPlymouth Argyle(3)5–1Torquay United(4)21 FebruaryWalsall(3)3–1Northampton Town(4)21 FebruaryWrexham(4)3 – 2Peterborough United(4)22 FebruaryExeter City(4)3–1Bristol City(4)22 FebruaryHereford United(4)0–1Port Vale(4)22 FebruaryOxford United(3)1–3Swindon Town(4)28 FebruaryMillwall(3)4–3Gillingham(3)28 FebruaryNewport County(4)0–1Bristol Rovers(3)
Second round In this round, in each section, the 6 winners and the 2 "lucky losers" progressed to the quarter-finals. Lucky losers are marked with the letters LL.
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team12 MarchTranmere Rovers4–1Chester City13 MarchBurnley2–1Darlington13 MarchDoncaster Rovers2–1Preston North EndLL13 MarchHull City1–0Bury13 MarchScunthorpe UnitedLL4 – 4Crewe AlexandraCrewe Alexandra won 7–6 on penalties13 MarchSheffield United2–1Bradford City
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team13 MarchBristol Rovers2–0Port Vale13 MarchColchester United0–2Southend United13 MarchMillwallLL2 – 2BournemouthBournemouth won 7–6 on penalties13 MarchSwindon Town3–0Walsall14 MarchWrexham2–0Exeter CityLL26 MarchPlymouth Argyle2 – 0Brentford
Quarter-finals
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team20 MarchDoncaster Rovers1 – 3Burnley20 MarchHull City3–0Preston North End20 MarchScunthorpe United2–3Sheffield United20 MarchTranmere Rovers0 – 0Crewe AlexandraTranmere Rovers won 4–3 on penalties
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team27 MarchMillwall3–1Swindon Town3 AprilBournemouth2–0Wrexham3 AprilSouthend United1–2Bristol Rovers24 AprilPlymouth Argyle2–1Exeter City
Area semi-finals
Northern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team17 AprilTranmere Rovers2 – 0Burnley2 MayHull City1–0Sheffield United
Southern Section DateHome teamScoreAway team14 MayBournemouth1–0Bristol Rovers17 MayPlymouth Argyle0–1Millwall
Area finals
Northern Area final
Southern Area final
Final
Notes General statto.com
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