1992–93 WFA Women's National League Cup

1992–93 Women's National League Cup
The old Wembley Stadium
Tournament details
Country England
Dates1992 –
May 1993
Defending championsArsenal
Final positions
ChampionsArsenal
Runner-upKnowsley United

The 1992–93 Women's National League Cup was a football competition in England organised by the Women's Football Association. It was the second edition[1][2] of the competition, which was later run by the Football Association as the Women's Premier League Cup and is now known as the FA Women's National League Cup.

The League Cup included top-flight clubs from the season's 1992–93 WFA National League Premier Division and second-tier clubs of the Northern and Southern Divisions.[3]

In the final at Wembley, the defending 1991–92 League Cup-winners, Arsenal, retained the trophy and completed a domestic treble in 1992–93.[4]

Wembley final

Arsenal and Knowsley United won their respective semi-finals against Wimbledon L.F.C. and Leasowe Pacific.[3]

The 1992–93 competition ended with a final at Wembley Stadium in London. Kicking off at 12.15pm on 29 May 1993,[5][6][7] the women's final was held prior to the men's Third Division play-off final at the venue.[8]

Before a sparse crowd, Arsenal Ladies beat Knowsley United 3–0 to retain the trophy.[8] The Liverpool Echo reported that the three Arsenal goals were all scored in the second half.[4] Arsenal had won the WFA Cup a month earlier by the same scoreline.[9]

Clare Taylor

Knowsley's squad contained three England regulars, Karen Burke, Clare Taylor and Kerry Davis.[10] Taylor was an international footballer and cricketer, and two months after the League Cup final she was in the England team that won the 1993 Women's Cricket World Cup on 1 August;[11] she became the first woman to play in finals at Wembley and Lord's, and did so in the same year.

Arsenal manager Vic Akers recalled that the women's teams were not given use of the main dressing rooms at Wembley. "We changed in the opposite end to where the tunnel was."[8]

This remains the only women's League Cup or National League Cup final to be played at Wembley. It is also one of the only competitive women's club games held at the old Wembley Stadium. Previously, the venue had hosted the England women's team and a 1990 friendly between Doncaster Belles and Friends of Fulham.[12][13] The only regular women's football at Wembley has been the FA Cup final, annually since 2015.

References

  1. ^ Di Maggio, Roberto; Garin, Erik; Schöggl, Hans. "England - List of Women League Cup Winners". RSSSF. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  2. ^ "Knowsley's Alt Park ground has been selected as the venue of the first Women's National League Cup football final". Liverpool Echo. British Newspaper Archive. 11 April 1992. p. 42. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  3. ^ a b "League Cup 1993". The Owl Football Historian. Archived from the original on 11 October 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Knowsley's dream ends". Liverpool Echo. 1 June 1993. p. 47. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  5. ^ "THE Women's League Cup final takes place at Wembley". Liverpool Echo. 4 May 1993. p. 43. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  6. ^ "THE Women's League Cup final will take place at Wembley". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 4 May 1993. p. 26. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  7. ^ "Women's finale". Reading Evening Post. 4 May 1993. p. 27. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b c Garry, Tom. "Vic Akers: The legendary Arsenal Ladies manager who won 10 Women's FA Cups". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  9. ^ Elliott, Sam (25 April 1993). "Football / Women's FA Cup Final: Arsenal on trail of the treble". The Independent. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  10. ^ "AT LEAST one of Merseyside's top football teams have managed to clinch a big match at Wembley this season". Liverpool Echo. 6 May 1993. p. 63. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  11. ^ Christodoulou, Daisy. "Footballer-cricketers: A history (2018)". Wisden. Archived from the original on 16 May 2020. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  12. ^ "Wembley reward for leading sides". Kensington Post. 31 May 1990. p. 43. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  13. ^ "Dream day on hallowed turf". Kensington Post. 28 June 1990. p. 43. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
  • Results at The Owl Soccer Historian