Sport
Surprise League Cup semi-finalists
Charlton Athletic are one win away from reaching the League Cup semi-finals for the first time in their history. But to make it through to the last four, the Addicks of League One must beat Manchester United in the quarters this week.
That is a tall order, but Charlton would not be the first team from outside the Premier League to reach the penultimate round of English football’s cup competition. Here are some other surprise League Cup semi-finalists since the turn of the century.
Tranmere Rovers (1999/00)
Merseyside’s third club enjoyed a tremendous run in this tournament in 1999/00. Beginning their journey in the first round, Tranmere knocked out Blackpool, Coventry City, Oxford United and Barnsley to reach the quarters.
The second-tier side edged out Middlesbrough 2-1 at Prenton Park, before thrashing Sam Allardyce’s Bolton Wanderers 4-0 on aggregate in the semis. Tranmere pushed Leicester City hard in the final but went down 2-1.
Birmingham City (2000/01)
Birmingham famously won the League Cup in 2011, but they had come close to lifting the trophy for the second time (their first triumph was in 1963) a whole decade earlier.
The Blues, who were playing in the Championship at this stage, took the scalps of Premier League trio Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Ipswich Town to reach the final, where they were beaten by Liverpool on penalties.
Wycombe Wanderers (2006/07)
Wycombe’s League Two campaign in 2006/07 was uneventful, with Paul Lambert’s side finishing 12th. But there were plenty of thrills in the League Cup, as the Chairboys went on a dizzying run to the last four.
Wycombe saw off Premier League side Fulham in the second round, before victories over Doncaster Rovers and Notts County sent them through to the quarters. A 1-0 victory over top-flight Charlton followed, but Wycombe were then beaten 5-1 on aggregate by Chelsea.
Cardiff City (2011/12)
There were few signs early on in the 2011/12 League Cup that Cardiff were destined to finish as runners-up. The Bluebirds, who were pushing for promotion to the Premier League, needed extra time and/or penalties to see off Oxford United, Huddersfield Town and Leicester in the first three rounds.
They then beat Blackburn Rovers and Burnley at home to reach the two-legged semi-finals, where they squeezed past Crystal Palace on spot-kicks. The final against Liverpool also went all the way to a shoot-out, but that proved a bridge too far for Cardiff.
Bradford City (2012/13)
One of the League Cup’s greatest ever underdog stories, Bradford continually upset the odds to reach the final in 2012/13. After overcoming Notts County, Watford and Burton Albion from rounds one to three, the Bantams proceeded to knock out their first Premier League side in Wigan Athletic.
Bigger upsets followed. Bradford stunned Arsenal at Valley Parade, then beat Aston Villa 4-3 on aggregate in the last four. They were outclassed by Swansea City in the final, losing 5-0, but making it to Wembley was a remarkable feat.
Sheffield United (2014/15)
Nigel Clough gave Sheffield United fans something to cheer in 2014/15, even though the Yorkshire outfit failed to win promotion from League One. The Blades kick-started their League Cup campaign by beating Mansfield Town, before triumphing over West Ham United on penalties in the second round.
Clough’s team beat Ronald Koeman’s Southampton in the fifth round, then gave it a good go in the semi-finals against Tottenham, losing only 3-2 on aggregate after a Christian Eriksen brace at Bramall Lane.
Burton Albion (2018/19)
Clough was a semi-finalist again in 2018/19, this time with unfancied Burton. The Brewers battled past Shrewsbury Town in the first round, then knocked out Aston Villa and Premier League side Burnley over the next few weeks.
Their run continued with wins against Nottingham Forest (3-2) and Middlesbrough (1-0), but Manchester City played the role of party poopers in the semis: Burton were demolished 9-0 in the first leg at the Eithad Stadium, but they restored some pride with a battling performance in a 1-0 loss at home.
