3/1 To Win
Whilst circumstances currently mean there’s no live football to enjoy, dcfc.co.uk is delving into the archives to feature a photograph from Derby County’s illustrious history.
For the foreseeable future, we’ll provide you an image each day for supporters to enjoy and reminisce.
Mackay Lifts The Watney Cup At The Baseball Ground
Pictured here is Derby County captain Dave Mackay lifting the Watney Cup at the Baseball Ground in August 1970.
The Watney Mann Invitation Cup was a short-lived English football tournament held in the early 1970s.
It was held before the start of the season, and was contested by the teams that had scored the most goals in each of the four divisions of the Football League the previous season who had not been promoted or admitted to one of the European competitions.
Two teams from each division took part, making eight participants in total. The competition was a straight knockout format, each match was a one-off with no replays. The final took place at the home ground of one of the finalists, rather than a neutral venue.
The competition was so named thanks to a sponsorship deal with the Watney Mann brewery; the first tournament for English Football League clubs to sell its naming rights. The tournament ran four times, from 1970 to 1973, before being discontinued.
Derby competed in the first-ever tournament in August 1970 and overcame Fulham (5-3 after extra-time) and Sheffield United (1-0) to reach the Watney Cup Final against Manchester United at the Baseball Ground.
Brian Clough’s side were 4-1 winners in the Final, before a crowd of 32,000, with Roy McFarland, Alan Hinton, Alan Durban and Dave Mackay the goalscorers for the Rams.
Look out for tomorrow’s Snapshot in Time across dcfc.co.uk – and remember you can suggest an image by getting in touch via the club’s social media channels.
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