1969 Anglo-Italian League Cup
The 1969 Anglo-Italian League Cup was a football cup competition held between clubs in England and Italy won by Swindon Town. It was the inaugural Anglo-Italian League Cup competition.
 Match programme cover from second-leg | |||||||
| Event | 1969 Anglo-Italian League Cup | ||||||
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| First leg | |||||||
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| Date | 27 August 1969 | ||||||
| Venue | Stadio Olimpico, Rome | ||||||
| Second leg | |||||||
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| Date | 10 September 1969 | ||||||
| Venue | County Ground, Swindon | ||||||
Background
The origin of the Anglo-Italian League Cup (also known as the Anglo-Italian Cup Winners' Cup[1] and billed on the match programme as the International League Cup Winners' Cup) was to reward Swindon Town with European football in lieu of their ineligibility for the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup following their victory in the 1968–69 League Cup, beating Arsenal in the final. The Football League Cup had been changed in 1967 so the winner would be awarded a place in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup;[2] however, teams outside the First Division were not permitted in the competition.[3] Queens Park Rangers won that year's final but were omitted from the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup as they were in the Third Division.[3][4] When Swindon, another third division club, won the League Cup two years later the Anglo-Italian League Cup was organised as a way of compensating them for the ruling that prevented them competing in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.[3]
The competition consisted of a single two-legged match against the Italian team A.S. Roma who had won the Coppa Italia that season.[5][6]
The final
The final was played over two legs, with A.S. Roma drawn to host the first game in Rome. The second leg was played in England.
1st leg
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Roma relied on attacking tactics in the early stages of the game, forcing Swindon to defend and rely on counter-attack moves to break the dead-lock. The first half was characterised by the many attempts on goal by Roma's centre-forward Enzo saved by Swindon goalkeeper Downsborough.[9]
In the 12th minute Roma were denied a penalty. Peiro had fed a pass through to Cappellini and, as the inside-right cut into the penalty area, he appeared to be sent full-length by a tackle from Harland. Instead of the expected penalty, English referee Kevin Howley gave Swindon a free-kick.[9]
Shortly before half-time, Elvio Salvori, the Roma half back, dived over the outstretched leg of Roger Smart.[6] A penalty was awarded, which Fabio Enzo converted. Just two minutes later, the half-time whistle sounded.
Then, as Salvori broke into the penalty area, he literally threw himself over the outstretched leg of Smart. Much to the dismay of the Town players, the referee immediately awarded a penalty from which Enzo scored.[9]
The second half was more evenly contested, and Swindon equalised through Peter Noble who sliced a chipped free-kick from John Smith just out of the grasp of the Roma goalkeeper, Alberto Ginulfi.[9] Roma responded with a period of concerted attack and were rewarded when Renato Cappellini headed home a cross from a corner, which proved to be the winner. Swindon pressurised the Italian defence for the final 10 minutes of the game but could not equalise,[6] A.S. Roma won 2–1.
2nd leg
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For the second leg, Roma attempted to hold onto their lead with a defensive formation.[10] It took Swindon five[nb 2] minutes to pull level on aggregate, when Arthur Horsfield volleyed home a cross from John Smith. The game remained at 1–0 until the 70th minute, when Horsfield added his second and Don Rogers scored the third two minutes later.[12]
With Roma pushing forward to get back into the game, Horsfield completed his hat-trick in the 89th minute – meaning Swindon Town had won 4–0 on the night, and 5–2 on aggregate.[12]
The gate receipts were reported as being £8794.19s,[12] equivalent to around £145,820 in 2021.[13]
Post game
Impressed with the competition and spirit of both fans and clubs, the Italian FA organised another Anglo-Italian competition for later the same season.[6] This was to be the 1970 Anglo-Italian Cup, a competition that Swindon Town won. A.S. Roma were later Anglo-Italian Cup champions in 1972.
Notes
- Although the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation report that the goal was scored in the 66th minute,[7] both a predominant unofficial Swindon Town F.C. website and the report in the Swindon Advertiser give the time of the goal as the 68th minute.[8][9]
- Although a predominant unofficial Swindon Town F.C. website report that the goal was scored in the 15th minute,[11] the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation and the report in the Swindon Advertiser give the time of the goal as the 5th minute.[7][12]
References
- "The best Swindon Town... Right Back". Swindon Advertiser. Archived from the original on 30 March 2012. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
He played in the two-legged win over AS Roma in the Anglo-Italian Cup Winners' Cup
- Murray, Scott (12 November 2008). "Why the League Cup still has its place in English football". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
- Murray, Scott (26 June 2009). "The Joy of Six: Extinct football competitions". The Guardian. London: Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 22 July 2009. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
- Murphy, Alex (2 May 2009). "Mike Keen: Footballer who captained Third Division Queen's Park Rangers to League Cup victory in 1967". The Independent. London: Independent News & Media. Retrieved 29 August 2009.
- Williams, Tony; Peskett, Roy (1970). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1970–71. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 203. ISBN 978-0-362-00071-9.
- "Anglo-Italian League Cup Winners' Cup Winners 1969/1970". swindon-town-fc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 8 November 2002. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
- Garin, Erik (30 August 2001). "Anglo-Italian League Cup". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
- "AS Roma – Swindon Town, Wednesday, August 27, 1969". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Richard Banyard. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
- King, Clive. "Swindon make it tough for the Italians". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
- Patrick Sawyer (16 December 2007). "Swindon a humbling factor for Fabio Capello". Sunday Telegraph. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
- "Swindon Town – AS Roma, Wednesday, September 10, 1969". Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk. Richard Banyard. Retrieved 12 July 2011.
- King, Clive. "Swindon outplay Italians to win cup". Swindon Advertiser. Retrieved 25 January 2007.
- UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.
External links
- Anglo-Italian League Cup 1969 at RSSSF
- Anglo-Italian League Cup Winners 1969/1970 – swindon-town-fc.co.uk