1997 Football League Cup final

The 1997 Football League Cup Final was played between Middlesbrough and Leicester City. The first game, at Wembley Stadium on Sunday 6 April 1997, ended in a 1–1 draw after extra time. Fabrizio Ravanelli opened the scoring only for Leicester's Emile Heskey to equalise in the last minute of extra time. Heskey was fortunate to be on the field, having committed what was a bookable foul on Boro captain Nigel Pearson after already being booked. Leicester won the replay, and their second League Cup, in the game played at Hillsborough Stadium on 16 April 1997 with another extra-time goal, this time from Steve Claridge.^[1]

1997 Football League Cup Final

Match programme cover
Event	1996–97 Football League Cup
Leicester City Middlesbrough
Leicester City won after a replay
Final
Leicester City Middlesbrough 1 1
After extra time
Date	6 April 1997 (1997-04-06)
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Man of the Match	Steve Walsh (Leicester City)
Referee	Martin Bodenham
Attendance	76,757
Replay
Leicester City Middlesbrough 1 0
After extra time
Date	16 April 1997 (1997-04-16)
Venue	Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield
Man of the Match	Steve Walsh (Leicester City)
Referee	Martin Bodenham
Attendance	39,428
← 1996 1998 →

This was the last year that the Football League Cup Final was decided by a replay.^[2]

Road to Wembley

Leicester City Round 2, 1st leg: Scarborough 0–2 Leicester City Round 2, 2nd leg: Leicester City 2–1 Scarborough Round 3: York City 0–2 Leicester City Round 4: Leicester City 2–0 Manchester United Quarter-final: Ipswich Town 0–1 Leicester City Semi-final, 1st leg: Leicester City 0–0 Wimbledon Semi-final, 2nd leg: Wimbledon 1–1 Leicester City (on away goals)

Middlesbrough Round 2, 1st leg: Middlesbrough 7–0 Hereford United Round 2, 2nd leg: Hereford United 0–3 Middlesbrough Round 3: Middlesbrough 5–1 Huddersfield Town Round 4: Middlesbrough 3–1 Newcastle United Quarter-final: Middlesbrough 2–1 Liverpool Semi-final, 1st leg: Stockport County 0–2 Middlesbrough Semi-final, 2nd leg: Middlesbrough 0–1 Stockport County

Match details

6 April 1997

15:00 BST

Leicester City	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Middlesbrough
Heskey 118'	Report	Ravanelli 95'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 76,757

Referee: Martin Bodenham (Cornwall)

Leicester City

Middlesbrough

GK 13 Kasey Keller DF 2 Simon Grayson DF 3 Mike Whitlow  105' DF 5 Steve Walsh (c) DF 15 Pontus Kåmark DF 17 Spencer Prior MF 6 Muzzy Izzet  108' MF 7 Neil Lennon MF 10 Garry Parker FW 9 Steve Claridge FW 11 Emile Heskey Substitutes: GK 1 Kevin Poole MF 8 Scott Taylor  108' FW 12 Mark Robins  105' Manager: Martin O'Neill

GK 19 Mark Schwarzer DF 2 Neil Cox DF 14 Curtis Fleming DF 5 Nigel Pearson (c) DF 18 Gianluca Festa MF 21 Craig Hignett MF 8 Robbie Mustoe MF 10 Juninho Paulista MF 6 Emerson FW 9 Mikkel Beck FW 11 Fabrizio Ravanelli Substitutes: DF 4 Steve Vickers DF 17 Clayton Blackmore MF 12 Alan Moore Manager: Bryan Robson

Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Replay if scores still level Three named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions

Replay

16 April 1997

Leicester City	1–0 (a.e.t.)	Middlesbrough
Claridge 100'	Report

Hillsborough Stadium, Sheffield

Attendance: 39,428

Referee: Martin Bodenham (Cornwall)

Leicester

Middlesbrough

GK 13 Kasey Keller RWB 2 Simon Grayson CB 3 Mike Whitlow  109' CB 5 Steve Walsh (c) CB 17 Spencer Prior LWB 15 Pontus Kåmark CM 6 Muzzy Izzet CM 7 Neil Lennon CM 10 Garry Parker CF 9 Steve Claridge  117' CF 11 Emile Heskey Substitutes: GK 1 Kevin Poole DF 21 Jamie Lawrence  109' FW 12 Mark Robins  117' Manager: Martin O'Neill

GK 25 Ben Roberts RB 2 Neil Cox  105' CB 5 Nigel Pearson (c) CB 18 Gianluca Festa  76' LB 7 Vladimir Kinder CM 17 Clayton Blackmore CM 6 Emerson CM 8 Robbie Mustoe AM 10 Juninho Paulista CF 21 Craig Hignett  105' CF 11 Fabrizio Ravanelli Substitutes: DF 4 Steve Vickers  76' MF 12 Alan Moore  105' FW 9 Mikkel Beck  105' Manager: Bryan Robson

Match rules 90 minutes 30 minutes of extra-time if necessary Penalty shootout if scores still level Three named substitutes Maximum of three substitutions