We face Harrogate Town this evening in the EFL Cup for the second season in a row.
It’s a quirk, because we haven’t faced them in league action in our history, but we will now have a home and away record anyway. Last season, we lost 2-1 at home, seemingly passing a great chance to progress to the next round. This evening, with a threadbare squad and no imminent arrivals, there is a fear of a second defeat against them in as many seasons.
I’m sure someone good at maths could tell you the odds of drawing the same team at the same stage of a competition two years on the trot. ChatGPT tells me it is around 34-1.
However, it has happened before, but what does history tell us? Is it a curse, or a blessing to have a second stab? Here are the occasions we’ve been drawn against the same team in consecutive years in the League Cup.
York City (1962/63, 63/64)
In 1962, we drew York City in the first round of the cup, drawing 2-2 in the first leg and winning 2-0 in the second. The Imps’ scorers were identical: Brian Punter and Neville Bannister with a goal in each game.
York must have hated us, because a year later we drew them again. This time it was in round two, so not quite identical draws, but the outcome was the same – City were held 1-1 in the first game, winning a replay 2-0.
Mansfield Town (1967/68, 68/69)
Mansfield were the first side we played in our exciting cup run of 67/68, which saw us beat Newcastle United (and Torquay) before going out to Derby in front of a record crowd. A 3-2 win at Field Mill, courtesy of a Roger Holmes brace and Billy Cobb’s strike, set us on our way for a good run.
The following season, we were drawn at home against the Stags, and once again, we triumphed, this time 2-1. No cup run followed, though, as Scunthorpe did us 2-1 away in round two.
Rotherham United (1973/74, 74/75)
We were about sick of Rotherham United in the early seventies. Without a two-legged first round, we didn’t expect familiarity to breed contempt, but it did! They beat us 2-1 at Millmoor in 1973, Colin Symm’s goal not enough for us to progress. The following year they came out of the pot again and the tie went on for three matches.
Sam Ellis earned us a 1-1 draw in the first leg, before Dave Smith’s goal earned us a 1-1 draw in the replay, after extra time. That meant a thirds game, and this time, Ellis’ goal was not enough, as we lost 2-1.
Interestingly, one game went to a fourth replay, Brighton and Reading, in which the Royals triumphed. They were then paired with Rotherham, ending the Millers’ interest early. All that effort for nothing.
Hull City (1980/81, 81/82)
When we played Hull in 1980/81, they were a Third Division side, while we we in the fourth. It was a two-legged affair, but it may as well not have been: Mick Harford (3), Derek Bell and George Shipley ended the contest before we went to Boothferry Park. Harford bagged a brace three days later at their place to give us a 7-0 aggregate win. Some statement.
In 81/82, we were a Third Division side, while Hull had dropped into the Fourth Division, so it was all change. Once again, they came out of the hat to face us, and once again, we won. This time we took a 3-0 lead to Boothferry Park courtesy of Tony Cunningham, Shipley and Gordon Hobson. The 1-1 draw 13 days later gave Hull a tiny bit of pride, but we progressed.
Hull City (1983/84, 84/85)
The Tigers again! They had joined us in the Third Division in 83/84, and we were not the force we once were. Still, no change in the outcome – 0-0 at Boothferry Park and a 3-1 City win after extra time saw us progress. Shipley (again), John Thomas and Keith Houghton were on the scoresheet, setting us up to face eventual UEFA Cup winners, Spurs.
Finally, in 1984/85, Hull got their revenge, and for the first time since 1962, beat City in a cup tie. This time we were in the Third Division, and they were in the Second, but their class showed. We lost 2-0 at home, and 4-1 at Boothferry Park to bring our League Cup battles with them to an end. Still, in four seasons we’d met them eight times, with an aggregate score of 15-8.
Stockport County (2002/03, 03/04)
We all remember the 2002/03 season, and if you don’t, Rob Bradley talked about it passionately here. What I don;t remember is the back-to-back cup matches against Stockport County. Neither were really memorable: we lost 3-1 at home in September 2002, Adie Mike scoring for us. In my defence, I was in Tenerife, so it’s not a shock I don’t recall it.
The following season, we had the same opponent, again at home, and the same outcome. This time we lost 1-0, although on both occasions they were a division above us.