1970 Watney Cup
| Watney Mann Invitation Cup | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country | England Wales |
| Dates | 1–8 August |
| Teams | 8 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Derby County (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Manchester United |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 7 |
| Goals scored | 31 (4.43 per match) |
| Attendance | 147,084 (21,012 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Chris Chilton Alan Durban (3 goals each) |
The 1970 Watney Cup was the inaugural edition of the Watney Mann Invitation Cup, a short-lived invitational association football tournament.
It was won by Derby County, who beat Manchester United in the final at the Baseball Ground.[1]
Background
The Watney Cup was introduced in 1970 to help increase the competitiveness of pre-season fixtures. Its name was a result of a sponsorship from brewing company Watney Combe & Reid. The tournament featured eight invited teams, with two selected from each division of the Football League. Those chosen to participate were the top two highest scoring teams from each division who had not gained promotion nor earned a place in a European competition the previous season.[2]
Format
The competition was a straight knockout tournament, with games that ended level going to extra time. In accordance with new IFAB rules at the time,[3] penalty shoot-outs were used to determine a winner if scores were still even after an additional 30 minutes of play.[4]
Teams
|
|
Tournament
Quarter-finals
| Fulham (3) | 3–5 (a.e.t.) | Derby County (1) |
|---|---|---|
Earle  6'Halom 11', 13' |
Report | O'Hare 2' Hector 23', 102'Durban 69', 106' |
| Peterborough United (4) | 0–4 | Hull City (2) |
|---|---|---|
| Report | Wagstaff Chilton |
Semi-finals
| Derby County (1) | 1–0 | Sheffield United (2) |
|---|---|---|
| McGovern 29' |
Report |
| Hull City (2) | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Manchester United (1) |
|---|---|---|
| Chilton 11' |
Report | Law 78' |
| Penalties | ||
| 3–4 | ||
Final
| Derby County (1) | 4–1 | Manchester United (1) |
|---|---|---|
| McFarland 20' Hinton 24'Durban 35'Mackay 74' |
Report | Best 32' |
References
- ^ "Watney Cup results". stevesfootballstats.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "Innovation at its finest: The Watney Cup". taleoftwohalves.uk. 13 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "The Long Walk: The History of the Penalty Shoot-Out". FIFA. 30 October 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
- ^ "The Watney Cup". footballsite.co.uk. Retrieved 16 July 2025.