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My Life in League Cup Finals #2 2014

By David Crook

LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Manchester City players celebrate victory after the Capital One Cup Final between Manchester City and Sunderland at Wembley Stadium on March 2, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 02: Manchester City players celebrate victory after the Capital One Cup Final between Manchester City and Sunderland at Wembley Stadium on March 2, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Jamie McDonald/Getty Images) /
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On 2 March 2014 Manchester City beat Sunderland 3:1 to lift the League Cup for the third time in Club history.

Much had changed since my previous trip to the League Cup Final in 1976, both for me and Manchester City. I had grown up and moved away, finding games harder to get to as family commitments and work took over. And City had also changed beyond all recognition too.

In 2014 City were an entirely different type of team. They were the precocious upstarts, barging their way into the top table and by now had notched a League Title and an FA Cup. They were no longer on the outside looking in but were competing for – and being expected to win – trophies.

Things had also changed for Wembley Stadium too in the intervening years. The crumbling old stadium which had been around since the 1920’s has been replaced with a newer and shinier version. The iconic towers had been demolished alongside everything else and now there was a twisted arch spun over the stadium.

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I went into this game feeling confident. City were a much better team than Sunderland and having dispatched West Ham by 9-0 on aggregate in the semi finals, I was feeling relaxed about City.

Of course it wouldn’t be City if things went to plan. As is customary, City fell behind to an early goal and Sunderland clung on to that lead well into the second half. Things changed though in just a couple of minutes as first Yaya Toure hit a trademark 30 yarder and then Samir Nasri pushed us in front almost straight from the kick off.

Things sat in the balance a bit leading to lots of nerves in the stands but then in the 90th minute Jesus Navas scored the third City goal and the party started. City had won the League Cup and I had been there to see it again – some 38 years and a whole lifetime since I had seen Mike Doyle lift the same trophy in 1976.

Little did I know that City would be back again in a couple of years.

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