Under the Floodlights. Publication date: August 5, 2024

Key features
• Features stories of the first ever floodlit match, which took place in Sheffield, and    how it influenced the decision making for the League Cup decades later
• Shows how the rest of the country developed this new technology that allowed      midweek night games to take place
• Reveals how the idea of a new cup competition began after the rejection of a          radical new league system
• Troubled beginnings: the new cup competition was derided by the press and met    with indifference from clubs and fans alike in its early years
• Explores how the format of the final was switched from two-legged home and        away games to a Wembley showpiece like the FA Cup and how European places        were awarded

Under the Floodlights! is the fascinating story of the League Cup, charting its rich history through 64 seasons, with contributions from the people who were there: players, fans, managers, journalists and match officials. The competition was conceived in 1960 as an alternative to the FA Cup, with midweek cup matches to be played under the floodlights. Initially, though, it was met with indifference by clubs and derision by Fleet Street. The format of the competition was changed several times, and it wasn’t until 1967 that it really picked up traction when the final was moved to Wembley and changed to a single leg. It went from strength to strength, with all 92 clubs competing over the next few years and European places up for grabs. Unlike the FA Cup, the League Cup final has featured clubs from the bottom tiers of the Football League. As the competition approaches its 65th anniversary, this book brings us the full,untold story.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A father of two who lives in Berkshire, Rob Carless has written extensively about football and collaborated with former players on their autobiographies. Rob's books include the acclaimed Three Games in May: And a twenty-year odyssey that defined Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United. He has also written for Late Tackle and The Non-League Paper.