1993 Football League Trophy final

1993 Football League Trophy final

1993 Autoglass Trophy final
The Twin Towers of Wembley Stadium
Event	1992–93 Football League Trophy
Port Vale Stockport County 2 1
Date	22 May 1993
Venue	Wembley Stadium, London
Man of the Match	Bernie Slaven / Peter Swan[1][2]
Referee	David Elleray (Harrow)
Attendance	35,885[3][4]
Weather	Sunny[4]
← 1992 1994 →

The 1993 Football League Trophy final was a football match between Port Vale and Stockport County on 22 May 1993 at Wembley Stadium, London. It was the final match of the 1992–93 Football League Trophy, the 10th season of what had previously been called the Associate Members' Cup, a cup competition for teams from the Second Division and Third Division of the Football League (the third and fourth tiers of the English football league system). Stockport were beaten finalists in the 1992 Associate Members' Cup final, whereas it was Port Vale's first final in the competition and first appearance at Wembley.

Both sides had to advance past a group stage and then four knock-out rounds to reach the final, though Vale were one of four teams drawn at random to receive byes past the group stage. Vale then came from behind in extra time to beat Fulham in the second round, eased past Northampton Town, beat Potteries derby rivals Stoke City, and finally overcame Exeter City over two legs. Stockport County made short work of Chesterfield and Chester City in the group stages, before reaching the final with wins over Hartlepool United, Bradford City, Chesterfield (again) and Wigan Athletic. Both teams had competed in the Second Division play-off semi-finals earlier in the week, with Port Vale winning the tie 2–1 on aggregate.

Port Vale won the match 2–1 with Paul Kerr and Bernie Slaven putting them two goals up at half-time and a 66th-minute strike from Kevin Francis proving to be little more than a consolation. The introduction of second-half substitute Andy Preece had turned the game in County's favour, with Vale having the better of the play and chances before his arrival. Slaven was named by Sky TV as man of the match, having provided Kerr with the assist for the opening goal on 4 minutes and then scoring the game's decisive goal after first beating three defenders on the 37-minute mark. Vale would go on to lose to West Bromwich Albion in the play-off final eight days later, but would secure an automatic promotion place the following season. For Stockport the loss would prove to be the third Wembley defeat in the space of four years; they would go on to lose in the 1994 Second Division play-off final, having lost a 1992 play-off final and the 1992 Associate Members' Cup final.