The Carling Cup is football's equivalent to Betamax videos

By David Anderson

Published 08:30 23/09/09

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When it comes to pointless and redundant creations, the Carling Cup is up there with the Sinclair C5 and Betamax videos.

No-one is interested in the Carling Cup anymore - if they ever were.

Managers don't like it and the top bosses see it as an irritation in an already overcrowded fixture list.

Their priorities are Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and trailing in a distant fourth - the Carling Cup.

They play their stiffs and shrug their shoulders when they lose, which sums up how bothered they are about it.

I remember Fergie quipping "what a great result for Manchester United" when they lost at Ipswich in the late 90s because he could look forward to a few free midweeks.

The bosses of the Premier League's lesser lights don't even take it seriously and they also field weakened sides because their priority is staying up.

The fans couldn't care, as evidenced by the drop in gates when it's Carling Cup night.

It doesn't even generate any excitement, and who cares if Wolves reserves beat Manchester United reserves?

Unlike the FA Cup, can anyone actually remember a 'shock' from recent years?

The final is hardly a showpiece and last season's match between Tottenham and United was a snoozefest.

If the Football League really want a cup competition, then restrict it to their members. Don't include the Premier League clubs because few of them want to be in it anyway.

It might give the competition a new lease of life and give someone else a crack at Wembley rather than just Chelsea or United's reserves.

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