Bolton Wanderers face Aston Villa at the Reebok Stadium tommorow night in the Carling Cup Semi Final, the first of two crunch games which for the victors would mean a place at the Millenium Stadium to face the winners of the Arsenal versus Middlesbrough tie.
Both teams have a strong history in this competition and will be hoping to go all the way with the prospect of a major trophy and a UEFA Cup place at stake. Villa have won the trophy five times the last time was in 1996 when they defeated Leeds United at Wembley whilst Bolton where losing finalists to Liverpool back in 1995 and have reached the Semi Finals on three occasions.
Wanderers have the home advantage first off with the second leg to be played at Villa Park next Tuesday evening. A bonus for the home side is that they will be able to call upon the services of captain Jay-Jay Okocha who has delayed joining up with the Nigerian squad for the African Cup Of Nations. Simon Charlton has also handed the Trotters manager Sam Allardyce a boost by declaring his fitness for the game following hamstring problems however he will have to do without the services of knee injury victims Florent Laville and Ricardo Gardner. Emerson Thome faces a race against time to recover from a calf injury sustained against Portsmouth whilst Per Frandsen is suspended for the tie following his booking against Manchester United.
Villa travel to Lancashire hoping to have Darius Vassell and Gavin McCann available after they missed the weekend Premiership clash with Arsenal due to injury, young striker Stefan Moore has an ankle injury so will not be considered. Otherwise manager David O'Leary will have his full quota of players to call upon during the tie.
LEAGUE CUP BESTS (3 LAST FINAL OR SEMI FINAL APPEARANCES)
BOLTON
18/01/1977 Bolton Wanderers 0 Everton 1 (Semi Final) (Burnden Park)
BOLTON: Jim McDonagh, Peter Nicholson, Tony Dunne, Roy Greaves, Paul Jones, Sam Allardyce, Willie Morgan, Neil Whatmore, Garry Jones, Peter Reid, Alan Waldron
EVERTON: David Lawson, Mike Bernard, David Jones, Mike Lyons, Ken McNaught, Bryan Hamilton, Andy King, Martin Dobson, Bob Latchford, Duncan McKenzie, Ronnie Goodlass
SCORER: Latchford 23
02/04/1995 Bolton Wanderers 1 Liverpool 2 (Final) (Wembley)
BOLTON: Keith Branagan, Scott Green (Gudni Bergsson), Jimmy Phillips, Jason McAteer, Mark Seagraves, Alan Stubbs, David Lee, Richard Sneekes, Mixu Paatelainen, John McGinlay, Alan Thompson
SCORER: Alan Thompson 68
LIVERPOOL: David James, Rob Jones, Stig-Inge Bjornebye, John Scales, Phil Babb, Neil Ruddock, Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp, Ian Rush, John Barnes, Robbie Fowler
SCORER: Steve McManaman 37,68
26/01/2000 Tranmere Rovers 3 Bolton Wanderers 0 (Semi Final) (Prenton Park)
BOLTON: Steve Banks, Dean Holden, Mike Whitlow (Michael Johansen), Gudni Bergsson, Jimmy Phillips, Franck Passi (Paul Warhurst), Robbie Elliott, Claus Jensen, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Dean Holdsworth (Bob Taylor), Ricardo Gardner
TRANMERE: John Achterberg, Reuben Hazell, Andy Thompson (Graham Allen), Gary Jones, Dave Challinor, Phil Babb, Alan Mahon (Jason Koumas), Andy Parkinson, David Kelly (Michael Black), Scott Taylor, Nick Henry
SCORERS: Nick Henry 5, Alan Mahon 21 (p), David Kelly 70
ASTON VILLA
02/02/2000 Leicester City 1 Aston Villa 0 (Semi Final) (Filbert Street)
VILLA: David James, Steve Watson (Mark Delaney) (Lee Hendrie), Alan Wright, Gareth Southgate, Ugo Ehiogu, Gareth Barry, Steve Stone, George Boateng, Julian Joachim, Paul Merson, Richard Walker (Ian Taylor)
LEICESTER: Tim Flowers, Phil Gilchrist, Frank Sinclair, Gerry Taggart, Matt Elliott, Muzzy Izzet (Theo Zagarakis), Neil Lennon (Stuart Campbell), Robbie Savage, Steve Guppy (Andy Impey), Stefan Oakes, Emile Heskey
SCORER: Matt Elliott 45
24/03/1996 Aston Villa 3 Leeds United 0 (Final) (Wembley)
VILLA: Mark Bosnich, Gary Charles, Alan Wright, Gareth Southgate, Paul McGrath, Ugo Ehiogu, Ian Taylor, Mark Draper, Savo Milosevic, Dwight Yorke, Andy Townsend
SCORERS: Savo Milosevic 20, Ian Taylor 54, Dwight Yorke 90
LEEDS: John Lukic, Gary Kelly, John Pemberton, Carlton Palmer, Lucas Radebe (Tomas Brolin), David Wetherall, Mark Ford (Brian Deane), Andy Gray, Tony Yeboah, Gary McAllister, Gary Speed
27/03/1994 Aston Villa 3 Manchester United 1 (Final) (Wembley)
VILLA: Mark Bosnich, Earl Barrett, Steve Staunton (Neil Cox), Shaun Teale, Paul McGrath, Kevin Richardson, Andy Townsend, Graham Fenton, Dean Saunders, Dalian Atkinson, Tony Daley
SCORERS: Dalian Atkinson 25, Dean Saunders 75,90 (p)
UNITED: Les Sealey, Paul Parker, Denis Irwin, Steve Bruce, Roy Keane, Gary Pallister, Eric Cantona, Paul Ince, Andrei Kanchelskis, Mark Hughes (Brian McClair), Ryan Giggs (Lee Sharpe)
SCORER: Mark Hughes 83
PLAYED FOR BOTH
FRANZ CARR
NEIL COX
SASA CURCIC
GARETH FARRELLY
STUART GRAY
JOHN GREGORY
KEVIN POOLE
BRYAN SMALL
ALAN THOMPSON
OTHER CONNECTIONS
BRUCE RIOCH
BOLTON SQUAD: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Anthony Barness, Bruno N'Gotty, Emerson Thome, Simon Charlton, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Ivan Campo, Ibrahim Ba, Jay-Jay Okocha, Kevin Nolan, Youri Djorkaeff, Kevin Davies, Javi Moreno, Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Poole, Delroy Facey, Danny Livesey
VILLA SQUAD: Thomas Sorensen, Mark Delaney, Olaf Mellberg, Ronny Johnsen, J-Lloyd Samuel, Lee Hendrie, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Peter Whittingham, Gareth Barry, Markus Allback, Juan-Pablo Angel, Gavin McCann, Darius Vassell, Stefan Postma, Ulises De la Cruz, Liam Ridgewell, Peter Crouch
Both teams have a strong history in this competition and will be hoping to go all the way with the prospect of a major trophy and a UEFA Cup place at stake. Villa have won the trophy five times the last time was in 1996 when they defeated Leeds United at Wembley whilst Bolton where losing finalists to Liverpool back in 1995 and have reached the Semi Finals on three occasions.
Wanderers have the home advantage first off with the second leg to be played at Villa Park next Tuesday evening. A bonus for the home side is that they will be able to call upon the services of captain Jay-Jay Okocha who has delayed joining up with the Nigerian squad for the African Cup Of Nations. Simon Charlton has also handed the Trotters manager Sam Allardyce a boost by declaring his fitness for the game following hamstring problems however he will have to do without the services of knee injury victims Florent Laville and Ricardo Gardner. Emerson Thome faces a race against time to recover from a calf injury sustained against Portsmouth whilst Per Frandsen is suspended for the tie following his booking against Manchester United.
Villa travel to Lancashire hoping to have Darius Vassell and Gavin McCann available after they missed the weekend Premiership clash with Arsenal due to injury, young striker Stefan Moore has an ankle injury so will not be considered. Otherwise manager David O'Leary will have his full quota of players to call upon during the tie.
LEAGUE CUP BESTS (3 LAST FINAL OR SEMI FINAL APPEARANCES)
BOLTON
18/01/1977 Bolton Wanderers 0 Everton 1 (Semi Final) (Burnden Park)
BOLTON: Jim McDonagh, Peter Nicholson, Tony Dunne, Roy Greaves, Paul Jones, Sam Allardyce, Willie Morgan, Neil Whatmore, Garry Jones, Peter Reid, Alan Waldron
EVERTON: David Lawson, Mike Bernard, David Jones, Mike Lyons, Ken McNaught, Bryan Hamilton, Andy King, Martin Dobson, Bob Latchford, Duncan McKenzie, Ronnie Goodlass
SCORER: Latchford 23
02/04/1995 Bolton Wanderers 1 Liverpool 2 (Final) (Wembley)
BOLTON: Keith Branagan, Scott Green (Gudni Bergsson), Jimmy Phillips, Jason McAteer, Mark Seagraves, Alan Stubbs, David Lee, Richard Sneekes, Mixu Paatelainen, John McGinlay, Alan Thompson
SCORER: Alan Thompson 68
LIVERPOOL: David James, Rob Jones, Stig-Inge Bjornebye, John Scales, Phil Babb, Neil Ruddock, Steve McManaman, Jamie Redknapp, Ian Rush, John Barnes, Robbie Fowler
SCORER: Steve McManaman 37,68
26/01/2000 Tranmere Rovers 3 Bolton Wanderers 0 (Semi Final) (Prenton Park)
BOLTON: Steve Banks, Dean Holden, Mike Whitlow (Michael Johansen), Gudni Bergsson, Jimmy Phillips, Franck Passi (Paul Warhurst), Robbie Elliott, Claus Jensen, Eidur Gudjohnsen, Dean Holdsworth (Bob Taylor), Ricardo Gardner
TRANMERE: John Achterberg, Reuben Hazell, Andy Thompson (Graham Allen), Gary Jones, Dave Challinor, Phil Babb, Alan Mahon (Jason Koumas), Andy Parkinson, David Kelly (Michael Black), Scott Taylor, Nick Henry
SCORERS: Nick Henry 5, Alan Mahon 21 (p), David Kelly 70
ASTON VILLA
02/02/2000 Leicester City 1 Aston Villa 0 (Semi Final) (Filbert Street)
VILLA: David James, Steve Watson (Mark Delaney) (Lee Hendrie), Alan Wright, Gareth Southgate, Ugo Ehiogu, Gareth Barry, Steve Stone, George Boateng, Julian Joachim, Paul Merson, Richard Walker (Ian Taylor)
LEICESTER: Tim Flowers, Phil Gilchrist, Frank Sinclair, Gerry Taggart, Matt Elliott, Muzzy Izzet (Theo Zagarakis), Neil Lennon (Stuart Campbell), Robbie Savage, Steve Guppy (Andy Impey), Stefan Oakes, Emile Heskey
SCORER: Matt Elliott 45
24/03/1996 Aston Villa 3 Leeds United 0 (Final) (Wembley)
VILLA: Mark Bosnich, Gary Charles, Alan Wright, Gareth Southgate, Paul McGrath, Ugo Ehiogu, Ian Taylor, Mark Draper, Savo Milosevic, Dwight Yorke, Andy Townsend
SCORERS: Savo Milosevic 20, Ian Taylor 54, Dwight Yorke 90
LEEDS: John Lukic, Gary Kelly, John Pemberton, Carlton Palmer, Lucas Radebe (Tomas Brolin), David Wetherall, Mark Ford (Brian Deane), Andy Gray, Tony Yeboah, Gary McAllister, Gary Speed
27/03/1994 Aston Villa 3 Manchester United 1 (Final) (Wembley)
VILLA: Mark Bosnich, Earl Barrett, Steve Staunton (Neil Cox), Shaun Teale, Paul McGrath, Kevin Richardson, Andy Townsend, Graham Fenton, Dean Saunders, Dalian Atkinson, Tony Daley
SCORERS: Dalian Atkinson 25, Dean Saunders 75,90 (p)
UNITED: Les Sealey, Paul Parker, Denis Irwin, Steve Bruce, Roy Keane, Gary Pallister, Eric Cantona, Paul Ince, Andrei Kanchelskis, Mark Hughes (Brian McClair), Ryan Giggs (Lee Sharpe)
SCORER: Mark Hughes 83
PLAYED FOR BOTH
FRANZ CARR
NEIL COX
SASA CURCIC
GARETH FARRELLY
STUART GRAY
JOHN GREGORY
KEVIN POOLE
BRYAN SMALL
ALAN THOMPSON
OTHER CONNECTIONS
BRUCE RIOCH
BOLTON SQUAD: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Anthony Barness, Bruno N'Gotty, Emerson Thome, Simon Charlton, Stelios Giannakopoulos, Ivan Campo, Ibrahim Ba, Jay-Jay Okocha, Kevin Nolan, Youri Djorkaeff, Kevin Davies, Javi Moreno, Henrik Pedersen, Kevin Poole, Delroy Facey, Danny Livesey
VILLA SQUAD: Thomas Sorensen, Mark Delaney, Olaf Mellberg, Ronny Johnsen, J-Lloyd Samuel, Lee Hendrie, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Peter Whittingham, Gareth Barry, Markus Allback, Juan-Pablo Angel, Gavin McCann, Darius Vassell, Stefan Postma, Ulises De la Cruz, Liam Ridgewell, Peter Crouch