The Watney Cup (1970-73) was English football's first sponsored competition, bankrolled by a brewery to guarantee goals in pre-season friendlies. It also pioneered the penalty shoot-out, with Hull City and Manchester United making history in the very first one in August 1970. Derby County won the inaugural final 4-1 over United, giving Brian Clough his first trophy as a manager. Credits<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VzKjxO6nhI" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VzKjxO6nhI</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIKnjcqpCuY" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIKnjcqpCuY</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-15r4JqsfVc" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-15r4JqsfVc</a>

The history of European football from 1969-70 season on, one chapter a fortnight. 44Boots is an independent project, founded in 2024 and ran by a group of sports writers who are passionate for the beautiful game. Check out our books on Amazon and our stories on Substack!