Just as the League Cup had been added to the footballing calender in the sixties as a way to increase club incomes, the Texaco Cup emerged in the seventies with similar intentions. It ran from 1970-71 season until 1974-75, and continued later in different guises with different sponsors, all of which we will cover in future postings here on Sing Up The River End! Originally it was to be called the International League Board Cup before Texaco were announced as sponsors.
In fairness, the competition never got close to matching the League Cup in terms of prestige or importance. But it did provide more than decent midweek games for fans who simply couldn't get enough football. The initial season involved sixteen clubs from England, Scotland and Ireland playing home and away on a knockout basis. After two years the Irish pulled out and it was at this point that Norwich City became involved - playing in the final three seasons of the five that the Texaco Cup existed.
The inaugural campaign proved to be the most successful, though it did end in defeat to rivals Ipswich Town - the only time the East Anglian clubs have contested a senior cup final ...
