Clarets draw Manchester United in Worthington Cup

Last updated : 10 November 2002 By Tony Scholes

At approximately 2:30 p.m. the draw was made for the 4th Round of the Worthington Cup and we didn’t have to wait long to find out just who we would be up against. Aston Villa and Preston had come out first and then Charlie Nicholas drew the next ball – BURNLEY.

It seemed to take an age before Tony Cottee dipped in to find out our opponents, and then it was announced – will play MANCHESTER UNITED.

It was the draw that has been in everyone’s mind since Wednesday although we have missed out on a bumper pay day that would have come our way had the game been at Old Trafford. It’s not though and it will be played on the Turf on either Tuesday 3rd or Wednesday 4th December.

There seem to be early suggestions that it will be on Sky but I would think that is very debatable with us having been on in the previous round, time will tell on that one.

It will be the fifth time we have met Manchester United in this competition and we have been knocked out on all four previous occasions. We were beaten 1-0 in an Old Trafford replay after a 0-0 draw at home in the 4th round of 1969/70 and then beaten 1-0 at the Turf in a 3rd round replay in 1971/72 after this time drawing 1-1 at Old Trafford.

In 1974/75 we were a division above them but were beaten 3-2 away in the 4th round and then finally we lost 7-0 over two legs in the 2nd round in 1984/85.

The full draw was

Aston Villa v Preston North End
Burnley v Manchester United
Liverpool v Ipswich Town
Blackburn Rovers v Rotherham United
Wigan Athletic v Fulham
Sheffield United v Sunderland
Crystal Palace v Oldham Athletic
Chelsea v Everton