2008–09 Football League Trophy

2008–09 Football League Trophy

Tournament details
Country	England  Wales
Teams	48
Defending champions	MK Dons
Final positions
Champions	Luton Town
Runner-up	Scunthorpe United
← 2007–08 2009–10 →

The 2008–09 Football League Trophy, known as the 2008–09 Johnstone's Paint Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is the 26th Football League Trophy, a knockout competition for English football clubs in Leagues One and Two, the third and fourth tiers of English football. Luton Town won the competition, beating Scunthorpe United 3–2 after extra time in the final. However, Luton were unable to defend their trophy as they were relegated from the Football League at the end of the season.

The format was the same as that which had been used since 1996, with four first round regions; North-West, North-East, South-West and South-East and a two-region format from the second round; North and South. The resulting regional winners then meet in the final.

First round

The First Round draw was conducted on 16 August 2008. The teams to be granted byes to the Second Round were drawn first, with the remaining teams drawn for the First Round ties. The First Round matches were played in the week commencing 1 September 2008.

First round byes

Second round

The Second Round draw was conducted on 6 September 2008, with matches played in the week commencing 6 October 2008.

Area quarter-finals

The draw for the area quarter-finals was conducted on 11 October 2008. The matches were played in the week commencing 3 November 2008, with the exception of the match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Swindon Town, which was played on 12 November 2008.

Area semi-finals

The draw for the area semi-finals was conducted on 8 November 2008, and matches were played in the week commencing 15 December 2008.

Area finals

The area finals, which serve as the semi-finals for the entire competition, are contested over two legs, home and away. The first legs were played on 20 January 2009; the second legs were played on 17 February 2009.

Northern Section

20 January 2009

19:30

Scunthorpe United	2–0	Rotherham United
Woolford 60' Pearce 67'	Report

Glanford Park, Scunthorpe

Attendance: 6,038

Referee: Clive Oliver (Northumberland)

17 February 2009

19:45

Rotherham United	0–1	Scunthorpe United
	Report	Hooper 74'

Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield

Attendance: 6,555

Referee: Kevin Friend (Leicestershire)

Scunthorpe United won 3–0 on aggregate.

Southern Section

17 February 2009

19:45

Luton Town	1–1	Brighton & Hove Albion
Craddock 1'	Report	Forster 20'
Penalties
Martin Craddock Hall Charles	4–3	Forster Virgo Elphick Jarrett Birchall

Kenilworth Road, Luton

Attendance: 8,711

Referee: Andy D'Urso (Essex)

Brighton & Hove Albion 1–1 Luton Town on aggregate. Luton Town won 4–3 on penalties.

Final

5 April 2009

13:15 BST

Luton Town	3–2 (a.e.t.)	Scunthorpe United
Martin 32' Craddock 70' Gnakpa 95'	Report	Hooper 14' McCann 88'

Wembley Stadium, London

Attendance: 55,378

Referee: Phil Crossley (Kent)

External links

• Tournament home page