43-year-old goalkeeper plays League Cup final replay... 24 years on! The incredible story of Joe Murphy, who has bookended his career with League Cup games against Leicester City
Tranmere Rovers' veteran stopper Joe Murphy turned out in the side's League Cup clash with Leicester City having played the same fixture at Wembley as a teenager
(Image credit: Future)
Leicester City's 4-0 League Cup triumph over Tranmere Rovers on Tuesday evening would have been an entirely forgettable victory for a Premier League side over League Two opposition had it not been for a lovely line-up quirk.
For the second year in a row, the two sides were drawn against one another in the Carabao Cup - and for a second year in a row, Joe Murphy tended the Tranmere Rovers goal.
Here's the good bit, though: an 18-year-old Murphy had also started for Tranmere against Leicester in the 2000 League Cup final.
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Tranmere's Joe Murphy faces Leicester City in League Cup 24 years on from same fixture in 2000 League Cup final
Murphy has been far from a one-club man in the interim, turning out for a long list of clubs that includes West Brom, Walsall, Scunthorpe, Coventry, Huddersfield, Bury and Shrewsbury.
But the Irishman returned to Prenton Park in 2020 and has twice been given the opportunity to relive Tranmere's unlikely trip to Wembley for the League Cup final in 2000.
Tranmere threatened to pull off an upset that day when David Kelly cancelled out Matt Elliott's opener in the 77th minute, only for the centre-back to restore Leicester's lead four minutes later.
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Foxes Lift The 2000 League Cup | Leicester City 2 Tranmere Rovers 1 | Classic Matches - YouTube
11 of the players who took part in Tuesday night's game (seven for Leicester, four for Tranmere) hadn't even been born when Murphy first faced Leicester in the League Cup 24 years ago.
This latest rendition of a now-familiar theme means that Murphy has now completed the set of League Cup games for Tranmere against Leicester at home, away and on neutral turf.
Leicester have won all three, having run out 2-0 winners on the Wirral last August.
Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
