Luton Town captain Steve Foster (l) and two goal scorer Brian Stein (r) crown their goalkeeper Andy Dibble with the Littlewoods Challenge Cup after beating Arsenal 3-2 in a thrilling final.PA Media
Danny Fullbrook
Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire
An original English Football League Cup trophy has sold for £320,000 at auction, more than 10 times its estimate.
The solid silver trophy - which at the time was called the Littlewoods Challenge Cup - was presented to winning teams in the late 1980s.
Highlights included the 1988 final, when Luton Town's Brian Stein denied Arsenal back-to-back wins with a last-minute goal, resulting in a triumphant 3-2 win.
The estimate was set between £20,000 and £30,000.
It was auctioned at a two-day sporting memorabilia sale by BUDDS, which is based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
The trophy was purchased by a private buyer.
A close up of a silver trophy inscribed with the words "The Littlewoods Challenge Cup" and a small silver figure of a man with a football on the very top.Budds.com
The ornate trophy was made in 1895 as the Viscountess Furness Cup.
It was repurposed as the Littlewoods Challenge Cup from 1986 to 1990, before the sponsor was changed to Rumbelows, and later Coca Cola.
The tournament format was changed in 1992 due to the restructuring of English football, and it has been known as the Carabao Cup since 2017.
It is the most prestigious domestic trophy in England, second to the FA Cup.
The league cup is contested by all the professional teams in the English Football League - which today is made up four divisions.
Inscription on the trophy lists four consecutive years between 1987 and 1990 and next to them are team names: Arsenal, Luton Town and then Nottingham Forest twice.Budds.com
The trophy is inscribed with its winners: Arsenal in 1987, Luton Town in 1988 and Nottingham Forest's double wins of 1989 and1990.
Former Luton Town winger Kingsley Black said he was shocked by how much it sold for and hoped it went to a local fan as it was a "significant part of the club".
He recalled that during a celebratory parade through Luton the cup was broken into two pieces.
"So obviously the repair has been successfully done to achieve such an amazing price at auction."
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Littlewoods league cup trophy up for auction
Luton Town captain Steve Foster in a white and blue strip with arms upraised; goalkeeper Andy Dibble in bright yellow strip and bending over, holding the trophy's base; and Brian Stein in the white and blue strip. Steve and Brian are holding the trophy up on Andy's head. They are grinning and standing on a pitch with other players and officials behind them and beyond them packed stands. 24 April 1988.
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John Lyall looks on from the bench during a match in 1993. He rests his head in his hand. He wears a grey suit with a white shirt and tie. He has short grey hair.
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Rangers football team wearing blue shirts and white shorts standing in front of a banner on the pitch that reads BELL'S PREMIER DIVISION WINNERS SEASON 96/97. The team are celebrating and holding two trophies.
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