On This Day – 1986: Milk Cup Triumph
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 20: Oxford United players (left-right) Jeremy Charles, John Trewick, Dave Langan and Malcolm Shotton celebrate with the trophy after the Football League Milk Cup Final between Oxford United and Queens Park Rangers at Wembley Stadium on April 20, 1986 in London, England. (Photo by Paul Popper/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images)
Sunday, April 20, 1986 – the greatest day in the history of Oxford United as the U’s won the Milk Cup, beating QPR 3-0 in the final at Wembley.
Backed by 36,000 fans, the newly promoted Division One side saw off a strong Rangers team managed by Jim Smith, the man that had led the U’s to successive promotions in the two seasons previous.
A first-half goal from Trevor Hebberd gave the U’s the lead before Ray Houghton and Jeremy Charles added further goals in the second half to give the U’s the biggest winning margin in a Wembley final of the competition since 1967.
QPR were the favourites heading into the final showdown having knocked out Liverpool in the semi-final while the U’s were fighting to retain their top-flight status, but Oxford outclassed their opponents on the day.
It was the first of five trips to Wembley for the U’s and it ended with Malcolm Shotton famously holding the cup aloft while wearing an Ox hat.
