CARLING CUP FINAL AT MILLENNIUM STADIUM
“This is great news for Cardiff, Wales and the Millennium Stadium and we are delighted to have had our contract with the Football League extended to include the Carling Cup final in 2006,” said Millennium Stadium Chief Executive Paul Sergeant. “The Football League were the first governing body from England to bring one of their major events to Cardiff in 2000 when Liverpool and Birmingham City played in the then Worthington Cup final on 25 February, 2001.
“That was a start of what has been a wonderful five-year relationship with both the Football League and the Football Association. Their business has helped to put the Millennium Stadium and Wales on the map in a way that nobody could ever have envisaged, while the welcome from everyone in Cardiff, and our superb facilities, have brought glowing tributes from football fans across the UK.
“Next year’s Carling Cup final will be the sixth we’ve staged at the Millennium Stadium and we have also told the Football Association that if there are any problems with Wembley being finished on time, then the Millennium Stadium is open for business for any other of their matches.”
FOOTBALL AT THE MILLENNIUM STADIUM
There have been 59 football matches played at the Millennium Stadium with a total attendance of 3,105,135 – an average of 52,630 per match. There have been 156 goals scored (103 club goals and 53 international goals).
2001 Worthington Cup Liverpool 1 Birmingham City 1 (73,434) Fowler 30; Purse 90(p). Liverpool won 5-4 on penalties
* Robbie Fowler’s goal was first club goal scored at the Millennium Stadium
2002 Worthington Cup Blackburn Rovers 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1 (72,500) Jansen 25, Cole 69; Ziege 33
* Christian Ziege is the only player to have appeared at the Millennium Stadium for THREE different sides (Liverpool, Spurs and Germany)
2003 Worthington Cup Liverpool 2 Manchester United 0 (74,340) Gerrard 39, Owen 86
* Michael Owen is one of only two players to have scored in THREE different matches at Millennium Stadium
2004 Carling Cup Middlesbrough 2 Bolton Wanderers 1 (72,634)
Job 2, Zenden 6(p); Davies 20
* Match referee Mike Riley, with FOUR, has made the most appearances at the Millennium Stadium.
2005 Carling Cup Chelsea 3 Liverpool 2 aet (71,622)
Gerrard 79(og) Riise 45secs, Nunez 113; Drogba 107, Kezman 112
* Steve Gerrard’s own goal made him the third player to have scored for his own side and the opposition at the Millennium Stadium
