By Chris Kirwan
November 7 2002

The Blues continued their winning streak with a defeat of Newcastle United on penalties. Is it a competition worth taking seriously?

The Worthington Cup has proved a worthwhile distraction for the Blues so far this season. Whereas it would have been no great shame had Newcastle knocked the Blues out of the competition it gave Moyes team the chance to maintain the winning habit. It is often declared that the Worthington Cup is a waste of time, but the fact that it is a route to Europe means that the likes of Everton, Leeds, Tottenham and Blackburn should take it seriously.

If Everton do maintain their position in the top half of the table they will be fighting with such clubs for a solitary UEFA Cup place, and it would go down to the wire. Whereas if a side triumphs in the Worthington Cup their place in Europe is guaranteed weeks in advance. It also eliminates the need to enter the Intertoto Cup, a competition that undoubtedly has its benefits, but equally can hinder a side come the end of a long season.

The Worthington Cup can also trigger more success. Any trophy will give a boost to a squad, and give them a taste of success. Playing in a Cup Final gives players the desire to frequently play on the big stage. The importance of the competition is often understated, of course it isn’t the be all and end all, but Chelsea, Spurs, Southampton, Leeds and Villa fielding strong sides showed its importance. And the implications of a cup upset can run deep. Losses to lower league sides in the so-called “Worthless” Cup has led to Terry Venables and Glen Roeder being in precarious positions.

Of course if the Blues get knocked out in the next round we’ll all say it’s a pointless competition, but tell me that if the Blues get drawn against the Red-Shite. And the further and further the Blues get, the more important it becomes to make it count, personally I’d love the Blues to be lifting the Worthington Cup in 2003.

P.S. Whereas the Worthington Cup is sometimes important, this was not the case in 2001 when the winners won by default due to nobody else caring.