Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup

The Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup (initially known as the City of Discovery Cup) is a pre-season football competition introduced in 2005, based in Dundee, involving the two Dundee clubs - Dundee and Dundee United. In 2007, the tournament will be scheduled for an international weekend during the season, as Dundee United played Barcelona and did not wish to play a pre-season derby so close after that match.^[1]

Format

The format is a single match between the two Dundee clubs, although the inaugural competition (2005) was a standard four-team knock-out competition.

History

The Cup's inaugural showing was a standard four-team cup format, which saw Dundee United beat Sheffield Wednesday 2–1 in the final. United beat rivals Dundee in the first semi-final, while Sheffield Wednesday saw off Wolverhampton Wanderers on penalties in the other.

On 29 March 2006, it was announced the 2006 tournament would be slimmed down to a single derby match between Dundee and Dundee United.^[2] On 22 June 2006, sponsorship was announced for the competition, which would see it renamed the Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup; Radio Tay would also sponsor the event.^[3] The match was preceded by celebrity and fans matches.

Although the 2007 tournament was stated to be held on an international weekend during the season, the season passed without the match being played. The fixture was not announced for the following season either (as of May 2008) by the time United had announced six pre-season friendlies for 2008–09.

Past tournaments/winners

2005

Semi-finals

---

23 July 13:00	Sheffield Wednesday	0 – 0 (a.e.t.)	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Tannadice Park, Dundee Attendance: 6,659
		Report

---

23 July 16:00	Dundee United	3 – 0	Dundee	Tannadice Park, Dundee Attendance: 6,659
	Kerr  43' Duff  50' Miller  51'	Report

3rd place play-off

---

24 July 13:00	Dundee	0 – 4	Wolverhampton Wanderers	Dens Park, Dundee
		Report	Cort  57'  75'  85' Edwards  80'

Final

---

23 July 13:00	Sheffield Wednesday	1 – 2	Dundee United	Dens Park, Dundee Attendance: 5,081
		Report

2006

Final

---

22 July 15:15	Dundee	1 – 0	Dundee United	Dens Park, Dundee Attendance: 6,277 Referee: M Ritchie
	Deasley  61'	Report

Winners

1

• Dundee
• Dundee United

Top goalscorers

Player	Club		Year
Cort, CarlCarl Cort	Wolverhampton Wanderers	3	2005
Deasley, BryanBryan Deasley	Dundee	1	2006
Duff, StuartStuart Duff	Dundee United	1	2005
Edwards, RobRob Edwards	Wolverhampton Wanderers	1	2005
Grady, JamesJames Grady	Dundee United	1	2005
Kenneth, GarryGarry Kenneth	Dundee United	1	2005
Kerr, MarkMark Kerr	Dundee United	1	2005
Miller, LeeLee Miller	Dundee United	1	2005
Peacock, LeeLee Peacock	Sheff Wednesday	1	2005

Trivia

• Both finals have been held at Dens Park.

References

1. ^ "Dark Blues draw up pre-season plans". The Courier. 2007-05-15. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/output/2007/05/15/sportstory9712878t0.asp. 
2. ^ "Discovery Cup slimmed to a derby". BBC Sport website. 2006-03-29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/4859000.stm. 
3. ^ "Derby sponsor announced". Dundee United FC. 2006-06-22. http://www.dundeeunitedfc.co.uk/index.asp?tm=2&nid=2317&cd=2006.