Unofficial Champions of England: Middlesbrough 0-1 Stockport County, 12/03/1997

Sean Connelly scores for Stockport

There is a theory that one reason Middlesbrough got relegated in 1997 (apart from the deducted points) was that they overstretched themselves with runs to the final of both major domestic cups.
It's possible, the visit of Stockport County for the second leg of their League Cup semi-final was their 4th game in 12 days.

Middlesbrough were comfortable 2-0 winners and were expected to finish the tie comfortably in the at the Riverside. Third-tier side Stockport on the other hand had different ideas.

It took barely five minutes for the Hatters to take the lead. Full-back Sean Connelly bursting through the Boro' defence to lash the ball beyond Boro' keeper Mark Schwarzer to put the tie on a knife-edge.

Though Stockport couldn't quite find a second goal and would ultimately lose the tie on aggregate, there was one consolation: little Stockport County were now Champions of England.