| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | England |
| Dates | 29 August – 9 October 1988 |
| Teams | 8 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Arsenal |
| Runner-up | Manchester United |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 7 |
| Goals scored | 17 (2.43 per match) |
| Attendance | 130,025 (18,575 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | Brian Marwood (2 goals) |
The Football League Centenary Trophy (also known as the Mercantile Credit Centenary Trophy for sponsorship reasons) was an English football tournament held during the 1988–89 season to celebrate the 100th birthday of The Football League. The competition was played on a knockout basis between the top eight sides from the Football League First Division the previous season, with the final between Arsenal and Manchester United taking place at the birthplace of League football, Aston Villa's home ground, Villa Park on 9 October 1988.
Goals from Paul Davis and Michael Thomas gave Arsenal a 2–1 victory, with Clayton Blackmore the scorer for United.[1] Despite most of the country's leading clubs being involved, crowds for the Centenary Trophy were generally disappointing and only the semi-final match between Arsenal and Liverpool attracted more than 25,000.[2]