The 1962 Football League Cup final was won by Norwich City, who defeated Rochdale 4âÂÂ0 on aggregate over two legs. The first leg, played on 26 April 1962 at Rochdale's ground, Spotland, was won by Norwich 3âÂÂ0. They then won the second leg 1âÂÂ0 a week later on 1 May 1962, at their own ground, Carrow Road. This was Norwich City's first major trophy. Rochdale remained for a long time the only club from the lowest division â Fourth Division, which was the equivalent of the current League Two â in English league football to reach the League Cup final, until the feat was repeated by Bradford City in 2013, after their aggregate 4âÂÂ3 win over Aston Villa.
The captain of the winning Norwich City team was Ron Ashman.
Rochdale's manager Tony Collins became the first BAME manager to lead a team in a major English cup final.
Second Division Norwich City were drawn away in the first round to Fourth Division Chesterfield, and what should have been an easy victory for The Canaries turned into a mighty battle at Saltergate, with Norwich eventually emerging as 3âÂÂ2 victors. The reward was a home tie against Third Division Lincoln City at Carrow Road. Again, Norwich should have emerged as comfortable victors but ended up winning 3âÂÂ2 again. A tougher tie awaited in the third round, against fellow Second Division side Middlesbrough at Carrow Road, and for the third consecutive match Norwich ran out 3âÂÂ2 winners. This earned them a bye through the fourth round, and a quarter final tie away at Roker Park against Second Division Sunderland. For the first time in the tournament, they did not win 3âÂÂ2, instead emerging as 4âÂÂ1 victors in a much more decisive victory. In the two-legged semi-final they drew First Division Blackpool, with the first match held at Carrow Road. Norwich were again 4âÂÂ1 victors, leaving them with margin for error when the tie returned to Bloomfield Road five days later, when they lost 2âÂÂ0, just scraping through as 4âÂÂ3 aggregate winners.
Fourth Division Rochdale, on the other hand, had started out travelling away to The Dell to play Southampton, a tie in which a draw would be considered a great result for The Dale. A draw was what they achieved in a hard-fought encounter which ended 0âÂÂ0 and earned them a replay at Spotland. To the surprise of everyone, they triumphed 2âÂÂ1. In the second round they played at home to fellow Fourth Division side Doncaster Rovers, who rarely challenged as Rochdale finished 4âÂÂ0 winners. They again played at home in the third round, with the visitors being second division Charlton Athletic, and Rochdale were again the victors in a tight 1âÂÂ0 win. Like Norwich, they received a bye through the fourth round to the quarter-finals, where they drew another Fourth Division side, York City, at Spotland. The match ended 2âÂÂ1 to The Dale, putting them into the semi-finals and earning them a lucrative two-legged tie against Blackburn Rovers, their first top division opponents. They sprung a massive surprise by winning the first leg 3âÂÂ1 at Spotland, but were almost felled in the return leg at Ewood Park two weeks later, as Rovers led 2âÂÂ0, a result which would have put them through on the away goals rule, but a later Rochdale goal saw them progress as 4âÂÂ3 aggregate winners.