Remember the Anglo-Italian Cup?

Do you recall the tournament?

Back in 1970, the Anglo-Italian Cup was formed and played between six English Football League clubs and six Italian.

It was initially introduced as a way to generate income to pay players' wages during the extended close season caused by the 1970 FIFA World Cup.

But after three seasons, a lack of interest the tournament was discontinued until March 1976, when it was re-introduced as a semi-professional tournament, still with six entrants from each country.

Southern League champions Wimbledon and Monza reached the first final, with Serie C side Monza winning the final 1–0, making them unbeaten for the tournament.

For the next two years Southern League Premier Division Bath City were the English finalists, but they lost to Lecco in 1977 and Udinese in 1978, when the tournament was re-named the Alitalia Challenge Cup.

In that 1977 tournament, an 18-year-old Carlo Ancelotti made a substitute appearance for Parma as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Southern League Yeovil Town.

His accomplishments in football since have been well documented and ironically, his first step on the coaching ladder began with a stint leading Reggiana in the 1995/96 Anglo-Italian Cup.

The Cremonese team which faced the other Southern League sides Redditch United and Chelmsford City in 1977 featured Cesare Prandelli.

Then 20, the midfielder went on to win three Scudetti and a European Cup with Juventus and had a successful coaching career that included four years in charge of the Italian national team.

However, the most famous coach was a World Cup-winner in waiting.

As part of his first senior coaching assignment at Pontedera in 1986, Marcello Lippi defeated Southern League Midland Division side Merthyr Tydfil 6-1 in the semi-final, going on to finish as runners up to Piacenza.

The chain-smoking manager`s career progressed rapidly over the next two decades, encompassing spells with Juventus, Inter, Napoli, culminating in the most coveted prize of all; World Cup victory with Italy in 2006.

In 1979, each country had four entrants including Southern League Nuneaton Borough, and Isthmian League Premier Division Sutton United defeated Italian finalists Chieti 2–1 to become the first and only English winners of the competition during its time as a semi-professional competition.

Attempting to defend their title the following year, Sutton reached the final but were defeated by Triestina.

In 1981, the tournament was called the Talbot Challenge Cup and Modena were the winners, beating Southern League side Poole Town.

The following year the tournament was renamed the Gigi Peronace Memorial, after the man who organised the tournament, and reduced to four teams – including Sutton and Poole again.

The new format consisted of two Anglo-Italian semi-finals, which meant the final was not necessarily contested by an English and an Italian team.

That year, Modena successfully defended their title in a final against Sutton United, who were the last English team to reach the final of the semi-professional tournament.

From 1983 to 1986, the finals were reached by all Italian teams as the gap between the countries` relevant clubs widened, and after the 1986 instalment the competition was discontinued.