IT'S THE ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP

I have missed the Carabao Cup Final. Manchester City swept aside the Arsenal, I believe with some comfort. That makes City 5 times winners with one other attendance in the final.
Manchester United have been there 9 times and won 5, Liverpool 8 wins and 12 appearances, Arsenal have had 2 wins and 6 losses.; perhaps Arsen isn't taking the competition seriously?
Chelsea have done 7 apps and 5 wins, Tottenham 4 and 4 and Aston Villa have had 5 wins and 3 as losing finalists.
The competition was part of a plan known as the "Pattern of Football" constructed by the then Secretary of the Football League, Alan Hardaker. Football was losing crowds and momentum prior to the World Cup revival in 1966. Hardaker planned to run the competition and expand the league to 100 clubs in five divisions. In the early years playing in the Football League Cup was not compulsory.

The original trophy was designed and paid for by Football League president Joe Richards. the development of the tournament was seen as a "stand" against the pomposity of the Football Association. This started in 1961.

"Strange" clubs that have got to the final or won it have been;
Norwich City 2 and 2, Birmingham City 2 and 1, Luton 1 and 1, Oxford United and Swindon Town (remember Don Rogers?) one win.
It was apparent in the early days that the smaller clubs had a chance to win a serious trophy. For example, teams like Rochdale were runners up in 1962 losing to Norwich in a two legged final.
The first Wembley Final was between Third Division QPR who beat WBA from the 1st Division in March 1967.

As an entry to European Football, winning the League Cup was  possible, but it took the ban on English clubs due to the Heysel Disaster to prevent Norwich City, Oxford United, Arsenal, Luton Town and Nottingham Forest from playing in Europe. Today winners are destined for the Europa League, though City, already likely to win the Premier League, may open the door for Arsenal if they don't get to the top four in the PL.

Swansea City in the club's centenary year won the trophy beating Bradford City in 2013, taking the trophy out of England for the first time.

John Terry and Ben Foster have won the Alan Hardaker Man of the Final award twice. Terry we know about, what about Foster? Any clues?

Sponsors have been: the Football League, The Milk Marketing Board, Littlewoods, Rumbelows, Coca Cola, Worthingtons, Molson Coors, Capital One, Carabao, the present investors.