Dockerty Cup

File:Dockerty Cup - Northumberland & Durham United 1914.jpeg

The Dockerty Challenge Cup competition was established in 1909 by Harry Dockerty. It coincided with re-establishment of the Victoria's 'British Association' league in 1909 after the economic depression of the 1890s.{{Cite web |date=2024-07-11 |title=Dockerty Cup History Series: Foundation and Legacy {{!}} Football Victoria |url=https://www.footballvictoria.com.au/news/history-series-dockerty-cup-foundation |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.footballvictoria.com.au |language=en}}

In 1909, the first Cup competition involved six teams (St.Kilda SC, Prahran, Carlton United, Fitzroy District FC, Melbourne United and Williamstown). The first match took place at the Gardens Reserve in Williamstown on 24 July 1909.{{Cite news |date=1909-08-17 |title=FOOTBALL. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/198484112 |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=Age}}{{Cite news |date=1909-08-20 |title=BRITISH ASSOCIATION GAME. |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/241943551 |access-date=2024-10-07 |work=Herald}}

In the final played on the East Melbourne Cricket Ground, league premiers Carlton United defeated St Kilda SC 2–1.{{Cite book |last=Hay |first=Roy |url=https://archive.org/details/the-story-of-football-in-victoria-roy-hay-ian-syson-1/mode/1up?view=theater |title=The Story Of Football In Victoria - Roy Hay & Ian Syson |last2=Syson |first2=Ian |date=2009}}{{Cite web |title=Dockerty Cup |url=http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/States/VIC/Cup.html |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.ozfootball.net}}

In 1914, Melbourne Thistle and Northumberland & Durham compete in two finals both ending in scoreless draws and the teams share the Cup.

The cup was not played in 1916–18 due to World War I but was played consecutively for the next 77 years from 1919 to 1996.

Following the 1996 season, the Dockerty Cup was in recess before returning in 2004 as the "Crazy John's Cup", it would be run for three seasons before re-entering recess following the 2006 season.

A Victorian cup competition was reintroduced in 2011 as the "Mirabella Cup" due to naming rights sponsorship. That arrangement lasted only one season, with the competition being named the "FFV State Knockout Cup" in 2012 and 2013. However, in both years, the winner was awarded with the Dockerty Cup trophy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.goalweekly.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4880:match-report-dandenong-thunder-win-first-state-knockout-cup-via-penalty-shootout&Itemid=134|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203020758/http://www.goalweekly.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=4880:match-report-dandenong-thunder-win-first-state-knockout-cup-via-penalty-shootout&Itemid=134|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-12-03|title=Match Report Dandenong Thunder Win First State Knockout Cup Via Penalty Shootout|work=www.goalweekly.com}} Retrieved 2016-10-31{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.greengully.com/ssl/article_410.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203023913/http://www.greengully.com/ssl/article_410.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=2013-12-03|title=Fleming, Symons claim first Silverware as coaches|work=www.greengully.com}} Retrieved 2016-10-31{{cbignore}}

From the 2014 season onwards, it is once again known as the Dockerty Cup.

Participation in the Dockerty Cup is mandatory for the senior men's team from every Victorian club within the National Premier Leagues and the State Leagues, and optional for teams from the Regional Leagues. Because the competition serves as the preliminary rounds for the Australia Cup competition, only one team per Club is eligible. This means that the youth sides of Melbourne Victory Youth and Melbourne City Youth and Western United FC Youth are excluded from the competition, as their parent A-League sides separately participate in the competition.

Additionally if a Victorian club wins the NPL Championship – as occurred with Heidelberg United in the 2018 Dockerty Cup – they are excluded from the preliminary rounds as they have also qualified for the FFA Cup at the round of 32. Instead they join the Dockerty Cup competition in a special playoff round match held the week prior to the semi-finals.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-Dockerty-Cup-Regulations_Final.pdf|title=Dockerty Cup 2018 Competition Regulations|publisher=Football Federation Victoria|access-date=29 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529204228/http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-Dockerty-Cup-Regulations_Final.pdf|archive-date=29 May 2018|url-status=dead}}

The competition acts a classic single-elimination knock-out tournament, with one team progressing from each tie to the next round. Fixtures for each round are determined by a random draw, with teams entering the tournament on a staggered basis, depending on their respective positions in the league hierarchy. The team drawn first hosts the match, with the final being held at a neutral venue. No replays are currently utilised in the Dockerty Cup, with a drawn match going to 30 minutes of extra time and eventually a penalty shoot-out if necessary.

Since 2014, the Dockerty Cup has also served as preliminary competition for the FFA Cup, now known as the Australia Cup, from the first qualifying round to the Seventh Round. In 2022 five teams qualify as Victoria's representatives, at the round of 32.

In 2020, the FFA Cup competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.{{cite web|url=https://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/coronavirus-forces-ffa-cup-to-be-cancelled|title=Coronavirus forces FFA Cup to be cancelled|publisher=SBS|work=The World Game|date=7 July 2020|access-date=7 July 2020}}

Since 2014 the Dockerty Cup winners also qualify for the following season's single-match FV Community Shield, the season opener played against the current NPL Victoria champions.

The prize fund for the 2018 Dockerty Cup is detailed below.{{cite web|url=http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-Dockerty-Cup-Regulations_Final.pdf|title=Dockerty Cup 2018 Competition Regulations|publisher=Football Federation Victoria|access-date=29 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180529204228/http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/2018-Dockerty-Cup-Regulations_Final.pdf|archive-date=29 May 2018|url-status=dead}}

In 2019 it was announced that Football Victoria had signed a three-year broadcast arrangement with YouTube and Facebook that will see the Dockerty Cup's semi-finals and final broadcast live.{{cite web| url=http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-10178-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=64654374|title=Football Victoria Announces Game-Changing Broadcast Deal For NPL Victoria in 2019|publisher=Football Victoria|access-date=27 February 2019}}

Additionally each draw of the Dockerty Cup round's are broadcast live on [https://www.facebook.com/footballvic/ Football Victoria's Facebook page], while a number of clubs will provide live score updates during each match either via the clubs official website, Facebook, or Twitter.

: ¹ Heidelberg United qualified as the 2017 NPL Champions and entered the Cup via an additional playoff match.

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