Southern Football League Cup (England)
{{short description|Football tournament}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{infobox football tournament
| founded =1932
| region = {{ENG}}
| number of teams =
| current champions =
| most successful club = Yeovil Town (4)
| website = [http://www.southern-football-league.co.uk/ Southern League Website]
| current =
}}
The Southern League Cup is a knock-out cup competition organised by the Southern Football League. The winning team are presented with the Southern League Challenge Trophy (trophy photograph{{cite web |url=https://southern-football-league.co.uk/uploads/Images/large/FW-SouthernLeague131092News1.jpg |title=Southern Football League Challenge Cup |publisher=Southern Football League |access-date=29 December 2024}}). It was inaugurated in 1932 after receiving sanction from the Football Association,{{cite news |author= |date=17 August 1932 |title=Southern League Cup Draw: Tourney Sanctioned By F.A. |work=The Sunderland Echo |location=Sunderland |page=10}} with the first competition taking place in the 1932–33 season.
Apart from two breaks, 1940–1945 owing to World War 2, and 2020–2021 owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament took place each year until 2022, after which it was discontinued.
Names and Sponsors
- 1984– : Bill Dellow Cup{{cite book |last=Edwards |first=Leigh |title=The Official Centenary History of the Southern League |publisher=Paper Plane Publishing |location=Halesowen |year=1993 |isbn=1-871872-08-1 |page=309}}
- 1987–1990: Westgate Insurance Cup
- 1990–1991: Larchimage Windows Cup
- 1991–1993: Barclays Commercial Services Cup
- 1993–2004: Doc Martens Cup
- 2005–2007: Errea Cup
- 2008–2009: GX Cup
- 2009–2011: Red Insure Cup{{cite web |url=http://www.southern-football-league.co.uk/sponsorship/default.asp?section=sponsors |title=Zamaretto League - Sponsors |publisher=Southern Football League |access-date=16 September 2009}}{{cite web |url=http://www.southern-football-league.co.uk/fixtures/league-cup.asp?section=fixtures |title=Zamaretto League - Red Insure Cup Fixtures 2010-2011 |publisher=Southern Football League |access-date=1 August 2010}}
- 2017–2018: BigFreeBet.com Challenge Cup (it was announced that proceeds from the deal would contribute to developing the league and the growth in grassroots English football).{{Cite web |last=Moore |first=Jack |title=New Challenge Cup Sponsor |url=http://www.evostikleaguesouthern.co.uk/new-challenge-cup-sponsor-37322 |url-status=dead |access-date=21 March 2018 |website=Evo-Stik League Southern |publisher=Pitch Hero |archive-date=22 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322081823/http://www.evostikleaguesouthern.co.uk/new-challenge-cup-sponsor-37322 }}
- 2018–19: City Security Services Ltd League Challenge Cup{{Cite web |title=New League Cup Sponsor |url=https://southern-football-league.co.uk/news/113492/New-League-Cup-Sponsor |access-date=2023-05-02 |publisher=Southern Football League}}
Finals: Winners and runners-up
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
!width=10%|Season !Winners † !Result ‡ !Runners-up † !width=4%|{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| 1932–33
|Plymouth Argyle Reserves (WD) |6–3 (0–0; 6–3) |Folkestone (ED) |
| 1933–34
|Plymouth Argyle Reserves (WD) |4–1 (3–0; 1–1) |Tunbridge Wells Rangers (ED) |
| 1934–35
|Folkestone (ED) |5–4 (4–1; 1–3) |Yeovil & Petters United (WD) |
| 1935–36
|Plymouth Argyle Reserves (WD) |12–2 (7–0; 5–2) |Tunbridge Wells Rangers (ED) |
| 1936–37
|Newport County Reserves |6–5 (4–1; 2–4) |Norwich City Reserves |
| 1937–38
|4–3 (1–2; 3–1) |
| 1938–39
|colspan=3|Competition not completed: Plymouth Argyle Reserves qualified for the final; the Colchester United versus Norwich City Reserves semi-final, carried over to the following season, was not completed as Colchester United ceased playing owing to World War 2. |{{cite book |last=Edwards |first=Leigh |title=The Official Centenary History of the Southern League |publisher=Paper Plane Publishing |location=Halesowen |year=1993 |isbn=1-871872-08-1 |page=58}} |
| 1939–40
|Worcester City (WS) |7–3 (3–1; 4–2) |Chelmsford City (ES) |
| 1940 to 1945 |colspan=4|Competition cancelled owing to World War 2 |
| 1945–46
|9–4 (3–3; 6–1) |
| 1946–47
|4–2 (4–1; 0–1) |
| 1947–48
|5–0 |
| 1948–49
|3–0 |
| 1949–50
|6–4 (3–0; 3–4 (aet)) |
| 1950–51
|6–5 (3–1; 3–4) |
| 1951–52
|5–1 (2–1; 3–0) |
| 1952–53
|4–3 (1–2; 3–1(aet)) |
| 1953–54
|2–0 (2–0; 0–0) |
| 1954–55
|3–1 (0–0, 3–1) |
| 1955–56
|6–5 (1–4, 5–1(aet)) |
| 1956–57
|5–2 (2–1; 3–1) |
| 1957–58
|4–1 (2–0; 2–1) |
| 1958–59
|Hereford United (NW-D) |6–3 (1–2; 5–1(aet)) |Bath City (NW-D) |
| 1959–60
|Chelmsford City (PD) |4–2 (2–1; 2–1) |Worcester City (PD) |
| 1960–61
|Yeovil Town (PD) |5–3 |Chelmsford City (PD) |
| 1961–62
|Cambridge United (PD) |4–3 (2–2; 2–1) |Margate (D1) |
| 1962–63
|Guildford City (PD) |2–1 (0–0; 2–1) |Nuneaton Borough (D1) |
| 1963–64
|Burton Albion (D1) |5–2 (1–2; 4–0) |Weymouth (PD) |
| 1964–65
|Cambridge United (PD) |3–1 (0–1; 3–0) |Weymouth (PD) |
| 1965–66
|Yeovil Town (PD) |2–1 (2–1; 0–0) |Guildford City (PD) |
| 1966–67
|Guildford City (PD) |2–1 (2–1; 0–0) |Barnet (PD) |
| 1967–68
|Margate (PD) |4–2 |Ramsgate Athletic (D1) |
| 1968–69
|Cambridge United (PD) |1–0 (1–0; 0–0) |Cheltenham Town (PD) |
| 1969–70
|Wimbledon (PD) |4–1 (3–0; 1–1) |Romford (PD) |
| 1970–71
|Telford United (PD) |3–2 (2–1; 1–1) |Weymouth (PD) |
| 1971–72
|Barnet (PD) |4–4 (pens: 7–6) |Hereford United (PD) |
| 1972–73
|Weymouth (PD) |3–0 (2–0; 1–0) |Hillingdon Borough (PD) |
| 1973–74
|AP Leamington (D1N) |3–1 (0–1; 3–0) |Bromsgrove Rovers (D1N) |
| 1974–75
|Kettering Town (PD) |3–1 (2–0; 1–1) |Margate (PD) |
| 1975–76
|Wimbledon (PD) |3–2 (1–1; 2–1) |Yeovil Town (PD) |
| 1976–77
|Dartford (PD) |3–1 (1–1; 2–0) |Yeovil Town (PD) |
| 1977–78
|Gravesend & Northfleet (PD) |2–0 (0–0; 2–0(aet)) |Weymouth (PD) |
| 1978–79
|Bath City (PD) |1–0 (1–0; 0–0) |Yeovil Town (PD) |
| 1979–80
|Kidderminster Harriers (MD) |4–1 (0–0; 4–1) |Dartford (SD) |
| 1980–81
|Bedford Town (MD) |3–1 (2–1; 1–0) |Bognor Regis Town (SD) |
| 1981–82
|Wealdstone (SD) |2–0 (1–0; 1–0) |Gloucester City (MD) |
| 1982–83
|Alvechurch (PD) |7–2 (6–1; 1–1) |Waterlooville (PD) |
| 1983–84
|AP Leamington (PD) |3–0 (0–0; 3–0(aet)) |Dartford (PD) |
| 1984–85
|Fisher Athletic (PD) |6–2 (2–1; 4–1) |Cheltenham Town (PD) |
| 1985–86
|Bromsgrove Rovers (MD) |4–3 (2–1; 2–2) | Trowbridge Town (SD) |
| 1986–87
|Waterlooville (SD) |3–1 (2–1; 1–0) |Hednesford Town (MD) |
| 1987–88
|Dartford (PD) |4–3 (1–3; 3–0) |Bromsgrove Rovers (PD) |
| 1988–89
|Dartford (PD) |3–1 (1–1; 2–0) |Burton Albion (PD) |
| 1989–90
|VS Rugby (PD) |2–1 (2–0; 0–1) |Dartford (PD) |
| 1990–91
|Chelmsford City (PD) |5–3 (2–1; 3–2) |Hythe Town (SD) |
| 1991–92
|Dover Athletic (PD) |4–0 (1–0; 3–0) |Dorchester Town (PD) |
| 1992–93
|Stourbridge (MD) |3–2 (2–0; 1–2) |Dover Athletic (PD) |
| 1993–94
|Sudbury Town (SD) |5–1 (2–0; 3–1) |Gresley Rovers (PD) |
| 1994–95
|Hastings Town (PD) |3–1 (1–0; 2–1) |Leek Town (PD) |
| 1995–96
|Nuneaton Borough (MD) |5–2 (3–1; 2–1) |Baldock Town (PD) |
| 1996–97
|Burton Albion (PD) |3–1 (2–1; 1–0) |Sudbury Town (PD) |
| 1997–98
|Margate (SD) |3–1 (2–0; 0–1) |Redditch United (MD) |
| 1998–99
|Sutton Coldfield Town (PD) |2–1 (0–0; 2–1) |Cambridge City (PD) |
| 1999–00
|Burton Albion (PD) |6–1 (2–0; 4–1) |Hastings Town (ED) |
| 2000–01
|Worcester City (PD) |4–1 (4–0; 0–1) |Crawley Town (PD) |
| 2001–02
|Dorchester Town (ED) |4–0 (1–0; 3–0) |King's Lynn (PD) |
| 2002–03
|Crawley Town (PD) |3–2 (1–2; 2–0) |Halesowen Town (PD) |
| 2003–04
|Crawley Town (PD) |4–1 (2–1; 2–0) |Moor Green (PD) |
| 2004–05
|King's Lynn (PD) |3–2 (2–2; 1–0) |Bedford Town (PD) |
| 2005–06
|Hitchin Town (PD) |3–1 (1–0; 2–1) |Bromsgrove Rovers (WD) |
| 2006–07
|Tiverton Town (PD) |3–2 (1–0; 2–2) |Hemel Hempstead Town (PD) | |
| 2007–08
|Hillingdon Borough (PD) |4–1 (1–1; 3–0) |Clevedon Town (D1SW) | |
| 2008–09
|Atherstone Town (D1M) |5–2 (2–1; 3–1) |Bridgwater Town (D1SW) | |
| 2009–10
|Cambridge City (PD) |1–1 (pens: 4–2) |VT (D1SW) | |
| 2010–11
|Hednesford Town (PD) |5–1 (2–1; 3–0) |Hemel Hempstead Town (PD) | |
| 2011–12
|Clevedon Town (D1SW) |2–1 (0–0; 2–1) |Banbury United (PD) | |
| 2012–13
|Arlesey Town (PD) |2–1 (1–0; 1–1(aet)) |Frome Town (PD) | |
| 2013–14
|St Neots Town (PD) |1–0 (0–0; 1–0) |Tiverton Town (D1SW) | |
| 2014–15
|Poole Town (PD) |1–1 (away goals) |Corby Town (PD) | |
| 2015–16
|Merthyr Town (PD) |7–1 (5–1; 2–0) |Cambridge City (PD) | |
| 2016–17
|Hayes & Yeading United (PD) |1–1 (pens: 4–2) |St Ives Town (PD) | |
| 2017–18
|Hitchin Town (PD) |1–0 |Didcot Town (D1W) | |
| 2018–19
|Stratford Town (PDC) |1–0 |Cinderford Town (D1S) |
| 2019–20
|colspan=4|Competition abandoned owing to COVID-19 pandemic{{cite news |title=Coronavirus: All football below National League to end |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52052351 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=26 March 2020}} |
| 2020–21
|colspan=4|Competition abandoned owing to continuing COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2021–22
|Royston Town (PDC) |7–0 (2–0; 5–0) |Taunton Town (PDS) |
| 2022 onwards |colspan=4|Competition discontinued |
| colspan=5|
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" !Key to contents and abbreviations |
| {{col-begin}}
{{col-2}} † Winners / runners-up: Club’s division indicated
(where none indicated, the league {{col-2}} ‡ Result: Bold Type – Final or Aggregate score
{{col-end}} |
|}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.southern-football-league.co.uk// Southern League Website]
{{Southern League}}
{{Football in England table cells}}
Category:Southern Football League