The Derbyshire County FA Senior Cup is a local county football cup for teams based in the county of Derbyshire. Founded in 1883–1884, the first competition was won by Staveley, who beat Derby Midland 2–1 in the final. 1885–1886 saw Heeley from Yorkshire win the competition.
| Organising body | Derbyshire County FA |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1883 |
| Region |  Derbyshire |
| Number of teams | Varies |
| Current champions | Buxton (12th title) |
| Most successful club(s) | Buxton (12 titles) |
| Website | Derbyshire County FA |
It was not until 1892 that the county's top club Derby County first won the trophy. This delay was partially helped by a disagreement during Derby County's first season 1884–1885. After beating Derby St. Luke's and Wirksworth, Derby County were drawn at home to Long Eaton Rangers in the third round. The club applied for a week's delay in playing the fixture, however Long Eaton Rangers claimed the tie stating that they weren't aware of any change in date and had arrived on the set date to play. A correspondent of the 'Derby Daily Telegraph' wrote that the referee had arrived to take charge on the re-arranged date. The Derbyshire County FA awarded the tie to Long Eaton Rangers and the following season Derby County played in the Birmingham and District FA Senior Cup and set up their own Charity Cup. Players also boycotted playing for the County FA team in protest. It wasn't until 1887–1888 that Derby County next played in their own county's competition, where again in the third round they were drawn to play Long Eaton Rangers who won the tie 4–1.
Due to low attendances and receipts the Derbyshire County FA decided to change the cup to a League format in the hope that more games would increase their revenue and invited 14 teams to take part for the 1893–1894 season. This lasted one season.
Its final was traditionally held at Derby County's Baseball Ground on Easter Monday evening during the 1950s and 1960s but became a two-legged affair from season 1966–67 onwards. It reverted to a single leg tie at a neutral venue for season 2008–09.
In the 2010–11 competition, Derbyshire's two professional club's, Derby County and Chesterfield returned to the competition after a 25-year absence, after declining to take part in their traditional Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup pre-season competition. Their return was greeted with disappointment by some fans, who saw it as reducing a competition enjoyed by non-league football followers to a "farce" as the far-superior league sides would breeze through their opponents.[1] The fear proved well-founded as Derby County's reserve team scored 24 goals in their four games and conceded only 4 (3 of which came from fellow professional club Chesterfield in the Quarter Final) culminating in a 5–0 rout of Buxton in the final on 20 April 2011.[2] In the following season Buxton gained revenge over Derby County, beating them 1–0 in the final, which was held at Chesterfield's B2net Stadium on 25 April 2012, through a Mark Reed goal.[3]
The current champions are Buxton, who won the 2023–24 competiton, winning the competition for record 12 times, overtaking Ilkeston Town after being joint record holders at 11 titles.[4][5]
Winners
editKey
edit| Match went to a replay | |
| Match went to extra time | |
| Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time | |
| Shared trophy | |
| League format |
| 1883–1892 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Winners | Result | Runner-up | Notes | |
| 1883–84 | Staveley | 2–1 | Derby Midland | ||
| 1884–85 | Staveley | 2–0 | Derby Midland | ||
| 1885–86 | Heeley | 1–0 | Staveley | ||
| 1886–87 | Staveley | 2–0 | Long Eaton Rangers | ||
| 1887–88 | Derby Junction | 2–0 | Staveley | ||
| 1888–89 | Staveley | 1–0 | Derby Junction | ||
| 1889–90 | Derby Midland | 3–1 | Long Eaton Rangers | ||
| 1890–91 | Long Eaton Rangers | 2–1 | Derby Midland | ||
| 1891–92 | Derby County | 5–0 | Long Eaton Rangers | ||
| 1892–93 | Heanor Town | 7–2 | Ilkeston Town (1880s) | ||
| 1893–1894 (A League) | |||||
| Season | Winners | Matches | Goals | Points & GD | |
| 1893–94 | Heanor Town | W:22 D:1 L:3 | GF:143 GA:27 | Pts:45 GD:+116 | |
| 1894–1945 | |||||
| Season | Winners | Result | Runner-up | Notes | |
| 1894–95 | Ilkeston Town (1880s) | 3–0 | Blackwell | ||
| 1895–96 | Ilkeston Town (1880s) | 2–1 | Blackwell | Replay. First match ended 0–0. | |
| 1938–39 | Buxton | ||||
| 1945–present | |||||
| Season | Winners | Result | Runner-up | Notes | |
| 1945–46 | Buxton | ||||
| 1946–47 | Heanor Athletic | ||||
| 1947–48 | Derby Corinthians | ||||
| 1948–49 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1949–50 | South Normanton Miners Welfare | ||||
| 1950–51 | Shirebrook Miners Welfare | ||||
| 1951–52 | Derby County 'A' | ||||
| 1952–53 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1953–54 | Shirebrook Miners Welfare | ||||
| 1954–55 | Shirebrook Miners Welfare | ||||
| 1955–56 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1956–57 | Buxton | ||||
| 1957–58 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1958–59 | Belper Town | ||||
| 1959–60 | Buxton | ||||
| 1960–61 | Alfreton Town | ||||
| 1961–62 | Belper Town | ||||
| 1962–63 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1963–64 | Belper Town | ||||
| 1964–65 | Long Eaton United | ||||
| 1965–66 | Heanor Town | ||||
| 1966–67 | Heanor Town | ||||
| 1967–68 | Heanor Town | ||||
| 1968–69 | Heanor Town | ||||
| 1969–70 | Alfreton Town | ||||
| 1970–71 | Heanor Town | ||||
| 1971–72 | Buxton | ||||
| 1972–73 | Alfreton Town | ||||
| 1973–74 | Alfreton Town | ||||
| 1974–75 | Matlock Town | ||||
| 1975–76 | Long Eaton United | ||||
| 1976–77 | Matlock Town | ||||
| 1977–78 | Matlock Town | ||||
| 1978–79 | Heanor Town | ||||
| 1979–80 | Belper Town | ||||
| 1980–81 | Buxton | ||||
| 1981–82 | Alfreton Town | ||||
| 1982–83 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1983–84 | Matlock Town | ||||
| 1984–85 | Matlock Town | ||||
| 1985–86 | Buxton | ||||
| 1986–87 | Buxton | 5–2 | Belper Town | 1st Leg: 2–1, 2nd Leg: 3–1, Agg: 5–2 | |
| 1987–88 | Gresley Rovers | 1–1 | Alfreton Town | 1st Leg: 1–0, 2nd Leg: 0–1, Agg: 1–1. Gresley won 4–2 on penalties. | |
| 1988–89 | Gresley Rovers | 2–1 | Stapenhill | 1st Leg: 0–1, 2nd Leg: 2–0, Agg: 2–1 | |
| 1989–90 | Gresley Rovers | ||||
| 1990–91 | Gresley Rovers | 7–1 | Borrowash Victoria | Agg: 7–1 | |
| 1991–92 | Matlock Town | 3–1 | Stapenhill | ||
| 1992–93 | Ilkeston Town | 1–1 | Alfreton Town | Ilkeston Town won 7–6 on penalties. | |
| 1993–94 | Gresley Rovers | ||||
| 1994–95 | Alfreton Town | 8–1 | Ilkeston Town | 1st Leg: 5–0, 2nd Leg: 3–1, Agg: 8–1 | |
| 1995–96 | Gresley Rovers | 2–1 | Belper Town | 1st Leg: 0–0, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 2–1 | |
| 1996–97 | Gresley Rovers | ||||
| 1997–98 | Glapwell | 3–3 | Matlock Town | 1st Leg: 1–2, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 3–3. Glapwell won 3–2 on penalties. | |
| 1998–99 | Ilkeston Town | ||||
| 1999–00 | Ilkeston Town | 4–0 | Gresley Rovers | 1st Leg: 1–0, 2nd Leg: 3–0, Agg: 4–0 | |
| 2000–01 | Glossop North End | 5–5 | Glapwell | 1st Leg: 3–3, 2nd Leg: 2–2, Agg: 5–5. Glossop won 4–2 on penalties. | |
| 2001–02 | Alfreton Town | 5–4 | Gresley Rovers | 1st Leg: 2–2, 2nd Leg: 3–2, Agg: 5–4 | |
| 2002–03 | Alfreton Town | 7–1 | Mickleover Sports | 1st Leg: 5–0, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 7–1 | |
| 2003–04 | Matlock | 4–1 | Ilkeston Town | 1st Leg: 3–0, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 4–1 | |
| 2004–05 | Gresley Rovers | 7–1 | Belper Town | 1st Leg: 5–1, 2nd Leg: 2–0, Agg: 7–1 | |
| 2005–06 | Ilkeston Town | 2–1 | Mickleover Sports | 1st Leg: 1–1, 2nd Leg: 1–0, Agg: 2–1 | |
| 2006–07 | Ilkeston Town | 3–2 | Matlock Town | 1st Leg: 2–1, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 3–2 | |
| 2007–08 | Belper Town | 4–3 | Alfreton Town | 1st Leg: 3–2, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 4–3 | |
| 2008–09 | Buxton | 1–0 | Matlock Town | ||
| 2009–10 | Matlock Town | 2–0 | Buxton | ||
| 2010–11 | Derby County XI | 5–0 | Buxton | ||
| 2011–12 | Buxton | ||||
| 2012–13 | Ilkeston | ||||
| 2013–14 | Ilkeston | 2–0 | Glossop North End | ||
| 2014–15 | Matlock Town | 7–0 | Gresley Rovers | ||
| 2015–16 | Alfreton Town | 0–0 | Belper Town | Alfreton Town won on penalties. | |
| 2016–17 | Matlock Town | 5–0 | Gresley Rovers | ||
| 2017–18 | Chesterfield reserves | 1–0 | Alfreton Town | ||
| 2018–19 | Alfreton Town | 2–1 | Mickleover | ||
| 2019–20 | Competition abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic. Belper Town and South Normanton Athletic were in the finals. | ||||
| 2020–21 | Competition not held due to COVID-19 pandemic. | ||||
| 2021–22 | Competition not held due to COVID-19 pandemic. | ||||
| 2022–23 | Buxton | 2–1 | Derby County reserves | ||
| 2023–24 | Buxton | 5–0 | Heanor Town | ||
Wins by teams
edit| Club | Wins | First final won | Last final won | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buxton | 12 | 1938–39 | 2023–34 | |
| Ilkeston Town † | 11 | 1948–49 | 2006–07 | Dissolved in 2010. |
| Alfreton Town | 10 | 1960–61 | 2018–19 | |
| Matlock Town | 10 | 1974–75 | 2016–17 | |
| Gresley Rovers | 8 | 1987–88 | 2004–05 | |
| Heanor Town | 8 | 1892–93 | 1978–79 | |
| Belper Town | 5 | 1858–59 | 2007–08 | |
| Staveley † | 4 | 1883–84 | 1888–89 | Dissolved in 1892. |
| Derby County | 3 | 1891–92 | 2010–11 | Won 1 title as Derby County A and 1 title as Derby County XI. |
| Ilkeston † | 2 | 2012–13 | 2013–14 | Dissolved in 2017. |
| Ilkeston Town (1880s) † | 2 | 1984–95 | 1895–96 | Dissolved in 1903. |
| Long Eaton United | 2 | 1964–65 | 1975–76 | |
| Chesterfield reserves | 1 | 2017–18 | 2017–18 | |
| Derby Corinthians † | 1 | 1947–48 | 1947–48 | Dissolved in 2002. |
| Derby Junction † | 1 | 1887–88 | 1887–88 | Dissolved in 1895. |
| Derby Midland † | 1 | 1889–90 | 1889–90 | Dissolved in 1891. |
| Glapwell | 1 | 1997–98 | 1997–98 | |
| Glossop North End | 1 | 2000–01 | 2000–01 | |
| Heanor Athletic † | 1 | 1946–47 | 1946–47 | Dissolved in 2013. |
| Heeley | 1 | 1885–86 | 1885–86 | |
| Long Eaton Rangers † | 1 | 1885–86 | 1885–86 | Dissolved in 1899. |
| South Normanton Miners Welfare † | 1 | 1949–50 | 1949–50 | Dissolved in 2022. |
References
edit- ^ "Derbyshire Senior Cup = Farce?". Non-league News 24. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- ^ "Derby claim Senior Cup". dcfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
- ^ "Derby County XI 0–1 Buxton". dcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Ball, Lucy (18 April 2024). "Buxton FC made history by winning the Derbyshire FA Senior Cup Challenge for the 12th time - making them record breakers". buxtonadvisor.co.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
- ^ "Buxton retain the Derbyshire Senior Challenge Cup!". derbyshirefa.com. Retrieved 12 August 2024.