FA Sunday Cup

Last updated
FA Sunday Cup
Image of fa sunday cup.jpg
Founded1964
Region England
Current championsTrooper FC
Most successful club(s)Hetton Lyons Cricket Club (4 titles)

The FA Sunday Cup is a knock-out amateur competition founded in 1964 for English Sunday league football teams.

Contents

Prior to 1960 The Football Association did not permit clubs or players under its jurisdiction to take part in competitive football played on Sunday. A change of policy by the governing body in 1960 allowed Sunday leagues to become affiliated to County Associations and, four years later, The FA started the Sunday Cup to allow Sunday players to compete in a national knock-out tournament. [1]

The Sunday Cup trophy was presented to the FA by the Shah of Iran as a gift to mark the centenary of the FA in 1963. It was created by Iranian silversmiths. [2]

In the Cup's first season (1964–65), teams representing Sunday players in various counties entered with London winning the two-legged final 6–2 against Staffordshire. [1]

In the first final featuring club sides, Ubique United beat Aldridge Fabrications 1–0 in 1965–66.

After The Sunday Cup’s inaugural season, 1,600 requests for entry forms for the following season’s competition were received. Entries for season 2017–18 were 80. Since its inception in 1964-65 (53 years ago) the competition has been won by 42 different sides.

The most successful team is Hetton Lyons Cricket Club FC with 4 wins, in 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2012. St Joseph's (Luton) have appeared in a record seven finals, winning on three occasions in 1995, 1996 and 2023. Eight teams have been successful on two occasions – Carlton United in 1967 and '73, Newtown Unity in 1972 and '74, Fantail in 1980 and '81, Nicosia in 1991 and 2004, Oyster Martyrs in 2011 and '13, Humbledon Plains Farm in 1990 and 2014, Hardwick Social in 2017 and 2018, and Campfield FC in 2015 and 2020.

In 2018, Hardwick Social FC became the first club for 22 years to retain the trophy since St Joseph's (Luton) in 1995-96.

The latest holders are St Joseph's (Luton) who were crowned as the 2022-23 FA Sunday Cup winners at Derby's Pride Park as they defeated Aigburth Arms in a 3-2 success. St Joseph's McCafferty scored an equalising goal in the first half, with Watkins scoring the team's second goal. At 90 minutes St Joseph's were 2-1 ahead with 6 minutes of additional time to play; the Aigburth arms then scored an equaliser with a 93rd-minute penalty kick with the winning goal scored by Blake in the final minute of the game. [3]

SFA Finals 1961-1965

The National Sunday Football Association was founded in 1932 and re-formed in 1950. It was not affiliated to, nor recognised by the FA, and asserted itself as an alternative authority to the FA. It inaugurated a national knock-out club competition in 1960/61.

For the first few years it was an authentic national competition. However, the increasing affiliation of regional SFAs and leagues to the FA diminished the competition and it was never truly national after 1963, but it persevered for a number of seasons after the FA started their national competition. Nevertheless, the SFA winners were arguably the leading Sunday clubs remaining outside the FA affiliated Sunday leagues.

The first five finals were played at the Hare & Hounds, Leyton, East London.

SeasonWinnerScoreRunners-up
1960–61Walsall Wofflers2-0Stamford Rovers
1961–62Forest Gate Mount Athletic2–0Ashford Victoria
1962-63Forest Gate Mount Athletic3-3,
aet 5-3
Chiswick East Barnes
1963–64Forest Gate Mount Athletic4-1Hull Anlaby
1964–65Edmonton Park United5-1Hull Esso

Finals since 1965 (FA sanctioned)

The results of the finals to date:

SeasonWinnerScoreRunners-up
1964–65 London 6–2 aggregate Staffordshire
1965–66Ubique United1–0Aldridge Fabrications
1966–67Carlton United2–0Stoke Works
1967–68Drovers2–0Brook United
1968–69Leigh Park3–1Loke United
1969–70Vention United1–0Ubique United
1970–71Becontree Rovers2–0Saltley United
1971–72Newtown Unity4–0Springfield Colts
1972–73Carlton United2–1Wear Valley
1973–74Newtown Unity3–0Brentford East
1974–75Fareham Town Centipedes1–0Players Athletic Engineers
1975–76Brandon United2–1Evergreen
1976–77Langley Park Rams Head2–0Newtown Unity
1977–78Arras2–1Lion Rangers
1978–79Lobster3–2Carlton United
1979–80Fantail1–0Twin Foxes
1980–81Fantail1–0Mackintosh
1981–82Dingle Rail2–1Twin Foxes
1982–83Eagle1–1, replay 2–1Lee Chapel North
1983–84Lee Chapel North4–3Eagle
1984–85Hobbies United2–2, 1–1 replay, 2–1 second replayAvenue
1985–86Avenue1–0Glenn Sports
1986–87Lodge Cottrell1–0Avenue
1987–88Nexday2–0Humbledon Plains Farm
1988–89Almithak3–1East Levenshulme
1989–90Humbledon Plains Farm2–1Marston Sports
1990–91Nicosia (Liverpool)3–2Ouzavich
1991–92Theale3–2Marston Sports
1992–93Seymour1–0Bedfont Sunday
1993–94Ranelagh Sports2–0Hartlepool Lion Hotel
1994–95St Joseph's (Luton)2–1B & A Scaffolding
1995–96St Joseph's (Luton)2–1Croxteth & Gilmoss RBL
1996–97Marston Sports1–0Northwood
1997–98Olympic Star1–1, 5–3 penaltiesSt Joseph's (Luton)
1998–99Little Paxton2–2, 4–3 penaltiesSt Joseph's (Luton)
1999–2000Prestige Brighams1–0 Albion Sports
2000–01Hartlepool Lion Hillcarter0–0, 3–2 penaltiesHoughton Centre
2001–02Britannia2–0Little Paxton
2002–03Duke of York3–1Allerton
2003–04Nicosia3–1U K Flooring
2004–05Gossoms End3–2 Albion Sports
2005–06Hetton Lyons Cricket Club5–3St Joseph's (Luton)
2006–07Coundon Conservative5–0Lebeq Tavern Courage
2007–08Hetton Lyons Cricket Club3–2Coundon Conservative
2008–09Scots Grey4–3 a.e.tOyster Martyrs
2009–10Hetton Lyons Cricket Club4–2Magnet Tavern
2010–11Oyster Martyrs1–0Paddock
2011–12Hetton Lyons Cricket Club5–1Canada
2012–13Oyster Martyrs4–3Barnes Albion
2013–14Humbledon Plains Farm5–2Oyster Martyrs
2014–15Campfield FC2–0OJM
2015–16 New Salamis 1–1, 4–3 penaltiesBarnes AFC
2016–17Hardwick Social1–1, 3–1 penalties. New Salamis
2017-18Hardwick Social2-0 a.e.tGym United
2018-19Aylesbury Flooring3–1Birstall Stamford
2019-20Campfield FC1-0 A.E.TSt. Joseph's (Luton)
2021-22Baiteze Squad2-0Highgate Albion
2022-23St Joseph’s (Luton)3–2Aigburth Arms

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 "F.A. Sunday Cup History". The Football Association. Archived from the original on 2006-03-26. Retrieved 2009-03-06.
  2. David Charters (2002-09-07). "Pub team's prize piece of Persian heritage; Britannia's pride of place for Shah's silver legacy". David Post. Retrieved 2015-10-01.
  3. "FA Sunday Cup Final 2023". The Football Association. 2023-04-30. Retrieved 2023-05-02.