Southern Counties Cup

The Southern Counties Cup is an association football cup competition for clubs in the historic counties of Dumfriesshire, Wigtownshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. The competition was founded in 1891.

Southern Counties Cup
Founded1891
RegionDumfries and Galloway
Current championsCaledonian Braves
Most successful club(s)Stranraer (20 wins)

Format

The competition was a knock-out tournament contested by the member clubs of the Southern Counties Football Association, which was formed at the end of the 1890–91 season,[1] with J. J. Cook of the 5th K.R.V. as initial president.[2] The competition soon became the most prestigious competition in the region, supplanting the Churchill Cup.

Initial entrants

History

The first competition, in 1891–92, was won by the 5th K.R.V., who beat Mid-Annandale 9–1 in the final. The score remains the highest margin of victory in the final. The two clubs had met in the final of the Churchill Cup two months before with the Mids winning 3–0;[3] however, in the Southern Counties, one Mids player was sent off, three others walked off in sympathy, and the Volunteers scored three times from the penalty mark.[4]

From 1898 to 1899 there was also a Consolation Cup,[5] for clubs eliminated before the final of the main competition. The last edition was in 1926–27, replaced by the short-lived South of Scotland Cup.

The current (2023–24) holders are Caledonian Braves, who beat Dalbeattie Star 3–1 in the final at Galabank thanks to two late goals.[6]

Finals (incomplete)
YearWinnerScoreRunner-up
1891–925th K.R.V.9–1Mid-Annandale
1892–93Queen of the South Wanderers2–1Newton Stewart
1893–945th K.R.V.4–1Queen of the South Wanderers
1894–95Maxwelltown Thistle1–1, 3–25th K.R.V.
1895–96St Cuthbert's Wanderers4–1Douglas Wanderers
1896–976th G.R.V.8–0St Cuthbert's Wanderers
1897–98Dumfries2–1Dumfries Hibernians
1898–996th G.R.V.4–1Douglas Wanderers
1899–1900Dumfries4–26th G.R.V.
1900–01Dumfries4–36th G.R.V.
1901–02Dumfries3–0Maxwelltown Volunteers
1902–03Dumfries3–1Douglas Wanderers
1903–04Nithsdale Wanderers4–1Vale of Dryfe
1904–05Maxwelltown Volunteers2–16th G.R.V.
1905–06Dumfries2–0Nithsdale Wanderers
1906–07Nithsdale Wanderers1–0Douglas Wanderers
1907–08Maxwelltown Volunteers5–1Dalbeattie Star
1908–09Dalbeattie Star2–1Nithsdale Wanderers
1909–10Dumfries1–0Nithsdale Wanderers
1910–11Nithsdale Wanderers3–2Dumfries
1912–13Solway Star3–3, 2–2, 1–0Dumfries
1913–14Nithsdale Wanderers4–3Whithorn
1924–255th K.O.S.B.2–1St Cuthbert's Wanderers
1919–20Nithsdale Wanderers2–0St Cuthbert's Wanderers
1920–21Queen of the South1–0Nithsdale Wanderers
1921–22Nithsdale Wanderers2–2, 2–0Queen of the South
2022–23Caledonian Braves3–1Dalbeattie Star

Wins by club
TeamWinsFirst winLast win
5th K.O.S.B.11914–15-
5th K.R.V.31891–921896–97
Annan Athletic51989–902010–11
Bonnyton Thistle12018–19-
Caledonian Braves12022–23-
Creetown11984–85-
Dalbeattie Star131908–092021–22
Dumfries81897–981909–10
Gretna12004–05-
Greystone Rovers11957–58-
Lincluden Swifts21977–781978–79
Maxwelltown Thistle11894–95-
Maxwelltown Volunteers21904–051907–08
Newton Stewart61948–491983–84
Nithsdale Wanderers101903–041945–46
Queen of the South Wanderers11892–93-
Queen of the South191920–212015–16
St Cuthbert's Wanderers61895–962009–10
Solway Star21912–131937–38
Stranraer201925–261994–95
Tarff Rovers61949–502001–02
threave Rovers61964–652007–08
Whithorn11954–55-
Wigtown & Bladnoch12013–14-

The most successful club in the Consolation Cup was the second Mid-Annandale club, with four wins between 1909–10 and 1922–23. The only other club which won the Consolation Cup without ever winning the Southern Counties Cup was Vale of Dryfe, which won the Consolation Cup in 1901–02 and 1902–03.

References
  1. "Southern Counties Association". Glasgow Evening Post: 5. 21 July 1891.
  2. "The referee's note-book". Scottish Referee: 1. 27 July 1891.
  3. "Churchill Cup Final". Dumfries & Galloway Standard: 3. 10 February 1892.
  4. "Southern Counties Challenge Cup Final". Dumfries & Galloway Standard: 3. 6 April 1892.
  5. "Here and there". Scottish Referee: 2. 5 December 1898.
  6. Gillespie, Stuart. "Dalbeattie Star end season with South of Scotland Challenge Cup final loss to Caledonian Braves". Daily Record. Retrieved 8 October 2023.
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