CURRENT HOLDERS: RUSHALL OLYMPIC FC

In early 1878 a group of prominent people from the town , mainly  connected with the Licensed Trade, got together to form what was to become The Walsall and District Football Association. League football was unheard of in those days and the only organised games were challenge matches. 
A cup to be known as The Licensed Victuallers Cup was purchased for the sum of 10 guineas and local teams were invited to enter in order to establish the best team in the area. Nine teams entered the inaugural competition which was won by Walsall Swifts who defeated Walsall Institute (Caldmore ) 3-2 in the final played at Gorway Fields, now more well known as the home of Walsall Cricket Club.

Swifts then went on to win the trophy in the next two seasons beating White Star 1-0 and 4-1, completing the treble and claimed the trophy outright.

In 1882 a second trophy was purchased weighing 190 oz of solid silver for the huge sum of 100 guineas and was acclaimed as being the finest of examples of Victorian Era craftsmanship and was exhibited at The Great Exhibition at London’s Earls Court in 1897. It was known as The Challenge Cup until 1887 when it was renamed   The Senior Cup  and is the same trophy as is competed for today.

The competition quickly grew in stature and soon clubs like Aston Villa, Stafford Road (now Wolverhampton Wanderers), West Bromwich Albion, Small Heath Alliance (Birmingham City), Singers (Coventry City), Burslem Port Vale, Stoke City, Ruabon Druids (Wrexham), Shrewsbury Town and Burton Swifts regularly participating.  However with the setting up of the Football League in 1888 the whole structure of football changed with many of the more senior clubs only being allowed to enter their second string teams and the status of the competition declined.

PREVIOUS WINNERS