Derbyshire Senior Cup

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Derbyshire County FA Senior Cup
Organiser(s)Derbyshire County FA
Founded1883 (1883)
RegionDerbyshire Derbyshire
TeamsVaries
Current championsAlfreton Town
(11th title)
Most championshipsBuxton
(12 titles)
WebsiteDerbyshire County FA

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.

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 Alfreton Town, who won the 2024-25 competition, winning the competition for the 11th time.[4][5]

Winners

Key

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
1883–84Staveley2–1Derby Midland
1884–85Staveley2–0Derby Midland
1885–86Heeley1–0Staveley
1886–87Staveley2–0Long Eaton Rangers
1887–88Derby Junction2–0Staveley
1888–89Staveley1–0Derby Junction
1889–90Derby Midland3–1Long Eaton Rangers
1890–91Long Eaton Rangers2–1Derby Midland
1891–92Derby County5–0Long Eaton Rangers
1892–93Heanor Town7–2Ilkeston Town (1880s)
1893–1894 (A League)
Season Winners Matches Goals Points & GD
1893–94Heanor TownW:22 D:1 L:3GF:143 GA:27Pts:45 GD:+116
1894–1945
Season Winners Result Runner-up Notes
1894–95Ilkeston Town (1880s)3–0Blackwell
1895–96Ilkeston Town (1880s)2–1BlackwellReplay. First match ended 0–0.
1938–39Buxton
1945–present
Season Winners Result Runner-up Notes
1945–46Buxton
1946–47Heanor Athletic
1947–48Derby Corinthians
1948–49Ilkeston Town
1949–50South Normanton Miners Welfare
1950–51Shirebrook Miners Welfare
1951–52Derby County 'A'
1952–53Ilkeston Town
1953–54Shirebrook Miners Welfare
1954–55Shirebrook Miners Welfare
1955–56Ilkeston Town
1956–57Buxton
1957–58Ilkeston Town
1958–59Belper Town
1959–60Buxton
1960–61Alfreton Town
1961–62Belper Town
1962–63Ilkeston Town
1963–64Belper Town
1964–65Long Eaton United
1965–66Heanor Town
1966–67Heanor Town
1967–68Heanor Town
1968–69Heanor Town
1969–70Alfreton Town
1970–71Heanor Town
1971–72Buxton
1972–73Alfreton Town
1973–74Alfreton Town
1974–75Matlock Town
1975–76Long Eaton United
1976–77Matlock Town
1977–78Matlock Town
1978–79Heanor Town
1979–80Belper Town
1980–81Buxton
1981–82Alfreton Town
1982–83Ilkeston Town
1983–84Matlock Town
1984–85Matlock Town
1985–86Buxton
1986–87Buxton5–2Belper Town1st Leg: 2–1, 2nd Leg: 3–1, Agg: 5–2
1987–88Gresley Rovers1–1Alfreton Town1st Leg: 1–0, 2nd Leg: 0–1, Agg: 1–1. Gresley won 4–2 on penalties.
1988–89Gresley Rovers2–1Stapenhill1st Leg: 0–1, 2nd Leg: 2–0, Agg: 2–1
1989–90Gresley Rovers
1990–91Gresley Rovers7–1Borrowash VictoriaAgg: 7–1
1991–92Matlock Town3–1Stapenhill
1992–93Ilkeston Town1–1Alfreton TownIlkeston Town won 7–6 on penalties.
1993–94Gresley Rovers
1994–95Alfreton Town8–1Ilkeston Town1st Leg: 5–0, 2nd Leg: 3–1, Agg: 8–1
1995–96Gresley Rovers2–1Belper Town1st Leg: 0–0, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 2–1
1996–97Gresley Rovers
1997–98Glapwell3–3Matlock Town1st Leg: 1–2, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 3–3. Glapwell won 3–2 on penalties.
1998–99Ilkeston Town
1999–00Ilkeston Town4–0Gresley Rovers1st Leg: 1–0, 2nd Leg: 3–0, Agg: 4–0
2000–01Glossop North End5–5Glapwell1st Leg: 3–3, 2nd Leg: 2–2, Agg: 5–5. Glossop won 4–2 on penalties.
2001–02Alfreton Town5–4Gresley Rovers1st Leg: 2–2, 2nd Leg: 3–2, Agg: 5–4
2002–03Alfreton Town7–1Mickleover Sports1st Leg: 5–0, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 7–1
2003–04Matlock4–1Ilkeston Town1st Leg: 3–0, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 4–1
2004–05Gresley Rovers7–1Belper Town1st Leg: 5–1, 2nd Leg: 2–0, Agg: 7–1
2005–06Ilkeston Town2–1Mickleover Sports1st Leg: 1–1, 2nd Leg: 1–0, Agg: 2–1
2006–07Ilkeston Town3–2Matlock Town1st Leg: 2–1, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 3–2
2007–08Belper Town4–3Alfreton Town1st Leg: 3–2, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 4–3
2008–09Buxton1–0Matlock Town
2009–10Matlock Town2–0Buxton
2010–11Derby County XI5–0Buxton
2011–12Buxton1-0 Derby County XI
2012–13Ilkeston
2013–14Ilkeston2–0Glossop North End
2014–15Matlock Town7–0Gresley Rovers
2015–16Alfreton Town0–0Belper TownAlfreton Town won on penalties.
2016–17Matlock Town5–0Gresley Rovers
2017–18Chesterfield reserves1–0Alfreton Town
2018–19Alfreton Town2–1Mickleover
2019–20Competition abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic. Belper Town and South Normanton Athletic were in the finals.
2020–21Competition not held due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2021–22Competition not held due to COVID-19 pandemic.
2022–23Buxton2–1Derby County reserves
2023–24Buxton5–0Heanor Town
2024–25 Alfreton Town 0-0 Buxton Alfreton Town won on penalties.

Wins by teams

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 11 1960–61 2024-25
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

  1. "Derbyshire Senior Cup = Farce?". Non-league News 24. Archived from the original on 3 May 2011. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  2. "Derby claim Senior Cup". dcfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 April 2011. Retrieved 20 April 2011.
  3. "Derby County XI 0–1 Buxton". dcfc.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
  4. Duffy, Mark (16 April 2025). "Alfreton Town win Derbyshire Senior Cup by beating Buxton on penalties at Chesterfield". derbyshiretimes.co.uk. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
  5. "Alfreton Town Crowned 2024/25 Derbyshire Senior Challenge Cup Champions After Penalty Shoot-Out Victory". derbyshirefa.com. Retrieved 19 October 2025.