CUPS OF THE CENTURY NOW & THEN

TWO CUPS A CENTURY APART AS THE CURTAIN ON THE SEASON COMES DOWN

CUP STORY 1
Axmouth United will stage the 91st Golesworthy Cup final this wednesday and have their own ground as the venue when they take on Upottery Res.

Kick off is at 6.45pm and as this will be the last game of the season are expecting a good crowd at Boshill Cross. Both clubs have won the trophy donated by Mr A E Golesworthy in recent years but the significance of this final is that it kickstarts the second century for the competition. The first ever final was between Payhembury and Escot Rovers and was played at Kings School Ottery St Mary. Payhembury won 2-0 but sadly neither club exists today.

 

CUP STORY 2

The other news on a century old cup is that our League have been left stunned by the return of one of our trophies last presented in 1922.
We were then operating as the East Devon Football League and the trophy engraving on the cup is for the Minor Division of the League.

The cup was discovered by a Mr David Sharland in the garage of his late Dad Charles where they live in the Cotswolds. Mr Sharland a native of Heavitree in Exeter was equally astonished by the discovery as his Dad never let on about his football days other than he played with the famous Arsenal player Cliff Bastin when schoolboys.

A curious Mr Sharland contacted East Devon cups secretary Graham Moore to check on its history, and Graham in turn passed the enquiry on to our press officer Collin Goodwin.

Looking into the archives Collin finds it was either awarded to St Thomas Juniors when they won the East Devon League minor division or St Edmunds Juniors for winning the knockout cup. and the 1922 newspaper cuttings and records seem to confirm this.

Why the cup was not returned to the League will probably remain a mystery but it had clearly been retained by Mr Sharland and considering its age is in superb condition.

The League plan to discuss its future given the nature of its history and will probably hope to make it a showpiece trophy available for display.
Whatever the story behind this it is a truly magnificent find.

Monday 29th May 2023