Historic Beer Albion victory extends the County record
Our linesmen of the County
As many of you may have read here on our website, Beer Albions magnificent DEVON PREMIER CUP victory at the weekend bridged a gap of 32 years since a Devon & Exeter League team won the trophy, and was just the 6th time under our proud League umbrella, a club has gone home with the Countys showpiece in its 53 year history.
The first teams of Dawlish Town (twice), Chelston, Exmouth Town and Newton St Cyres were our other winners since the Premier cup was introduced in 1970 so an elite group of five for Beer to join.
No apology for this but the fishermens success inspired me to track our record in the Devon Senior Cup and Devon Intermediate Cup (formerly the Devon Junior cup) and has produced some surprising statistics.
Overall clubs when operating in our League, have won the Devon Senior Cup 41 times, exactly one third of the 123 finals played since it began in 1890 and just 24 times in the Intermediate Cups 121 year history.
In the Senior cup Friernhay who sadly folded in 1988 are unique with three wins including our first ever victory in 1926 when they toppled the Royal Naval Barracks Devonport 2-1 in front of a 3000 crowd at St James Park. This was also the first time the cup was staged in Exeter. Camble with an overhead kick that astonished the crowd scored the Friars first goal after 70 minutes, and Fenwick netted the winner just after the military side equalised.
Once the Senior cup presentations were done, the Devon Junior cup final then followed with the RN Barracks reserve side beating Dartmouth United 1-0. It was normal in those days to play both cups on the same day and same ground.
Since then seven D & E teams have won it twice (although that includes two shares) and 24 have claimed it once.
So the DEVON SENIOR CUP list reads:
Three time winners and three times losers:
Friernhay
Two time winners:
Chelston (incl 1 share), Clyst Valley, Dawlish Town, Heavitree United, Ottery St Mary Reserves, Thorverton, Tiverton Town (incl 1 share).
One time only winners:
Bideford Town Reserves, Bow AAC, Buckland Athletic Reserves, Budleigh Salterton Reserves, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Cronies, Devon General, Dolphin United, Elmore Reserves, Exeter Arms, Exeter Civil Service, Exmouth Town, Exwick Villa Reserves, Heavitree Harriers, Kentisbeare, Newton Abbot Spurs, Newton St Cyres, Sidmouth Town Reserves, St Lukes College, St Martins, Tiverton Town Reserves, University of Exeter Reserves, Willand Rovers, Willand Rovers Reserves.
DEVON INTERMEDIATE CUP
It may come as a surprise that out of the 24 Intermediate cup successes only two Reserve teams have ever won the trophy, as recently as Elmore in 2018 and Witheridge in 2021, and only two of our teams have won it twice.
Two times winners
Exbourne, Friars Argyle
One time winners:
Alphington, Cheriton Fitzpaine, Colyton, Elmore, Elmore Reserves, Newton St Cyres, Okehampton Argyle, Pinhoe, Rockbeare Rockets, Royal Oak, Sidbury United, St Leonards, St Marks, Thorverton, Westexe Rovers, Willand Rovers, Willeys Cadets, Willeys Social Club, Winkleigh, Witheridge Reserves
A few other highlights:
Willeys Cadets were our first ever winners in 1923.
Axminster Town 1sts have won the cup four times but all as a Perry Street League club.
Farway United, Millwey Rise and Silverton also won the trophy but whilst in another League.
Tuesday 31st May 2022