UP FOR THE CUP

PHILIP D'ROURKE LOOKS BACK AT THE FIRST DOMESTIC COP FINAL IN A HANDFUL OF COUNTRIES - AND CHARTS THE VARYING FORTUNES OF THE PARTICIPANTS...

- PHILIP D'ROURKE

THE domestic cup competition is a chance for the unthinkable to happen. For so-called smaller clubs to beat one of the heavyweights in a one-off match.

It is different to the league, which is contested over a nine-month period and where consistency is key.

Not so when it comes to the cup, where one moment of magic can win you a match that is played over 90 minutes. But where and when did cup competitions all start? And what has become of the clubs that played in the first-ever cup finals in their respective nations?

Some clubs have gone on to become powerhouses in their respective leagues, while others have disappeared from the footballing world altogether.

Let’s take a look at the cup competitions in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

 I’m going to start with the oldest domestic cup competition in the world - the FA Cup.

Wanderers FC versus Royal Engineers was the first FA Cup final in 1871-72.

Wanderers won the game 1-0 with the only goal scored by Morton Betts. They would go on to play in other four-cup finals, winning every one of them.

Their five FA Cups triumphs mean they have won the competition more times than famous clubs with Wanderers in their name.

Bolton Wanderers and Wolverhampton Wanderers have both only won the competition four times.

In fact, Wanderers FC can boast they have won the FA Cup the same number of times as Everton and West Brom.

The other record they hold is the fact they, alongside Blackburn Rovers, are the only two clubs to have won the FA Cup three times in a row. Sadly, the demise of the club soon after their fifth FA Cup triumph meant they were not able to add to their silverware. In 1887 the club officially dissolved after playing a friendly against Harrow School, in which they lost 3-1.