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. 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. 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.
The current champions are Ilkeston Town, who won the 2025-26 competition, winning the competition for the 1st time. Winners Key Match went to a replayMatch went to extra timeMatch decided by a penalty shootout after extra timeShared trophyLeague format 1883–1892 Season Winners Result Runner-up Notes1883–84Staveley2–1Derby Midland1884–85Staveley2–0Derby Midland1885–86Heeley1–0Staveley1886–87Staveley2–0Long Eaton Rangers1887–88Derby Junction2–0Staveley1888–89Staveley1–0Derby Junction1889–90Derby Midland3–1Long Eaton Rangers1890–91Long Eaton Rangers2–1Derby Midland1891–92Derby County5–0Long Eaton Rangers1892–93Heanor Town7–21893–1894 (A League) Season Winners Matches Goals Points & GD1893–94Heanor TownGF:143 GA:27Pts:45 GD:+1161894–1945 Season Winners Result Runner-up Notes1894–95Ilkeston Town (1880s)3–0Blackwell1895–96Ilkeston Town (1880s)2–1BlackwellReplay. First match ended 0–0.1938–39Buxton1945–present Season Winners Result Runner-up Notes1945–46Buxton1946–47Heanor Athletic1947–48Derby Corinthians1948–49Ilkeston Town1949–501950–51Shirebrook Miners Welfare1951–52Derby County 'A'1952–53Ilkeston Town1953–54Shirebrook Miners Welfare1954–55Shirebrook Miners Welfare1955–56Ilkeston Town1956–57Buxton1957–58Ilkeston Town1958–59Belper Town1959–60Buxton1960–61Alfreton Town1961–62Belper Town1962–63Ilkeston Town1963–64Belper Town1964–65Long Eaton United1965–66Heanor Town1966–67Heanor Town1967–68Heanor Town1968–69Heanor Town1969–70Alfreton Town1970–71Heanor Town1971–72Buxton1972–73Alfreton Town1973–74Alfreton Town1974–75Matlock Town1975–76Long Eaton United1976–77Matlock Town1977–78Matlock Town1978–79Heanor Town1979–80Belper Town1980–81Buxton1981–82Alfreton Town1982–83Ilkeston Town1983–84Matlock Town1984–85Matlock Town1985–86Buxton1986–87Buxton5–2Belper Town1st Leg: 2–1, 2nd Leg: 3–1, Agg: 5–21987–88Gresley 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: 2–11989–90Gresley Rovers1990–91Gresley Rovers7–1Borrowash VictoriaAgg: 7–11991–92Matlock Town3–1Stapenhill1992–93Ilkeston Town1–1Alfreton TownIlkeston Town won 7–6 on penalties.1993–94Gresley Rovers1994–95Alfreton Town8–1Ilkeston Town1st Leg: 5–0, 2nd Leg: 3–1, Agg: 8–11995–96Gresley Rovers2–1Belper Town1st Leg: 0–0, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 2–1Gresley Rovers1997–98Glapwell3–3Matlock Town1st Leg: 1–2, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 3–3. Glapwell won 3–2 on penalties.1998–99Ilkeston Town1999–00Ilkeston Town4–0Gresley Rovers1st Leg: 1–0, 2nd Leg: 3–0, Agg: 4–02000–01Glossop 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: 5–42002–03Alfreton Town7–1Mickleover Sports1st Leg: 5–0, 2nd Leg: 2–1, Agg: 7–12003–04Matlock4–1Ilkeston Town1st Leg: 3–0, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 4–12004–05Gresley Rovers7–1Belper Town1st Leg: 5–1, 2nd Leg: 2–0, Agg: 7–12005–06Ilkeston Town2–1Mickleover Sports1st Leg: 1–1, 2nd Leg: 1–0, Agg: 2–12006–07Ilkeston Town3–2Matlock Town1st Leg: 2–1, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 3–22007–08Belper Town4–3Alfreton Town1st Leg: 3–2, 2nd Leg: 1–1, Agg: 4–32008–09Buxton1–0Matlock Town2009–10Matlock Town2–0Buxton2010–11Derby County XI5–0Buxton2011–12Buxton 1-0 Derby County XI2012–13Ilkeston2013–14Ilkeston2–0Glossop North End2014–15Matlock Town7–0Gresley Rovers2015–16Alfreton Town0–0Belper TownAlfreton Town won on penalties.2016–17Matlock Town5–0Gresley Rovers2017–18Chesterfield reserves1–0Alfreton Town2018–19Alfreton Town2–1Mickleover2019–20Competition 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.2022–23Buxton2–12023–24Buxton5–0Heanor Town2024–25Alfreton Town0-0BuxtonAlfreton Town won on penalties.2025–26Ilkeston Town 2-2Glossop North EndIlkeston Town won on penalties.
Wins by teams Club Wins First final won Last final won NotesBuxton121938–392023–34Ilkeston Town †111948–492006–07Dissolved in 2010.Alfreton Town111960–612024-25Matlock Town101974–752016–17Gresley Rovers81987–882004–05Heanor Town81892–931978–79Belper Town51858–592007–08Staveley †41883–841888–89Dissolved in 1892.Derby County31891–922010–11Won 1 title as Derby County A and 1 title as Derby County XI.Ilkeston †22012–132013–14Dissolved in 2017.Ilkeston Town (1880s) †21984–951895–96Dissolved in 1903.Long Eaton United21964–651975–76Chesterfield reserves12017–182017–18Derby Corinthians †11947–481947–48Dissolved in 2002.Derby Junction †11887–881887–88Dissolved in 1895.Derby Midland †11889–901889–90Dissolved in 1891.Glapwell11997–981997–98Glossop North End12000–012000–01Heanor Athletic †11946–471946–47Dissolved in 2013.Heeley11885–861885–86Ilkeston Town (2017)12025–262025–26Long Eaton Rangers †11885–861885–86Dissolved in 1899.South Normanton Miners Welfare †11949–501949–50Dissolved in 2022.
References
External links Derbyshire FA