The Manchester FA Senior Cup (originally known as the Manchester and District Challenge Cup, later the Manchester Cup) is an annual football tournament held between the clubs of the Manchester Football Association which was first played in 1885; the first winners were Hurst who beat Newton Heath LYR in the final. As of 2025, the competition has been on hiatus since the 2015/16 season was abandoned due to the Final not being able to be arranged.
Organisation The competition featured the major professional clubs of the Manchester area — Manchester United (as Newton Heath LYR until 1892 and Newton Heath until 1902), Manchester City (as well as Ardwick until 1894), Bolton Wanderers, Bury, Oldham Athletic, and Stockport County — until 1970, after which only non-league clubs entered. The Senior Cup was not held from 1979 to 1998, but was reintroduced as a reserve team tournament for the six professional clubs, typically in round-robin format with a final usually held at the end of the season in early May.
The overall winners table is as follows
TeamWinsNotesManchester United33including 4 as Newton Heath LYR and 2 as Newton HeathManchester City13plus two shared with BuryBury12plus two shared with Manchester CityBolton Wanderers10Oldham Athletic9Stockport County4Droylsden3Ardwick2Mossley2Hurst1the original Hurst clubWest Manchester1Crewe Alexandra1Wigan Borough1Hyde United1Ashton United1Dukinfield Town1
In 2021, a medal from the competition won by Newton Heath's Tommy Fitzsimmons in 1893, believed to be the oldest such item relating to Manchester United to have been offered for sale, was auctioned for £24,000.Manchester United: Winner's medal sold at auction for £24,100, Stuart Reid, Ayr Advertiser, 9 September 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2022
Finals This section lists every final of the competition played since the first final in 1885 where known; including the winners, the runners-up, and the result.
Key Match went to a replayShared trophyFinal was played over 2 legs
1884-1915
SeasonWinnerResultRunner-upDateVenueAttendanceNotes1884–85Hurst3–0Newton Heath LYRSaturday 25 April 1885Whalley Range (Manchester FC Rugby)around 3500This is the original Hurst club that folded in 1892. The 2nd half was delayed due to heavy rainfall. HT 0-01885–86Newton Heath LYR2–1Manchester AssociationSaturday 3 April 1886Whalley Range (Manchester FC Rugby)around 8000The largest crowd ever for association football in Manchester at the time. HT 2-0British Newspaper Archive, The Umpire, 4 April 18861886–87West Manchester2–1Newton Heath LYRSaturday 23 April 1887Whalley Range (Manchester FC Rugby)around 4000HT 1-1British Newspaper Archive, Athletic News, 26 April 18871887–88Newton Heath LYR7–1DentonSaturday 28 April 1888Whalley Range (Manchester FC Rugby)around 80001888–89Newton Heath LYR7–0Hooley HillSaturday 27 April 1889Whalley Range (Manchester FC Rugby)around 40001889–90Newton Heath LYR5–2RoytonSaturday 3 May 1890Hullard Hall (West Manchester FC)around 20001890–91Ardwick1–0Newton Heath LYRSaturday 18 April 1891Hullard Hall (West Manchester FC)around 100001891–92Ardwick4–1Bolton WanderersSaturdaty 23 April 1892North Road (Newton Heath LYR)around 70001892–93Newton Heath2–1Bolton WanderersSaturday 15 April 1893Hyde Road (Ardwick AFC)around 80001893–94Bury4–2Heywood CentralSaturday 7 April 1894Hyde Road (Ardwick AFC)around 5000HT 0-2[Bury FC 1885-1999 - The Official History], Peter Collins, Page 151894–95Bolton Wanderers0–0BurySaturday 30 March 1895Bank Street (Newton Heath FC)around 7000 Bolton WanderersREPLAY3–2BuryMonday 8 April 1895Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 40001895–96Bury2–1Manchester CitySaturday 11 April 1896Bank Street (Newton Heath FC)around 120001896–97Bury3–1Bolton WanderersSaturday 3 April 1897Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 10000The Official History of Bury FC book reports that this game finished 3-01897–98Stockport CountyVOID0–4Manchester CitySaturday 9 April 1898Fallowfield Stadium (Manchester Athletics Club)around 25000The tie was voided and re-played due to Manchester City fielding an ineligible player (Douglas).[Manchester County Football Association], Souvenir Brochure 1884-1984 Stockport County2–1Manchester CityMonday 18 April 1898Bank Street (Newton Heath FC)Gate receipts for both ties combined £464 12s 11d1898–99Stockport County2–2BuryWednesday 12 April 1899Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 2000Go Go Go County, Manchester Football Association Senior Cup Record Stockport CountyREPLAY2–1BurySaturday 29 April 1899Bank Street (Newton Heath FC)around 3000British Newspaper Archive, Weekly Times & Echo (London), 30 April 18991899–00Bury2–0Bolton WanderersWednesday 4 April 1900Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 40001900–01Manchester City4–0Newton HeathMonday 29 April 1901Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 50001901–02Newton Heath2–1Manchester CitySaturday 26 April 1902Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)between 10000 and 15000This was the last match for Newton Heath before they renamed to Manchester United1902–03Bury2-2AETManchester CityWednesday 29 April 1903Bank Street (Manchester United FC)around 15000Both teams were declared joint winners with both receiving gold medals. It was agreed until the following September, when the game may have been re-played. However, it was not and so both were officially joint winners. Gate receipts £444 3s 6d.1903–04Bury0–0Manchester CitySaturday 30 April 1904Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 18000 BuryREPLAYPOSTPONEDManchester CityMonday 17 October 1904Bank Street (Manchester United FC)Postponed due to Manchester City being banned from playing additional games for a month[Bury Library Archives], Bury Times, 12 October 1904 BuryREPLAYPOSTPONEDManchester CityMonday 28 November 1904Bank Street (Manchester United FC)Postponed due to fogBritish Newspaper Archive, Lancashire Evening Post, 28 November 1904 BuryREPLAY4-2ABANDONEDManchester CityMonday 5 December 1904Bank Street (Manchester United FC)around 3000HT 3-0. Abandoned on 84 mins due to darkness. Although the victory was stated as morally Bury's, the result did not stand and no further replay was arranged. Hence the Cup was again shared between the two clubsBritish Newspaper Archive, The Cheshire Daily Echo, 5 December 1904British Newspaper Archive, Daily Mirror, 6 December 1904British Newspaper Archive, Lincolnshire Echo, 5 December 1904 - Page 3 & 4British Newspaper Archive, Liverpool Echo, 5 December 1904 - page 8[Bury Library Archives], Bury Times, 7 December 1904[Bury Library Archives], Bury Times, 3 May 1905 The Official History of Bury FC book incorrectly states that the game was abandoned at 4-0 with the result allowed to stand1904–05Bury3–1Manchester UnitedSaturday 29 April 1905Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 5000HT 1-0. The Official History of Bury FC book incorrectly states that the game was at Gigg Lane[Bury Library Archives], Bury Times, 3 May 19051905–06Bolton Wanderers3–0BuryMonday 30 April 1906Bank Street (Manchester United FC)around 25001906–07Manchester City2–0Stockport CountyMonday 29 April 1907Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 100001907–08Manchester United1–0BuryThursday 30 April 1908Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 30001908–09Bolton WanderersPOSTPONEDStockport CountyMonday 26 April 1909Hyde Road (Manchester City FC) Bolton Wanderers3–0Stockport CountyThursday 29 April 1909Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)"poor"1909–10Manchester United2–0Stockport CountyWednesday 20 April 1910Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)8001910–11Manchester City3–1Manchester UnitedWeednesday 14 December 1910Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 60001911–12Manchester United0–0RochdaleWednesday 27 March 1912Hyde Road (Manchester City FC) Manchester UnitedREPLAY1–1RochdaleTuesday 30 April 1912Boundary Park (Oldham Athletic AFC)around 5000KO 6.00pm Manchester UnitedREPLAY-25–0RochdaleTuesday 17 September 1912Gigg Lane (Bury FC)around 20001912–13Manchester United4–1Bolton WanderersMonday 21 April 1913Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)around 30001913–14Oldham Athletic1–0HurstTuesday 21 April 1914Bower Fold (Stalybridge Centic FC)between 6000 and 7000Had been originally due to be played at Manchester City's Hyde Road1914–15Stockport County4–3AETRochdaleSaturday 1 May 1915Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)After 90 mins was 1-1
The competition was not held between 1915 and 1919 due to World War I
1919-1939
SeasonWinnerResultRunner-upDateVenueAttendanceNotes1919–20Manchester United1-0Oldham AthleticMonday 10 May 1920Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)Manchester United Friendlies & Minor Competitions, Charbel Boujaoude (2018 book)1920–21Bolton Wanderers2-0Manchester UnitedWednesday 11 May 1921Burnden Park (Bolton Wanderers FC)"record crowd"Gate receipts £819British Newspaper Archive, Stockport County Express, 19 May 19211921–22Bolton Wanderers3-1Eccles UnitedSaturday 20 May 1922Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)HT 2-1British Newspaper Archive, Athletic News, 22 May 19221922–23Stockport County2–0Stalybridge CelticMonday 7 May 1923Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)British Newspaper Archive, Manchester Evening News, 7 May 1923British Newspaper Archive, Grimsby Daily Telegraph, 11 May 19231923–24Manchester United3-0Manchester CitySaturday 10 May 1924Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)around 16000Both teams played a weak side, practically reserve XIsBritish Newspaper Archive, Manchester Evening News, 10 May 19241924–25Bury1-0Manchester CitySaturday 9 May 1925Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)around 15000British Newspaper Archive, Athletic News, 11 May 19251925–26Manchester United2-0Manchester CitySaturday 8 May 1926Maine Road (Manchester City FC)around 5000British Newspaper Archive, Athletic News, 17 May 1926British Newspaper Archive, Leeds Mercury, 10 May 19261926–27Crewe Alexandra2-1Manchester UnitedSaturday 14th May 1927Maine Road (Manchester City FC)around 6000British Newspaper Archive, Athletic News, 16 May 19271927–28Manchester City4-2Manchester UnitedWednesday 9 May 1928Maine Road (Manchester City FC)British Newspaper Archive, Athletic News, 7 May 1928, Page 241928–29Manchester City2-0Bolton WanderersSaturday 11 May 1929Maine Road (Manchester City FC)British Newspaper Archive, Manchester Evening News, 11 May 19291929–30Wigan Borough3-2AETManchester CityWednesday 7 May 1930Maine Road (Manchester City FC)2600Score at 90 mins was 2-2. Manchester City were effectively their reserves as they fielded their Central League sideOz White's Leeds City FC History, Hughes: Robert (Bobby)British Newspaper Archive, Lancashire Evening Post, 8 May 19301930–31Manchester United5-1BurySaturday 9 May 1931Maine Road (Manchester City FC)4948HT 1-1British Newspaper Archive, Belfast Telegraph, 11 May 19311931–32Manchester City1-0Oldham AthleticSaturday 14 May 1932Boundary Park (Oldham Athletic AFC)British Newspaper Archive, Manchester Evening News, 14 May 19321932–33Manchester City2-1Manchester UnitedMonday 15 May 1933Hyde Road (Manchester City FC)1933–34Manchester United1-0Manchester CityMonday 7 May 1934Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)1934–35Bury2-1Manchester UnitedSaturday 11 May 1935Maine Road (Manchester City)British Newspaper Archive, Manchester Evening News - Stop Press, 11 May 19351935–36Manchester United5-1Oldham AthleticSaturday 9 May 1936Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)1936–37Manchester United1-0AETBurySaturday 8 May 1937Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)"meagre"Score at 90 mins was 2-21937–38Bolton Wanderers2-1Manchester UnitedSaturday 14 May 1938Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)Manchester United also fielded a team in the Lancashire Senior Cup Final on the same day1938–39Manchester United4-1Oldham AthleticSaturday 13 May 1939Old Trafford (Manchester United FC)
The competition was not held between 1939 and 1946 due to World War II
1946-1958