The RFL Lancashire Cup, usually referred to as the Lancashire Cup, was a British rugby league football knock-out competition founded in 1905. Organised by the Rugby Football League (RFL), the competition was open to all professional clubs in the Lancashire region, but also included a number of clubs based in Cumbria.
The tournament was held annually and was usually played over four rounds, with the fixtures normally being played during the early part of the season. The tournament was scrapped along with the Yorkshire Cup after the 1992–93 season.
The most successful club was Wigan, who won the trophy on 21 occasions.
History The competition was introduced in 1905. In 1976, Burtonwood Brewery agreed to sponsor the tournament in a deal worth £4,000 per year. They were replaced as sponsor by Grunhalle Lager (brewed by Greenall Whitley) in 1986.
During the latter years of the competition, clubs complained increasingly about fixture congestion, resulting in the cup being scrapped in 1993.
Finals
The Lancashire Cup was not played during the Second World War (1940–45). During this period the Yorkshire Cup finals of 1942, 1943, and 1944 were played over two legs, with aggregate score being used.
Season Winner Score Runner-up Venue 1905–06 Wigan 0–0 Leigh Wheater's Field, Broughton Replay 8–0 1906–07 Broughton Rangers 15–6 Warrington Central Park, Wigan 1907–08 Oldham 16–9 Broughton Rangers Athletic Grounds, Rochdale 1908–09 Wigan 10–9 Oldham Wheater's Field, Broughton 1909–10 Wigan 22–5 Leigh 1910–11 Oldham 4–3 Swinton 1911–12 Rochdale Hornets 12–5 Oldham 1912–13 Wigan 21–5 Rochdale Hornets The Willows, Salford 1913–14 Oldham 5–0 Wigan Wheater's Field, Broughton 1914–15 Rochdale Hornets 3–2 Wigan The Willows, Salford 1918–19 Rochdale Hornets 22–0 Oldham 1919–20 Oldham 7–0 Rochdale Hornets 1920–21 Broughton Rangers 6–3 Leigh 1921–22 Warrington 7–5 Oldham The Cliff, Broughton 1922–23 Wigan 20–2 Leigh The Willows, Salford 1923–24 St Helens Recs 17–0 Swinton 1924–25 Oldham 10–0 St Helens Recs The Willows, Salford 1925–26 Swinton 15–11 Wigan The Cliff, Broughton 1926–27 St. Helens 10–2 St Helens Recs Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1927–28 Swinton 5–2 Wigan Watersheddings, Oldham 1928–29 Wigan 5–4 Widnes Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1929–30 Warrington 15–2 Salford Central Park, Wigan 1930–31 St Helens Recs 18–3 Wigan Station Road, Swinton 1931–32 Salford 10–8 Swinton The Cliff, Broughton 1932–33 Warrington 10–9 St. Helens Central Park, Wigan 1933–34 Oldham 12–0 St Helens Recs Station Road, Swinton 1934–35 Salford 21–12 Wigan 1935–36 Salford 15–7 Wigan Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1936–37 Salford 5–2 Wigan 1937–38 Warrington 8–4 Barrow Central Park, Wigan 1938–39 Wigan 10–7 Salford Station Road, Swinton 1939–40 Swinton 4–5 Widnes Naughton Park, Widnes 16–11 Station Road, SwintonSwinton won 21–15 on aggregate No competition between 1940–41 and 1944–45 1945–46 Widnes 7–3 Wigan Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1946–47 Wigan 9–3 Belle Vue Rangers Station Road, Swinton 1947–48 Wigan 10–7 Belle Vue Rangers Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1948–49 Wigan 14–8 Warrington Station Road, Swinton 1949–50 Wigan 20–7 Leigh Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1950–51 Wigan 28–5 Warrington Station Road, Swinton 1951–52 Wigan 14–6 Leigh 1952–53 Leigh 22–5 St. Helens 1953–54 St. Helens 16–8 Wigan 1954–55 Barrow 12–2 Oldham 1955–56 Leigh 26–9 Widnes Central Park, Wigan 1956–57 Oldham 10–3 St. Helens 1957–58 Oldham 13–8 Wigan Station Road, Swinton 1958–59 Oldham 12–2 St. Helens 1959–60 Warrington 5–4 St. Helens Central Park, Wigan 1960–61 St. Helens 15–9 Swinton 1961–62 St. Helens 25–9 Swinton 1962–63 St. Helens 7–4 Swinton 1963–64 St. Helens 15–4 Leigh Station Road, Swinton 1964–65 St. Helens 12–4 Swinton Central Park, Wigan 1965–66 Warrington 16–5 Rochdale Hornets Knowsley Road, St. Helens 1966–67 Wigan 16–13 Oldham Station Road, Swinton 1967–68 St. Helens 2–2 Warrington Central Park, Wigan Replay 13–10 Station Road, Swinton 1968–69 St. Helens 30–2 Oldham Central Park, Wigan 1969–70 Swinton 11–2 Leigh 1970–71 Leigh 7–4 St. Helens Station Road, Swinton 1971–72 Wigan 15–8 Widnes Knowsley Road, St Helens 1972–73 Salford 25–11 Swinton Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1973–74 Wigan 19–9 Salford 1974–75 Widnes 6–2 Salford Central Park, Wigan 1975–76 Widnes 16–7 Salford 1976–77 Widnes 16–11 Workington Town 1977–78 Workington Town 16–13 Wigan Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1978–79 Widnes 15–13 Workington Town Central Park, Wigan 1979–80 Widnes 11–0 Workington Town The Willows, Salford 1980–81 Warrington 26–10 Wigan Knowsley Road, St Helens 1981–82 Leigh 8–3 Widnes Central Park, Wigan 1982–83 Warrington 16–0 St. Helens 1983–84 Barrow 12–8 Widnes 1984–85 St. Helens 26–18 Wigan 1985–86 Wigan 34–8 Warrington Knowsley Road, St Helens 1986–87 Wigan 27–6 Oldham 1987–88 Wigan 28–16 Warrington 1988–89 Wigan 22–17 Salford 1989–90 Warrington 24–16 Oldham 1990–91 Widnes 24–18 Salford Central Park, Wigan 1991–92 St. Helens 24–14 Rochdale Hornets Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 1992–93 Wigan 5–4 St. Helens Knowsley Road, St Helens
Wins by club
Club Wins Winning years 1 Wigan 21 1905, 1908, 1909, 1912, 1922, 1928, 1938, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992 2 St. Helens 11 1926, 1953, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1967, 1968, 1984, 1991 3 Warrington 9 1921, 1929, 1932, 1937, 1959, 1965, 1980, 1982, 1989 4 Oldham 9 1907, 1910, 1913, 1919, 1924, 1933, 1956, 1957, 1958 5 Widnes 7 1945, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1990 6 Salford 5 1931, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1972 7 Leigh 4 1952, 1955, 1970, 1981 8 Swinton 4 1925, 1927, 1940, 1969 9 Rochdale Hornets 3 1911, 1914, 1918 10 Barrow 2 1954, 1983 11 St Helens Recs 2 1923, 1930 12 Broughton Rangers 2 1906, 1920 13 Workington 1 1977
Sponsors YearsSponsorName1976–1985Burtonwood BreweryForshaw's Lancashire Cup1986–1992Greenall WhitleyGrunhalle Lager Lancashire Cup
Records Final Most appearances: 35, Wigan Most wins: 21, Wigan Highest score: 34–8, Wigan v Warrington 1985 Biggest winning margin: 28, 30–2, St. Helens v Oldham 1968 Biggest attendance: 42,795, St. Helens v Wigan at Station Road, Swinton 1953
Individual records in the final Most tries in a final: 4, Brian Nordgren for Wigan v Leigh 1949 Most goals in a final: 7 (three times), Jim Ledgard for Leigh v Widnes 1955; Steve Hesford for Warrington v Wigan 1980; David Stephenson for Wigan v Warrington 1985 Most points in a final: 17 Steve Hesford (7 goals and 1 try) for Warrington v Wigan 1980
Competition records Highest score: 112–0, St. Helens v Carlisle 1986
See also
RFL Lancashire League
References
External links Lancashire Cup Results, Rugby League Project