The Birmingham Junior Cup was a tournament for non-league clubs who were members of the Birmingham Football Association.
Early years
The competition was set up by the Birmingham Junior Football Association, which grew to 50 member clubs by 1885. In its first season the competition was known as the Foresters Cup or Foresters Challenge Cup.
From 1883–84, second XIs of Birmingham Football Association members were allowed to enter, and the competition changed its name to the Birmingham Junior Cup. A decision in 1886 to allow former players from the "national cup" to take part in the Junior Cup opened up entries to stronger sides, although the second XIs were now excluded. This lasted until the 1892–93 season, when the Junior Association set up its own league, and as a result closed the competition off from many clubs (such as Singers) from equivalent leagues.
Later incarnations
By 1969, the competition was known as the Saturday Junior Cup, and later became known as the Saturday Amateur Cup, restricted to clubs outside the football pyramid.
List of 19th century winners
Season Winners Result Runner-up NotesRef(s)1882–83Aston Morning Star4–0Nechells VillaAt Aston Villa's Wellington Road ground1883–84West Bromwich Albion reserves10–1SpeedwellAt the Lyndon Recreation Ground, West Bromwich; Speedwell was ahead at half-time but played the second half a man short through injury1884–85West Bromwich Albion reserves1–0Walsall Swifts reservesAt Wednesbury Old Athletic's Wood Green Oval1885–86Perry Barr2–1Walsall Town reservesAt Birmingham Excelsior's Fentham Road ground before a "meagre" crowd1886–87Langley Green Victoria3–1Unity GasAt the Smethwick Carriage Works ground at Brasshouse Lane1887–88Aston Victoria2–0Unity GasAt Wellington Road 1888–89Aston Victoria2–0Wolverhampton DruidsAt Wellington Road; after two 2–2 draws1889–90Smethwick Carriage Works2–0PackingtonAt the Coventry Cricket Ground1890–91Singers1–0Willenhall PickwickSingers now known as Coventry City; at Wellington Road1891–92Singers2–1Willenhall PickwickAt Wellington Road1892–93Lozells3–2Park MillsAt the Aston Lower Grounds in front of a crowd of 3,5001893–94Willenhall Pickwick4–1LozellsAt Molineux; after a 2–2 draw at the Lower Grounds1894–95Walsall Unity1–0Windsor Street GasAt Wellington Road in front of 6,000 spectators; updates from the 1895 FA Cup final (received by telegram) were paraded around the pitch during the match, albeit most updates turned out to be erroneous1895–96Bilston United2–1LozellsAt Wellington Road1896–97Rudge Whitworth3–0Warwick UnitedAt the Aston Lower Grounds; the final game to take place at the venue1897–98Darlaston4–2Hoobrook OlympicAt Villa Park; Darlaston came back from 2–0 down1898–99Coombs Wood3–2BournbrookReplay at Small Heath's Coventry Road ground after a 1–1 draw at West Brom's Stoney Lane ground; Bournbrook was 2–0 up deep in the second half when reduced to 10 men through injury 1899–1900Bloxwich Strollers2–1Bournville AthleticAt Darlaston's City Ground in front of 4,000 spectators
References