Northamptonshire Senior Cup

The NFA Hillier Senior Cup is a football knockout tournament involving teams from Northamptonshire, England and the surrounding area. It is a County Cup competition of the Northamptonshire Football Association and involves senior non-league teams. It has been contested annually since 1883.[1] Kettering Town have won the cup the most times, lifting the trophy on 31 occasions. The current champions are AFC Rushden and Diamonds, who beat Kettering Town in the 2024 final.

NFA Hillier Senior Cup
Flag of Northamptonshire
Founded1883
RegionNorthamptonshire (Northants FA)
Current championsAFC Rushden and Diamonds, (3 titles)
Most successful club(s)Kettering Town, (31 titles)
WebsiteHillier Senior Cup website

History

Initially named the NFA Senior Cup, the tournament was renamed in 1981. It was first held in 1883, and was won by Newport Pagnell Town.[1] The trophy has since been lifted by 24 different sides (not including reserve teams).[2] The winner of the competition now contests the Maunsell Cup against one of Peterborough or Northampton.[3]

In 1988, The tournament went through a re-structure with the English Football League clubs, Peterborough United and Northampton Town being withdrawn from the cup, after the Northamptonshire FA decided to make the competition an all non-league affair. Since then, the competition has been contested by the 14 highest ranked non-league teams from the previous season, within Northamptonshire. The only exception to this rule was when Rushden & Diamonds competed in the competition between 2001-2006, whilst they were in League Two. They were allowed to take part however, after agreeing to field an Under-21s team in the cup during this period.

Since 1998, the final has been held at Sixfields Stadium.[4] In 2022, The Under 18 teams of both Peterborough United and Northampton Town were eligible to enter the competition, marking the first time teams entered from both clubs since 1988.

Recent Finals
Year Winners Runner-up Attendance
2005Rothwell Town Raunds Town 223
2006Northampton Spencer Corby Town 527
2007Rushden & Diamonds Woodford United 1,256
2008Rushden & Diamonds Brackley Town 1,747
2009Long Buckby Brackley Town 248
2010Corby Town Daventry Town 584
2011Brackley Town Corby Town 767
2012Brackley Town Corby Town 780
2013Corby Town Daventry Town 686
2014Daventry Town Cogenhoe United 314
2015Brackley Town Peterborough Sports 608
2016AFC Rushden & Diamonds Kettering Town 945
2017Kettering Town Corby Town 895
2018Kettering Town Brackley Town 873
2019AFC Rushden and Diamonds Brackley Town 1,097
2022Peterborough SportsAFC Rushden and Diamonds691
2023Peterborough Sports Cogenhoe United 268
2024AFC Rushden and Diamonds Kettering Town 1,025

[5]

All Time Winners
Pos Winners Total Notes
1Kettering Town31Last Win: 2018
2Northampton Town22Last Win: 1987 / Stopped Competing in 1988
3Peterborough United21Last Win: 1988 / Stopped Competing in 1988
4Brackley Town12Last Win: 2015
5Corby Town11Last Win: 2013
6Northampton Spencer7Last Win: 2006 / Dissolved in 2019
Daventry TownLast Win: 2014
8Newport Pagnell Town5Last Win: 1963
9Desborough Town4Last Win: 1954
Wellingborough TownLast Win: 1995
Rushden & DiamondsLast Win: 2008 / Dissolved in 2011
Long BuckbyLast Win: 2009
12AFC Rushden & Diamonds3Last Win: 2024
13Peterborough Sports2Last Win: 2023
14Rushden Town1Last Win: 1924 / Merged in 1992 with Irthlingborough Diamonds
James King Blisworth F.C.Last Win: 1927
Moulton F.C.Last Win: 1935
Rothwell CorinthiansLast Win: 1957
Irthlingborough DiamondsLast Win: 1962 / Merged in 1992 with Rushden Town
Northampton Sileby RangersLast Win: 1976
Wellingborough WhitworthLast Win: 1978
Raunds TownLast Win: 1997
Cogenhoe UnitedLast Win: 2004
Rothwell TownLast Win: 2005

Source:[6]

References
  1. "Sorry. Something's wrong with the pitch. - Northamptonshire FA".
  2. "Sorry. Something's wrong with the pitch. - Northamptonshire FA".
  3. "Cobblers to travel to AFC Rushden & Diamonds for Maunsell Cup Final". www.northamptonchron.co.uk. 7 June 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2022.
  4. "Cobblers and Posh". 7 June 1988.
  5. "'One down, one to go' for Peterborough Sports as County Cup final win is dedicated to a couple of club stalwarts". www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  6. "Northamptonshire FA Handbook 2021". www.northamptonshirefa.com. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
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