Southern Counties Cup
The Southern Counties Cup is a football cup for clubs in the historic Scottish counties of Dumfriesshire, Wigtownshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire (now part of Dumfries and Galloway). It began in 1891 and is a knockout competition run by the Southern Counties Football Association, formed at the end of the 1890–91 season. The association’s first president was J. J. Cook.
The Cup soon became the region’s top competition, surpassing the Churchill Cup. The first final in 1891–92 saw 5th K.R.V. beat Mid-Annandale 9–1, the biggest final margin on record. The match came after a Churchill Cup final between the same clubs where tensions spilled over in the Southern Counties build-up, with Mid-Annandale players sent off and several others leaving in sympathy as penalties helped the Volunteers win.
From 1898 there was also a Consolation Cup for clubs eliminated before the main final. The last Southern Counties Cup was played in 1926–27, after which it was replaced by the short-lived South of Scotland Cup; the Consolation Cup trophy went to the winners of that new competition.
As of 2023–24, the holders are Caledonian Braves, who beat Dalbeattie Star 3–1 in the final at Galabank thanks to two late goals. Stranraer remains the most successful club, with 20 wins.
The Consolation Cup was most often won by Mid-Annandale’s second team (four wins between 1909–10 and 1922–23). Vale of Dryfe won the Consolation Cup twice (1901–02 and 1902–03) but never won the main Southern Counties Cup.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 20:06 (CET).