# RFL Lancashire Cup

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 | Wigan | 8–0 | Leigh | Wheater's Field, Broughton |
| 1906–07 | Broughton Rangers | 15–60 | Warrington | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1907–08 | Oldham | 16–90 | Broughton Rangers | Athletic Grounds, Rochdale |
| 1908–09 | Wigan | 10–90 | Oldham | Wheater's Field, Broughton |
| 1909–10 | Wigan | 22–50 | Leigh | Wheater's Field, Broughton |
| 1910–11 | Oldham | 4–3 | Swinton | Wheater's Field, Broughton |
| 1911–12 | Rochdale Hornets | 12–50 | Oldham | Wheater's Field, Broughton |
| 1912–13 | Wigan | 21–50 | 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 | 22–00 | Oldham | The Willows, Salford |
| 1919–20 | Oldham | 7–0 | Rochdale Hornets | The Willows, Salford |
| 1920–21 | Broughton Rangers | 6–3 | Leigh | The Willows, Salford |
| 1921–22 | Warrington | 7–5 | Oldham | The Cliff, Broughton |
| 1922–23 | Wigan | 20–20 | Leigh | The Willows, Salford |
| 1923–24 | St Helens Recs | 17–00 | Swinton |
| 1924–25 | Oldham | 10–00 | St Helens Recs | The Willows, Salford |
| 1925–26 | Swinton | 15–11 | Wigan | The Cliff, Broughton |
| 1926–27 | St. Helens | 10–20 | 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 | 15–20 | Salford | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1930–31 | St Helens Recs | 18–30 | Wigan | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1931–32 | Salford | 10–80 | Swinton | The Cliff, Broughton |
| 1932–33 | Warrington | 10–90 | St. Helens | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1933–34 | Oldham | 12–00 | St Helens Recs | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1934–35 | Salford | 21–12 | Wigan | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1935–36 | Salford | 15–70 | Wigan | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1936–37 | Salford | 5–2 | Wigan | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1937–38 | Warrington | 8–4 | Barrow | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1938–39 | Wigan | 10–70 | Salford | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1939–40 | Swinton | 4–5 | Widnes | Naughton Park, Widnes |
| 1939–40 | Swinton | 16–11 | Widnes | Station Road, Swinton |
| Swinton 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 | 10–70 | Belle Vue Rangers | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1948–49 | Wigan | 14–80 | Warrington | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1949–50 | Wigan | 20–70 | Leigh | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1950–51 | Wigan | 28–50 | Warrington | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1951–52 | Wigan | 14–60 | Leigh | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1952–53 | Leigh | 22–50 | St. Helens | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1953–54 | St. Helens | 16–80 | Wigan | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1954–55 | Barrow | 12–20 | Oldham | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1955–56 | Leigh | 26–90 | Widnes | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1956–57 | Oldham | 10–30 | St. Helens | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1957–58 | Oldham | 13–80 | Wigan | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1958–59 | Oldham | 12–20 | St. Helens | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1959–60 | Warrington | 5–4 | St. Helens | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1960–61 | St. Helens | 15–90 | Swinton | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1961–62 | St. Helens | 25–90 | Swinton | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1962–63 | St. Helens | 7–4 | Swinton | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1963–64 | St. Helens | 15–40 | Leigh | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1964–65 | St. Helens | 12–40 | Swinton | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1965–66 | Warrington | 16–50 | 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 | St. Helens | 13–10 | Warrington | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1968–69 | St. Helens | 30–20 | Oldham | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1969–70 | Swinton | 11–20 | Leigh | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1970–71 | Leigh | 7–4 | St. Helens | Station Road, Swinton |
| 1971–72 | Wigan | 15–80 | Widnes | Knowsley Road, St Helens |
| 1972–73 | Salford | 25–11 | Swinton | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1973–74 | Wigan | 19–90 | Salford | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1974–75 | Widnes | 6–2 | Salford | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1975–76 | Widnes | 16–70 | Salford | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1976–77 | Widnes | 16–11 | Workington Town | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1977–78 | Workington Town | 16–13 | Wigan | Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington |
| 1978–79 | Widnes | 15–13 | Workington Town | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1979–80 | Widnes | 11–00 | 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 | 16–00 | St. Helens | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1983–84 | Barrow | 12–80 | Widnes | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1984–85 | St. Helens | 26–18 | Wigan | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1985–86 | Wigan | 34–80 | Warrington | Knowsley Road, St Helens |
| 1986–87 | Wigan | 27–60 | Oldham | Knowsley Road, St Helens |
| 1987–88 | Wigan | 28–16 | Warrington | Knowsley Road, St Helens |
| 1988–89 | Wigan | 22–17 | Salford | Knowsley Road, St Helens |
| 1989–90 | Warrington | 24–16 | Oldham | Knowsley Road, St Helens |
| 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 |
* ↑ After extra time; full-time score was 9–8 meaning scores were tied 13–13 on aggregate

### 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

| Years | Sponsor | Name |
| 1976–1985 | Burtonwood Brewery | Forshaw's Lancashire Cup |
| 1986–1992 | Greenall Whitley | Grunhalle 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