Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup

Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup
Founded 1983
Region Derbyshire
Number of teams 2 (Derby County and Chesterfield)
Current champions Chesterfield F.C.
Most successful club(s) Derby County (18 Wins)
Website http://www.derbyshirefa.com/

The Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup was an annual friendly association football competition, primarily played between Derbyshire's two professional clubs, Derby County and Chesterfield. It was contested, intermittently, from the 1983 season until 2009.

Background and history

The Derbyshire FA Centenary Cup was founded in 1983 to celebrate the centenary of the Derbyshire Football Association and is contested in the form of a pre-season friendly. The first ever tie was a two-legged affair between Derbyshire's two Football League clubs, Derby County and Chesterfield, to earn the 'County Title'. Both matches were played mid-season, in November. The first leg, at Chesterfield's Saltergate, ended 5–2 to Derby and the return leg at the Baseball Ground finished in a 1-1 draw for a 6–3 aggregate win for Derby.

After this, matches became single-legged. For the next two seasons, they were played at the beginning of the following season to fit in with to Derby County's touring schedules (so the 1984-1985 match was actually played at the beginning of the 1985-1986 season and the 1985-1986 match was actually played at the beginning of the 1986-1987 season), before becoming standard pre-season matches. This meant that two matches were played within six days of each other in 1986: one on 9 August for the 1985-1986 season and one on 15 August for the 1986-1987 season. The 1996-1997 match broke the established timetable and was held in November.

Originally, the venue alternated between Chesterfield's Saltergate and Derby's Baseball Ground but in recent years the fixture has been held solely at Chesterfield.

After several years of sending their reserve team to fulfil the fixture, Derby County declined to enter the 2003 competition and were replaced by non-league Alfreton Town, who beat Chesterfield 2–0. Derby returned for next year's contest, but then pulled out again. This time the match was cancelled altogether for four years. It returned for the 2009-2010 season, but has not been played since.

Rules

Matches follow typical friendly competition rules, with a draw being decided on penalties.

Winners

Total wins

Club Wins Years won
Derby County 18 1983–1984, 1984–1985, 1985–1986, 1986–1987, 1987–1988, 1988–1989, 1989–1990, 1990–1991, 1991–1992, 1992–1993, 1993–1994, 1995–1996, 1996–1997, 1997–1998, 1998–1999, 1999–2000, 2002–2003, 2004–2005
Chesterfield 4 1994–1995, 2000–2001, 2001–2002, 2009–2010
Alfreton Town 1 2003–2004

Results

Data from Chesterfield FC.[1]

Season Home club Score Away club Attendance Notes
1983-1984
(Two legs)
Chesterfield 2 5 Derby County 2,853 Derby County win 63 on aggregate
Derby County 1 1 Chesterfield 1,184
1984–1985 Derby County 3 2
aet
Chesterfield 2,296 Played at the beginning of the following season
1985–1986 Chesterfield 1 5 Derby County 1,908 Played at the beginning of the following season
1986–1987 Derby County 1 0
aet
Chesterfield 1,954 Played six days after the previous encounter to 'catch up'
1987–1988 Chesterfield 0 2 Derby County 1,944
1988–1989 Derby County 2 1 Chesterfield 2,031
1989–1990 Chesterfield 0 2 Derby County 1,787
1990–1991 Derby County 2 1 Chesterfield 2,702
1991–1992 Chesterfield 1 2 Derby County 2,369
1992–1993 Derby County 4 1 Chesterfield 4,112
1993–1994 Chesterfield 2 7 Derby County 3,091
1994–1995 Derby County 0 1 Chesterfield 2,435
1995–1996 Chesterfield 1 3 Derby County 3,030
1996–1997 Derby County 3 1 Chesterfield 2,746 Played in November, rather than pre-season
1997–1998 Chesterfield 1 3 Derby County 2,812
1998–1999 Derby County 1 1 Chesterfield 3,289 Derby County win 4-2 on penalties
1999–2000 Chesterfield 0 1 Derby County 1,503
2000–2001 Chesterfield 1 1 Derby County 2,963 Chesterfield win 4-3 on penalties
2001–2002 Chesterfield 3 0 Derby County 1,369
2002–2003 Chesterfield 0 3 Derby County 1,557
2003–2004 Alfreton Town 2 0 Chesterfield 911
2004–2005 Chesterfield 1 5 Derby County 3,114
2005–2006 No competition
2006–2007
2007–2008
2008–2009
2009–2010 Chesterfield 2 1 Derby County 3,716

References