The Sunday Junior Cup is the newest of the three Sunday morning competitions having first been competed for in 1974-75, when Anchor Reserves became the first name to be engraved on the original trophy thanks to a 3-0 win over Holt Youth Club OB.
As the most junior of the Sunday competitions, the winners are often promoted to a more senior division without having the chance to defend their trophy which might go some way to explain why the only clubs to have won the Cup more than once are Gala Sports, Coachmakers, Cranworth and most recently Bell Inn Reserves who were triumphant in 1997-98 and again in 1998-99.
Five of the Finals have gone to extra time and four of those five then needed penalties to decide the eventual winner. One such match saw both the competitions highest ever aggregate score during the match and the most number of penalties scored with the ball hitting the back of the net no fewer than 23 times! The two teams involved were Aylsham Feathers Old Boys and AFC Gorleston who were tied at 4-4 after extra time before Aylsham won 8-7 on penalties.
The next highest aggregate number of goals in a Final is seven, with this figure being reached on three occasions. Bell Inn Reserves scored six and conceded one as they beat Bradwell Rangers in 1997-98, then in 2004-05 Foddestone Gap won by the odd goal in seven against Shropham Poultry, and just two seasons later The Fowler beat Black Horse Athletic 5-2.
The trophy that the Clubs compete for was first used in 2007-08 when Splinters beat Newtown Golfers 2-0. Schoolhouse defeated Chilvers 2-1 in the 2011-12 final whilst current holders F.A.N.G. were 2-1 winners after extra time against Belton.
To view fixtures and results from this season’s Norfolk Sunday Junior Cup competition, staged in partnership with Sportsguard, click here.
