George Wilson Cup
Encyclopedia
The George Wilson Memorial Cup is a competition open to reserve football teams affiliated to member clubs of the Irish League
. Initially it was open to all members of the B Division, both "attached and unattached" (i.e. reserve sides and independent intermediate clubs), but since 1977/78 it has been limited to reserve sides only.
(with a few exceptions when matches have been held at Taylor's Avenue (Carrickfergus), Ballymena Showgrounds
and Mourneview Park
). Appropriately, the first winners were Crusaders Reserves.
The format has varied over the years between league format, straight knock-out and group format.
IFA Premiership
The IFA Premiership – formerly the Irish Premier League, and before that the Irish Football League–and still known in popular parlance simply as the Irish League, is the national football league in Northern Ireland, and was historically the league for the whole of Ireland. Clubs in the league are...
. Initially it was open to all members of the B Division, both "attached and unattached" (i.e. reserve sides and independent intermediate clubs), but since 1977/78 it has been limited to reserve sides only.
History
Founded in the 1952/53 season in memory of Crusaders official, George Wilson, the final has been traditionally held at Crusaders' home ground SeaviewSeaview
- Places:* Seaview, Victoria, Australia, locality in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia* Seaview, Canterbury, a suburb of Timaru, New Zealand* Seaview, Clifton beach, a beach in Karachi* Seaview, Isle of Wight, a small village in England...
(with a few exceptions when matches have been held at Taylor's Avenue (Carrickfergus), Ballymena Showgrounds
Ballymena Showgrounds
The Ballymena Showgrounds is a football stadium in Ballymena, County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is home to Ballymena United F.C.. It is owned by Ballymena Borough Council...
and Mourneview Park
Mourneview Park
Mourneview Park is a football stadium in Lurgan, and is the home ground of Glenavon F.C.. The stadium holds 5,000 and was built in 1895. The 2009 CIS Cup final was held there: the first such final to be held outside Belfast.-External links:**...
). Appropriately, the first winners were Crusaders Reserves.
The format has varied over the years between league format, straight knock-out and group format.
List of winners
| Year | Winners |
|---|---|
| 1952-53 | Crusaders Reserves |
| 1953-54 | Linfield Swifts Linfield F.C. Linfield F.C. , is a semi-professional, Northern Irish football club, whose home ground is Windsor Park in Belfast, which is also the home of the Northern Ireland international team.... |
| 1954-55 | Coleraine Reserves |
| 1955-56 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| 1956-57 | Distillery II |
| 1957-58 | Ards II |
| 1958-59 | Larne |
| 1959-60 | Larne |
| 1960-61 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| 1961-62 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1962-63 | Ballyclare Comrades |
| 1963-64 | Glenavon Reserves |
| 1964-65 | Dundela |
| 1965-66 | Glentoran II |
| 1966-67 | Glentoran II |
| 1967-68 | Dundela |
| 1968-69 | Larne |
| 1969-70 | Not Played |
| 1970-71 | Larne |
| 1971-72 | Dundela |
| 1972-73 | Brantwood |
| 1973-74 | Dungannon Swifts |
| 1974-75 | Dundela |
| 1975-76 | Limavady United Limavady United Limavady United F.C. is an intermediate, Northern Irish football club playing in IFA Championship 1. The club, which comes from Limavady, County Londonderry, was formed in 1884 when Alexander F.C. amalgamated with another local club The Wanderers... |
| 1976-77 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1977-78 | Larne Olympic |
| 1978-79 | Larne Olympic |
| 1979-80 | Glentoran II |
| 1980-81 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1981-82 | Distillery |
| 1982-83 | Ards II |
| 1983-84 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1984-85 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1985-86 | Coleraine Reserves |
| 1986-87 | Glentoran II |
| 1987-88 | Distillery II |
| 1988-89 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1989-90 | Ballymena United Reserves |
| 1990-91 | Ballymena United Reserves |
| 1991-92 | Coleraine Reserves |
| 1992-93 | Bangor Reserves |
| 1993-94 | Ballyclare Comrades Reserves |
| 1994-95 | Bangor Reserves |
| 1995-96 | Coleraine Reserves |
| 1996-97 | Portadown Reserves |
| 1997-98 | Bangor Reserves |
| 1998-99 | Linfield Swifts |
| 1999-2000 | Cliftoville Olympic |
| 2000-01 | Glentoran II |
| 2001-02 | Glentoran II |
| 2002-03 | Glentoran II |
| 2003-04 | Dungannon Swifts II |
| 2004-05 | Glentoran II |
| 2005-06 | Dungannon Swifts II |
| 2006-07 | Crusaders Reserves |
| 2007-08 | Cliftonville Olympic |
| 2008-09 | |
| 2009-10 | Glentoran II |
| 2010-11 | Linfield Swifts |
Summary of Winners
| Teams | Wins | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Glentoran II | 9 | |
| Linfield Swifts | 9 | |
| Larne | 6 | (includes 4 wins by Larne Olympic) |
| Ballyclare Comrades | 4 | (includes 1 win by Ballyclare Comrades Reserves) |
| Coleraine Reserves | 4 | |
| Dundela | 4 | |
| Bangor Reserves | 3 | |
| Distillery II | 3 | |
| Dungannon Swifts | 3 | (includes 2 wins by Dungannon Swifts II) |
| Ards II | 2 | |
| Ballymena United Reserves | 2 | |
| Crusaders Reserves | 2 | |
| Cliftonville Olympic | 2 | |
| Brantwood | 1 | |
| Glenavon Reserves | 1 | |
| Limavady United | 1 | |
| Portadown Reserves | 1 |