Football in Wales was originally dominated by clubs from Flintshire and Denbighshire in the north eastern corner of the Principality. These counties bordered with Cheshire and Shropshire. There was a great deal of 'cross border traffic' in football. Welsh clubs played in English leagues and English clubs played in the Welsh Cup.
1878- Wrexham 1 Druids 0
Acton Park,Wrexham (1,500)
1878- Wrexham 1 Druids 0
Acton Park,Wrexham (1,500)
Wrexham currently play in the 5th tier of the English pyramid having been in the Football League for many years. Although Ruabon Druids were a village side, the club produced 29 Welsh Internationals. They were the first Welsh side to enter the FA Cup and also competed in the Birmingham League.
Cricket Field, Oswestry (2,500)
White Star are claimed as one of the predecessors of the current Newton AFC of the Welsh Premier League. In the semi -final they defeated Newton FC. The final was played in England for the first time.
1880- Druids 2 Ruthin 1
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,000)
Druids' winning goal was scored by Welsh international 'Dirty Jack' Jones, playing in the second of his 6 Welsh Cup finals.
1881- Druids 2 Newtown White Star 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,000)
Ruabon born Jackie Vaughan, scorer of Druids' first goal, later played for Bolton Wanderers. The second goal was scored by the splendidly named Knyvett Crosse.
1882- Druids 5 Northwich Victoria 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (2,000)
Druids became the first club to win the cup 3 years in succession.
Northwich Victoria became the first English team to reach the final. They scored freely in the early stages of the competition but were outclassed in the final.
1883- Wrexham 1 Druids 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (2,000)
1884- Oswestry White Star 1 Druids 0
(replay following a 0-0 draw. Both matches played at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham attendances 2,000 and 3,000)
Oswestry, the first English team to win the Cup, had 9 Welsh internationals in their side.
1885 - Druids 3 Oswestry White Star 1 (after extra time)
A replay, the original game being drawn 1-1, both matches played at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. Attendance 2,000 on each occasion.
15 players remained from the previous year's final.
1886- Druids 4 Newtown 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (3,000)
1888- Chirk AAA 5 Newtown 0
Chester Road, Wrexham
George Owen scored 2 goals in the final. He would later play for Newton Heath.
1889- Bangor 2 Northwich Victoria 1
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,000)
Bangor City from the north west of Wales played in the English non league system for many years and as recently as the 1970s almost joined the Football League. They are now in the Welsh Premier League.
1890- Chirk AAA 1 Wrexham 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (3,500)
1891- Shrewsbury Town 5 Wrexham 2
The Cricket Field, Oswestry (3,000)
There was only one Welsh player in the Shrewsbury Town side, Albert Thomas Davies, who scored twice in the final.
1892- Chirk AAA 2 Westminster Rovers 1
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,500)
Westminster Rovers were a north east Wales team whose players worked at the Westminster Colliery near Brymbo, just a few miles from Wrexham.
1893- Wrexham 2 Chirk AAA 1
The Cricket Field, Oswestry (5,000)
On the losing side was a teenage Billy Meredith.
1894- Chirk AAA 2 Westminster Rovers 0
Wynnstay Park, Ruabon (3,000)
Billy Meredith began his impressive collection of honours with a Welsh Cup win at the ground which is arguably the home of Welsh football.
1895- Newtown 3 Wrexham 2
The Recreation Ground, Welshpool (5,000)
Newtown came from behind twice to win the game despite having being reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Goodwin was sent off.
1896- Bangor 3 Wrexham 0
Council Field, Llandudno (7,000)
1897- Wrexham 2 Newtown 0
The Cricket Field, Oswestry (6,000)
Wrexham won with two goals in the last 10 minutes, including a penalty.
1900- Aberystwyth Town 3 Druids 0
The Cunnings, Newtown (3,000)
Summary of the most prolific clubs in the 23 editions of the Welsh Cup played between 1877 and 1900:
Druids- winners=7; runners up= 4.
Chirk AAA-winners= 5; runners up=1.
Wrexham- winners= 4; runners up=7.
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,000)
Ruabon born Jackie Vaughan, scorer of Druids' first goal, later played for Bolton Wanderers. The second goal was scored by the splendidly named Knyvett Crosse.
1882- Druids 5 Northwich Victoria 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (2,000)
Druids became the first club to win the cup 3 years in succession.
Northwich Victoria became the first English team to reach the final. They scored freely in the early stages of the competition but were outclassed in the final.
1883- Wrexham 1 Druids 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (2,000)
1884- Oswestry White Star 1 Druids 0
(replay following a 0-0 draw. Both matches played at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham attendances 2,000 and 3,000)
Oswestry, the first English team to win the Cup, had 9 Welsh internationals in their side.
1885 - Druids 3 Oswestry White Star 1 (after extra time)
A replay, the original game being drawn 1-1, both matches played at the Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. Attendance 2,000 on each occasion.
15 players remained from the previous year's final.
1886- Druids 4 Newtown 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (3,000)
1887- Chirk AAA 2 Davenham 1
Nantwich Road, Crewe (1,500)
Nantwich Road, Crewe (1,500)
1888- Chirk AAA 5 Newtown 0
Chester Road, Wrexham
George Owen scored 2 goals in the final. He would later play for Newton Heath.
1889- Bangor 2 Northwich Victoria 1
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,000)
Bangor City from the north west of Wales played in the English non league system for many years and as recently as the 1970s almost joined the Football League. They are now in the Welsh Premier League.
1890- Chirk AAA 1 Wrexham 0
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (3,500)
1891- Shrewsbury Town 5 Wrexham 2
The Cricket Field, Oswestry (3,000)
There was only one Welsh player in the Shrewsbury Town side, Albert Thomas Davies, who scored twice in the final.
1892- Chirk AAA 2 Westminster Rovers 1
Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (4,500)
Westminster Rovers were a north east Wales team whose players worked at the Westminster Colliery near Brymbo, just a few miles from Wrexham.
1893- Wrexham 2 Chirk AAA 1
The Cricket Field, Oswestry (5,000)
On the losing side was a teenage Billy Meredith.
1894- Chirk AAA 2 Westminster Rovers 0
Wynnstay Park, Ruabon (3,000)
Billy Meredith began his impressive collection of honours with a Welsh Cup win at the ground which is arguably the home of Welsh football.
1895- Newtown 3 Wrexham 2
The Recreation Ground, Welshpool (5,000)
Newtown came from behind twice to win the game despite having being reduced to 10 men when goalkeeper Goodwin was sent off.
1896- Bangor 3 Wrexham 0
Council Field, Llandudno (7,000)
1897- Wrexham 2 Newtown 0
The Cricket Field, Oswestry (6,000)
Wrexham won with two goals in the last 10 minutes, including a penalty.
1898- Druids 2 Wrexham 1
Replayed after a 1-1 draw at the same ground (the Cricket Field, Oswestry - combined attendance of 6000 for the 2 games)
Replayed after a 1-1 draw at the same ground (the Cricket Field, Oswestry - combined attendance of 6000 for the 2 games)
1899- Druids 1 Wrexham 0
A replay after a 2-2 draw at the same ground (Hand Field, Chirk- combined attendance of 7,500 for the 2 games)
A replay after a 2-2 draw at the same ground (Hand Field, Chirk- combined attendance of 7,500 for the 2 games)
The Cunnings, Newtown (3,000)
Leigh Richmond Roose, a fantastic goalkeeper whose feats as a player are often overshadowed by his reputation as a 'character', played for Aber. Roose was said to wear his old black and green jersey as a lucky undershirt many years later.
The west coast's Aberystwyth Town are currently in the the Welsh Premier League.
The west coast's Aberystwyth Town are currently in the the Welsh Premier League.
Summary of the most prolific clubs in the 23 editions of the Welsh Cup played between 1877 and 1900:
Druids- winners=7; runners up= 4.
Chirk AAA-winners= 5; runners up=1.
Wrexham- winners= 4; runners up=7.
