FA Inter-League Cup
The FA Inter-League Cup (formerly known as the FA National League System Cup or FA NLS Cup) is a football competition run by The Football Association. It was created in the 2003–04 season to provide an English representative in the UEFA Regions' Cup.
| Founded | 2003 |
|---|---|
| Region |  England Isle of Man Guernsey Jersey |
| Current champions | North Riding Football League |
| Website | FA Inter-League Cup |
History
In previous Regions' Cups, the FA had nominated a team to take part; in the 2002–03 season it was a Kent County League XI. UEFA decreed that in the future all Regions' Cup entrants must have won a national competition, and so the NLS Cup was formed.
The cup is contested by representative sides from leagues at Step 7 of the National League System, with a few other leagues permitted by the FA. That is roughly at the county level or eleventh overall tier of the English football league system. The first final was held on 8 May 2004, and was won by the Mid Cheshire League, who beat the Cambridgeshire County League 2–0.
The second final was held on 7 May 2006 at Cambridge United's Abbey Stadium, and saw the Cambridgeshire County League and Isle of Man Football League compete. The Isle of Man comfortably won the fixture with four goals in the second half and claimed the trophy with a final score of 4–0. The team travelled to the Czech Republic in April 2007 for the Intermediary Round of the UEFA Regions' Cup. After a 1–2 defeat to the Bratislava team (Slovakia) a 3–2 win over the hosting Hradec Králové team left the side with a chance of qualifying for the finals. Unfortunately a 0–1 loss to Northern Ireland's Eastern Region ended their hopes.
The 2008 final was held at Coventry City's Ricoh Arena on Saturday 3 May. The Southern Amateur League won the competition at the first attempt after winning a penalty shoot-out 4–2 following a 1–1 draw.[1] The SAL team travelled to Turin in October 2008 for the Intermediary Round of the UEFA Regions' Cup where they took on representatives from Italy, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland. The team finished second on goal difference, having not conceded any goals in their 3 group matches.
The 2010 final was held at The Track in Saint Sampson, Guernsey on 1 May 2010. The home side, the Guernsey Senior County League, defeated the Liverpool County Premier League 5–2.[2] It was announced in November 2010 that the competition would be renamed from the "FA National League System Cup" to its present name.[3]
The 2018 final was between York Football League and North Riding Football League on Sunday 6 May at the home of Sheffield United - Bramall Lane. North Riding Football League won 4-2.
Finals
| Season | Winners | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Qualification for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003–04 | Mid-Cheshire League | 2 – 0 | Cambridgeshire County League | Abbey Stadium | 2005 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2005–06 | Isle of Man League | 4 – 0 | Cambridgeshire County League | Abbey Stadium | 2007 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2007–08 | Southern Amateur League | 1 – 1† | Midland Football Combination | Ricoh Arena | 2009 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2009–10 | Priaulx League | 5 – 2 | Liverpool County Premier League | The Track | 2011 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2011–12 | Jersey Football Combination | 2 – 1‡ | Isle of Man Football League | The Bowl | 2013 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2013–14 | Isle of Man Football League | 3 – 2 | Hertfordshire Senior County League | The Bowl | 2015 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2015–16 | West Yorkshire League | 3 – 2 | Teesside League | Bootham Crescent | 2017 UEFA Regions' Cup |
| 2017–18 | North Riding Football League | 4 – 2 | York League | Bramall Lane | 2019 UEFA Regions' Cup |
† – After penalties ‡ – After extra time
See also
References
- Amateurs clinch glory – TheFA.com
- Guernsey triumphant – TheFA.com
- "New name for League competition". The FA. 3 November 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2010.