The Southern Counties Cup is an association football cup competition for clubs in the historic counties of Dumfriesshire, Wigtownshire, and Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland. The competition was founded in 1891.
The competition is a knock-out tournament contested by the member clubs of the Southern Counties Football Association, which was formed at the end of the 1890âÂÂ91 season, with J. J. Cook of the 5th K.R.V. as initial president. The competition soon became the most prestigious competition in the region, supplanting the Churchill Cup.
The first competition, in 1891âÂÂ92, was won by the 5th K.R.V., who beat Mid-Annandale 9âÂÂ1 in the final. The score remains the highest margin of victory in the final. The two clubs had met in the final of the Churchill Cup two months before with the Mids winning 3âÂÂ0; however, in the Southern Counties, one Mids player was sent off, three others walked off in sympathy, and the Volunteers scored three times from the penalty mark.
From 1898 there was also a Consolation Cup, for clubs eliminated before the final of the main competition. The last edition was in 1926âÂÂ27, replaced by the short-lived South of Scotland Cup, the winners being awarded to Consolation Cup trophy.
The current (2023âÂÂ24) holders are Caledonian Braves, who beat Dalbeattie Star 3âÂÂ1 in the final at Galabank thanks to two late goals.
The most successful club in the Consolation Cup was the second Mid-Annandale club, with four wins between 1909âÂÂ10 and 1922âÂÂ23. The only other club which won the Consolation Cup without ever winning the Southern Counties Cup was Vale of Dryfe, which won the Consolation Cup in 1901âÂÂ02 and 1902âÂÂ03.