The FA officially recognised Sunday football for the first time in 1960, amending their rules to accept Sunday clubs as members of their affiliated County Associations.
The FA Sunday Cup began four years later.
The first Sunday Cup competition, held in the 1964-65 season, was only open to County Associations. 16 of them entered, of which 15 chose a representative side. The exception was London, who selected Summerstown FC from South-West London. Cumberland’s home ties with West Riding and Liverpool attracted gates of more than a thousand but one match in the Midlands was watched by only seven people.
The first Final was played over two legs and London beat Staffordshire 6-2 (1-1 at Walsall, 5-1 at Hounslow). Since then the competition has been open to clubs and The Final played at a neutral ground. Many former Football League players have taken part in The Sunday Cup. Kerry Dixon, the former Chelsea and England striker who played in the Mexico World Cup, featured for St Joseph’s (Luton) in two Finals.
Sandor Gyalog, the son of a Hungarian immigrant, achieved an unusual “double” in 1995. He won The FA Sunday Cup with St Joseph’s (Luton) and The FA Vase with Arlesey Town, scoring the decisive goal at Wembley in the latter. Steve Astley was a Sunday Cup Finalist with Marston Sports in 1992, a year after appearing for Gresley Rovers in The Vase Final.
After The Sunday Cup’s inaugural season, 1,600 requests for entry forms for the following season’s competition were received. Entries are now around the hundred mark but The Sunday Cup, now in its 43rd season, continues to serve its primary purpose. It gives Sunday League clubs a chance to compete outside their own locality against clubs at a similar level in a national FA competition.
The magnificent Sunday Cup trophy was presented to The FA, initially as a gift to mark its centenary in 1963, by the Shahanshah of Iran. It has a unique design and is a superb example of Persian craftsmanship. The first player to receive it was London’s captain, Dave Hawkins, from the Iranian Ambassador at the end of the second leg of the 1965 Final.
St Joseph’s (Luton) have appeared in a record five Sunday Cup Finals, winning in 1995 and 1996 and finishing as runners-up three times. Founded in 1970, St Joseph’s are one of only two clubs to have retained the trophy. The other is Fantail, winners in 1980 and 1981. John O’Leary, the hugely talented Everton youngster who turned his back on a professional career, starred in midfield for the Merseyside outfit.
Durham outfit Coundon Conservative are the holders of The FA Sunday Cup, skipper Lee Ellison receiving the trophy at Anfield after their exciting 5-0 win over Lebeq tavern Courage from Bristol. Carlsberg “Man of the Match”, Andy Thompson, notched a brace, as did substitute Steve Johnson, while Captain Ellison weighed in with another to cap a the club's first year in The Cup in fine style.
Some of the names of the clubs in the Sunday Cup often raise a smile. Over the years we have seen Bird in Hand, Boars Head Trotters, Esh Winning, Pineapple, Fareham Town Centipedes, Harris Brush, Jumbo’s XI, Krakatoa, Newbiggin Dolphin, Pelican, Torpedo, Up ‘N’ Under and Wrestlers.