South West Challenge Cup

Joma South West Challenge Cup
Founded 2008
Region England (Devon FA)
Number of teams 13
Current champions Blackpool
Website http://southwestchallengecup.co.uk

The South West Challenge Cup is an annual pre-season football tournament, held in North Devon, England in July and hosted by various non-league clubs in the area. Twenty-four clubs have participated in the tournament since its inception. It is currently known as the Joma South West Challenge Cup under a sponsorship deal with the sportswear company Joma.

The inaugural tournament took in July 2008 and was originally sponsored by Erreà in 2008 and 2009. The first winners were Eastleigh.[1] The current champions are Blackpool.

Rules

In the group stage matches, each half lasts 40 minutes, before reverting to the standard 45 minutes for the knockout stages.[1] The tournament features an unconventional points system through the group stages, which the tournament organisers state is "designed to encourage attacking football".[1]

2010 Tournament

This year's tournament was sponsored by Spanish sportswear company Joma, who took over from Errea as the competition sponsor. There were five host clubs – Barnstaple Town (Mill Road, Barnstaple), Bideford (Sports Ground, Bideford), Holsworthy (Upcott Field, Holsworthy), Ilfracombe Town (Marlborough Park, Ilfracombe) and Torrington (Vicarage Field, Great Torrington).

The tournament consisted of thirteen teams playing to the usual format. All of the clubs were English, apart from Scottish side Kilmarnock. For the first time, the competition featured a Premier League club, Blackpool, who were promoted having won the 2010 Football League Championship play-off Final at the end of the season.

The thirteen teams were entered into a draw for the tournament which took place on 14 June 2010. The competition started on 19 July with the final being played on 25 July.

Group stages

Group 1

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Blackpool 22043+16
Kilmarnock 21193+65
Accrington Stanley 21164+25
Bideford 202312−94

Group 2

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Leyton Orient 22061+56
Eastleigh 2113305
Truro City 20216−53

Group 3

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Shrewsbury Town 22061+56
Rushden & Diamonds 21152+34
Ilfracombe Town 202210−84

Group 4

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Havant & Waterlooville 220110+116
Doncaster Rovers 211106+44
Barnstaple Town 202116−153

Semi-finals

Final

2009 tournament

The 2009 tournament took place from 13 to 19 July and was expanded to twelve sides divided into four groups. There are five host clubs – Appledore (Marshford, Appledore), Barnstaple Town (Mill Road, Barnstaple), Bideford (Sports Ground Bideford), Ilfracombe Town (Marlborough Park, Ilfracombe) and Torrington (Vicarage Field, Great Torrington.

2008 winners Eastleigh returned to defend the trophy. They were joined by five Football League sides – Championship side Blackpool; Exeter City and Wycombe Wanderers who, in the 2008–09 season, finished 2nd and 3rd respectively in League Two and won promotion to League One; fellow League One side Yeovil Town, as well as League Two outfit Grimsby Town. There were two Conference National sides – Luton Town, who finished bottom of League Two in 2008–09 and so were relegated, and Rushden & Diamonds. From North Devon, three sides – Barnstaple Town and Bideford, who took part in the 2008 tournament, were joined by Ilfracombe Town of the Western Football League Premier Division. The final entrant was Belgian lower league side, Montegnée.

The teams were divided into four groups of three with each side playing each other once in the group stage. The winners of each group then meet in the semi-finals. However, the Group A game between Exeter City and Eastleigh, and the Group C game between Wycombe Wanderers and Luton Town on 17 July were cancelled due to waterlogged pitches at Bideford and Appledore, resulting in Exeter and Luton winning their groups, as there was insufficient time to re-arrange either match, with the semi-finals the next day.[3]

Grimsby refused to play in the final due to fixture congestion and safety concerns over a 6:00PM kick-off time, and no compromise with the tournament organisers could be reached. As a result, Belgian club Montegnée, originally knocked out in the group stages, were invited to play in the final at Grimsby's expense.[4] Luton went on to win the 2009 South West Challenge Cup with a 3–1 victory over Montegnée.[5]

Group stages

Group A

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Exeter City 11041+33
Eastleigh 11010+13
Ilfracombe Town 20215−43

Group B

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Grimsby Town 22042+26
Yeovil Town 21173+45
Montegnée 20206−62

Group C

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Luton Town 11030+33
Wycombe Wanderers 1100003
Bideford 20203−32

Group D

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Rushden & Diamonds 22042+26
Blackpool 21161+55
Barnstaple Town 20218−73

Semi-finals

Final

Grimsby Town withdrew due to fixture congestion and safety issues, Montegnée were invited to take their place in the final[4]

2008 tournament

There were three host clubs four the tournament – Appledore (Marshford, Appledore), Barnstaple Town (Mill Road, Barnstaple) and Bideford (Sports Ground, Bideford). Eight sides entered, and played eleven matches over the course of six days. Although there were four teams in each group, each side played only two of the other sides in the group rather than all three.

The eight clubs that entered the inaugural tournament were:

Group stages

Group 1

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Eastleigh 22031+26
Crystal Palace[6] 21153+25
Torquay United[6] 21120+24
Bideford 20226−43

Group 2

Team Pld W L GF GA GD Pts
Yeovil Town 22061+56
Chertsey Town 21134−15
Barnstaple Town 2112204
Kidderminster Harriers 20204−42

Semi-finals

Final

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lord, Jonathan (11 July 2009). "Pool head for Devon tournament". Blackpool Gazette. Retrieved 11 July 2009.
  2. ↑ "Seasiders Win Cup". Blackpool F.C. 25 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Exeter and Luton through to semi-finals". North Devon Journal. 17 July 2009. Retrieved 17 July 2009.
  4. 1 2 "Grimsby Town withdraw from tournament". South West Challenge Cup. 19 July 2009. Retrieved 19 July 2009.
  5. ↑ "Hatters win SW Challenge Cup". Luton Town F.C. 2009-07-19. Retrieved 2009-07-19.
  6. 1 2 Shortly after booking their place in the semi-finals, Crystal Palace withdrew from the competition, citing injuries as the reason. They were replaced in the semi-finals by Torquay United who had finished 3rd in Group One
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