History update: One club has won the Cookson Cup more times than any other!

History update – Blaenau Ffestiniog hold the record for the most Cookson Cup wins.

Earlier this month, Grassroots North Wales reported on Mochdre Sports lifting the prestigious trophy for the first time after beating Kinmel Bay on penalties in the final.

Until now, the sole list of Cookson Cup winners available to us was one printed in Welsh Alliance League handbooks which only dated from after the Second World War.

However, it was drawn to our attention that the roll of honour engraved on the cup itself includes winning teams from 1937 onwards.

Blaenau Ffestiniog lifted the cup in 1937 and 1939, Porthmadog were 1938 winners and Llandudno were crowned in 1940.

The inscription then shows there was no competition from 1940-48 due to the war years.

Our original list had Blaenau, Holyhead Town, Bangor City Reserves, Bethesda Athletic and Colwyn Bay all topping the number of wins on five apiece.

However, the new information now puts Blaenau Ffestiniog out on their own, having won the Cookson Cup in 1937, 1939, 1959, 1961, 1970, 1972 and 1973.

Currently, the Cookson is only competed for by Tier 4 members of the North Wales Coast East League Premier Division, whereas in previous eras it had been open to all of North Wales.

Under the present system, Blaenau will not get a chance to extend their record to eight wins, but every now and then football machinations change – so you never know.

Grassroots North Wales is often only as good as the information available to us. We are delighted to set the record straight over the Cookson Cup.

COOKSON CUP LIST OF WINNERS

1936/37 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1937/38 Porthmadog
1938/39 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1939/40 Llandudno
1940/48 No competition
1948/49 Holyhead Town
1949/50 Holyhead Town
1950/51 Pwllheli
1951/52 Pwllheli
1952/53 Flint Town United
1953/54 Pwllheli
1954/55 No competition
1955/56 Borough United
1956/57 Caernarfon Town
1957/58 Borough United
1958/59 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1959/60 Nantlle Vale
1960/61 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1961/62 Bangor City Res
1962/63 Borough United
1963/64 Holyhead Town
1964/65 Llandudno
1965/66 Borough United
1966/67 Holyhead Town
1967/68 Holyhead Town
1968/69 Bangor City Res
1969/70 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1970/71 Bethesda Athletic
1971/72 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1972/73 Blaenau Ffestiniog
1973/74 Colwyn Bay
1974/75 Wrexham Res
1975/76 Porthmadog
1976/77 Wrexham Res
1977/78 Caernarfon Town
1978/79 Pwllheli & District
1979/80 Colwyn Bay
1980/81 Colwyn Bay
1981/82 Colwyn Bay
1982/83 Courtaulds Greenfield
1983/84 Colwyn Bay
1984/85 Bangor City Res
1985/86 Bethesda Athletic
1986/87 Bangor City Res
1987/88 Connah’s Quay Nomads
1988/89 Flint Town United
1989/90 Porthmadog
1990/91 Caernarfon Town
1991/92 Cemaes Bay
1992/93 Cemaes Bay
1993/94 Llangefni Town
1994/95 Llanfairpwll
1995/96 Denbigh Town
1996/97 Halkyn United
1997/98 Loco Llanberis
1998/99 Loco Llanberis
1999/2000 Llanfairpwll
2000/01 Llanfairpwll
2001/02 Bangor City Res
2002/03 Rhyl Reserves
2003/04 Rhydymwyn
2004/05 Bethesda Athletic
2005/06 Denbigh Town
2006/07 Denbigh Town
2007/08 Bethesda Athletic
2008/09 Bethesda Athletic
2009/10 Conwy United
2010/11 Denbigh Town
2011/12 Holyhead Hotspur
2012/13 Caernarfon Town
2013/14 Holywell Town
2014/15 Llanrug United
2015/16 Glantraeth
2016/17 Glantraeth
2017/18 Conwy Borough
2018/19 Llangefni Town
2019/20 Competition not completed
2020/21 Season void
2021/22 CPD Y Rhyl 1879
2022/23 St Asaph City
2023/24 Kinmel Bay
2024/25 Penmaenmawr Phoenix
2025/26 Mochdre Sports

COOKSON CUP – NUMBER OF WINS

7 – Blaenau Ffestiniog

5 – Holyhead Town; Bangor City Res; Bethesda Athletic; Colwyn Bay

4 – Borough United; Caernarfon Town; Pwllheli; Denbigh Town

3 – Porthmadog, Llanfairpwll

2 – Flint Town United; Wrexham Res; Cemaes Bay; Llangefni Town; Loco Llanberis; Glantraeth; Llandudno

1 – Mochdre Sports, Nantlle Vale, Courtaulds Greenfield, Connah’s Quay Nomads, Halkyn United, Rhyl Reserves, Rhydymwyn, Conwy United, Holyhead Hotspur, Holywell Town, Llanrug United, Conwy Borough, CPD Y Rhyl 1879, St Asaph City, Kinmel Bay, Penmaenmawr Phoenix