Irvine Herald Cup

1893-1932 (including the Stirling Trophy)

See also Main index Club directory Researched and compiled by Ian King

The Irvine Herald Association was set up in 1893 under the auspices of the local newspaper of that name. Until the outbreak of the intermediate dispute in 1927 most clubs involved belonged to the northern half of Ayrshire. The breakaway clubs in 1927 competed in a “substitute Herald cup” for the intermediate grade. A trophy was put up by Mr John Stirling of the Red Lion Hotel, Prestwick. This was known as the Stirling Trophy and existed for the four seasons of the dispute. In the meantime a rump of the Ayrshire clubs, mostly from the southern half of the county played out at least a couple of seasons of the original cup. When the dispute ended in 1931 a final season of the original cup was contested, involving the reinstated clubs. In 1932 the tournament was discontinued when the Irvine Herald Association was merged with the Irvine & District Association. In 1909 Ardeer Thistle were allowed to keep the original trophy on winning it for a third time. Any subsequent club would be required to win the trophy three times on the trot to keep it. As it turned out this never happened.

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Irvine Herald Cup winners

1893-94 Vale of Garnock 1894-95 Troon 1895-96 Overton Thistle 1896-97 Irvine Caledonia 1897-98 Montgreenan Rangers 1898-99 Irvine Meadow XI 1899-00 Newmilns 1900-01 Stewarton 1901-02 Rugby XI 1902-03 Ardeer Thistle 1903-04 Kilwinning Rangers 1904-05 Darvel 1905-06 Newmilns 1906-07 Kilbirnie Ladeside 1907-08 Ardeer Thistle 1908-09 Ardeer Thistle 1909-10 Newmilns 1910-11 Kilwinning Rangers 1911-12 Ardrossan Winton Rovers 1912-13 Kilbirnie Ladeside 1913-14 Kilwinning Rangers 1914-15 Irvine Meadow XI 1915-16 Ardeer Thistle 1916-19 no competition 1919-20 Irvine Victoria 1920-21 Kilwinning Rangers 1921-22 Ardeer Thistle 1922-23 Kilwinning Rangers 1923-24 Kilbirnie Ladeside 1924-25 Irvine Meadow XI 1925-26 Kilwinning Rangers 1926-27 Kilwinning Rangers         1927-28                                     1928-29 1929-30 Auchinleck Talbot              1930-31 Auchinleck Talbot              1931-32 Ardrossan Winton Rovers

Stirling Trophy Irvine Meadow XI Glenburn Rovers Saltcoats Victoria Kilwinning Rangers