The Lancashire Junior Cup began in 1988/89, a straight knock-out competition for all Lancashire Junior clubs. Over the years there has been applications from clubs from other counties in joining the Lancashire Cup but, so far it has remained just, that a 'Lancashire Cup'.
The Plate Competition was introduced in 1999, for teams knocked out in the First or Preliminary Round, but it soon became apparent that interest in this subsidiary event was losing its appeal as the competitive season was over for most teams in early November, if they had been minded to take part in the first place.
In November 2003, recognising that the age grades needed a more structued season, an innovative plan to play qualifying pools followed by three separate knock outs, dependent up progress through the pools, proved a success from its introduction in 2004/05. During what was then the most strongly attended Junior Clubs meeting for many years, an overwhelming majority of the representatives present at LSH approved the fixed date nature of the competition, based around the RFU's structured season. The competition has also benefitted from the full cooperation of the county's Schools Committee when setting the programme.
In 2007/08, the structure altered to provide a degree of seeding in the qualifying pool section of the competition, from September to February, a change that again appears to have been successful in the light of the significant reduction in games being conceeded. At least 96 teams are still involved in a competition in early March, 24 fighting through to the April finals days.
From 2004/05 to 2006/07, the competition was sponsored by Enterprise Finance Europe, a commercial bank, based in Manchester. From 2007/08, the season long event has been sponsored by Butlers Farmhouse Cheese, of which 'Blacksticks Blue' is one of their best known varieties.
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PLATE
|
Under 13s
|
Under 14s
|
Under 15s
|
Under 16s
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Venue
|
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1999/00
|
Oldham & LSH
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West Park
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Sedgley Park
|
Fleetwood
|
Eccles & Heaton Park
|
|
2000/01
|
Aldwinians
|
Vale of Lune
|
Broughton Park
|
Blackburn
|
Ormskirk & Blackburn
|
|
2001/02
|
Aldwinians & Fylde
|
Aspull
|
Manchester
|
Manchester
|
Didsbury TocH & Calder Vale
|
|
2002/03
|
Sedgley Park
|
Blackburn
|
Eccles
|
Liverpool St H
|
Aldwinians & Ormskirk
|
|
2003/04
|
Widnes
|
Vale of Lune
|
Orrell
|
West Park
|
West Park & Unknown:15s/16s
|
|
2004/05
|
Manchester
|
Blackpool
|
Aldwinians
|
Orrell
|
Widnes
|
|
2005/06
|
Aldwinians
|
Sedgley Park
|
West Park
|
Eccles
|
Rochdale
|
|
2006/07
|
Manchester
|
Blackburn
|
Manchester
|
Manchester
|
Broughton Park
|
|
2007/08
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Manchester
|
| VASE |
Under 13s
|
Under 14s
|
Under 15s
|
Under 16s
|
Venue |
|
2004/05
|
Tarleton
|
Sedgley Park
|
Bury
|
Eagle
|
Widnes
|
|
2005/06
|
Tarleton
|
Waterloo
|
Bolton
|
Southport
|
Rochdale
|
|
2006/07
|
Rochdale
|
Manchester
|
West Park
|
Blackpool
|
Broughton Park
|
|
2007/08
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Manchester
|
The Bowl has been an option since 2004/05, should there have been more than 25 teams at an age group completeing their Qualifying Pool programme (a 25th team is accomodated through the competition structure), first played for in 2008.
| BOWL |
Under 13s
|
Under 14s
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Under 15s
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Under 16s
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|
2007/08
|
- |
Sefton |
- |
- |
