Who is going to win the Stokes Cup?

Place your bets... now!

I am guessing that MDH and Saff boys just havent voted whereas ours have.....not sure there is a favourite in amongst those four....whoever wins it will have deserved it....

Tomassi wrote:

Place your bets... now!

hopefully nri i want them to win it and think they will good luck to widds and the boys

greeeedy wrote:

Tomassi wrote:

Place your bets... now!

hopefully nri i want them to win it and think they will good luck to widds and the boys

if we get to the final, i expect the bullshead boys to be there with nri fan club shirts on haa

greeeedy wrote:

Tomassi wrote:

Place your bets... now!

hopefully nri i want them to win it and think they will good luck to widds and the boys

Nice one geez, although i suspect thats more to do with the free pint i promised if we win lol

Denty - we getting scarves if we get through....and badges...for the fans!!!

New Road on form, but other 3 all very good sides- gona be close! would like to see a Division 5 team in the final!

gattuso wrote:

greeeedy wrote:

Tomassi wrote:

Place your bets... now!

hopefully nri i want them to win it and think they will good luck to widds and the boys

if we get to the final, i expect the bullshead boys to be there with nri fan club shirts on haa

we shall be there hope u got plenty of nri memrobelia might be worth a few bob if or shud i say WHEN u lift the cup

Paulo_MTFC wrote:

New Road on form, but other 3 all very good sides- gona be close! would like to see a Division 5 team in the final!

im up for that new road vs m d h final be a cracking tie

Yeah, we just want to get to the final and then enjoy it. Would be good to play someone different, bored of Sparta, but not too fussed whether we dispatch them in the semi or, if we get there, the final....four good teams though....game on....would like to wish good luck to MDH and Saff....

greeeedy wrote:

Paulo_MTFC wrote:

New Road on form, but other 3 all very good sides- gona be close! would like to see a Division 5 team in the final!

im up for that new road vs m d h final be a cracking tie

yeah i agree, like both of the teams, from expereince of last two years in stokes finals, not something u want to miss out on in the semi final i promise u that, great day out! or 2 days if u win and u roll in the next morning haha

If we won, i may do a Gazza!! Also, there is a promise from Tubby NRI to rest his nut sack in the trophy in some sort of arty pose!!

hhmmm im hoping for a n.r.i v saff final. wouldnt want to give a prediction though

New Road Inn wrote:

If we won, i may do a Gazza!! Also, there is a promise from Tubby NRI to rest his nut sack in the trophy in some sort of arty pose!!

i have been told not to ever put any sort of drink in the trophy though for acts must worse than the above!!!

dezza wrote:

hhmmm im hoping for a n.r.i v saff final. wouldnt want to give a prediction though

Did you mean semi final??

Hellboy wrote:

Paulo_MTFC wrote:

New Road Inn wrote:

If we won, i may do a Gazza!! Also, there is a promise from Tubby NRI to rest his nut sack in the trophy in some sort of arty pose!!

i have been told not to ever put any sort of drink in the trophy though for acts must worse than the above!!!

What happened 2 years ago?

No i was told after I was given it that the previous 30+ years (sure gordon will correct me on how old it is!) of using the trophy had seen a few sights

You just wait!!!

A few more than 30 years Ross!

Enquiries into the history of a silver cup currently being contested in the Alliance Football
League started in Canada and finished in Wales with a fascinating tale along the way.

The story begins with George M Beardsmore, Master of the Ontario Fox Hounds
(1893 to 1930), a very successful businessman who was born in 1850 in Hamilton and educated both in Ontario and England. He was attracted by the acquisition of royal patronage by the International Horse Show in 1911 and along with many other overseas visitors decided to pay a visit to White City. To mark the occasion, he brought
with him a magnificent trophy and named it "The Toronto Cup" He offered it for competition
by the champion qualified hunters of the day.

The winner? - John Henry Stokes of Great Bowden in Leicestershire, an extremely well known grazier and breeder of hunters. So well known was John Henry that he received many crowned heads from throughout Europe and supplied them with his famous hunters and thoroughbreds.

Mr Beardsmore was awarded the Military Cross in 1915 for his bravery as Captain of the Mississinga Horse Regiment but subsequently suffered in the Wall Street Crash in 1929.

J H Stokes retained the trophy within the family until November 1937 when his son, William Ernest decided to keep up the family's tradition for benevolence and donated the cup to the
Market Harborough and District Football League.

The first winners were appropriately Great Bowden Imperial FC and the latest being Great Bowden FC. In the meantime, with the exception of the war years, this trophy, which is now known as "The Stokes Cup" has been the subject of annual competition travelling throughout the villages of South Leicestershire.

Like the cup, the League has changed its name to The Alliance Football League.
To complete the story, C William Birmingham, the descendant of our friend George W Beardsmore MFH, has been tracked down, still living in Toronto, as has grandson Mr John E D Stokes who now lives in Prestatyn in Wales. Both were excited to know that this historic prize is still put to good use in Leicestershire soccer circles and is in good hands.

A breeder of horses the perfect life, interesting stuff, and nothing on this earth more noble than a horse.


also had a look at the photo's of North Kilworth 1905-1906 last week....love photo's like that.



















i think the unknown one is Widds.....top left

Wheres the unkown one chap? Have i missed something? (not the quickest these days!!)

Ahhh i remember when i first signed up to this....you put me down as the person that most annoys you.....how beautiful that now we sing merrily together!

New Road Inn wrote:

dezza wrote:

hhmmm im hoping for a n.r.i v saff final. wouldnt want to give a prediction though

Did you mean semi final??

no final, why is the final not possible?

New Road Inn wrote:

Ahhh i remember when i first signed up to this....you put me down as the person that most annoys you.....how beautiful that now we sing merrily together!

http://www.alliancefootballleague.co.uk/Home_About_Us.html

Moderator wrote:

A few more than 30 years Ross!

I did think it was longer but didnt want over egg it!!

dezza wrote:

New Road Inn wrote:

dezza wrote:

hhmmm im hoping for a n.r.i v saff final. wouldnt want to give a prediction though

Did you mean semi final??

no final, why is the final not possible?

My bad! I got told we had drawn Saff in the final!!! I will slink away now...!!

Hellboy wrote:

New Road Inn wrote:

Ahhh i remember when i first signed up to this....you put me down as the person that most annoys you.....how beautiful that now we sing merrily together!

http://www.alliancefootballleague.co.uk/Home_About_Us.html

Very similar....a thin version of me!!

MDH vs Saffron final.... u heard it here first lol

gattuso wrote:

MDH vs Saffron final.... u heard it here first lol

would be nice to see! gives teams belief they can get to the big finals regardless of what division they are in! sure u boys and sparta wont be taking either side lightly. MDH beat us and Phoenix and Saffron have beaten Niffy and Bakers. Both fully deserve their place in the last 4!

I agree that any one of the four teams could win, and it wouldnt be a surprise. I want to play MDH or Saffron as i like playing different teams (would love one of them in the semi and the other in the final). And like i said, whoever wins it, fair play to them as they will have got further than three other equally matched teams