GDSFA historian Noel Dona said the Cup, which gets underway at the end of April, was first played in 1907 as the Rawson Cup.
“But the Cup was renamed as a tribute to John William Cottam, a starring player for the Granville Magpies, after he was killed serving his adopted country in Northern France during the Great War in 1917,” Dona said.
The powerhouse Magpies were the first team to win the Rawson Cup three times in 1914, 1915 and 1916, but the death of John Cottam was so tragic and heartfelt that the governing body gave the Cup to GDSFA, where it was played by teams from only within the Granville Association for over a century.
In 2018, the GDSFA decided to invite all senior teams in the Sydney associations to challenge for the Cup, effectively placing the best in Granville against the best of all the other Associations.
“It’s a unique competition,” Dona said.
“There’s nothing else like it in Australia.”
Last year the Cup was won by Hurlstone Park Wanderers in an epic final that required extra time.
“It was another very exciting match, but it was tough to lose the Cup again to an outside Association club”, Dona said.
“Our lads need to lift their game this year if we want to bring home Johnny.”
GDSFA General Manager Rosanna Lentini said: “We have already received numerous nominations and we expect there to be even more clubs competing to make history than last year, all wanting to put their name on the Cup and collect the prize money.”
To register a team: office@granvillesoccer.com.au.
Cottam Cup battle to spark old rivalry
ADDING extra kick to the season, the Granville and District Soccer Football Association (GDSFA) is inviting all senior teams across Sydney to take the Cottam Cup Challenge and register a team to play for Australia’s oldest knockout competition trophy.
