Bootle’s history with the Liverpool Senior Cup

Bootle FC’s History In The Liverpool Senior Cup

As we face MSB Woolton in the preliminary round of the Liverpool Senior Cup, we take a look back at the four occasions Bootle Football Club lifted the trophy.

Bootle 3 Liverpool Ramblers 1, April 14th 1883, Liverpool College Ground

This victory seen Bootle become the inaugural winners of the competition as Rod Ashton’s hat trick helped The Bucks to achieve this feat, setting the standard for the competition’s history.

Bootle 3 Liverpool Stanley 0, April 21st 1888, Liverpool Athletic Grounds

The opening goal in the second Liverpool Senior Cup final for Bootle seen them score within the first minute of the game, giving them a very early advantage. Bootle then went onto score another two goals that day which would secure them as Liverpool Senior Cup winners for a second time, Liverpool Stanley also had two players sent off in the match.

Bootle 5 Earlestown 3, March 23rd 1889, Walton Stiles

Bootle’s third time of clinching the Liverpool Senior Cup seen the club become the second side to win the competition back to back with the first being Everton (1886,1887.) The Bucks were 2-1 behind at half time but a reply with three goals in the second half and Earlestown getting one themselves would be enough to see Bootle become champions on a third occasion. Close to 6,000 spectators turned up to witness the Liverpool Senior Cup final at the neutral venue of Walton Stiles.

Bootle 1 AFC Liverpool 1 (Bootle won 4-3 on penalties), August 22nd 2013, Delta Taxis Stadium (now known as The Berry Street Garage Stadium)

AFC Liverpool’s Ronnie Morgan took the lead after meeting a brilliant cross from Paul Brown to give The Reds a lead at Bootle’s own ground. After Bootle hunting for an equaliser, they eventually got one as a Sean Coulton header towards goal was met with an attempted headed clearance from former Bootle player Jack McDowall but the ball ended up in the back of his own net. The game went to an immediate penalty shoot out after ninety minutes of play, Jamie Hey’s converted penalty then put all the pressure on AFC Liverpool skipper and future Bootle skipper Liam Loughlin to keep the game alive for The Reds, but the latter’s spot kick would hit the post and see Bootle win the Liverpool Senior Cup for the first time in 124 years.

Could the 2025/26 campaign see The Bucks lift the trophy for a fifth time?