News and Events | Loftus Cup medal comes home

The Heritage Trust welcomed a special guest to hospitality at KDM Group East End Park in October 2024.

Although George Cowan, MBE, has no obvious connection to the Pars, he made contact with the club earlier this year about a medal that had been left for him by a deceased relative. That medal turned out to be a gold medal given to the winners of the Loftus Cup played in 1911-12. After researching the medal origins, the Heritage Trust brought George to Dunfermline to present the medal to the Trust. The story of the little-known Loftus Cup is a fascinating one`¦

Season 1911-1912 remains one of the most important in the history of DAFC. The club won four out of the six trophies that they competed for, the most important of which was their victory in the Scottish Qualifying Cup, defeating three Scottish League teams along the way. These successes paved the way for Dunfermline Athletic`s successful application to join the Scottish League in season 1912-1913.

One of the trophies won by the club was the Loftus Cup. Its inaugural season was 1911-1912, and in that first season it was played for on a round robin home and away basis against St. Johnstone and Dundee Hibernian (later to be Dundee United). This handsome trophy can be seen in this picture of the victorious 1911-1912 team (bottom left):

The Loftus Cup came into existence following a proposal from the Dundee Hibernian secretary Pat Reilly who helped found Dundee Hibernian in 1909. The trophy was donated by Dundee baker David Wallace who lived at Loftus House in Broughty Ferry. As the organising committee wasn`t in favour of it being named after him, the title of his residence (Loftus House) was used instead.

Only three clubs were involved in the inaugural competition but in 1912-13 they were joined by other clubs including Cowdenbeath, East Stirlingshire, Dundee, Raith Rovers, East Fife, Leith, Lochgelly and St Bernards. The problem was that invariably the fixture schedule failed to be completed, not surprisingly considering it ran every season during World War I. Dunfermline Athletic were by far the best team in the competition during season 1919-1920, winning all four games played, but as other matches were not played they could not be crowned champions.

The competition ceased to exist as the Loftus Cup in season 1921-1922, and was called the Wallace Cup thereafter until its complete demise in 1931. DAFC did not participate in the Wallace Cup,

The final part of the story is that the trophy was never seen again at East End Park after being sent to a jeweller for engraving and over the years its whereabouts attracted much comment. The mystery was partially solved in November 1923 when the Athletic stopped for lunch at the County Hotel in Perth prior to a match against St. Johnstone. Sitting on top of the piano on which Hugh Strachan and Tommy McMillan were entertaining their colleagues was the long-lost Loftus Cup. The only name engraved on it was Dunfermline Athletic, 1911/12.

MEDAL

The gold medal is engraved `˜Loftus Cup 1911-1912`, and was manufactured by Wm Adams Birmingham. It is in excellent condition and provides the Heritage Trust with an authentic memento of a famous season in which Dunfermline Athletic finally made it into the Scottish League.

Our grateful thanks to George Cowan, MBE, for travelling from Suffolk to present the medal to the Trust. For its part, the Trust will now consider how best to display the medal and its story for future generations of Pars fans.