Royal Navy Cup: Who will win the Navy's foremost football competition?
The Royal Navy Cup is the most prestigious football cup competition for teams affiliated with the Royal Navy FA - and it's the piece of silverware that every Navy football player wants to win.
In 2023, the Commando Logistic Regiment walked away with the Navy Cup after an exciting 3-0 win against the team from HMS Queen Elizabeth to take the trophy for the third time in their history.
Neither of those teams made the final this time however, as this year sees HMS Heron and the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) play for Navy football's biggest prize.
It is not the first time these two teams have locked horns in the Navy Cup Final – the last time they shared the pitch in this tournament was in 2006.
The CTCRM won that game 3-0, but haven't won the cup since.
HMS Heron came back in 2007 to win the cup - and won it again in 2012.
Previous Winners
- 2006: CTCRM 3-0 HMS Heron
- 2007: HMS Heron 3-2 FPGRM (Penalties)
- 2008: 45 Cdo RM 1-0 HMS Heron
- 2009: 43 Cdo RM 3-0 HMS Seahawk
- 2010: 45 Cdo RM 3-2 HMS Heron
- 2011: HMS Seahawk 3-2 HMS Ark Royal
- 2012: HMS Heron 3-2 40 Cdo RM
- 2013: 43 Cdo RM 6-5 HMS Raleigh (Penalties)
- 2014: HMS Seahawk 5-2 45 Cdo RM
- 2015: 45 Cdo RM 2-0 42 Cdo RM
- 2016: 30 Cdo RM 5-4 43 Cdo RM (Penalties)
- 2017: CLR RM 3-1 45 Cdo RM
- 2018: 42 Cdo 2-0 HMS Collingwood
- 2019: CLRRM 2-1 RNAS Culdrose
- 2020: RNAS Culdrose 4-2 RNAS Yeovilton (Penalties)
- 2021: Not played due to Covid
- 2022: HMS Collingwood 1-0 RNAS Culdrose
- 2023: CLRRM 3-0 HMS Queen Elizabeth
Players to watch
HMS Heron – AET Manny Roche
Manny is a young player who has made an impression with both the Royal Navy U23s and Fleet Air Arm sides in recent years, and that form has seen him move into the Royal Navy Men's Senior Team this season and become an integral part of the team's successes.
With two goals in the Inter Regional final last week, he is in great form, full of confidence and will be looking to continue to contribute in the Navy Cup final.
CTCRM – Marine Brad Stewart
Brad is another service player who joins with a background in the professional game where he most recently represented Cardiff City FC.
A commanding goalkeeper, he will be looking to fend off the attacking talent that HMS Heron possess while being the instigator of many of CTCRM's attacking phases of play.
Royal Navy Senior Men's Head Coach, Lieutenant Commander Chris James, says:
"Both teams come into this Navy Cup final on the back of flawless qualifying groups and having won all four games to win their respective groups.
"Stand-out performances saw CTCRM beat the reigning champions, CLRRM, on the way to winning the Western Group, whilst HMS Heron scored 17 goals and conceded just one in their four Eastern group qualifying games.
"Away from the Navy Cup, CTCRM come in to this final as the reigning Tunney Cup champions and HMS Heron are a single point away from winning the United Services Football League, having already secured the League Cup earlier this year, so both should be full of confidence heading into the final.
"For both teams, however, this season's Navy Cup form is in contrast to recent years, where neither side has been able to make an impact despite both teams being amongst the most successful in the competition’s history.
"HMS Heron have only made one final appearance since last winning it in 2012, which was their seventh victory, whilst CTCRM's last appearance in the final was when they won their eighth Navy Cup back in 2006, so both teams will be especially keen to get their name back on the trophy after barren spells by their standards.
"Looking at the squads, HMS Heron's group look particularly strong with a number of players who have recently featured in the Royal Navy's Inter Services winning team and the Fleet Air Arm's Inter Regional tournament winning team.
"CTCRM's squad is less experienced with respect to representative appearances both at Senior and Command level, but there is experience in the side nonetheless, and they will be looking to make an impression with all eyes on this fixture.
"So I look forward to what promises to be a great game of football with a Royal Marines Unit facing one of the Royal Naval Air Stations once again in the Navy Cup final."
Coverage
Wednesday 19 June – 17:45 BST.
The Navy Cup final will be live on the Forces News YouTube channel or live and on demand on BFBS TV (serving personnel only).
You can also follow updates on the BFBS Sport X account (@BFBSSport) and catch up with highlights on forcesnews.com and on the BFBS Sport YouTube channel.
More information on live coverage is available here.
Join Our Newsletter
