On his leaving for a new post in Reigate, the Reverend proposed a trophy for the clubs of the three southern counties to play for, and the competition which ensued was named after him.
Members of the Queen of the South Wanderers had been involved in an acrimonious legal dispute with regard to the payment of off-book expenses.
[4] The evidence presented in court suggested that the Wanderers had been paying players in breach of Scottish Football Association rules.
After the Wanderers beat Moffat 3–1 in the first round of the Churchill Cup on 16 November 1889,[5] Moffat raised a protest that the club was employing professionals;[6] after three secret sittings inside a week, the Scottish FA expelled the Wanderers for professionalism, along with the entire committee and two players.
The record win in the tournament was from Mid-Annandale beating a moribund Vale o' Nith 19–1 in 1888–89,[9] but other outlandish scores include the 5th K.R.V.