 Spilsby would go on to win the first three competitions and consequently they were allowed to retain the initial trophy.When the competition first started it was treated as seriously as the FA Cup and the need for a Lincoln team to be successful in the competition following the initial victories by Spilsby, who defeated three Lincoln based teams - Lincoln Rovers, Lincoln Lindum and Lincoln Albion - in the 1883–84 competition, that led to the formation of Lincoln City on 26 June 1884.The elevation of Grimsby Town and Lincoln City to the Football League in 1892 and Gainsborough Trinity in 1896 saw the importance of the competition decline over time and the format has undergone a number of changes over time as has the type of trophies offered by the Lincolnshire FA.