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Challenge Cup


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9 minutes ago, Froggie said:

Following elimination at the first hurdle in both the Scottish and League cups with pathetic efforts in both, do not anticipate a long run in this Mickey Mouse tournament. It seems Alex Rae and cup runs do not go hand in hand. Wonder if he will be around long enough for this seasons Scottish, which is our only chance of doing anything.

Is that with or without Rae.

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36 minutes ago, Stu said:

Going by Soccerbase this will be the first time we've played them for 36 years!

That's probably right enough competitively. There's been a few friendlies over the years and St Mirren played Hamilton Accies at Cliftonhill a number of time but off the top of my head I can't remember St Mirren playing them since the League Cup ties in 1980. I can't remember if that was one of the years of a league format or not but the way I remember it Albion Rovers won. 

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1 hour ago, scottd said:

I noticed that the draw was seeded. Looks as though the SPFL want their stronger sides through to face the big guns from Wales and NI when the real glamour kicks in :rolleyes:

Yeah I thought that was a bit crap too. Plus side is it means teams won't face clubs they're already playing four times a season in the league. Maybe it could have been arranged so that unseeded teams were all at home to ensure the divisions were kept apart.

Good to see Dumbarton is back in the south of Scotland after being in the north for the League Cup.

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5 hours ago, Stuart Dickson said:

That's probably right enough competitively. There's been a few friendlies over the years and St Mirren played Hamilton Accies at Cliftonhill a number of time but off the top of my head I can't remember St Mirren playing them since the League Cup ties in 1980. I can't remember if that was one of the years of a league format or not but the way I remember it Albion Rovers won. 

For a change, Saints actually won against the 'Wee' team!!

They won 2-1 at Cliftonhill and then a Somner hat-trick set up a 5-0 2nd leg win at Love Street.

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40 minutes ago, SBS said:

For a change, Saints actually won against the 'Wee' team!!

They won 2-1 at Cliftonhill and then a Somner hat-trick set up a 5-0 2nd leg win at Love Street.

Thanks for that SBS. It was the away match I remember. I'd gone with my Grandpa and I just remember hating Coatbridge, hating that ground, and hating their town centre. I was 10 back then, the picture in my head suggests it was raining heavy too but I don't know if that's right. I've never liked Coatbridge since. 

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I see that the only two OF Colt teams to reach Round 3 are Celtic & Rangers - probably what the SPFL & Dungcaster wanted all along.  I don't think it's made a positive impact to the tournament (unlike the changes to the LC which I ended up liking), I'm possibly being a bit selfish but in the end has it made that much of a difference to us?

Is it enough of a reason to bring the OF Colts into the main league set-up? My opinion is that if it were done properly then the entry to the league of the OF teams should be considered. If it's admitted it's for the benefit of the OF, if there's a restriction as to how high they can climb in the set-up (League 1 for me) and if the OF accept that the Colt teams are not gonna be well followed and are willing to pay a premium for special treatment then why not, however if the OF apologists in the media say it's for the good of Scottish football then they can fuck off.

*********

Meanwhile in other news let's beat those white dogs in R3.................

Edited by Bud the Baker
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  • 2 weeks later...

I hadn't realised that the EFL has gone down the same route, with Premiership and Championship Under 23 teams playing in what was recently known as the Johnston's Paint Trophy. It seems to have met with a similar response from fans of the lower league teams - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37226544 - I wonder if that's where the SPFL got the idea from?

The revamped Checkatrade Trophy has begun with record low attendances, managers named as substitutes and a 15-year-old needing the permission from his headteacher to play in the competition.

In a bid to revive what was the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, League One and Two clubs voted in favour of expanding the competition to add Premier League and Championship development squads on a one-season trial basis.

Organisers have also introduced a group-stage format this season, rather than the straight knockout tournament that existed in previous years.

However, the low attendances suggest work need to be done to convince fans to turn out in force. Take a look at the figures below:
  • 392 fans watched Fleetwood take on Blackburn's development squad
  • 461 were at AFC Wimbledon to see them play Swansea Under-23s
  • 585 watched Accrington face Crewe
  • Just 1,198 - Port Vale's lowest crowd for 30 years - turned up for the game against Derby, with 120 of those supporting the visitors
  • And Wycombe sold three tickets in advance of their trip to Northampton, although 74 away fans were among the 1,408 inside Sixfields Stadium.

 

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45 minutes ago, Edinbuddie said:

I hadn't realised that the EFL has gone down the same route, with Premiership and Championship Under 23 teams playing in what was recently known as the Johnston's Paint Trophy. It seems to have met with a similar response from fans of the lower league teams - http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37226544 - I wonder if that's where the SPFL got the idea from?

The revamped Checkatrade Trophy has begun with record low attendances, managers named as substitutes and a 15-year-old needing the permission from his headteacher to play in the competition.

In a bid to revive what was the Johnstone's Paint Trophy, League One and Two clubs voted in favour of expanding the competition to add Premier League and Championship development squads on a one-season trial basis.

Organisers have also introduced a group-stage format this season, rather than the straight knockout tournament that existed in previous years.

However, the low attendances suggest work need to be done to convince fans to turn out in force. Take a look at the figures below:
  • 392 fans watched Fleetwood take on Blackburn's development squad
  • 461 were at AFC Wimbledon to see them play Swansea Under-23s
  • 585 watched Accrington face Crewe
  • Just 1,198 - Port Vale's lowest crowd for 30 years - turned up for the game against Derby, with 120 of those supporting the visitors
  • And Wycombe sold three tickets in advance of their trip to Northampton, although 74 away fans were among the 1,408 inside Sixfields Stadium.

 

I am confident that clubs and the authorities who dreamt up this stupidity will get the message loud and clear both up here and in England.

Even fans of the colt teams are not buying into it.

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Attendances

Albion Rovers v St Mirren - 711
Alloa v East Fife - 444
Brechin v Dunfermline - 577
Livingston v Green Vermin FC - 1,214
Dundee Utd v Peterhead - 3,520
Falkirk v Elgin - 1,591
Forfar v Raith - 690
QotS v Stenhousemuir - 1,158
Queen's Park v Morton - 1,085
Stranraer v Dumbarton - 401

 

Edited by shull
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