I see the draw for the League Cup 1st Round is made tomorrow. I noticed Partick Thistle (now SPL) are to be included in it and I had a look at the format for this season. It's not explicitly been mentioned anywhere, but I can only see that Inverness have a bye to Round 3 - the last 16!!!

 

The format employed assumes 5 Scottish teams in Europe but there are only 4 this season. They automatically get byes to the last 16.

 

However, there seems to be a clause that, in the event of there not being 5 European representatives, then the highest placed team from the league (not European qualified) will assume the position of team 5. If I've interpreted it correctly, this would be a nice unexpected boost!

 

The format is from this link with section 2 being the relevant bit.

 

http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/football/league-cup/format/

 

 

 

I like the early rounds against lower league opposition. We always seem to draw Celtic or Rangers when they existed.

It's good for us but also a bit of a joke - getting a bye to a stage of the tournament where more than half the teams have gone out?

 

From a fans point of view, the best things about cup ties are the trips to grounds in different leagues that we don't normally go to.  Stenny away this season was excellent.

The assured money for at least a last 16 spot will help though ;-)

....and one game less in a long season - who knows we may even make a final this year :-)

The 3rd round is also seeded, with the seeded teams being the 8 with the highest league placings previous season. 

I agree with Chris. It's great going to the grounds of wee teams and coming away with a solid win at the end of 90 minutes.

 

We did it last year as well.

 

The season hasn't started and already we've gone on a cup run.

We'll still get a couple of trips to the wee team in Dingwall.

Get a message to Terry quick. Fans are not happy that our success last season allows us to enter the league cup at a later stage. We need to ensure we finish no higher than sixth in future seasons. In fact, to ensure we get to play round 1 we need to get relegated.

 

Reading Rule 12 I think Partick still start in Round 1 as it states the SPL at end of season are deemed to be higher than below. At end of season Dundee were 12th in SPL and Partick 1st in Div 1. My interpretation says Dundee come in at Round 2.

Great news getting to last 16 via a bye and also being seeded. It was the last 16 we played Stenny in last year.

If we can just win that game, I confidently predict at least getting to the quarter-finals.

Now we are being taken seriously. We've arrived. Whee!

If you read this it doesn't include us when they announce who goes straight into the third round

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23291540

I don't think they've thought it through...lazy journalism! As I said in my initial post, I worked it out through the format.

 

Simply put: Those First Round ties will eliminate 15 teams, leaving 27 left for round 2.

 

Round 2 : The 15 winners from Round 1 are joined by 7 teams...Aberdeen, Ross County, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Dundee United and Hearts.....................[22 teams : 11 games] 

 

The 11 winners of these ties are joined by 5 other teams (Celtic, Hibernian, Inverness, Motherwell and St .Johnstone) =16 teams.

 

Simple! The BBC and other media outlets just haven't cottoned on yet!

I don't think they've thought it through...lazy journalism! As I said in my initial post, I worked it out through the format.

 

Simply put: Those First Round ties will eliminate 15 teams, leaving 27 left for round 2.

 

Round 2 : The 15 winners from Round 1 are joined by 7 teams...Aberdeen, Ross County, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Dundee United, St. Mirren and Hearts.[22 teams : 11 games] 

 

The 11 winners of these ties are joined by 5 other teams (Celtic, Hibernian, Inverness, Motherwell and St .Johnstone) =16 teams.

 

Simple! The BBC and other media outlets just haven't cottoned on yet!

 

 

Edit from original post - I'd omitted St. Mirren.

I think St Mirren get the bye as the cup holders, hence the mention in the story. And we'll be in round 2, not 3 it seems after all. But we will be seeded if we get through.

I think St Mirren get the bye as the cup holders, hence the mention in the story. And we'll be in round 2, not 3 it seems after all. But we will be seeded if we get through.

 

I still think it'll be us! There's no mention of the holders getting a bye in the rules. Five teams will get a bye, Celtic, Hibernian, St. Johnstone, Motherwell and the highest placed team not qualified for Europe from last seasons league....Inverness CT!

First thing.....to refer this as a bye is not quite what it is. Teams enter this competition at the stage merited by thier league position at end of previous season. Thats not a bye.

I dont recall a situation ever where a defending team came into a competition at a later stage than that merited by league position though maybe it has happened in past. Its certainly not mentioned in the rules of the competition.

Format:-

Round 1 - 30 teams from football league. (If one of those teams has qualified for Europe then their place will be taken by last team in SPL)

Round 2 - 15 winning teams from above + bottom seven from SPL (Positions 6 - 12 unless situation above occurs which would then be 5 - 12)

Round 3 - 11 winning teams from above + remainder of SPL

 

The situation has not occurred where a team lower than top five of SPL qualifies for Europe so format is straight forward based on league position.

A little rubbish that St Mirren win a cup and dont get into Europe yet Hibs do for losing one.