The new season must be getting closer! The draw for the preliminary round of the Scottish Cup will be made this morning.

Obviously our entry is still 4 rounds away, but it's always interesting to see how clubs from different leagues fare against each other.

 

There are an amazing 90 clubs entered this season - surely a record!? Strathspey Thistle are in for the first time.

Also, Linlithgow Rose, Banks O'Dee and Gretna 2008 are involved due to having achieved the required SFA licensing.

 

Cove Rangers and Fort William, however, have not got the licence - their grounds aren't 'up to scratch' - but are still allowed to compete (for this season, certainly) but both find themselves in the preliminary round as a result! 

 

Format and dates for the whole competition:http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/resources/documents/ScottishCup/2014-15/Scottish%20Cup%20Format%20&%20Composition%202014-15.pdf

Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale  v  Burntisland Shipyard Amateur

Auchinleck Talbot  v  St. Cuthbert Wanderers

Glasgow University  v  Cove Rangers

Vale of Leithen  v  Gala Fairydean Rovers   

Hurlford United  v  Edinburgh University

Edinburgh City  v  Fort William

Newton Stewart  v  Hawick Royal Albert

Wigtown & Bladnoch  v  Civil Service Strollers

 

Byes: Coldstream, Culter, Dalbeattie Star, Golspie Sutherland, Girvan, Bo’ness United

Comfortable wins for Auchinleck and Hurlford in there i think.  Stevie Hislop's Bo'ness gets a bye to the next round.

Why only 2 highland league teams 

Why only 2 highland league teams 

 

Because all the others meet the necessary criteria to enter the first round proper.

Comfortable wins for Auchinleck and Hurlford in there i think.  Stevie Hislop's Bo'ness gets a bye to the next round.

I heard Stevie was away?

Bummer for St Cuthberts. I'm sure they got drawn away to Talbot last year.

 

Comfortable wins for Auchinleck and Hurlford in there i think.  Stevie Hislop's Bo'ness gets a bye to the next round.

I heard Stevie was away?

Bummer for St Cuthberts. I'm sure they got drawn away to Talbot last year.

 

Didn't realise, I was going to take in a Bo'ness game this year if they ended up playing in the West as well just to get a final look.

 

 

Comfortable wins for Auchinleck and Hurlford in there i think.  Stevie Hislop's Bo'ness gets a bye to the next round.

I heard Stevie was away?

Bummer for St Cuthberts. I'm sure they got drawn away to Talbot last year.

 

Didn't realise, I was going to take in a Bo'ness game this year if they ended up playing in the West as well just to get a final look.

 

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/local-football/steven-hislop-quits-bo-ness-after-manager-row-1-3441551

Seemingly fell out with the manager - but he's looking for another club!

Cove have plans for a shiny new £3M ground at Kincorth. However if that doesn't happen by August 2015 they will have to ground share as Allan Park will not meet the standards required by the HL.

Banks O'Dee must have a better ground than Cove then as they're in the first round already.

I seem to remember Cove were awaiting planning permission for stadium at Calder Park. Did they get it? I also seen recently that Aberdeen council were seeking permission to build a new academy on same ground.

 

Banks O Dee have a nice wee ground complete with 3G pitch.

I'm not sure of the exact criteria but I'm sure there's some stipulation they must be missing at Cove. I know it's a very tight ground with no seating provision for fans - although they do have sponsors seats! Banks O' Dee have a small stand.

 

Banks O' Dee probably should have been admitted to the Highland League the last time there were vacancies. I seem to recall they had what appeared to be a better case than certainly, Strathspey and likely Turriff and Formartine. However, I think 'self interest' saw them miss out!

 

Picture courtesy of 'Non League Scotland'.

Edited July 18, 201411 yr by Sneckboy

Cove have plans for a shiny new £3M ground at Kincorth. However if that doesn't happen by August 2015 they will have to ground share as Allan Park will not meet the standards required by the HL.Banks O'Dee must have a better ground than Cove then as they're in the first round already.

Banks o'Dee have their SFA entry level licence, whereas Cove will never achieve theirs as long as they stay at Allan Park. So Cove and Fort William must enter at the preliminary round.

Pretty sure of the following but happy to be corrected:

Entry into the Prelim Round is for all unlicensed Senior SFA members plus up to 4 Juniors who qualified by winning their Superleague or the Junior Cup (as well as Lothian Thistle HV who won the EOSL).

Entry in to Rd 1 is the bonus for clubs with a licence.

In effect this means most of the HL and 6 of the LL plus Linlithgow and Banks o'Dee.

Entry into Rd 2 is for 1st and 2nd in the HFL and LL.

Edited July 20, 201411 yr by TheMantis
Can't get this right at all!

 

 

 

Comfortable wins for Auchinleck and Hurlford in there i think.  Stevie Hislop's Bo'ness gets a bye to the next round.

I heard Stevie was away?

Bummer for St Cuthberts. I'm sure they got drawn away to Talbot last year.

 

Didn't realise, I was going to take in a Bo'ness game this year if they ended up playing in the West as well just to get a final look.

 

http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/local-football/steven-hislop-quits-bo-ness-after-manager-row-1-3441551

Seemingly fell out with the manager - but he's looking for another club!

 

I think he has signed for Bonnyrigg Rose. 

No 'shocks' materialised, yesterday.

Cove and Fort William's games resulted in a heavy win and a comprehensive defeat, respectively.

Maybe a slight raised-eyebrow from ICTPAISLEY with Hurlford not seeing-off Edinburgh Uni, but they can still win the replay, I'm sure.  

 

Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale  3-0  Burntisland Shipyard Amateur

Auchinleck Talbot  5-1  St. Cuthbert Wanderers

Glasgow University  1-9  Cove Rangers

Vale of Leithen  0-1  Gala Fairydean Rovers   

Hurlford United  2-2  Edinburgh University

Edinburgh City  5-0  Fort William

Newton Stewart  2-2  Hawick Royal Albert

Wigtown & Bladnoch  1-2  Civil Service Strollers

No 'shocks' materialised, yesterday.

Cove and Fort William's games resulted in a heavy win and a comprehensive defeat, respectively.

Maybe a slight raised-eyebrow from ICTPAISLEY with Hurlford not seeing-off Edinburgh Uni, but they can still win the replay, I'm sure.  

 

Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale  3-0  Burntisland Shipyard Amateur

Auchinleck Talbot  5-1  St. Cuthbert Wanderers

Glasgow University  1-9  Cove Rangers

Vale of Leithen  0-1  Gala Fairydean Rovers   

Hurlford United  2-2  Edinburgh University

Edinburgh City  5-0  Fort William

Newton Stewart  2-2  Hawick Royal Albert

Wigtown & Bladnoch  1-2  Civil Service Strollers

Yeah i would say Hurlford should have finished that one off especially with them being at Home and freshers week hasn't even started!  Still think they'll win the replay though.

Draw for the next round is tomorrow i believe....

Draw for the next round is tomorrow i believe....

I didn't know that - cheers.

 

It's interesting with the University teams. As you say, they haven't 'got back' to Uni yet. I read in the P&J that Cove were going to be facing a team largely cobbled together over-the-phone for the game - they do play regularly in the amateur scene in Glasgow and the University Leagues, but obviously haven't played a game this season. Normally, they'd have given Cove a sterner test.

 

The same could be said of Aberdeen Uni who are now in the North Juniors. Bookies favourites to win their division in their inaugural season - but they'll have to play 'catch-up' as the team they're able to field at present isn't doing too well.

 

Stirling University are a very strong team but will also have to overcome the handicap of starting before their regular players return. They're currently the best University side in the UK but have made an inauspicious start to their Lowland League campaign - sitting bottom!

 

The same scenario must apply to Edinburgh Uni, so Hurlford should still be favourites to eliminate them.

 

Can't beat the Scottish Cup. The oldest trophy in the football world!

I seem to recall ICTPAISLEY convincing me the Rose would beat Deveronvale. I went to it in Linlithgow and Deveronvale walked over them ;)

I seem to recall ICTPAISLEY convincing me the Rose would beat Deveronvale. I went to it in Linlithgow and Deveronvale walked over them ;)

Your right i thought the Rose would win that one, but i was right the previous round when i said they'd beat Nairn.... :P

 

Absolutely love the early rounds of the Scottish Cup.  Hoping the non league sides represent themselves well this year.

Hurlford beat Edinburgh Uni 5-0 away in the replay.  Just shows they should have had it wrapped up in the first game but well done to Edinburgh for taking it so far.

 

Hurlford v Clach will be an interesting one, I'll go for another replay between the two of them.