Incredibly, this technically starts tomorrow!
We don't enter until the 4th Round (which is now in 'back' in its traditional January slot), but the draw for the opening stages is being held tomorrow at Hampden. Davie Moyes drawing out teams he'll never have heard of!

Interestingly, no 'first time' winner has retained the trophy since the 1870s.

To my knowledge, this seasons competition will have the most ever clubs with 92. And with 2 preliminary rounds scheduled, there are effectively 10 rounds of competition - again a record.
In the old North of Scotland Qualifying Cup, if I remember, the 16 Highland League teams had to win two games to reach the semi-finals, and qualification to the Scottish Cup.
Then (the Scottish Cup) had 4 rounds before the quarter-finals...so a total of 9 matches to win the whole thing! (sometimes even a bye in Round 1 was a possibility).

But this season's marathon means that when we enter, 5 of the 10 rounds will already have been played, and 60 of the 92 clubs will have been eliminated!

The 2 preliminary rounds are drawn tomorrow with the Scottish Amateur Cup winners involved for the first time - apparently a team called Harestanes from Kirkintilloch who play on a public park!

I got my Hearts ticket today.

Ironic post from the Master observer....12th man.

12 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

I got my Hearts ticket today.

I got mine before it was postponed

14 hours ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

Ironic post from the Master observer....12th man.

They are a big club with a big budget and big expectations from their fans to win the Cup.

1 hour ago, 12th Man said:

They are a big club with a big budget and big expectations from their fans to win the Cup.

Their fans don't know what the cup looks like it. Should they win the cup, I fully expect them to show it off using a traditional open top horse. 

35 minutes ago, HawkeyeTheGnu said:

Their fans don't know what the cup looks like it. Should they win the cup, I fully expect them to show it off using a traditional open top horse. 

Joking aside, there literally isn't a Hibs fan alive who's ever seen them lift the cup! There are probably only a handful of their oldest supporters who had fathers who witnessed it!

How many blocks of seats have we been allocated? the Hibs website suggest that it's 2 blocks,(so far) Will there be more available if required and will Hibs share the away stand?

Edited February 28, 20169 yr by 12th Man

Less than 48 hours before our big match against Hibs.  I'm trying to look at the positives we have going into this game.  One is that Hibs are on a worse run than we are, having lost their last three matches.  Even that fact could turn round and bite us because Hibs may now concentrate on the Cup, as  their challenge to finish top of the Championship is shot away.  But we have a decent record against them, and so I am optimistic that we will be OK.  Draper is back to strengthen midfield, and if we can find a goal scorer, then all should be well.

 I see Hibs are favourites with the bookies, and we tend to do well as underdogs but all the pressure should really be on Hibs, after all they are playing a Premier division team, and Cup Holders into the bargain.   Lets hope we play like we all know we can, so that we can enjoy post match drinks in the Iona, as we make plans for the semi at Hampden.  I'll see some of you on Sunday.

2 minutes ago, Caley Mad In Berks said:

Less than 48 hours before our big match against Hibs.  I'm trying to look at the positives we have going into this game.  One is that Hibs are on a worse run than we are, having lost their last three matches.  Even that fact could turn round and bite us because Hibs may now concentrate on the Cup, as  their challenge to finish top of the Championship is shot away.  But we have a decent record against them, and so I am optimistic that we will be OK.  Draper is back to strengthen midfield, and if we can find a goal scorer, then all should be well.

 I see Hibs are favourites with the bookies, and we tend to do well as underdogs but all the pressure should really be on Hibs, after all they are playing a Premier division team, acould nd Cup Holders into the bargain.   Lets hope we play like we all know we can, so that we can enjoy post match drinks in the Iona, as we make plans for the semi at Hampden.  I'll see some of you on Sunday.

I hope that Yogi does not make the mistake he made last season when we went to Ibrox in the League Cup and gave The Rangers to much respect by not only talking them up as a big team but treating them us such.

Our recent form has not been great but, in the context of Sunday we are the big team, we are a division higher, our recent head to head record is a good one and we are the holders something that Hibs have not been able to boast for 114 years.

No room for complacency but no need to afford them too much respect either. Whatever the bookies might say, we could and should win this tie. Hibs may be looking for some Sunshine on Leith but for them it will end in yet more sorrow,sorrow,sorrow....

Not only that, Jason Cummings is suspended  Nothing to fear here, move along.

4 hours ago, Caley Mad In Berks said:

Less than 48 hours before our big match against Hibs.  I'm trying to look at the positives we have going into this game.  One is that Hibs are on a worse run than we are, having lost their last three matches.  Even that fact could turn round and bite us because Hibs may now concentrate on the Cup, as  their challenge to finish top of the Championship is shot away.  But we have a decent record against them, and so I am optimistic that we will be OK.  Draper is back to strengthen midfield, and if we can find a goal scorer, then all should be well.

 I see Hibs are favourites with the bookies, and we tend to do well as underdogs but all the pressure should really be on Hibs, after all they are playing a Premier division team, and Cup Holders into the bargain.   Lets hope we play like we all know we can, so that we can enjoy post match drinks in the Iona, as we make plans for the semi at Hampden.  I'll see some of you on Sunday.

Enjoy the trip, can't make it as recovering from a hospital op but timing means we'll be able to meet up again at The Counting House in May :o)

No fears about this one, if we can't beat this Hibs side at the moment we don't deserve the chance to keep hold of the cup. 

5 hours ago, Kingsmills said:

I hope that Yogi does not make the mistake he made last season when we went to Ibrox in the League Cup and gave The Rangers to much respect by not only talking them up as a big team but treating them us such.

Our recent form has not been great but, in the context of Sunday we are the big team, we are a division higher, our recent head to head record is a good one and we are the holders something that Hibs have not been able to boast for 114 years.

No room for complacency but no need to afford them too much respect either. Whatever the bookies might say, we could and should win this tie. Hibs may be looking for some Sunshine on Leith but for them it will end in yet more sorrow,sorrow,sorrow....

Did just that on the STV news tonight, how's about some positivity for a change instead of every other team being a major contender.

 

Hibs have beaten a whole stack of SPFL teams this year in cups so Yogi and the team need to be cautious and show them tremendous respect.  It is therefore now the biggest match of our season and needs enormous energy to win it.

6 minutes ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

Hibs have beaten a whole stack of SPFL teams this year in cups so Yogi and the team need to be cautious and show them tremendous respect.  It is therefore now the biggest match of our season and needs enormous energy to win it.

Every time they win a league game they have beaten an SPFL team...

I hope we don't go there with a mindset of respect - last season we went to Ibrox, and decided to play the history of Rangers (and I don't mean from 2012 onwards either) rather than what was on the pitch in front of us. If we show respect and deference, we will lose. I am concerned about Yogi's "Hibs are a big team" comments. If he is trying mind games, then fair enough, but if he sends the team out with that attitude, I will be furious. We are playing a team from the league below who are on a bad run. On the other hand, we have recently beaten the champions-elect, and matched, if not out played, the current champions for an hour only two weeks ago. That should be the message to the team before we go out.

Then again, maybe we should play Hibs cup history. 1902 is a long time ago...

Will there be cash turnstiles?

45 minutes ago, Pele_Is_God said:

Will there be cash turnstiles?

I don't think so but there will be a wee cabin next to the ground where you will buy your tickets and then hand them to someone at the turnstiles. Which seems like a complete waste of time to be honest!

1 hour ago, Pele_Is_God said:

Will there be cash turnstiles?

The clubs Twitter account says that tickets are available to purchase on the day.

14 hours ago, Donview said:

Did just that on the STV news tonight, how's about some positivity for a change instead of every other team being a major contender.

 

Problem with STV & BBC news is you get a very small and selective piece of any interview....often with no real context and edited for sensationalism or to fit the reporters pre determined angle.

2 hours ago, CaleyD said:

Problem with STV & BBC news is you get a very small and selective piece of any interview....often with no real context and edited for sensationalism or to fit the reporters pre determined angle.

On the first part of that quote, what is being described is an essential feature of broadcasting and indeed of journalism as a whole since the written press need to be equally selective about what they use. In many broadcasting situations, outwith dedicated sports programmes like Sportsound, it's not realistic to use full length interviews and this is even more true of TV than of radio. In a 2-5 minute all-sport round up within a news context, what is known as "clipping" is more or less the only option available. Then, of course, when clubs do all-in press conferences as opposed to one to one interviews, the chances of anything more than a clip being used disappear more or less altogether. On the other hand if people are desperate for full length interviews they can get these in all their objectivity and impartialityon individual club websites.

On the second part.... well I actually thought it was just Rangers and Celtic that the whole world was against

As you say, people can listen to the full interviews on one of the club's online channels and decide for themselves whether the "clipping" is done objectively.

My latter comment is based on feedback from fans and not solely my opinion.

Rangers 4-0 Dundee
Ross County 2-3 Dundee United

Celtic v Morton (Sun 6th March, 12pm)
Hibernian v Inverness Caley Thistle (Sun 6th March, 2pm)

Just 6 teams left!

Inverness Caley Thistle
Celtic
Dundee United
-----------------------------------
Rangers
Hibernian
Morton

For a change, the draw for the next round is not being held-back until Monday or Tuesday - happily, the semi-final draw is tomorrow at 4.45pm on SKY Sports News.

51 minutes ago, Sneckboy said:

Rangers 4-0 Dundee
Ross County 2-3 Dundee United

Celtic v Morton (Sun 6th March, 12pm)
Hibernian v Inverness Caley Thistle (Sun 6th March, 2pm)

Just 6 teams left!

Inverness Caley Thistle
Celtic
Dundee United
-----------------------------------
Rangers
Hibernian
Morton

For a change, the draw for the next round is not being held-back until Monday or Tuesday - happily, the semi-final draw is tomorrow at 4.45pm on SKY Sports News.

Is the draw at 4.45 in case they needs to heat up two of the balls? It could be held at Easter road straight after the final whistle.

Who is picking the balls out ?

How about a totally unbiased Pat Nevin! LOL 

http://caleythistleonline.com/index.html/previews-2015-16/hibernian-v-inverness-ct-preview-r1353/

Hibees Preview