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Scottish Cup 4th Round In a hectic January schedule, we now have to fit in a 4th Round Scottish Cup tie against Edinburgh side Spartans. It should be going ahead on Saturday at Ainslie Park, a ground they share with Edinburgh City. Kick-off is timed at 3:00pm. The Caley Jags are in the middle of a fixture backlog after a few rescheduled games. Two postponed games at the start of January will see us embark on a run of four away games on the trot in the space of 10 days before a home game against Alloa on the 24th January. Having beaten Partick in the KDM Trophy, we have now added another home game (KDM) against Stenhousemuir on 27th/28th before we end January away to Queen of the South. That will be seven games in twenty-one days. Tough schedule by any standard but one which we should relish. Regardless, back to our current status and it's off to the Vanloq Community Stadium to face the Spartans. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Scottish Cup v Spartans KDM Trophy Kieron Willox ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A sight we never thought we would ever see as Shinnie lifts the Cup That was our victorious squad for the KDM Trophy shoot-out win at Firhill in midweek. Billy Mckay scored twice after Oscar MacIntyre opened our account in the first half. The main hero on the night was Ross Munro who saved two penalties. One during the first half which was in fact a triple save as he blocked the resultant follow ups and a brilliant save in the penalty shoot out to set up the win. After a couple of postponements, we made heavy weather in knocking Tranent out of the Cup at the neutral venue of Millfield Park, Haddington. Mitchell Robertson and Chanka Zimba had us 2-1 ahead at the interval and that's how it remained. Tranent were well fired up for this one and that must give Spartans a boost as they will look to cause a cup shock. Inverness have loaned back a former Academy graduate at the Caledonian Stadium. Kieron Willox, 19 years old, is from Nairn and began his career at Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC, progressing through our Academy before joining Scottish Premiership side Rangers at the age of 16 in 2022. During his time at Rangers, Kieron made appearances for the club’s Under-18s and B Team. He comes in from Stoke City. Matchday InfoFor fans making own way, Spartans FC suggest getting off the train at Waverly and getting a number 8 or 27 bus which will drop supporters off within a 5-minute walk of the ground. For those driving it would be parking in the sides streets around the stadium area. Away fans will use the Bain & Irvine stand at Spartans and any under 16 fans must be accompanied on entry and throughout the game by an adult. Spartans last squad out was at home to Dumbarton FC on January 3rd. Bradley White opened the scoring as half time approached. Marc McNulty added a second with twenty minutes to go and that's how it ended in this League2 clash. Like Tranent, Spartans won't be an easy route to the next round. Plenty experience at Ainslie Park, none moreso than former Caley Jag favourite and captain Sean Welsh. Marc McNulty seems to have been everywhere in his senior career except the old firm and at 33 he still has plenty of life left in him. James Craigen has also been around mostly just outside the premiership in his 34 years and Callum Booth has been at Hibs, Partick Thistle, St Johnstone and Dundee United amongst others during his 34 years. Spartans are running away with League 2 at the moment, eight points clear of second place East Kilbride. They have the second best defensive record in that league and have won their last three League games. They got to Round 4 of the Scottish Cup having eliminated East Kilbride 2-1 (McNulty ⚽⚽)and then Bonnyrigg Rose by the same score (Watson⚽ Stowe⚽) From Wiki: Ainslie Park on Pilton Drive in north Edinburgh is the home ground of Spartans. The stadium has a capacity of 3,612 (504 seated). Ainslie Park is only part of the new project that Spartans have invested into their new ground, a wider development of the Spartans Community Football Academy. The new facility incorporates a fully enclosed stadium which meets SFA and SPFL criteria, with an artificial pitch, floodlights, seating for 504 spectators and an overall capacity of 3,612. Another full size, floodlit artificial pitch sits adjacent to the main playing area and the accommodation incorporates six changing rooms, a club room, committee room and a physio room. The Club ground holds a P.A system and a bar for spectators. Who are the Spartans? Founded: 1951 Home ground: The Vanloq Community Stadium Manager: Douglas Samuel Record attendance at City Park: 3,346 v St Mirren (5th February 2006) Record attendance at The Vanloq Community Stadium: 3,127 v Manchester United (23rd July 2011) Record attendance away from home: 11,615 v Aberdeen (21st September 2024) Home colours: white shirt with red flash, red shorts, white socks Away colours: navy shirts, navy shorts, navy socks In a previous life, Caley played Spartans in the Scottish Cup in 1987 winning 5-0. Goals by Urquhart, Robertson (x2), Hercher (x2) Cheers Mantis, memories are made of this. What a find Below images came from Mantis here on CTO