Sneckboy

Result: Hibs 1-0 Inverness CT

As Mantis mentioned, Lothian Thistle HV had a terrific win last night to set up a match with East Kilbride. The other game last night saw Cowdenbeath secure a 4-2 win at Arbroath, to book a trip to Ibrox. Saturday 9th January - 3pm (unless otherwise stated) Airdrieonians v Dundee United Dumbarton or Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South Dundee v Falkirk Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County East Kilbride v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Inverurie Loco Works or Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical Livingston v Greenock Morton Motherwell v Cove Rangers Raith Rovers v Hibernian St Johnstone v Kilmarnock St Mirren v Partick Thistle Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Wick Academy or Linlithgow Rose v Forfar Athletic Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen (5.30pm) Rangers v Cowdenbeath (Sunday 10th - 1pm) Stranraer v Celtic (Sunday 10th - 3.15pm)

Some ties went ahead this afternoon - but the weather played havoc here, too. Notable win for East Kilbride, in only they're second season in the competition. They'll fancy going even further! Cove now have a trip to Motherwell... Five games remain unresolved with attempts being made this 'midweek' to get them played. Forfar Athletic 2-1 Queen's Park Cove Rangers 4-1 Formartine United East Kilbride 2-1 (aet) Stenhousemuir Airdrieonians v Dundee United Dumbarton or Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South Dundee v Falkirk Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County East Kilbride v Huntly or Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen Inverurie Loco Works or Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical Livingston v Greenock Morton Motherwell v Cove Rangers Raith Rovers v Hibernian Rangers v Cowdenbeath or Arbroath St Johnstone v Kilmarnock St Mirren v Partick Thistle Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Stranraer v Celtic Wick Academy or Linlithgow Rose v Forfar Athletic

He also hinted on Radio Scotland that he'd have preferred a 3-year-deal - it sounds like there's been/is some 'tension' behind the scenes - the 'deal' that's been agreed is clearly a compromise, and will certainly have various caveats and get-out clauses.

Hawkeye, I'm sure you wouldn't be too pleased if you were denied the opportunity to double your wages.

I'd be amazed if part of his new contract negotiations didn't include a 'clause' that stipulated that he should be afforded the opportunity to meet any future suitors! Hughes is an advocate of a club not standing-in-the-way, if another comes-in with interest - or 'comes calling' as he puts it. He was vocal about that during the Christie move to Celtic. It's natural that he was disappointed not to be given the chance to just speak to Dundee United. And, as Butcher demonstrated when he went to 'talk' to Barnsley, it doesn't necessarily mean a deal is inevitable. Indeed, when he (Butcher) reflected on what he'd been offered then subsequently rejected it, to stay with us, it was such a huge 'shot-in-the-arm'! The way Mixu has started at Tannadice, it may not be long before they're 'sniffing about' again! But at least we'd now get more compensation - one would assume!

He's not a free agent until the end of the season - when his contract with Swindon expires.

Signed until the end of season (2017-18): • John Hughes - Manager • Brian Rice - Assistant Manager Signed until the end of next season (2016-17): • Gary Warren • Richie Foran • Greg Tansey • Josh Meekings Signed until the end of this season (2015-16): • Dean Brill • Aaron Doran • Danny Williams • Ryan Esson • Carl Tremarco • Ross Draper • James Vincent • David Raven • Danny Devine • Ali Sutherland • Liam Polworth • Lewis Horner • Calum Ferguson • Cammy Mackay • Nat Wedderburn • Jordan Roberts • Dani Lopez • Owain Fon Williams • Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo • Iain Vigurs On loan until January: • Ryan Christie • Miles Storey • Tobi Sho-Silva ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Development Squad players available for this season (2015-16): • Calum Howarth • Jason Brown • Jaime Wilson • Kane Hull • Struan McArthur • Blair MacLennan • Chris Brown • Stephen Rennie • Chris Blackett • Daniel Hoban (goalkeeper) • Alasdair Stark • Andrew Macrae • Cameron Gilchrist

Can't have any complaints about the draw! Airdrieonians v Dundee United Dumbarton or Alloa Athletic v Queen of the South Dundee v Falkirk Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen Inverurie Loco Works or Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical Livingston v Greenock Morton Motherwell v Formartine United or Cove Rangers Raith Rovers v Hibernian Rangers v Cowdenbeath or Arbroath St Mirren v Partick Thistle St Johnstone v Kilmarnock Stenhousemuir or East Kilbride v Huntly or Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle Stranraer v Celtic Wick Academy or Linlithgow Rose v Queen’s Park or Forfar Athletic

The draw is now on Tuesday at 2pm - live on Sky Sports News.

Is there another forum I don't know about?

The draw for the 4th round (last 32) is on Monday. Teams in the hat: Premiership Inverness Caledonian Thistle (holders) Celtic Hamilton Academical Kilmarnock Partick Thistle Dundee United Dundee Heart of Midlothian Motherwell Aberdeen St Johnstone Ross County Championship St Mirren Hibernian Rangers Raith Rovers Falkirk Livingston Queen of the South Greenock Morton League One Dunfermline Athletic Stranraer Airdrieonians Unresolved matches: Arbroath or Cowdenbeath Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale or Huntly Cove Rangers or Formartine United Forfar Athletic or Queen's Park East Kilbride or Stenhousemuir Dumbarton or Alloa Athletic Annan Athletic or Inverurie Loco Works Wick Academy or Linlithgow Rose Stirling Albion or Cumbernauld Colts

Today's results: Airdrieonians 3-1 Brechin City Albion Rovers 0-2 Greenock Morton Ayr United 0-1 Dunfermline Athletic Cowdenbeath 1-1 Arbroath Dumbarton P-P Alloa Athletic Elgin City 1-2 Raith Rovers Falkirk 4-1 Fraserburgh Formartine United 1-1 Cove Rangers Huntly 1-1 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Inverurie Loco Works 4-4 Annan Athletic Peterhead 1-3 Livingston Queen's Park 1-1 Forfar Athletic Stenhousemuir 2-2 East Kilbride Stirling Albion P-P Cumbernauld Colts Stranraer 3-1 Buckie Thistle Wick Academy P-P Linlithgow Rose

Maidstone United captain, Steven Watt, has been released by the 'Conference South' club.

Don't turkey the pizz, Hughes - Your reign, dear, has been a cracker, but Yule not be X-missed when you're toboggan.

Lee Cox has been signed by Stevenage (from Plymouth Argyle) on a short loan, until January. He was an integral part of our team that won promotion to the SPL in 2009/10. He's still only 25 - I hadn't appreciated just how young he was back then!

Was glancing at a Scottish Cup preview of the Wick v Linlithgow Rose game and discovered that Ryan Baptie is now on their (Linlithgow's) books! He came to us from Hibs on a one-year-deal at the beginning of last season - and was considered a promising player, predominantly a left-back. It was even thought that he could eventually be the successor to Shinnie. He did well in pre-season but didn't threaten our first-team and was subsequently released at the end of the season. Peterhead then snapped him up - but it seems he's now back 'home' now playing in the Juniors.

While on this thread, does anybody know what's happened to our promising striker, Calum Ferguson? He's had a great scoring record for the U20s for a couple of years - don't tell me he's another one injured?!

Just had a look. He's 4th longest serving manager in the Premiership and 9th in the whole 42-club Scottish League! It's probably an indictment of trigger-happy chairman that he's in such a position after less than 2 years in the job...

I can't honestly remember, Mantis! I just remember reading somewhere the 6th December at the time of the draw. It's probably correct, as this Sunday we're obviously playing Celtic, then next week the U20s have a game on Tuesday - so it's likely on the following Sunday. I've found this- The draw for the fourth round of the Little Big Shot Youth Cup was made this morning at Hampden Park by Scottish FA President Alan McRae. The draw is as follows: 1. St. Johnstone v Celtic 2. Queen of the South v Cumbernauld Colts 3. Motherwell v Kilmarnock 4. Greenock Morton v Ross County 5. Dundee United v Dundee 6. St. Mirren v Rangers 7. Ayr United v Airdrieonians 8. Heart of Midlothian v Inverness Caledonian Thistle These fixtures are scheduled to be played on or before Sunday 6th December 2015. It says on-or-before the 6th! How helpful! Hopefully nearer the time, there'll be official confirmation on the SFA website - would be a shame if you headed to Tynie and found the place shut!

bump! The Scottish Cup gets 'serious' this weekend, with teams from seven different divisions* playing to get into the big round, when the 'top sides' enter! Not sure yet when the draw is for the last-32, but will probably be next week. Our game is the match directly after our New Year clash with County. *Championship, League One, League Two, Highland League, Lowland league, East of Scotland League, Juniors.

I can only assume it's due to Celtic's U20s having a game tomorrow - in the UEFA Youth League. Looks like our next game is home to Falkirk, next Tuesday (1st Dec) - (although these things can change at a moment's notice!). Then, I think, it's the last-16 of the Scottish Youth Cup on 6th December, away at Hearts.

New career-high world ranking for Torvean's finest... now no.28, just behind 27th rated Phil Mickelson.