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!

Thank you

Well, one thing we can say about  our larger than life Seer is that he  rarely makes searing comments about others.

And he only  s-n-eers when he is sneezing and s-n-otty.  

Wick game tomorrow already postponed - for the 5th time. Will try again on Wednesday night.
After 4 previous postponements, Wick got their game on at home yesterday, but here-we-go-again with another postponement!
I understand that Linlithgow fans are not impressed! However, them's the rules!

Result:
Wick Academy 2-2 Linlithgow Rose
Wick equalised in 90+2 minutes to secure a replay! (Monday 21st December)

The Linlithgow v Wick game is now on Tuesday 22nd at 7.30pm - apparently there's a big marquee on the pitch on Monday.

9 hours ago, Sneckboy said:

The Linlithgow v Wick game is now on Tuesday 22nd at 7.30pm - apparently there's a big marquee on the pitch on Monday.

Why not make it Monday then and stay dry if it rains

Och! There's a wicked, wickan witch  around who has put a spell upon the game......

This is getting as farcical as was the case of the inept Fools on the Hill and the peat bog known as Kingsmills.

Another first for ICT.

Mentioned in the BBC Sports Personality 2015, ICT winning the Scottish Cup with James Vincent scoring the winning goal that wonderful afternoon at Hampden in May.

Must have been a great moment for James Vincent to see himself feature so prominently on SPOTY, even just for a few seconds. (I trust he was watching that, and not The Sound of Music).

Without losing sight of the first defence, Stirling are actually on a very good run of form currently. Let no one get distracted from the fact that we have in recent years struggled against teams in other leagues let alone our own!

Oh well, off to see the Weekers again, sad way to spend a tuesday night but never mind 

Not sad at all, Mantis! If I lived 'down there', I'd likely be in attendance tonight, too!
These games are the essence of the Scottish Cup, for me. Two clubs from different Associations and cultures.
There are also 'bragging rights' at stake here. I was guilty of suggesting the Highland League had proved its superiority over the Lowland League when the Highland League had 7 clubs involved in the 3rd round, with 'only' 2 from the Lowland League.

However, a win tonight for the Juniors would leave me with egg-on-my-face. Four non-league teams in the last-32...1 from the North and 3 from the South!
C'mon the Scorries!
 

 

Egg it is Sneckboy. Wick pumped 5-1 by Rose.

Yes, the departure of Ee Durty Weekurs (not necessarily said in jest - Wick had two men sent off!) does complete a very different North - South non league picture compared with maybe 30 years ago when the North teams had a huge advantage. On the other hand, one (or rather a combination of two) of these North teams has gone on to win the Cup and another has also reached the final so what we're talking about here is what's left. I do wonder, though, where the balance with respect to this shift lies between the two possible factors - weakening in the North and strengthening in the South.

Edited December 22, 20159 yr by Charles Bannerman

1 hour ago, tm4tj said:

Egg it is Sneckboy. Wick pumped 5-1 by Rose.

Campbell off after 24, Allan after 57 meant it was shootie-in for the Rose. I felt that Wick had the better quality while they had 11 men and much more possession. Rash tackle by Campbell spoiled it for the neutrals.

Saturday 9th January - 3pm (unless otherwise stated)

St Mirren v Partick Thistle (Friday 8th - 7.30pm)
Airdrieonians v Dundee United
Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical
Dumbarton v Queen of the South
Dundee v Falkirk
Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County
East Kilbride v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
Linlithgow Rose v Forfar Athletic
Livingston v Greenock Morton
Motherwell v Cove Rangers
Raith Rovers v Hibernian
St Johnstone v Kilmarnock
Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen (5.30pm)
Rangers v Cowdenbeath (Sunday 10th - 1pm)
Stranraer v Celtic (Sunday 10th - 3.30pm)

9 hours ago, TheMantis said:

Neat looking ground

St Mirren 1-2 Partick Thistle
Linlithgow Rose v Forfar Athletic (1.30pm)
Airdrieonians v Dundee United
Annan Athletic v Hamilton Academical
Dumbarton v Queen of the South
Dundee v Falkirk
Dunfermline Athletic v Ross County
East Kilbride v Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
Livingston v Greenock Morton
Motherwell v Cove Rangers
Raith Rovers v Hibernian
St Johnstone v Kilmarnock
Stirling Albion v Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Heart of Midlothian v Aberdeen (5.30pm)
Rangers v Cowdenbeath (Sunday 10th - 1pm)
Stranraer v Celtic (Sunday 10th - 3.30pm)

The draw for the last-16 is on Monday at Hampden. 6.15pm on Sky Sports News. 

St Mirren 1-2 Partick Thistle
Linlithgow Rose 3-3 Forfar Athletic
Airdrieonians 0-1 Dundee United
Annan Athletic 4-1 Hamilton Academical
Dumbarton 2-1 Queen of the South
Dundee P-P Falkirk
Dunfermline Athletic 2-2 Ross County
East Kilbride P-P Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
Livingston 0-1 Greenock Morton
Motherwell 5-0 Cove Rangers
Raith Rovers 0-2 Hibernian
St Johnstone 0-1 Kilmarnock
Stirling Albion 0-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Heart of Midlothian 1-0 Aberdeen
Rangers v Cowdenbeath (Sunday 10th - 1pm)
Stranraer v Celtic (Sunday 10th - 3.30pm)

The draw for the last-16 is on Monday at Hampden. 6.15pm on Sky Sports News. 

Teams in the hat:
Premiership
Partick Thistle
Dundee United
Motherwell
Kilmarnock
Heart of Midlothian
(Dundee or Falkirk)
(Ross County or Dunfermline Athletic)
(Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Stirling Albion)
(Celtic or Stranraer)

Championship
Dumbarton
Greenock Morton
Hibernian
(Falkirk or Dundee)
(Rangers or Cowdenbeath)

League One
(Forfar Athletic or Linlithgow Rose)
(Dunfermline Athletic or Ross County)
(Cowdenbeath or Rangers)
(Stranraer or Celtic)

League Two
Annan Athletic
(Stirling Albion or Inverness Caledonian Thistle)

Non-League
(Linlithgow Rose or Forfar Athletic)
(East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale)

St Mirren 1-2 Partick Thistle
Linlithgow Rose 3-3 Forfar Athletic
Airdrieonians 0-1 Dundee United
Annan Athletic 4-1 Hamilton Academical
Dumbarton 2-1 Queen of the South
Dundee P-P Falkirk
Dunfermline Athletic 2-2 Ross County
East Kilbride P-P Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale
Livingston 0-1 Greenock Morton
Motherwell 5-0 Cove Rangers
Raith Rovers 0-2 Hibernian
St Johnstone 0-1 Kilmarnock
Stirling Albion 0-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle
Heart of Midlothian 1-0 Aberdeen
Rangers 5-1 Cowdenbeath
Stranraer 0-3 Celtic

The draw for the last-16 is on Monday at Hampden. 6.15pm on Sky Sports News. 

Premiership
Partick Thistle
Dundee United
Motherwell
Kilmarnock
Heart of Midlothian
Celtic
(Dundee or Falkirk)
(Ross County or Dunfermline Athletic)
(Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Stirling Albion)

Championship
Dumbarton
Greenock Morton
Hibernian
Rangers
(Falkirk or Dundee)

League One
(Forfar Athletic or Linlithgow Rose)
(Dunfermline Athletic or Ross County)

League Two
Annan Athletic
(Stirling Albion or Inverness Caledonian Thistle)

Non-League
(Linlithgow Rose or Forfar Athletic)
(East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale)

Obviously a bit presumptuous to be looking at the draw, as we're not 'officially' in it yet - but I'm confident we'll beat Stirling in the replay!
No-brainer...we surely want the 'certain' non-league team left! (East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle HV)

However, I seem to remember from earlier in the thread, it was mentioned that we've never been to Annan or Dumbarton ever before - and both are still alive!
And of course, we've not been to Linlithgow, East Kilbride or Lothian Thistle either!
Please, anyone but Celtic, yet again!

I am just exercising my powers

Motherwell is a massively tough game if we beat Stirling - unlikely to score from the half way line again!!