League Cup Draw: Forfar v Rangers

[Guest Nevergreen]

I felt that way last season more so because of what went before...alas last season was the worst in our history with some dire football and shameful defeats to the like of Annan at Ibrox.

 

I'm a wee bit reluctant to say we'll skoosh the league this year after what I saw last year, a wasted year tbh.

 

But as ever I remain hopeful...it'll only take 2 games into the season for me to see what's going on with our team and if it isn't going right you'll hear me.

 

Last year was about starting our journey back to the top league, I'm all for no excuses, but to not see that last year was a success against all odds.

 

Two games into the season and we are still dealing with the shit, but you think its fair to encapsulate a whole season in two games.

[ian1964 10,419]

NEIL DONCASTER, chief executive of the Scottish Professional Football League, yesterday helped conduct the draw for the first round of the Scottish League Cup then revealed he thought it unlikely that a European place would be reinstated for the winners of the competition.

 

Unlike in England, where a place in the Europa League is the reward for the winners of the Capital One Cup, there has not been a European berth for the Scottish equivalent since Raith Rovers lifted the Coca-Cola Cup in 1994 and entered the UEFA Cup the following year. With a number of teams having qualified for Europe as a result of finishing as Scottish Cup runners-up of late – Hibernian are the latest to benefit from that ruling – there have been calls for the League Cup victors to be rewarded instead but Doncaster does not expect a change any time soon.

 

"Ultimately it's down to the Scottish FA and UEFA but I think it's difficult to do that," said Doncaster, who stated the search for sponsors for both the League Cup and the SPFL is ongoing. "It would certainly hit the co-efficient potentially which is important in terms of the long-term success of the game in this country."

 

St Mirren, the last winners of the branded Scottish Communities League Cup, would have been the beneficiaries of such a rule change this season. Tony Fitzpatrick, the Paisley club's former manager who also helped make yesterday's draw, felt that the authorities should at least consider it.

 

"They should bring back the European place," he said. "St Mirren were the only team [apart from Celtic] to win a major honour in Scotland last season and they're not in Europe. Hibs got beat in the Scottish Cup final and they're in. I think [the League Cup] winners deserve a place. It would help lift the prestige of the tournament."

 

The draw – featuring the bottom 30 clubs as at the end of last season – threw up a number of intriguing ties, including two derby matches. Queen of the South and Annan Athletic, the two Dumfriesshire clubs, will meet for the first time in a senior, competitive match at Palmerston, with Angus rivals Arbroath and Montrose also facing off at Gayfield. First Division champions Partick Thistle will be at home to Ayr United – their tie will be moved to a midweek date as Thistle are in league action on August 2 – while Rangers face a trip to Station Park to play Forfar Athletic.

 

http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/football/no-plans-to-reintroduce-european-reward-for-league-cup.21596657

[lenzEK 0]

For most of last season I couldn't name the nine teams we were playing. In fact I would probably struggle with it now!

 

I still go to all the games, and enjoy my days out at the football with my mates and seeing the team play, but this "journey" isn't at all glamorous or exciting. Different, yes. Refreshing, at times yes. Exciting, no, not at all. The title is a foregone conclusion before a ball is kicked, so there is no need to be keeping an eye on the opposition as none of the teams are a threat to our season's ambitions of getting through the leagues. In the SPL you would be checking the fixtures for the next few weeks seeing who we have got and who the tims have got and the potential for any slip-ups. Seeing the match report of your next opponents to see if they are on form or not. Seeing who got sent off the week before for the tims next opponents!

 

The best thing about these 3 years out of the top flight is the huge savings us match-going bears are making on ticket prices, and getting to go around the country to the wee grounds you only used to see in cup ties. Standing on the terraces is good as well, as you get into the grounds a wee bit earlier to make sure you get a good spot to view the game from. Stress-free footy I call it, as even if we draw or lose the odd game, the title is not in doubt and it doesn;t ruin your week like it used to in the top flight where every dropped point was a potential title decider.

 

Seemed like it was just Elgin and Annan we were playing last season!

[Zappa 0]

But as ever I remain hopeful...it'll only take 2 games into the season for me to see what's going on with our team and if it isn't going right you'll hear me.

 

I don't understand this at all.

 

It normally takes us 10 to 12 games to start getting a really good idea of how the team are shaping up for the season, but more often than not, I think the majority of people look at mid-season (Xmas or the turn of the year) as being the point where we have a good picture. Two games though? We could win or lose both games 6-0 and it would tell us very little. Even the way the team plays over two games regardless of scoreline, really tells us nothing.

[the gunslinger 3,366]

you will be able to see if ally has learned anything from last season inside 45 mins of the first match i suspect.

 

i think he probably has in fairness. early signs are good.