Viaplay Cup

So it’s
Brechin away
Accies home
Cove away in midweek
Clyde home

I thought these draws were supposed to be somewhat regional but Ross got Stranraer in their group and St Mirren’s opponents are all east side of the country from Cowdenbeath to Montrose.

Anyway, we should win this group comfortably, a non league side and 3 teams that were relegated. No second tier side in the group at all. So a good chance to get some confidence before the league campaign…or wearing my usual downbeat glasses… a possibly totally humiliating experience.

Yep, we've struggled to get through the group stages the last couple of seasons, this is a really weak group for us, so should be a breeze.

Trip to Cove on a Tues night is well thought out.

Aye,on paper looks a walk in the park.But its Livi,never know what we're gonna get.Will I suspect be used obviously to get the lads up to speed for the real stuff..

Yeah Cove midweek is ludicrous, that game should have been Cove playing Brechin. But the whole draw isn’t remotely geographical which it should be, at least as far as it possibly can be.

Even the other midweek game where we don’t play… it’s Cove v Clyde and Accies v Brechin…

I just looked at the pre-draw seedlings and without much thought at all came up with the following groups which are roughly based on geographical location of each side and the limitations imposed by the seeding pots.

Group 1
St Mirren
Morton
Airdrie
Dumbarton
Albion

Group 2
Motherwell
Hamilton
Falkirk
Clyde
Spartans

Group 3
Livingston
Queens Park
Edinburgh
Kelty
Bonnyrigg

Group 4
St Johnstone
Partick
Alloa
Stirling
Stenhousemuir

Group 5
Kilmarnock
Ayr
QoS
Annan
Stranraer

Group 6
Ross
Caley
Cove
Peterhead
Elgin

Group 7
United
Arbroath
Dunfermline
Forfar
Brechin

Group 8
Dundee
Raith
Montrose
East Fife
Cowdenbeath

Not only is it fairly geographic, it also throws up derbies and other rivalries. I think my “draw” is much more sensible in terms of cost, carbon footprint (not that I’m bothered by that) & just basic footballing interest and it took me about 10 minutes with pen & paper.

Just realised I could have switched Dunfermline and Montrose for even better geographical groups.

The Livi away boys are always wanting far flung away grounds right enough, i'm more an as close to home as i can get for less travelling fan myself, and preferably a home draw once we get past the group stages, esp with our away form taking a nose dive last season.

Happy enough with the teams we got though, they look easy qualifying ones, and if we were looking for pre season games to get us up to speed before the league campaign, we prob wouldn't be wanting them, as they'd be too easy for us. But the way we finished the season i'll take weaker looking teams every time, to give us a bit of a confidence builder (i hope).

We've got a pretty amazing record of qualifying through the group stages, since it started we've never failed to get through them, even when we were a League One team, and then a Championship team, we topped the group over the Premiership team. Couple of times it didn't look like we'd do it right enough, qualifying as one of the best 2nd placed teams, but we still managed it.

Would with trepidation expect us to comfortably negotiate our way through this group.On another note.I know its still early in the close season.But I've heard he haw about interest in Fitzwater and Joel.Awaiting with baited breath as to wether Davies budget expectations are going to be raised,or as per usual journeymen who we know nothing about will revert to the norm. Suspect we'll soon find out.Give it a couple of weeks but can't wait for next seasons expectations.And keep it real guys..

Anyone tried to buy tickets online for the Accies and Clyde games?

I tried for ages last night but it kept failing saying I hadn’t filled in everything but I clearly had and the information I had put in was correct. I really am unimpressed with this online ticketing platform and IMO the club ought to address it and improve it. I never have difficulty buying tickets for our away games.

I got mine a week or so down at the Stadium Reception no problem Nick.Understand there's sometimes problems with the online purchasing.Always try and pop down to get mine.Will be at the QOTS game today.Hopefully a good run out for the boys,and good to see big Marv back.Mon the Lions..

Got mine at reception this morning and mentioned the problem, was told there were a few others who had mentioned it.