League Cup 2021-22- Set for change?

[barnseytheclaret]

7 hours ago, HibeeJibee said:

On paper the country should have dropped another tier by the initial games; then another from the middle weekend.

On paper that initially means 2,000 seated / 1,000 standing; rising to unconfirmed higher numbers in whatever follows tier 0... (but only 1,000 / 500 in councils that have fallen behind; rising to 2,000 / 1,000).

That should be sufficient for many likely crowds.

In practice? Who knows.

It feels like government is allowing even these small crowds only very begrudginly - and many of the regulations are so restrictive many clubs may be unable to realise these headline maximums.

My gut instinct is you'll get to games but not necessarily as many as you want and/or not necessarily those you wish (e.g. Hearts).

There should be plenty non-league games available in east... Lowland and East of Scotland leagues start July 17th, ditto North Juniors; Highland start July 24th; unsure about Midland.

Hibs and Aberdeen could have UEFA Conference League ties on Thursday 22nd July (QR2 1st-leg) but given likely capacities I doubt you'd get a ticket.

That's great. Thanks for the info! It's hard to know what to do at this stage, as was looking at maybe doing Annan on the way up rather than rushing to Forfar area. Non league and Europa League could be an option, I suppose, but I guess as you say it's a case of wait and see. All very frustrating...ho-hum.

[FortescueFotheringhamSmyth]

On 30/05/2021 at 16:49, invergowrie arab said:

The repetition isn't "the luck of the draw" at all. A combination of 5 teams groups, seeding and Regionalisation which means it's almost impossible to avoid repetition.

 

Dundee United's 24 group matches in the League Cup: Arbroath ×3, Cowden x3, E.Fife x2, Kelty x2, Elgin x2, Sainties, Peterhead, Brechin, Hearts, Ross, Alloa, Dundee, Raith, Caley, Pars, Buckie, Stenny.

Dundee United's last 24 Scottish Cup ties: Hibs x3, Sheep x2, Caley x2, Partick x2, Celtic x2, St.Mirren x2, Ross x2, Sainties, Rangers, Killie, Stranraer, Motherwell, Airdrie, Montrose, Alloa, Forfar.

Edited June 13, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth
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[FortescueFotheringhamSmyth]

The number of different opponents drawn by each club in the group stage, with multiple opponents shown. Figures on the left are number of different clubs faced out of number of matches played. Most clubs will have played all six seasons for 24 matches. Obviously the clubs just north of Embra & Glesca switching between North and South sections should avoid repetition more easily.

21/24 – DUNFERMLINE (St.Mirren x2, Dumbarton x2, Peterhead x2)
19/24 – FALKIRK (St.Johnstone x2, Ayr x2, Brechin x2, Forfar x2, Stirling x2)
19/24 – STENHOUSEMUIR (Partick x3, Albion x2, Airdrie x2, QoS x2)
19/24 – STRANRAER (Motherwell x2, Livi x2, Ayr x2, Annan x2, Clyde x2)
18/24 – CLYDE (Killie x4, Morton x2, Dumbarton x2, Stranraer x2)
18/24 – DUMBARTON (Killie x3, St.Mirren x2, Dunfermline x2, Annan x2, Clyde x2)
18/24 – EMBRA CITY (St.Mirren x2, Motherwell x2, Hamilton x2, Livi x2, Ayr x2, Albion x2)
17/24 – DUNDEE UTD (Arbroath x3, Cowden x3, E.Fife x2, Elgin x2, Kelty x2)
17/24 – DUNDEE (Peterhead x3, Forfar x3, Raith x2, Cove x2, Brora x2)
17/24 – BRECHIN (St.Johnstone x3, Stirling x3, Falkirk x2, Forfar x2, Peterhead x2)
17/24 – ST.MIRREN (Partick x3, Dunfermline x2, Livi x2, Dumbarton x2, Embra x2, Q.Park x2)
17/24 – EAST FIFE (Hearts x3, Dundee Utd x2, Peterhead x2, Cowden x2, Elgin x2, Forfar x2)
16/24 – ALBION (Hamilton x3, Ayr x3, Morton x2, Stenny x2, Embra x2, E.Kilbride x2)
16/24 – MORTON (Motherwell x2, Killie x2, QoS x2, Partick x2, Q.Park x2, Clyde x2, Albion x2, Berwick x2)
16/24 – ANNAN (Motherwell x3, Hamilton x2, QoS x2, Ayr x2, Dumbarton x2, Airdrie x2, Stranraer x2)
16/24 – HAMILTON (Ayr x3, Albion x3, Livi x2, Airdrie x2, Embra x2, Annan x2)
16/24 – STIRLING (Elgin x3, Brechin x3, Falkirk x2, Caley x2, Arbroath x2, Peterhead x2)
15/24 – QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (Motherwell x3, Q.Park x3, Morton x2, Partick x2, Airdrie x2, Stenny x2, Annan x2) 
15/24 – ELGIN (Arbroath x4, Stirling x3, Dundee Utd x2, Ross x2, Alloa x2, E.Fife x2)
15/24 – PETERHEAD (Dundee x3, Hearts x2, Caley x2, Dunfermline x2, E.Fife x2, Cove x2, Stirling x2, Brechin x2)
15/24 – QUEEN’S PARK (Partick x3, Airdrie x3, QoS x3, St.Mirren x2, Motherwell x2, Morton x2)
15/24 – AYR UTD (Hamilton x3, Albion x3, Livi x2, Falkirk x2, Embra x2, Annan x2, Stranraer x2)
15/24 – LIVINGSTON (Airdrie x3, St.Mirren x2, Hamilton x2, Ayr x2, Alloa x2, Stranraer x2, Embra x2, Berwick x2)
15/24 – ALLOA (Ross x3, Arbroath x3, Hibs x2, Livi x2, Raith x2, Elgin x2 Montrose x2)
15/24 – MONTROSE (Ross x5, Forfar x3, St.Johnstone x2, Alloa x2, Arbroath x2)
14/24 – ROSS COUNTY (Montrose x5, Arbroath x3, Alloa x3, Forar x2, Elgin x2)
14/24 – CALEY THISTLE (Hearts x3, Raith x3, Cove x3, Cowden x3, Peterhead x2, Stirling x2)
14/24 – RAITH ROVS (Cowden x4, Caley x3, Cove x3, Hearts x2, Dundee x2, Alloa x2)
14/24 – AIRDRIE (Livi x3, Partick x3, Q.Park x3, Hamilton x2, QoS x2, Stenny x2, Annan x2) 
14/24 – FORFAR (Dundee x3, Montrose x3, St.Johnstone x2, Ross x2, Falkirk x2, E.Fife x2, Brechin x2, Brora x2)
14/24 – COWDENBEATH (Raith x4, Hearts x3, Dundee Utd x3, Caley x3, E.Fife x2)
14/24 – PARTICK (St.Mirren x3, Airdrie x3, Stenny x3, Q.Park x3, Morton x2, QoS x2)     
14/20 – KILMARNOCK (Clyde x4, Dumbarton x3, Morton x2)
14/16 – BERWICK (Livi x2, Morton x2)
13/20 – COVE (Caley x3, Raith x3, Hearts x2, Dundee x2, Peterhead x2)
12/24 – ARBROATH (Elgin x4, Dundee Utd x3, Ross x3, Alloa x3, Hibs x2, Montrose x2, Stirling x2)
12/20 – MOTHERWELL (QoS x3, Annan x3, Morton x2, Stranraer x2, Q.Park x2, Embra x2)
11/20 – HEARTS (Caley x3, E.Fife x3, Cowden x3, Raith x2, Peterhead x2, Cove x2)
11/16 – ST.JOHNSTONE (Brechin x3, Falkirk x2, Forfar x2, Montrose x2)
11/12 – E.KILBRIDE (Albion x2)
10/12 – HIBS (Alloa x2, Arbroath x2)
7/8 – KELTY (Dundee Utd x2)
6/8 – BRORA (Dundee x2, Forfar x2)
RANGERS, EAST STIRLINGSHIRE, BUCKIE THISTLE & SPARTANS have played in the groups in one season each.
The draw hasn’t thrown-up many proper derbies. One Dundee Derby, one Ayrshire Derby, one Renfrewshire Derby and one Pars v. Bairns game. Motherwell will face Airdrie for the first time this year. I’ve genuinely no idea if Accies v. Airdrie is much of a thing, but they’ve played twice. Partick & Queen’s Park have come out together three times.  
No Edinburgh Derby, no Pars v. Raith, no ‘Well v. Accies and no Caley v. Ross… though Ross will have played the Angus diddies a total of 11 times after this season’s group, as well as both City of Discovery outfits. The Angus sides haven’t faced each other as often as they’ve played Ross. Montrose have drawn Forfar thrice, Arbroath twice & Brechin once and there have been two Brechin v. Forfar encounters. There have been lots of Fife derbies: Cowden have drawn Raith 4 times, East Fife twice and Pars once. East Fife have also drawn Pars, Raith & Kelty.
None of this will change anyone’s mind about the current system though.  
 

[FortescueFotheringhamSmyth]

4 days before it starts, three bookies have chalked up prices

13/8 Rangers, 2/1 Celtic, 10 Aberdeen, 12 Hibs, 25 The Double Winners, 25 Hearts, 33 St.Mirren, 33 Motherwell, 40 Arabs, 40 Livi, 50 Ross, 50 Dundee, 66 Killie, 100 Accies, 150 bar.

No group prices yet, or prices for the opening fixtures.

Edited July 5, 2021 by FortescueFotheringhamSmyth
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