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.
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