Scottish Cup 4th Round 21/22 - who're you wanting?

[Guest]

I'm wanting Stirling Albion or Alloa in the fifth round...

[Raith_Raver]

1 minute ago, morley said:

I think EK and Clydebank both have a great chance, as neither Peterhead or Annan playing great. Then in order of likelyhood from the other 3, BoD at home could surprise Raith, likewise Darvel/Brechin against Arbroath could surprise especially if Brechin got through the replay and with the added spice of an Angus derby. Talbot least likely but then again they are playing at home with a full house behind them.

 

Clydebank look favourites against Annan, but East Kilbride will do well to survive a trip to Balmoor (we know all about Balmoor in the Cup). It's not impossible of course but I can't see Arbroath or Rovers falling to non league sides to be honest.

[Tattie36]

3 minutes ago, morley said:

I think EK and Clydebank both have a great chance, as neither Peterhead or Annan playing great. Then in order of likelyhood from the other 3, BoD at home could surprise Raith, likewise Darvel/Brechin against Arbroath could surprise especially if Brechin got through the replay and with the added spice of an Angus derby. Talbot least likely but then again they are playing at home with a full house behind them.

 

I think Clydebank will be favourites and EK have an outside chance but if you seriously think Banks o' Dee and especially Darvel or Brechin have a decent chance then I'll have some of what you're smoking. Yes, of course they "could" win as could Alloa or Stirling Albion.

I hate to show percieved disrespect to any team but if Arbroath lose to Brechin or Darvel, at home, when we've recently been beating the likes of Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle, Dunfermline, ICT, Hamilton etc and are two points from the top of the championship then it will be without doubt the worst result in our long history of cup feck-ups. Likewise for Raith, who are also playing very well at the moment. I suppose anything can happen between now and late January but unless something unforseen and major happens to either championship side between now and then, then it will be very very unlikely that either come close to losing.

[Talbot supporter]

Can't see us beating Hearts but you never know, will be a great day with beechwood packed. This must be the first we have played a premiership side in a competitive match at beechwood, had some friendlies/testimonials against a few in the past.

[tamthebam]

1 hour ago, Melanius Mullarkey said:

What sort of crowd will Edinburgh City bring to Pittodrie I wonder 

A crowd of wankers 

Might bring up a few folk for the day out plus a Dandy we drink with.

I may even stand you a pint when I'm up there ya green trousered mushroom supper eating mutton molesting deviant.

[Zen Archer (Raconteur)]

7 minutes ago, tamthebam said:

ya green trousered mushroom supper eating mutton molesting deviant.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Tattie36 said:

I think Clydebank will be favourites and EK have an outside chance but if you seriously think Banks o' Dee and especially Darvel or Brechin have a decent chance then I'll have some of what you're smoking. Yes, of course they "could" win as could Alloa or Stirling Albion.

I hate to show percieved disrespect to any team but if Arbroath lose to Brechin or Darvel, at home, when we've recently been beating the likes of Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle, Dunfermline, ICT, Hamilton etc and are two points from the top of the championship then it will be without doubt the worst result in our long history of cup feck-ups. Likewise for Raith, who are also playing very well at the moment. I suppose anything can happen between now and late January but unless something unforseen and major happens to either championship side between now and then, then it will be very very unlikely that either come close to losing.

You're right, it'd qualify as quite a big shock of you went out in the next round. Still, a few key players struck down with the flu, an injury or two, a howling wind...and who knows?

[TheScarf]

7 hours ago, morley said:

Quite possible there could be 3 out of 5 non league sides get through to the last 16. Add more pressure on the spfl to open up to the pyramid.

It’s just the nature of the open, unseeded draw. Clydebank, BOD, Talbot in theory could get to the QF/SF without playing an SPFL team. Not this year obviously as they’ve all drawn SPFL sides, but it’s not that good a yardstick to use as a reason to open the pyramid up further, even though it’s the only one. 
 

[Ro Sham Bo]

7 hours ago, embow said:

Hope that disnae come back to bite you and the rest of us on the bum. One saving grace it that it's an artificial grass surface. We might be able to get a passing game going depending on the quality of said surface.

Indeed. I was emboldened by the standard of the Brechin v Darvel match. 

In all seriousness though, there can be no excuses if we don't get through with that draw. 

[keyser_soze]

10 hours ago, ATLIS said:

What a shite shite draw

Pretty much how every other team feels when they draw Livi

 

10 hours ago, HIT THE CHANNEL said:

Looking at Banks O’Dee and the stadium seems to only hold 800odd. Shite!

Potential move to Cove ? would be better if they kept it, reckon we'd take 4-500 depending on allocation

[Merkie84]

Any of these ties on the tv? 
 

Plenty of interesting games.

[TheScarf]

Am I missing something with the Killie/United tie?  One of the more boring ties in the draw along with Motherwell/Morton or The Caley and Livi/County.  Highly unlikely to be on TV IMO.

[Ross.]

16 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Am I missing something with the Killie/United tie?  One of the more boring ties in the draw along with Motherwell/Morton or The Caley and Livi/County.  Highly unlikely to be on TV IMO.

I’m assuming they will show that one because it’s two reasonably big, well known teams and there is a fair chance of the lower league side winning it. The Celtic and Rangers games are certs, Hearts at Talbot is the obvious choice from the rest, meaning any one from what’s left, and I struggle to see the TV execs not plumping for the Killie match from the choices available.

[Dunning1874]

11 hours ago, welldaft said:

Cannot argue with a home draw, although would have preferred a team from below championship level. I get the Morton fans pain as seems like they always draw us mostly at Fir Park. 

Five Motherwell v Morton cup ties at Fir Park since 2007. Four Motherwell wins in 90 minutes and another on penalties. Aggregate score: 17-1.

[RandomGuy.]

32 minutes ago, TheScarf said:

Am I missing something with the Killie/United tie?  One of the more boring ties in the draw along with Motherwell/Morton or The Caley and Livi/County.  Highly unlikely to be on TV IMO.

Tommy Wright v United is always fun.

[vikingTON]

10 hours ago, morley said:

 BoD at home could surprise Raith, likewise Darvel/Brechin against Arbroath could surprise especially if Brechin got through the replay and with the added spice of an Angus derby. 

Utter fantasy land stuff here. Brechin are in the non leagues because they got bodied on a weekly basis by three-quarters of the entire SPFL on their way out. The current Arbroath side would eviscerate them and make short work of Darvel as well. 

I'd be surprised if Raith/Arbroath didn't rack up at least an eight goal margin of victory between them. 

[Melanius Mullarkey]

10 hours ago, tamthebam said:

A crowd of wankers 

Might bring up a few folk for the day out plus a Dandy we drink with.

I may even stand you a pint when I'm up there ya green trousered mushroom supper eating mutton molesting deviant.

I shall be adorned appropriately ya salt and sauce scoffing heroin addict. 

[the philosopher]

12 hours ago, Inanimate Carbon Rod said:

Its a challenging one for us, we’ve built up some momentum i just hope we keep going. For us to get through against Annan and reach the last 16 would be incredible. Whatever happens im completely proud to be a bankie! 

Looking forward to this one.

The battle of the McMenamins- Colin is assistant manager at Annan and Gary is assistant manager at Clydebank.

[ropy]

50 minutes ago, Dunning1874 said:

Five Motherwell v Morton cup ties at Fir Park since 2007. Four Motherwell wins in 90 minutes and another on penalties. Aggregate score: 17-1.

We had 9 or 10 undefeated league games against Dundee before Saturday.

[HuttonDressedAsLahm]

4 hours ago, TheScarf said:

It’s just the nature of the open, unseeded draw. Clydebank, BOD, Talbot in theory could get to the QF/SF without playing an SPFL team. Not this year obviously as they’ve all drawn SPFL sides, but it’s not that good a yardstick to use as a reason to open the pyramid up further, even though it’s the only one. 
 

Perhaps, if that were used without context, but a number of senior sides have been dumped out by Lowland, Highland, and West of Scotland League teams this year. That's hardly new, but the additional clubs making it into the Scottish hasn't cheapened the product at all.  It's made the cup more competitive overall.

Specifically, the gap between the top of Lowland League and much of L2 is really rather small.  Most insidiously, is the strength of Talbot/Clydebank/Darvel/Pollok/Kilwinning at Tier 6, who would batter a lot of the Lowland League (Tier 5), and would compete well with the likes of Cowdenbeath every week.  Kelty have shown just how strong teams at Tier 5/6 can be.

I suspect the long-term solution is to substantial increase L2, possibly splitting into North/South leagues, but at Tier 4 rather than Tier 5.  

That however, requires some strategic thinking, and some selfless voting by members who, however unfortunately, prefer the leagues structures to protect the perpetually weak, rather than creating a better product.

Either way, even given no changes, those WoS teams will all be at the top of the LL with one or two in L2 within the next five years.

 

Edited November 30, 2021 by HuttonDressedAsLahm