The Search For The Holy Grail Begins For The Juniors

ON Thursday night, the football-reporting branch of the MSM had a chance to look at something else. The draw for the League Cup had been made and mulled over. The usual suspects of former Old Firm "stars" had given their priceless (cough, cough) comments - the scribblers could move on.

Hell, they didn't even have to leave the pub, since the excellent Tom Johnston, Secretary of the unwanted children of Scottish Football - the Scottish Junior Football Association - conveniently arranged for the first round draw for the Scottish Junior Cup to be released on Twitter, as it was made.

Except, apart from the Scottish Sun's juniors expert - the terrific Scott Campbell, and the great Jim O'Donnell in the Evening Times, nobody was really paying attention to this, the most-important event of the year to the vast Real Fitba constituency, who follow the Juniors.

Any way, if you missed it - the outcome was:

Scottish Junior Cup 2015-2016

First Round Draw

Ardeer v West Calder

Ardrossan v Whitburn

Banchory v Aberdeen East End

Bellshill v Wishaw

Bonnyrigg v Thorniewood

Bridge of Don v Rosyth

Buckie Rovers v Hill of Beath

Burghead v Kilsyth

Crossgates v Lanark

Cumnock v Broughty

EK Thistle v Armadale

Glenafton v Newmachar

Hall Russell v Vale of Clyde

Inverness v FC Stoneywood

Irvine Vics v Camelon

Kilwinning v Dalry

Larkhall v Haddington

Lochee Harp v Tayport

Maybole v Broxburn

Montrose v Forfar Albion

Nairn v Oakley

Neilston v Dufftown

Newburgh v Kilbirnie

Newmains v Fraserburgh

Newtongrange v Edinburgh

Port Glasgow v Benburb

Stoneyburn v Dyce

Sunnybank v Yoker

Vale of Leven v Kennoway

Whitletts v Lochgelly

Ties to be played on 26 September 2015 with a 2.30pm kick off

Not too-many big names in there, the likes of  holders and perennial favourites Auchinleck Talbot will not make their bow in this year's competition until round two.

Speaking of the 'Bot; there was a huge sensation in auld Affleck on Wednesday night, when Talbot were dumped out of the Ardagh Sectional League Cup, losing at home to MAYBOLE JUNIORS, who won 2-1, AT BEECHWOOD PARK.

Now, I cannot remember the last time Maybole won at Beechwood. Indeed, I suspect even Alex Meek, who has been "Mr Maybole" since I was living there in the early 1970s, will be hard-pushed to recall the last time his side won there. The victory was a terrific boost for the small and hardy band who keep junior fitba alive in the Capital of Carrick.

This number includes a former class-mate of mine from Cumnock Academy, who lives in retirement in Maybole. Since said gentleman is a life-long Scumnock Juniors fan, who has now switched his allegiance to Maybole, I suppose I will have to call him a glory hunter.

Maybole's win was perhaps the biggest in a night of shocks in the Ardagh, with Troon beating holders Glenafton at Portland Park, The Buffs seeing off The Meadow and Hurlford needing penalties to get past Kilbirnie.

In the Euroscot Engineering Cup quarter-finals - the "Central League" equivalent of Ayrshire's Ardagh - the quarter-finals also threw-up a win for a "wee" teams, with Vale of Clyde beating Greenock on penalties at Ravenscraig.

Rob Roy beating Clydebank, the Peasie crossing the River to beat Pollok at Newlandsfield and Wishaw beating Lanark were less-surprising results.

Talbot losing was bad news for Shettleston, who travel to Beechwood in the League tomorrow - Talbot will be out to make amends for their midweek loss.



CELTIC got what I woud consider a favourable draw when the Europa League groups were settled in Monaco this lunch time. The Hoops came out in a Group A which reads:

Ajax, Celtic, Fenerbache and Molde.

OK, nobody really likes travelling to Turkey, but, rather Fenerbache than some Eastern European destinations. Ronnie Deila will surely relish a trip home to Norway to face Molde, while Celtic v Ajax will always be a cracking game.

This is a group which, at their best, Celtic can win. However, the pressure will be on them to at least finish second and qualify for the round of 32. This is surely the least the Celtic Family will expect following this draw.



JOHN Greig got some newspaper exposure this morning, with the news he has been appointed to the board of Rangers Youth Development Company. This company has come under some criticism from the usual, expected sources. To be honest I do not know how it all works, but, with a new manager who understands the importance, long term, of a proper, joined-up youth development system, Youth Development now is a very-important aspect of turning the RTA into proper Rangers.

Towards the end of the SDM regime, Greig was regularly to be found, going round the country with young Rangers teams, showing the flag in testimonials against junior sides and so-forth.

His stature and standing in Scottish football was all too obvious back then. I wish him well in his new role.

Greig, the now sadly ill Billy McNeill, Pat Stanton, Willie Miller, these are guys Scottish football should be using in a greater ambassadorial role.