Latest news with #ScottishLeagueCup
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Premier Sports Cup: When SPFL will confirm dates and TV picks for last 16 ties including Hearts and Hibs
Hearts travel to St Mirren and Hibs are at Livingston in the second round of the Scottish League Cup (Photo by Alan Harvey / SNS Group) | SNS Group Hearts and Hibs fans will have to wait to find out the dates, kick off times and if their League Cup second round ties will be picked up for TV broadcast. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The draw for the Last 16 of the 2025/26 Scottish League Cup was made on Sunday afternoon with Hearts and Hibs both being handed all Premiership ties away from home. The Jambos will travel to Paisley to take on St Mirren while Hibs make the short trip to West Lothian where they will face Livingston. Ties are currently scheduled to be played the weekend of August 16 and 17. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad However, the SPFL will wait until broadcasters Premier Sports have made their live broadcast selections for the second round of the competition of which they are the title sponsor. Supporters may be expecting to find out the exact dates for their ties sooner rather than later so that they can purchase tickets or begin arranging to watch the action but it was confirmed during the draw that there will a longer than usual wait until all is finalised. When SPFL will announced Premier Sports Cup last 16 fixtures dates including Hearts and Hibs ties After the draw was concluded it was confirmed that the final dates, kick off times and TV selections for the Premier Sports Cup last 16 ties would not be announced until after the end of the week following the UEFA second-round qualifying matches. The European draws are set to involve Aberdeen and potentially Hibs, Dundee United and Rangers depending on how results in earlier rounds of continental competitions play out. The draw for the play-off rounds of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Europa Conference League is set to take place on Monday, August 4. Aberdeen are guaranteed to be in the Europa League draw while Hibs will be in either the Europa League or Europa Conference League draw as one of the ties still to be decided. Dundee United will be in the Europa Conference League draw as a TBD third qualifying round tie if they get past UNA Strassen in their second qualifying round with the Terrors 1-0 up from the first leg. Rangers will feature in the Europa League draw either as a TBD third qualifying round winner if they are knocked out of the Champions League in second round qualifying by Panathinaikos or as a Champions League third round qualifying losing side if they progress past the Greek outfit who they are 2-0 up on from their first leg. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hibs and Rangers are both guaranteed to be in European action the Thursday before the weekend of the Premier Sports Cup last 16 whatever happens. Aberdeen are guaranteed to be in European action the Thursday after but all four clubs could have matches that day so it's clear why the SPFL are choosing to hold off on announcing the dates for the league cup second round. Premier Sports Cup last 16 draw This was the full draw for the second round of the 2025/26 Scottish League Cup: Celtic v Falkirk Kilmarnock v Dundee United Rangers v Alloa Athletic Livingston v Hibernian St Johnstone v Motherwell Greenock Morton v Aberdeen Partick Thistle v Ayr United St Mirren v Heart of Midlothian
Edinburgh Reporter
4 days ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Three Reasons We Love the Hearts' Chances to Contend in 2025-26
With the season just one month away, Hearts fans have high hopes for the club. A new boss and increased financial backing, many league experts believe they will contend for a top spot in the Scottish Premiership in the 2025-26 season. However, will these changes help them compete with league giants Celtic and Rangers? We believe the Hearts of Midlothian are capable of pushing the two top clubs and could end up taking one of the Scottish Premiership's top two spots on the table this season. We'll share the three top reasons for our confidence below, giving you everything you need to prepare for a thrilling Hears season! Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash Hearts Go All in With Derek McInnes The biggest reason we believe the Hearts are set for a spectacular season is the appointment of new manager Derek McInnes. The Paisley-born boss enjoyed a fantastic playing career and has carried that success into managing. The hiring of McInnes was a massive victory for the club. After taking chances on unproven managers for years, they have decided to bring in a proven winner in McInnes. Although his Kilmarnock club struggled last season, he led them to an impressive fourth-place finish in the 2023-24 season. With more resources and better support from the Hearts, we expect his winning ways to return quickly. McInnes made a name for himself as a manager during his eight-year stint with Aberdeen. He led them to a Scottish League Cup title and reached the finals two other times. He also helped Aberdeen reach the finals of the Scottish Cup during the 2016-17 season. In his time with Aberdeen, he led the club to a second-place finish in the Scottish Premiership in four consecutive seasons. They were unable to close the gap on Celtic, but managed to consistently beat out Rangers (and a good Hearts squad) for the second spot. Sportsbook Odds Show Confidence There is no shortage of Scottish Premiership analysts and experts, but they often have conflicting views. This is why we like to check sportsbook odds to get a sense of how operators believe the season will unfold. With large sums of money on the line, bookmakers are more incentivized to set odds based on in-depth research. Most popular sportsbooks have Celtic as the favorites, followed by Rangers. Hearts can be found in a distant third, but light years ahead of the rest of the field, including the Hibs. This shows that bookmakers like what they've seen from Hearts, who finished outside of the top six last season. While their odds remain behind the two leaders, a hot start from the Tynecastle Club could quickly change that. Sportsbooks taking an interest in Hearts is good news for fans who want to bet on their matches. They can expect to see Hearts-related betting offers, allowing them to back their squad while receiving better odds, bet credits, and more. Tony Bloom's Financial Backing While we are hopeful about the Hearts future over the next few seasons, that optimism took a hit when Heart of Midlothian's chairperson Ann Budge announced she will be stepping down. The 77-year-old has been a godsend for the club, helping to bring in the financial backing needed to compete in Scotland's top football league. Budge leaving will likely hurt over the years, but she provided the club with one final gift before she leaves. That came in the form of a €10 million investment from Brighton & Hove Albion owner Tony Bloom. He is receiving a 29% ownership stake, but will not receive voting rights, leaving the Foundation of Hearts in control. Bloom's investment was met with celebration from fans and club leadership. It represents another step forward for a club that was almost brought to the brink of collapse by former owner Vladimir Romanov. Time will tell how the club will replace Budge, but Bloom's investment gives them a head start. It sends a message to the league and international players that the club is determined to compete and has the financial backing to do so. That, combined with Bloom's connections to English football, could lead to talented stars taking a second look at Hearts. Like this: Like Related
BBC News
7 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
'Really starting to see what Askou is trying to do'
We asked for your views on the 3-0 win over Morton which secured Motherwell's place in the Scottish League Cup second what some of you said:David: Good performance overall, 3-0 was about right to be fair. Struggled recently against Morton in the last couple of seasons, so it was well deserved. Morton manager Dougie Imrie was constantly on to the linesman and fourth official, which showed desperation at times. Most convincing win in the group against probably the most to be That was our best performance under Jens Berthel Askou. We dominated the game and got our rewards. Elliot Watt was superb and Tawanda Maswanhise with an early goal of the season contender. It's all coming along Really starting to see what Askou is trying to do playing out from the back and possession-based football. Just needs more of a cutting edge but that will come. Far cry from the pragmatic football under Stuart The standard of refereeing in the first half was deplorable. Morton should have had a stonewall penalty. These decisions can change games. The linesmen had clear view of the foul. I wasn't a fan of VAR, now I Some great possession play, with no cutting edge in the first half. Good to score three against our best opponents so far. Some outstanding performances, notably Longelo, Fadinger, Watt, ApStam, and Maswhinise. Some really good signs, still a couple of players light to complete the Great performance last night, a joy to watch and far better than we had witnessed in recent seasons, I still feel there is a lot more to come from the squad under the current style which is even more exciting to think about, still a few additions to come in to further enhance the squad, job done, won the group and into the last 16, roll on the new season!
Scotsman
21-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Paul Gascoigne's Best Quotes: 13 of the best and funniest quotes from Rangers and England legend Gazza
One of the greatest footballers to ever grace the Ibrox turf, Rangers legend Paul 'Gazza' Gascoigne is still loved by the Govan faithful, almost three decades on from his departure. Signed in July 1995 from Lazio, the club paid a fee of £4.3million for the Geordie midfielder, who went on to become a club legend glittering three season period in Glasgow. A spell that not only left a mark on Gers faithful, but also Gascoigne himself. Included in the club's Hall of Fame list in 2006, Gascoigne won two Scottish titles, one Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup during his time in Glasgow, alongside several individual honours. Gazza was named PFA Scotland Players' Player of the Year and SFWA Footballer of the Year in 1996, before departing for Middlesbrough for £3.45 million in March 1998, in a switch he later admitted he wish he'd never had to make. Arguably one of the club's greatest midfielders of all time, we look back on the best quotes about his ex-boss Walter Smith, team mate Ian Durrant and - of course - the Rangers fans he adores so much. 1 . On how much he loved playing at Rangers... "I there was anything I could turn the clock back to, it would be just getting off the aeroplane at Glasgow Airport and joining Glasgow Rangers Football Club. I would do those two years over and over again for the rest of my life" | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Photo: SNS Group Photo Sales 2 . On proving people wrong... "I remember the press saying I wasn't going to do well up there. I just won everything. Players' player - the lot. I just really enjoyed my football" | Getty Images Photo Sales 3 . On his first meeting with Walter Smith... 'When I spoke to Walter he asked me what I was missing in football and I told him it was playing with a smile on my face. I wasn't getting that in Italy and he told me I would get that here and he was spot on" | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Photo Sales 4 . On playing for Rangers... "Glasgow Rangers. God. I loved playing for them" | SNS Group 0141 221 3602 Photo: SNS Group Photo Sales
STV News
17-07-2025
- Sport
- STV News
Berthel Askou wants Motherwell to exert more control against Stenhousemuir
Jens Berthel Askou is looking for Motherwell to exert more control when they travel to Stenhousemuir in the Premier Sport Cup on Saturday. The Steelmen drew 2-2 at Clyde in their group opener last weekend before winning the penalty shoot-out, and there was another test against part-timers Peterhead at Fir Park on Tuesday night when they fell behind eight minutes to a Jack Brown goal. Full-back Emmanuel Longelo, making his first start since signing from West Ham, levelled in the 29th minute and Austrian striker Lukas Fadinger scored a stoppage-time winner – his first goal for the Lanarkshire side since joining from SC Rheindorf Altach – but manager Askou is looking for more from his side this weekend. The Dane told the club's X account: 'Its's always a question of how high a tempo we can we play, but it's not just about speed. 'It's about control as well, because there were some moments where we actually tried to play a little bit too fast in terms of what we are capable of, and then we lost control of the ball or we gave it away too easily. 'A little bit too direct at times, which gives them the ball, they get throw-ins, goal-kicks, and then they could spend 30, 45 seconds every time, which was to their advantage. 'So sometimes it's also about just slowing it down a bit, but keep the ball moving and keep moving the ball from side to side, tiring them and then open up space to explode. 'So it's about finding that perfect balance and then being able to, when we raise the tempo, to do that at a higher and higher intensity and higher tempo.' Meanwhile, summer signing Jordan McGhee is set to spend six to eight weeks on the sidelines with a thigh problem sustained ahead of Motherwell's Scottish League Cup clash against Clyde. 'It's very unfortunate that we lose Jordan for this period of time,' Askou said. 'He's made a very good impression in my time here. 'He brings experience and versatility to the squad, so he will be missed. However, he is already on the road to recovery and we look forward to him getting back soon.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
