The Scottish Cup, oldest national trophy in the world, was first held in the 1873/1874 season. It was won for the first time by the oldest Scottish club Queen’s Park who were founded six years prior in 1867. The Scottish Cup has now became arguably the best and most competitive competition in Scotland. It’s been won by as many as 22 different teams in it’s history, whereas the League and League Cup have both been won by only twelve different teams.
So what makes it the best competition in Scotland and why isn’t it the league that most clubs try fighting it out for?
In simple terms, it’s because Rangers and Celtic, in recent history particularly, seem to be head and shoulders above the rest and have been far more consistent when it comes to the league than any of the other teams. This could come down to so many different reasons, possibly the most important one is the money spent. With the Scottish cup it’s as simple as winning eight games and you’ve won the trophy – sounds easy.
Well it isn’t that simple, but it’s made easier thanks to sides like Rangers and Celtic putting out their weaker and younger players in the cup competitions. In the last six seasons there have been ten different finalists in the Scottish Cup. Possibly another reason why fans love the cup is the fact that the winner gets a place in Europe the following season, or even the cup finalists depending on the other finalists have finished in the league standings.
Another reason that all Scottish fans love the Scottish Cup is that there are teams from all four divisions in Scotland as well as a selected amount of junior teams that compete in it and that can only mean one thing will happen – there will definitely be one or two giant killings and surprising results in store. Here are just some of the biggest ones that have happened in the tournament.
- 27th April, 1938 – Second division side at the time East Fife beat Kilmarnock in the final 4-2 to claim their one and only Scottish Cup
- 31st January, 1959 – Highland League outfit Fraserburgh beat a Dundee side that had Seven Scottish Internationalist in their squad 1-0
- 26th April, 1961 – Dunfermline beat Celtic 2-0 in the Scottish Cup Final
- 31st January, 1987 – Hamilton stun Rangers in the Third round by beating them 1-0 at Ibrox, the season before Rangers went on to win nine in a row
- 18th February, 1995 – Stenhousemuir upset all the odds when they beat Aberdeen 2-0 in the fourth road, both goals coming from a farmer
- 8th February, 2000 – Inverness then in the first division beat John Barnes Celtic side 3-1, which the Sun then put out the famous title “Super Caley go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious”
- 10th April. 2010 – The most recent giant killing was once again endured by Celtic when they got put out of last year’s Scottish cup at the hands of first division outfit Ross County in the semi-finals
The Scottish cup has just got under way with the first round matches being played over the past weekend. All the teams will be hoping to get as far as they possibly can and try to pull a big team from the top division out of the hat in the fourth round which is due to be played onJanuary 7th. Who knows there could possibly be a couple of upsets on the cards once again this year.
One thing to be confident about is that we won’t see either Rangers or Celtic lifting the trophy come Saturday May 19th at Hampden Park.
Gary, just to point out that the Ross County semi-final defeat was last year’s but the context you have written it in makes it sound like last season, in which Celtic won the trophy. Also, the last paragraph seems to say that the Old Firm won’t be winning the cup this year, is that what you meant?
Hey Paul, yeah I see what it looks like there, I meant the season before. Yeah I really think this season, Neither of the Old firm will win it for me. Hope I’m wrong and Rangers do end up winning it.