Scottish Challenge Cup
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| Founded | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Region | Scotland England |
| Number of teams | 30 |
| Current champions | Airdrie United |
| Most successful club | Falkirk (3 titles) |
| Television broadcasters | BBC Alba |
| Website | Scottish Challenge Cup |
 Scottish Challenge Cup 2008-09 |
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The Scottish Challenge Cup is a Scottish football competition introduced in season 1989–90 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League. Entry is open to all 30 member clubs of the Scottish Football League. Its concept is similar in format to the English Football League Trophy.
The current holders of the trophy are Airdrie United, who beat Ross County 3–2 on penalties after a 2–2 draw at McDiarmid Park in the final in November 2008.
It should not be confused with the Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish Cup; nor the SFA North and South Challenge Cups, which effectively replaced the Scottish Qualifying Cup from 2007–08, when all clubs gained direct entry to the Scottish Cup.
It was announced in August 2008, that the cup would be sponsored by MG Alba and renamed the Alba Challenge Cup.
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[edit] Format
The competition is of a straightforward knockout format and commences early in the Scottish football season. Often the First Round will be played on the Saturday the week before the Scottish Football League (SFL) season begins, although in recent years SFL sides qualifying for the UEFA Cup have made this unfeasible and the round has been held on a midweek. The rest of the competition, up to and including the Semi-Finals, are also played midweek. The final usually takes place on a Saturday in October or November, at a neutral stadium located close to the two competing clubs. The Semi-Finals are not played at neutral venues.
The First Round is divided into two geographical zones - North-East and South-West - each of 15 clubs. In each zone, 7 ties are drawn and 1 club receives a bye to the Second Round (from which point the competition is nationwide).
[edit] Finals
[edit] Key
| * | Match decided in extra time |
| † | Match decided by a penalty shootout after extra time |
| Italics | Team from outside the top level of the Scottish Football League |
[edit] Results
Source: RSSSF
[edit] Performance by club
| Club | Wins | Last win | Runners-up | Last final lost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airdrieonians | 3 | 2002 | 0 | — |
| Falkirk | 3 | 2005 | 0 | — |
| Hamilton Academical | 2 | 1993 | 1 | 2006 |
| Ross County | 1 | 2007 | 2 | 2008 |
| Airdrie United | 1 | 2008 | 1 | 2004 |
| Alloa Athletic | 1 | 2000 | 1 | 2002 |
| Dundee | 1 | 1991 | 1 | 1995 |
| Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 1 | 2004 | 1 | 2000 |
| Queen of the South | 1 | 2003 | 1 | 1998 |
| St. Johnstone | 1 | 2008 | 1 | 1997 |
| St. Mirren | 1 | 2006 | 1 | 1994 |
| Stenhousemuir | 1 | 1996 | 0 | — |
| Stranraer | 1 | 1997 | 0 | — |
| Ayr United | 0 | — | 2 | 1992 |
| Brechin City | 0 | — | 1 | 2003 |
| Clyde | 0 | — | 1 | 2007 |
| Dundee United | 0 | — | 1 | 1996 |
| Livingston | 0 | — | 1 | 2001 |
| Morton[1] | 0 | — | 1 | 1993 |
| Dunfermline Athletic | 0 | — | 1 | 2008 |
[edit] Media coverage
One semi-final[2] and the final[3] are shown live on BBC Alba.
[edit] Sponsorship
The Challenge Cup has been known by different names due to sponsorship:[4]
- B&Q Centenary Cup (1990–91)
- B&Q Cup (1991–1995)
- No sponsor, known as the League Challenge Cup (1995–1998)
- Bell's Challenge Cup (1999–2001)
- No sponsor, known as the League Challenge Cup (2001–2008)
- Alba Challenge Cup (2008–present)[5]
[edit] References
- ^ Now known as Greenock Morton
- ^ "BBC Alba to cover Challenge Cup". 9 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_cups/7625048.stm. Retrieved on 11 April 2009..
- ^ "BBC Alba to screen live SFL games". 3 February 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_div_1/7867162.stm. Retrieved on 11 April 2009..
- ^ "Scottish League Challenge Cup Finals (sponsorship)". http://www.rsssf.com/tabless/scotchcuphist.html. Retrieved on 11 April 2009.
- ^ "SFL Announces Sponsor of the Challenge Cup.". Scottish Football League. 30 July 2008. http://www.scottishfootballleague.com/news.cfm?curpageid=993&newsid=2430. Retrieved on 11 April 2009.
[edit] External links
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