Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Irn-bru Cup just so ‘silly’
DAVID HOPKIN has branded the Irn-bru
Cup as “beyond silliness” after the introduction of Welsh, English and Irish clubs to the Scottish competition.
The tournament was expanded again this year to allow even more teams in from across the the UK and Ireland as well as colt sides.
But former
Livingston boss Hopkin, who is now manager of Bradford City, believes it’s a ludicrous format in comparison to
England’s version – the Checkatrade
Trophy.
He said: “It’s getting beyond silliness now.
“It used to be a cup for the lower-league Scottish teams with a chance of winning some silverware. Now you’ve got to travel to Boreham Wood, Ireland and other places.
“It should be a Scottish cup competition but you could end up with a Welsh, Irish or English team winning it.
“I don’t know what they were thinking. Perhaps they want to get these teams in to see how it worked between Scotland and England and then set up something bigger.
“It doesn’t make sense to me. It just becomes a hindrance. I can’t see why it still can’t be just the Scottish clubs like it should be.”
League of Ireland clubs Bohemians and Sligo Rovers are still left in the competion, as are Irish League side Coleraine.