UP FOR THE CUP
Albion await draw for Betfred group stages
Stirling Albion’s season is beginning to take shape after the SPFL this week announced the dates and format for the 2020/21 Betfred Cup.
The tournament will again be played as a group stage in round one, kicking off on Tuesday, October 6. Matchdays two and three are scheduled to take place on October 10 and 13, with matchdays four and five on Tuesday, November 10 and Saturday, November 14.
The quarter-finals are shortly before Christmas, the semi-finals – which Stirling reached in 1961/62 but lost 2-1 to Hearts – are on
January 23/24 and the final is on February 28.
No date has yet been set for the group stage draw and the SPFL are set to liaise with the Highland and Lowland Leagues over the potential involvement of Brora Rangers and Kelty Hearts.
This will be the fifth season since the tournament was revamped and the Binos have so far always found themselves in the north half of the draw. They have posted some notable results in the competition, beating Falkirk and drawing with Hibs and Inverness CT, but lost heavily to Arbroath and Elgin City last season despite the promising start against Hibs.
Depending on the seeding pots, Albion could find themselves up against the likes of Hearts or Hibs and the Dundee clubs in the first round, which starts before League Two kicks off on October 17. Fixtures for the 27-game season are expected to be published by the SPFL at some point next week.
SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster said: “The process of scheduling the SPFL’S premier cup competition has been made much more difficult this year due to the disruption caused by Covid-19, but we are delighted to be in a position to confirm five uninterrupted rounds of fixtures once again.
“The innovations made to the competition in the last few seasons have proved to be a real winner with clubs and supporters alike. We are extremely grateful to our friends at Premier Sports, Betfred and the Scottish FA for their flexibility in agreeing this season’s Betfred Cup schedule.”
Meanwhile, midfielder Danny Jardine – who is based in the capital – has joined League Two rivals Edinburgh City following his recent departure from Forthbank.
The 22-year-old joined Stirling in January 2018, on loan from St Johnstone, during Dave Mackay’s time as manager and made his debut in a 1-0 win over Cowdenbeath.
Jardine started every game in the second half of that season and hardly missed a match in 2018/19, having by then signed a permanent deal. He was again a regular for much of last season but dropped out of the team towards the end of the Covid-19 curtailed campaign.
It was a surprise to some when he moved on this summer but the former Middlesbrough youngster, who also had a spell with Nice early in his career, had been a long-term City target and has opted for a fresh challenge.
Edinburgh boss James Mcdonaugh worked with him in the youth set-up at Easter Road more than a decade ago and told the club website: “I’ve known Danny since before he came in at Hibs. I’m delighted to have signed him for a second time, albeit 12 years on. He is a versatile, attacking player who I’m sure will flourish playing alongside the players we already have at the club.”