Favourable draws for Tayside’s top three

SCOTTISH CUP: Last 16 places in sights but Brechin must go to Celtic Park

St Johnstone, Dundee and Dundee United should all be optimistic about their chances of progressing to the last 16 of the Scottish Cup after yesterday’s fourth round draw.

Saints will be away to Albion Rovers, while United face a trip to another League One side, Alloa.

Dundee got a home draw but tougher opposition – fast improving Championship team Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Brechin City’s board will be the happiest of all the clubs in the draw, after being paired with Celtic at Parkhead.

There will be three all-premiership ties, the pick of them being another Edinburgh cup derby between Hearts and Hibs at Tynecastle.

Highland League Fraserburgh landed a dream tie after being drawn at home to managerless Rangers.

Broch boss Mark Cowie will plead with club chiefs to resist the urge to shift the historic showdown away from their tiny Bellslea Park base.

The ground holds just 3,000 fans and Fraserburgh bosses now face a major decision on whether to stage the tie on home soil or move it to a bigger venue such as Aberdeen’s Pittodrie.

But Cowie hopes his men will be given the thumbs-up to run out on their own patch for what he described as the biggest game in the club’s history.

He said: “I’m still on cloud nine. I decided to get all the players together to watch the the draw because I had a feeling something was going to happen.

“It’s a massive draw for this club. Financially it will really help us out as you can imagine, in today’s world it is difficult to run a club.

“To know one of the biggest clubs in Britain is coming up to play you is fantastic. The question now is, can we accommodate them? They have such a big support and for footballing reasons I’d love it to be here.

“But I understand that is a decision we will have to make as a club. If it has to be moved so be it.

“Whatever happens this is definitely the biggest game the club has ever seen.”

enicolson@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: Colin Rennie. Fraserburgh boss Mark Cowie, who hopes to see the club’s meeting with Rangers go ahead at Bellslea Park.