OTHER UK CLUBS TO ENTER CUP

The SPFL is reintroducing the crossborder element to this year’s Trust Trophy, with two sides from Wales and two from Northern Ireland joining the competition.

The New Saints and Caernarfon Town of the JD Cymru Premier will join Linfield and Cliftonville from the Danske Bank Premiership in the 2022-23 version of the tournament.

They will be added to the sides from the Scottish Championship, League 1 and League 2, as well as four Lowland League outfits, four Highland League sides and 11 Premiership B teams.

The draw for the first and second rounds of this season’s SPFL Trust Trophy will take place at 1pm on Monday.

There will be a reimbursement payment of £6,500 per match, for any club travelling between nations.

The first round will be played in the midweek of August 9/10.

It will involve 11 cinch Premiership B teams, Highland and Lowland League sides – which will include Brechin City – and the bottom three clubs from last season’s League 2.

The remaining seven League 2 clubs from last season – which will include Forfar and Kelty Hearts – join in round two in the midweek of August 23/24.

The bottom two League 1 clubs from last season will also join at this stage.

The 10 winners of that round’s matches are joined by the other eight cinch League 1 clubs – which includes Montrose – in round three.

They will be joined at this stage by the 10 cinch Championship clubs – including holders Raith Rovers, Arbroath and Dunfermline, due to it being based on last season’s standings.

This 10 does not include champions Kilmarnock but does include Dundee after they were relegated from the Premiership.

This is also when the four cross-border clubs will enter, with ties to be played on the weekend of September 24/25.