The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Tatters says timing diluting cup quality
Elgin City chairman Graham Tatters believes the Premier Sports Cup is being “diluted” because it comes slap bang in the middle of clubs’ summer reshuffles and blocks any chance to view trialists.
The Borough Briggs chief will see his League Two side bow out of this competition after their tie at League One hosts East Fife on Saturday.
A 1-0 defeat in an impressive display against Championship Arbroath was followed by a 6-1 drubbing at Premiership Dundee United.
A midweek 3-1 home loss to League Two new boys Kelty Hearts puts Elgin at the foot of Group B and only a win or a penalty shoot-out bonus point triumph would take them above their opponents.
Tatters, though, made his feelings clear in the programme notes for the Kelty clash as he said clubs not being allowed to field trialists in these games, as bound by Uefa, is a real challenge which has weakened the League Cup.
He said: “When this early season competition was initiated, I joined many clubs in expressing the need to allow loanees and trialists for these games.
“This apparently is not allowed under Uefa rules, so every player has to be registered. This puts clubs in a very difficult position.
“The pre-season is short, we have little time to play friendlies and take in players to assess them before committing to a contract.
“This pre-season has been particularly difficult due to players’ isolation as a result of track and trace.
“I hope a solution can be found for the future as the quality of this competition is being diluted because it is so early in the season and squads are still being assembled.
“It’s also a fact that the dwindling period of time between seasons makes pitch and ground maintenance more difficult too.”
Meanwhile, City manager Gavin Price was pleased in parts with his team’s performance against Kelty as Creag Little’s early goal was wiped out by Cameron Russell before a brace from ex-Inverness hitman Nathan Austin won Kelty the match.
Price felt his players “ran out of steam” as the squad still plays catch-up after 10 days of isolation caused by Covid.
The East Fife clash is the final one for Elgin before their league campaign starts next weekend at home to Stranraer.
Of his scorer, Little, who came to the club from Stenhousemuir this summer, he added: “I was pleased for Creag to get his goal.
“He has settled in really well. If you take the third goal away, I thought he and Matthew Cooper were excellent against Kelty.”
Elgin have signed defender Harry Nicolson on loan from Caley Thistle until January.
Nicolson has been in the Inverness squad throughout their Premier Sports Cup campaign, but has yet to feature this term, with his only two senior outings for Inverness coming in cup-ties against East Fife and Buckie Thistle last term.
The 20-year-old previously spent a loan spell with Fort William in the Highland League.
Nicolson will now join up with Price’s squad until the turn of the year, and could be involved in the Black and Whites’ final League Cup group match against East Fife today.