Neilson to face former club Hearts as groups drawn for Betfred Cup
● Hibernian take on four part-time teams
Hearts will face former player and head coach Robbie Neilson’s Dundee United side in the Betfred Cup.
T h e Ty n e c a s t l e e n c o u n - ter looks the highlight of the group stage, which takes place over three weekends and two midweeks from 13-28 July.
United will face an interesting test of their close -season t r a n s f e r a c t iv i t y a s Nei l s o n looks to build a team capable of getting promotion at the fourth time of asking. East Fife, Stenhousemuir and Cowdenbeath complete Group A.
Hibernian will face four parttime teams in Alloa, Stirling, Elgin and Ladbrokes League One champions Arbroath.
Motherwell take on familiar o p p o s i t i o n i n t h e s h a p e o f three teams they have played in the past three group stages – Morton, Queen of the South and Annan. Dumbarton make up Group E.
C h a m p i o n s h i p w i n n e r s Ross County will get a taste of Premiership opposition when t h e y t r ave l t o f a c e S t Jo h n - stone. There will also be three A n g u s d e r b i e s i n G r o u p B, with Forfar, Brechin and Montrose drawn together.
St Mirren will face Lowland League champions East Kilbride, along with Dunfermline, Albion Rovers and Edinburgh City.
There are a host of derbies in Group F with Lanarkshire teams Hamilton, Airdrie and Clyde drawn along with Glasgow pair Partick Thistle and Queen’s Park.
L i v i n g s t o n w i l l p l a y Ay r, Stranraer and Falkirk, along with Ber wick – who recently lost their league status with a 7-0 aggregate defeat by Cove.
Relegated Dundee take on n e w C h a m p i o n s h i p r i v a l s I nve r n e s s , a s we l l a s R a i t h Rovers, Peterhead and Highland League champions Cove.
The draw was split into north and south sections, with the e i g h t g r o u p w i n n e r s j o i n - ing the four best runners-up and European qualifiers Celtic, Rangers, Kilmarnock and Aberdeen in the second round.
The top seeds will host the second seeds with the other venues for games being decided in the coming days.