[spireitematt]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/31611760 

[Devongone]

Considering the competition foundered because top division Scottish sides couldn't beat teams from England's third tier, and that the financial gap between English and Scottish teams has widened, I can't see anything in it from the English point of view.

You'd have to find a Scottish team with a chance of winning it to attract a TV audience down here. That means Celtic. When you look at a decent Scottish Premier player like Greg Tansey - down in England Stevenage is his level. Tope Obadeyi couldn't command a regular place in our lower leagues, but now he's a regular with Kilmarnock.

I can't see it working. But no is the answer, we'll be keeping our ancient trophy.

[bluepooch]

Dev did you go to the Anglo Scottish Cup final ? I have vague memories of being stood on the big open terrace at Meadow Lane watching Alan Crawford flick the ball in from close range.

[Devongone]

I know Alan Crawford did score us the winning goal, I think in extra time, but I know I wasn't there. I think it was a two-leg affair and I think I saw the home match ....... I'm going to have a look and see if Wiki or somewhere will tell me. I watched us beat Rangers.

The entries for the competition were very odd. I remember in its final year there weren't any good English teams in it. I know as a fact only one Scottish team ever won it - St Mirren - but that was a quiz fact.

Did we win it the only time we ever entered?

[spireitematt]

I know Alan Crawford did score us the winning goal, I think in extra time, but I know I wasn't there. I think it was a two-leg affair and I think I saw the home match ....... I'm going to have a look and see if Wiki or somewhere will tell me. I watched us beat Rangers.

The entries for the competition were very odd. I remember in its final year there weren't any good English teams in it. I know as a fact only one Scottish team ever won it - St Mirren - but that was a quiz fact.

Did we win it the only time we ever entered?

Yes just been on Wiki and the year we won it was the only ever team we entered the competition. Celtic only entered it once. Not a lot of good Scottish teams entered it.

1975–76

Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bristol City, Carlisle United, Chelsea, Fulham, Hull City, Leicester City, Manchester City, Mansfield Town, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Sheffield United, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion

Aberdeen, Ayr United, Dundee, Falkirk, Heart of Midlothian, Motherwell, Queen of the South, St. Johnstone


1976–77

Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol City, Burnley, Chelsea, Fulham, Hull City, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United, Norwich City, Nottingham Forest, Notts County, Orient, Sheffield United, West Bromwich Albion

Aberdeen, Ayr United, Clydebank, Dundee United, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers


1977–78

Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Burnley, Chelsea, Fulham, Hull City, Leyton Orient, Norwich City, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield United

Alloa Athletic, Ayr United, Clydebank, Hibernian, Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Stirling Albion, St. Mirren


1978–79

Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol City, Bristol Rovers, Burnley, Cardiff City, Fulham, Leyton Orient, Mansfield Town, Norwich City, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Preston North End, Sheffield United, Sunderland

Celtic, Clyde, Hearts, Morton, Motherwell, Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers, St. Mirren


1979–80

Birmingham City, Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol City, Burnley, Bury, Cambridge United, Fulham, Mansfield Town, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End, Sheffield United, Sunderland

Berwick Rangers, Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic, Hibernian, Kilmarnock, Morton, Partick Thistle, St. Mirren


1980–81

Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool, Bolton Wanderers, Bristol City, Burnley, Bury, Carlisle United, Chesterfield, Fulham, Grimsby Town, Hull City, Leyton Orient, Notts County, Oldham Athletic, Preston North End, Shrewsbury

Airdrieonians, East Stirlingshire, Falkirk, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Greenock Morton, Partick Thistle, Rangers

[Devongone]

Yes, when I looked at Wiki, it only confirmed what an odd competition it was.

Disgracefully I think I didn't bother going to see us at Notts County because I thought we'd missed our chance. I thought knocking out Rangers was going to be our big memory, which in a way it was. They were still a club that expected to do well in European terms ........ and we did outplay them, actually out-football them.

[spireitematt]

I think if they bring back the Anglo-Scottish cup then it will fizzle out in a few years. It would be interesting instead of having Pre-season friendlies create a cup called the UK Cup which involves teams of all 4 divisions in the English League and the top two Scottish divisions.

[St Charles Owl]

No chance of the prem teams taking part in any other cup competitions, especially during pre-season!! This is the time they make a ton of money playing games abroad and increasing their exposure, shirt sales and network contacts!! Not too sure you would get many championship sides involved either, they usually play a couple of prem teams at home in pre-seasopn, which wouldbering in more revenue than playing a Scottish team unless it was Celtic or Rangers, and neither of them are likely to want it either.

You could take League 1 & 2, maybe the conference, and then add the lower scottish leagues as well, but I think that is as much as would take part. But don't forget, lower league tems will play at least a couple of home games against either local rivals from a higher division or even a gme against a prem team, again, that is likely to bring in more revenue than a game at home to Raith Rovers!!!
If this was to succeed it should probably replace the JPT and the equivalent cup competition in Scotland, but that is about it.

[Lord Snooty]

The best idea for an Anglo Scottish Cup was debated on the old site. We came up with a top idea of merging the League Cups at the quarter final stage, so the final 8 teams from each competition get to play each other.

So for example, if it had been in play this season we could've had fixtures like this;


Aberdeen v Bournemouth

Hamilton v Liverpool

Celtic v Spurs

Partick v Newcastle

Derby v Hibs

Chelsea v Dundee Utd

Sheff Utd v Rangers

Southampton v St Johnstone


There needn't be another date in the calendar as we could make the semis a one off fixture at a neutral venue. And the final could alternate between Wembley and Hampden.
Why not?

[St Charles Owl]

Because the winner of this cup currently gets a European spot. The FL will not give up their one and only spot in Europe!!