Bells Cup Draw and rivival of play offs

By Chris Mac
May 27 2005

Season 2004-2005 is well and truely over and now we have the first fixtures of season 2005-2006 being announced.

Airdrie recieve bye for the first round of the Bells Challenge Cup, giveing us a free Saturday on the 30^th of July for the start of the season.

The full draw is below.

Bell's Cup first-round draw

Raith Rovers v Elgin City
Peterhead v Berwick Rangers
Brechin City v Clyde
Morton v Gretna
Ayr United v Stirling Albion
Dundee v East Stirlingshire
Ross County v Montrose
Arbroath v Stranraer
St Johnstone v Alloa Athletic
East Fife v Stenhousemuir
St Mirren v Forfar Athletic
Queen's Park v Hamilton Academical
Partick Thistle v Cowdenbeath
Queen of the South v Albion Rovers

In other news the play off system makes a return to Scottish football. As expected does not include the Self Preservation League but at least it seems like the SFL are looking at their own set up before making demands to the other Scottish footballing bodies.

Voted upon at todays AGM a 21-8 majority decided that the play offs should be brought back.

Teams finishing second and third in Divisions Two and Three will face one another in a play-off semi-final.

And the fourth-placed team will face the side finishing second bottom in the league above in the other semi before a grand final, all over two legs.

Top teams in Divisions One, Two and Three will all go up automatically.

Bottom teams in Divisions One and Two will also still be relegated without the chance of a play-off.

Further developments concerning the teams finishing bottom of the thrid division mean that any team finishing last three season in a row will face first demotion to associate members of the leabue and then posible expulsion should matters not improve. This would be over a five year period but at least we see a step forward once again.