2023 Challenge Cup Final

[academical]

For the benefit of maybe three people on this forum who might be interested, the 30th Scottish Challenge Cup Final is being played this Sunday at the Falkirk Stadium, 4:15pm kick-off, and is being televised live on BBC Alba.

Raith Rovers versus Hamilton Academical

Although the competition has been running for 33 years, there have been two seasons when the competition was suspended, one for lack of sponsorship, and one for COVID. The pandemic also meant the final wasn’t played two years ago, and finalists Raith Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle shared the trophy.

That means one of this year’s finalists, Raith, are going for their third trophy in a row. Their first win in 2014 we can gloss over; their win last season was over Queen of the South. So this is their third actual appearance in a final.

Accies have played in four finals, and this will be our fifth. Five finals, five venues, five opponents: v Ayr in Motherwell, v Morton in Paisley, v St Mirren in Airdrie, v Falkirk in Livingston, and now v Raith in Falkirk. The first two won, and the last two lost. Five finals in three decades might not be that many, but Accies were ineligible for ten seasons due to being in the top flight.

Raith are favourites, but put your mortgage, your wife and weans, and everything you own, on Accies causing an upset to lift our third trophy, 30 years after our last in 1993. You heard it here first.

 

[RTID55]

I like your confidence

 

[Maida Vale Bear]

Will Alba have sub-titles as my gaelic is a wee bit rusty?

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Will Alba have sub-titles as my gaelic is a wee bit rusty?

They usually have a commentator speaking normal.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Cheers OP. Will give me something to watch on Sunday, best of luck.

 

[BigBill32]

Good luck to the Accies.

 

[Spiderman]

Challenge Cup gives me Vietnam vet type flashbacks.

 

[Gibraltar Loyal]

For the reason @academical is a great contributor in the lounge and the fact I despise Raith for number of reasons Turnbull Hutton and Val McDermid being the two main ones, I want Accies to win.

 

[westwoodrsc_gm]

All the best mate enjoy your day

 

[PT98]

Cheers OP, any sort of competitive domestic football during international weekend is welcomed. Will definitely tune in.

Hope Hamilton win too

 

[Ray Von]

Would rather watch this than most international games.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Would rather watch this than most international games.

Would rather watch this than most club games

 

[PT98]

Seems they were 'joint winners' in 19/20 cos the tournament was never finished due to covid.

Wonder why the Scottish cup was played to a finish

 

[Valley Bluenose]

For the benefit of maybe three people on this forum who might be interested, the 30th Scottish Challenge Cup Final is being played this Sunday at the Falkirk Stadium, 4:15pm kick-off, and is being televised live on BBC Alba.

Raith Rovers versus Hamilton Academical

Although the competition has been running for 33 years, there have been two seasons when the competition was suspended, one for lack of sponsorship, and one for COVID. The pandemic also meant the final wasn’t played two years ago, and finalists Raith Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle shared the trophy.

That means one of this year’s finalists, Raith, are going for their third trophy in a row. Their first win in 2014 we can gloss over; their win last season was over Queen of the South. So this is their third actual appearance in a final.

Accies have played in four finals, and this will be our fifth. Five finals, five venues, five opponents: v Ayr in Motherwell, v Morton in Paisley, v St Mirren in Airdrie, v Falkirk in Livingston, and now v Raith in Falkirk. The first two won, and the last two lost. Five finals in three decades might not be that many, but Accies were ineligible for ten seasons due to being in the top flight.

Raith are favourites, but put your mortgage, your wife and weans, and everything you own, on Accies causing an upset to lift our third trophy, 30 years after our last in 1993. You heard it here first.

Good Luck @academical. Hopefully your team can do you proud (they couldn't do any worse than we did in that final you glossed over ).

 

[BroomloanWATP]

Would genuinely rather watch this than any international qualifier.

 

[HamiltonJungleBear]

Would genuinely rather watch this than any international qualifier.

Agreed. That’s why I’m going, just to fill the gap until we get the real football back (and to support Accies.)

 

[Purplestar]

@academical .. If you remember my post in the recent Adrian Sprott thread that you put up a few weeks ago then you will understand why I hope your team get absolutely pumped .

 

[Kris1872]

Hope Raith Rovers win.

 

[mark hateley]

Can't hate Raith for their heroic performance in 94.

But good luck OP. Your a great contributer to the board so hopefully your happy come 6.15pm on Sunday.

 

[strathavenbear]

Hopefully they manage to get a decent amount going.
£5 for the buses from NDP to Falkirk is decent and the ticket prices are reasonable.

 

[PaulieGualtieri]

I'll watch almost any mens football, but I absolutely will not watch this.

 

[Purplestar]

Only joking mate , hope your team wins and you have a great day and end up on a 3 day bender.

 

[RoyalBlue]

Best of British to your lads, @academical

 

[Cambuslang Ranger]

Hope the Accies win it , went to see them at Douglas Park a few times many years ago.

 

[Galstonian Oranje]

A cup final on a ridiculously bad plastic pitch. Only in Scotland

 

[Brian Laudrup]

That challenge cup final at easter rd gives me PTSD

 

[WinkieWATP]

Ah the good old Tunnocks Carmel Wafer cup.

 

[Jim Prideaux]

Ah the good old Tunnocks Carmel Wafer cup. Think I’ll watch the France Holland game myself but good luck A. Hope you win.

You watching a repeat?

 

[Strathblue]

C’mon the Accies !

 

[WinkieWATP]

You watching a repeat?

FFS thought the game was tonight. I will then be in the pub

 

[Theciscokid]

Hope Accies do it for my Dad.

 

[Delboy1962]

That challenge cup final at easter rd gives give me PTSD

The ironic thing is the Tims slagged us for being beaten in a cup final by Raith Rovers!.

 

[Btbamrfc]

That challenge cup final at easter rd gives give me PTSD

PTSD flashback to that horror show.

 

[PunkScott]

…Mon they Hamilton, f.uck the Raith and batter em…

 

[Sandbear]

For no other reason than Academical seems like a decent bloke I hope his team wins .

 

[captcaveman]

I will be giving this a miss..

 

[larkyfraz]

Good luck to Accies.
Went to Fir park for the win v Ayr.

 

[blue genes]

Give us a wave from your seat, you shouldn't be difficult to spot with your "Thanks Nicola" banner...

 

[madride]

He’s an absolute prick but this is still my highlight of the Challenge Cup

 

[weebudsbud]

For the reason @academical is a great contributor in the lounge and the fact I despise Raith for number of reasons Turnbull Hutton and Val McDermid being the two main ones, I want Accies to win.

Raith are my home team and the team I supported as a kid. I was in the directors box as their guest at the recent cup tie.

But I`m with you.

Edited to add: Just to make it clear. I hate RR.

 

[CooperBlu11]

A 1 cup win out of 4 success rate in this pishy cup really summed up our shambolic time down in the lower leagues.

 

[BlueSevenTwo]

Seems they were 'joint winners' in 19/20 cos the tournament was never finished due to covid.

Wonder why the Scottish cup was played to a finish

Celtic is the correct answer here.

 

[BlueSevenTwo]

That challenge cup final at easter rd gives give me PTSD

Ally doesn’t have that one on karaoke.

 

[BlueSevenTwo]

A 1 cup win out of 4 success rate in this pishy cup really summed up our shambolic time down in the lower leagues.

The lads had a great party after Easter Road though.

 

[Teddy Casablanca]

33 years !!!!! Good grief.

 

[punk]

For the benefit of maybe three people on this forum who might be interested, the 30th Scottish Challenge Cup Final is being played this Sunday at the Falkirk Stadium, 4:15pm kick-off, and is being televised live on BBC Alba.

Raith Rovers versus Hamilton Academical

Although the competition has been running for 33 years, there have been two seasons when the competition was suspended, one for lack of sponsorship, and one for COVID. The pandemic also meant the final wasn’t played two years ago, and finalists Raith Rovers and Inverness Caledonian Thistle shared the trophy.

That means one of this year’s finalists, Raith, are going for their third trophy in a row. Their first win in 2014 we can gloss over; their win last season was over Queen of the South. So this is their third actual appearance in a final.

Accies have played in four finals, and this will be our fifth. Five finals, five venues, five opponents: v Ayr in Motherwell, v Morton in Paisley, v St Mirren in Airdrie, v Falkirk in Livingston, and now v Raith in Falkirk. The first two won, and the last two lost. Five finals in three decades might not be that many, but Accies were ineligible for ten seasons due to being in the top flight.

Raith are favourites, but put your mortgage, your wife and weans, and everything you own, on Accies causing an upset to lift our third trophy, 30 years after our last in 1993. You heard it here first.

Will be watching mate, mon the Accies

 

[academical]

So - more than three interested after all!

Thanks for all the good wishes.

 

[Roger Daltrey]

Best of luck to the comicals ( ss my old boy used to call them)

 

[rinosprayer]

I was at the first one

mon the Accies

 

[Vallance]

Could be a tasty crowd.