The 2017/18 Scottish football season ended just six days ago but tonight saw the draw for the first round of the Betfred Cup for season 2018/19.
Hearts have been drawn in Group C with Inverness Caledonian Thistle – managed by Hearts legend John Robertson – Raith Rovers, Cowdenbeath and Highland League champions Cove Rangers.
Edinburgh City face Motherwell – who they faced in the competition at the same stage last year – Queen of the South, Clyde and Stranraer.
Lowland League champions The Spartans face a real tricky group with two Ladbrokes Premiership teams – Kilmarnock and St Mirren – in their group along with Dumbarton and Queens Park.
Scotland’s European competitors – Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen and Hibernian – received byes into the knock-out stage.
The ties will be played between 14th and 28th July.
The full draw is:
Northern section
Group A: Ross County, Dundee United, Arbroath, Elgin City, Alloa Athletic.
Group B: St Johnstone, Falkirk, Montrose, East Fife, Forfar Athletic.
Group C: Heart of Midlothian, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Raith Rovers, Cowdenbeath, Cove Rangers.
Group D: Dundee, Dunfermline Athletic, Stirling Albion, Brechin City, Peterhead.
Southern section
Group E: Partick Thistle, Morton, Albion Rovers, Ayr United, Stenhousemuir.
Group F: Hamilton Academical, Livingston, Berwick Rangers, Airdrieonians, Annan Athletic.
Group G: Motherwell, Queen of the South, Clyde, Edinburgh City, Stranraer.
Group H: Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Dumbarton, Queen’s Park, Spartans.
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
