The Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the Irn Bru Cup for sponsorship purposes, is a competition traditionally for the clubs outwith the top division of Scottish Professional football.
It was initiated as an annual competition in 1991 following a successful one-off Centenary Cup, which was contested to commemorate 100 years of the Scottish Football League.
The format has changed little since the start, though north-east and south-west regionalisation has become a feature in recent years. Highland and Lowland League champions have also been invited to take part.
2016-17 brings with it controversial and radical change, with the addition of the U20 teams of Premiership clubs, invited Northern Irish and Welsh clubs and three more clubs from each of the Lowland and Highland Leagues, taking the total entry to 54 clubs, a competition record.
2016-17 COMPETITION
First Round (August 2 unless stated)
North Section
- Inverness Caley Thistle U20 0-3 Arbroath – att 296
- Cove Rangers 2-1 Dundee U20 (@ Forfar) – att 190
- Ross County U20 2-3 Brora Rangers – att 350
- Formartine United 2-5 Aberdeen U20 – att 305
- East Stirlingshire 0-3 Montrose – att 149
- Stirling Albion 2-3 Heart of Midlothian U20 – att 476
- St Johnstone U20 1-2 Turriff United – att 320
South Section
- Celtic U20 5-1 Annan Athletic (@ Cappielow) – TV – att 216
- Berwick Rangers 0-3 Spartans – att 302
- Clyde 0-5 Partick Thistle U20 – att 351
- Queen’s Park 5-2 Kilmarnock U20 – att 299
- Motherwell U20 2-1 Edinburgh City – att 402
- Cumbernauld Colts 0-3 Hamilton Academical U20 (Aug 3) – att 119
- Rangers U20 4-0 Stirling University (@ Forthbank, Aug 10) – att 493
Second Round (Aug 16)
North Section
- Aberdeen U20 1-3 Forfar Athletic (@ Formartine United) – att 221
- Brechin City 4-1 Cove Rangers – att 242
- Elgin City 2-0 Heart of Midlothian U20 – att 350
- Peterhead 3-2 Brora Rangers – att 399
- Arbroath 2-3 East Fife (Aug 17) – att 335
- Turriff United 1-0 Montrose (Aug 17) – att 180
South Section
- Albion Rovers 2-0 Hamilton Academical U20 – att 114
- Cowdenbeath 1-2 Celtic U20 – TV – att 449
- Motherwell U20 1-2 Airdrieonians – att 1007
- Partick Thistle U20 1-1(5-6p) Queen’s Park – att 436
- Stranraer 7-1 Spartans – att 326
- Rangers U20 1-3 Stenhousemuir (@ Forthbank, Aug 17) – att 324
Third Round (Sept 3)
North Section
- Alloa Athletic 3-0 East Fife
- Brechin City 1-5 Dunfermline Athletic
- Dundee United 3-2 Peterhead
- Falkirk 6-1 Elgin City
- Forfar Athletic 3-2 Raith Rovers
- Turriff United 0-3 Hibernian (Sept 4) – TV
South Section
- Albion Rovers 3-4 St Mirren
- Livingston 5-1 Celtic U20 – TV
- Queen of the South 7-1 Stenhousemuir
- Queen’s Park 2-0 Greenock Morton
- Stranraer 1-0 Dumbarton
- Ayr United 3-2 Airdrieonians (Sept 4)
Fourth Round (Oct 8)
- Crusaders 1-2 Livingston (Oct 7)
- Replayed tie – Crusaders 0-3 Livingston (Nov 1)
- Ayr United 1-0 Falkirk (Oct 7)
- Bala Town 2-4 Alloa Athletic
- Dunfermline Athletic 2-1 Queen’s Park
- Forfar Athletic 1-3 The New Saints
- Hibernian 1-2 St Mirren
- Stranraer 0-1 Dundee United
- Queen of the South 2-0 Linfield (Oct 9)
Quarter Finals (Nov 12)
- Dunfermline Athletic 0-1 Dundee United
- Queen of the South 2-0 Alloa Athletic
- St Mirren 2-1 Ayr United (Nov 13)
- Livingston 0-3 The New Saints (Nov 13)
Semi Finals (Feb 18/19)
- Queen of the South 2-3 Dundee United (Feb 18)
- St Mirren 4-1 The New Saints (Feb 19)
Final (March 25 @ Fir Park, Motherwell)
- Dundee United 2-1 St Mirren
Scottish Football Fixtures 