Match statistics
| Falkirk | 1–0 | Queen of the South |
|---|---|---|
Hagen  65' | Report |
Teams
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| Event | 1997–98 Scottish Challenge Cup | ||||||
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| Date | 2 November 1997 | ||||||
| Venue | Fir Park, Motherwell | ||||||
| Referee | R. T. Tait (East Kilbride) [1] | ||||||
| Attendance | 9,735 [1] | ||||||
The 1997 Scottish Challenge Cup final was an association football match between Falkirk and Queen of the South on 2 November 1997 at Fir Park in Motherwell. [2] It was the eighth final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League.
The tournament was contested by clubs below the Scottish Premier Division; Falkirk from the First Division and Queen of the South from the Second Division. The match was Falkirk's first national cup final in only six months since contesting the final of the Scottish Cup the previous season in May. It was also the club's second appearance in the Scottish Challenge Cup Final since winning in 1993. [1] The match was Queen of the South's first national cup final in its 78-year history. David Hagen scored the only goal, which was enough for Falkirk to win the match 1–0 and the tournament for the second time. [1]
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Dumbarton (a) | 2–0 |
| Second round | Forfar Athletic (h) | 3–1 |
| Quarter-final | Stranraer (h) | 3–0 |
| Semi-final | Hamilton Academical (a) | 2–1 |
Falkirk were drawn against Dumbarton away from home in the first round and produced a 2–0 victory over The Sons. The second round saw Forfar Athletic travel to Brockville Park and be beaten 3–1. Another home game for Falkirk was drawn in the quarter-finals against Stranraer which saw The Bairns triumph 3–0 winners to progress to the semi-finals. The opposition provided was Hamilton Academical which saw Falkirk win with a 2–1 victory and send the club to a Scottish Challenge Cup final for the second time in its history.
| Round | Opposition | Score |
|---|---|---|
| First round | Inverness Caledonian Thistle (a) | 2–0 |
| Second round | Stirling Albion (h) | 2–0 |
| Quarter-final | Airdrieonians (a) | 3–2 |
| Semi-final | Greenock Morton (a) | 2–0 |
Queen of the South faced a long trip to Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the first round which saw the team emerge 2–0 winners. The second round was a home game with the visitors in the form of Stirling Albion with The Doonhamers producing a second consecutive 2–0 victory. A trip to Airdrieonians was the reward for reaching the quarter-finals with Queen of the South edging the opposition out to win 3–2. Morton provided the opposition for the Dumfries club in the semi-finals with the team producing their third 2–0 victory of the tournament. Queen of the South reached the Scottish Challenge Cup final for the first time.
Before the final, after four games played each, both Falkirk and Queen of the South had only conceded four goals between them. Queen of the South earned three clean sheets bettering Falkirk's two. At the other end Falkirk had scored ten goals to Queen of the South's nine.
Queens performed creditably against the Falkirk side who at the time were playing in a higher division of the Scottish football set up, cheered on noisily by the QoS supporters witnessing their team in their first national cup final since the Scottish Qualifying Cup win of 1923/24. [3] The decisive moment of the game was when Falkirk's David Hagen scored in the sixty fifth minute. Queens' had a late opportunity to equalise when Tommy Bryce teed up Derek Townsley in a good shooting position just outside the Falkirk penalty area. Townsley's shot however failed to trouble Paul Mathers in the Falkirk goal as the ball went over the cross bar. Hagen's goal was enough to separate the sides with Bryce taking the man of the match award. [4]
| Falkirk | 1–0 | Queen of the South |
|---|---|---|
| Hagen 65' | Report |
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Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club formed in 1919 in Dumfries. The club plays in Scottish League One, the third tier of Scottish football. They are traditionally nicknamed the Doonhamers but are more usually referred to as Queens or QOS. Their home ground is Palmerston Park.
Colin McMenamin is a Scottish former professional football player, and is the current assistant manager of Annan Athletic.
Lee David Robinson is an English former professional goalkeeper. Robinson has previously played for Rangers, Greenock Morton, St Johnstone, Kilmarnock, Östersund, Raith Rovers, Queen of the South and Dunfermline Athletic.
James Reynolds McAllister is a Scottish professional football coach and former player, who is currently an assistant manager at Hibernian. McAllister played as a defender. McAllister played for Queen of the South, Aberdeen, Livingston, Heart of Midlothian, Bristol City, Preston North End, Yeovil Town, Kerala Blasters and Exeter City. He made one full international appearance for Scotland, in 2004. Since retiring as a player he has been an assistant coach at Bristol City, Sunderland and Hibernian.
Paul Burns is a Scottish former professional association footballer who played primarily as a right midfielder.
Derek Lyle is a Scottish footballer who plays as a striker for Open Goal Broomhill and is also the club's assistant manager. Lyle has previously played for Partick Thistle, Queen of the South (two spells), Dundee, Hamilton Academical (two spells), Greenock Morton, Cowdenbeath and Peterhead. Lyle also had loan spells with East Stirlingshire, Stirling Albion, Dunfermline Athletic and the Doonhamers. Lyle's longest time in his career was spent with Queen of the South in Dumfries, where he scored 117 goals in 365 appearances over two spells with the club.
James Thomson is a Scottish footballer. Nicknamed 'JT', Thomson was a central defender. Thomson's greatest achievements were during his 358 appearances for Queen of the South, where he was club captain. Thomson also enjoyed some success in shorter periods at Clyde and Arbroath and also played for Stenhousemuir. Thomson had a short spell as caretaker manager of Queen of the South during November and December 2016 and is currently player-manager of Kilsyth Rangers in the SJFA West Region Championship.
David Mathieson is a retired Scottish professional association footballer. A goalkeeper. Mathieson played for Queen of the South and Gretna and made three appearances for Scotland under-21s.
Andrew Robert Aitken is a Scottish former professional footballer who made over 300 appearances for Queen of the South. A left sided defender, he also played for Gretna and Ayr United.
David Weatherston is a retired Scottish professional footballer who played for Queen's Park, St Johnstone, Queen of the South, Falkirk, Stirling Albion, Alloa Athletic, Brechin City and Verdal IL.
Derek Johnstone Townsley is an English former professional footballer. His clubs included Gretna, Queen of the South, Motherwell, Hibernian and Oxford United. Townsley was normally a midfielder, although he was a versatile player and also played in attack and defence.
Norman Blount is the Scottish former chairman of Queen of the South football club. Blount was instrumental as the new broom that swept through the Dumfries club in the mid and late 90s replacing the previous regime under which the club had gone into stagnation and decline from the late 1960s. Blount was the first of the three chairman who combined have rebuilt Queens to the position the club is in today.
Robert McHugh is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a striker for East Kilbride. McHugh has previously played for Motherwell, Falkirk, Greenock Morton and Queen's Park, as well as loan spells with Queen of the South and Airdrieonians.
The 1993 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the B&Q Cup final for sponsorship reasons, was an association football match between Falkirk and St Mirren on 12 December 1993 at Fir Park in Motherwell. It was the fourth final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the Scottish Football League.
Queen of the South Football Club is a Scottish professional football club formed in March 1919 and located in Dumfries. Queen of the South are officially nicknamed The Doonhamers, but usually referred to as Queens or QoS. Their home ground since formation has been Palmerston Park. They joined the Scottish Football League at the start of the 1923–24 season.
Ian McShane is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Darvel in the Scottish Juniors, having previously played for Queen of the South, Ross County, St Mirren and Falkirk. McShane is the younger cousin of former Hamilton Academical player John McShane and is a minority shareholder in MacIntyre Sheds of Beauly.
George Rowe is a former Scottish professional footballer who played as a centre-back for Clydebank, Arbroath, Queen of the South and Stirling Albion.
The 2013–14 season was Queen of the South's first season back in the second tier of Scottish football and their first season in the newly established Scottish Championship, having been promoted as champions from the Scottish Second Division at the end of the 2012–13 season. Queens also competed in the Challenge Cup, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The 2014–15 season was Queen of the South's second consecutive season in the second tier of Scottish football and their second season in the Scottish Championship, having been promoted as champions from the Scottish Second Division at the end of the 2012–13 season. Queens also competed in the Challenge Cup, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The 2018–19 season was Queen of the South's Centenary season and was also the club's sixth consecutive season back in the second tier of Scottish football and their sixth season in the Scottish Championship, having been promoted as champions from the Scottish Second Division at the end of the 2012–13 season. Queens also competed in the Scottish Cup, the League Cup, and the Challenge Cup.
