Event | 2023–24 Scottish Challenge Cup | ||||||
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Date | 24 March 2024 | ||||||
Venue | Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk | ||||||
Referee | Matthew MacDermid | ||||||
Attendance | 3,191 | ||||||
The 2024 Scottish Challenge Cup final, also known as the SPFL Trust Trophy final for sponsorship reasons, [1] was a football match on 24 March 2024 between the Cymru Premier club The New Saints and the Scottish Championship side Airdrieonians. [2] It was the 31st final of the Scottish Challenge Cup since it was first organised in 1990 to celebrate the centenary of the now defunct Scottish Football League, and the ninth since the SPFL was formed. It was played at Falkirk Stadium. [3] It would subsequently be the last Scottish Challenge Cup final to feature a non-Scottish team due to them no longer being invited the following season. [4]
The New Saints (TNS), as an invited team representing the Cymru Premier, started in the Third Round where they were drawn away at Hibernian B where they won 3–0 at Meadowbank Stadium. [5] In the next round they played East Fife at home. At their Park Hall, TNS progressed after winning 5–4 on penalties after a 2–2 draw. [6] In the quarter-finals, they overcame Arbroath 4–1 at Park Hall. [7] In the semi-finals, they played Falkirk away at Falkirk Stadium. TNS won 1–0 becoming the second Welsh team to reach the final after Connah's Quay Nomads in 2019. [8] A TNS also entered this match looking to match the world record for consecutive wins in all competitions. [3]
Round | Opposition | Score |
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Third round | Hibernian B (a) | 3–0 |
Fourth round | East Fife (h) | 2–2 ( a.e.t. ) 5–4 ( p ) |
Quarter-final | Arbroath (h) | 4–1 |
Semi-final | Falkirk (a) | 1–0 |
Airdrieonians also started in the Third Round away at the University of Stirling and won 3–2 at Forthbank Stadium. [9] In the next round they played away against Rangers B and progressed after a 4–2 win at Cappielow. [10] They then faced Greenock Morton at Cappielow and won 6–5 on penalties after a 0–0 draw. [11] In the semi-finals they played away at Raith Rovers and progressed to the final after a 1–0 win at Stark's Park. [12]
Round | Opposition | Score |
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Third round | University of Stirling (a) | 3–2 |
Fourth round | Rangers B (a) | 4–2 |
Quarter-final | Greenock Morton (a) | 0–0 ( a.e.t. ) 6–5 ( p ) |
Semi-final | Raith Rovers (a) | 1–0 |
The New Saints | 1–2 | Airdrieonians |
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The New Saints | Airdrieonians |
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The Scottish Professional Football League Challenge Cup, commonly known as the Scottish League Challenge Cup or Scottish Challenge Cup, and currently known as the SPFL Trust Trophy for sponsorship reasons, is an association football knock-out cup competition run by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL). It is recognised as the third most prestigious knockout trophy in Scottish football, after the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup.
The 1999–2000 Scottish Challenge Cup was the ninth season of the competition, which was also known as the Bell's Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons. It was competed for by the 30 member clubs of the Scottish Football League. The defending champions were Falkirk, who defeated Queen of the South 1–0 in the 1997 final.
The 1997–98 Scottish Challenge Cup was the eighth season of the competition, competed for by the 30 member clubs of the Scottish Football League. The defending champions were Stranraer, who defeated St Johnstone 1–0 in the 1996 final.
The 2001–02 season is often regarded as one of the most successful seasons of Ayr United's history. In this season they eliminated Stranraer, Kilmarnock, Inverness CT and Hibernian en route to the Scottish League Cup Final, in which they were beaten by Rangers. In the Scottish Cup they beat Deveronvale, Dunfermline Athletic and Dundee United before losing out to Celtic in the semi-final. While maintaining good cup runs the club sustained a respectable finish of Third Place in Division One.
Season 2000-01 saw Livingston compete in the Scottish First Division. They also competed in the Challenge Cup, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The 2014–15 Scottish League Cup was the 69th season of Scotland's second-most prestigious football knockout competition. It is also known as The Scottish League Cup presented by QTS for sponsorship reasons.
The 2013–14 season was Hamilton Academical's first season in the newly formed Scottish Championship and their third consecutive season in the second tier of Scottish football. Hamilton also competed in the League Cup, Scottish Cup and the Challenge Cup.
Season 2015–16 saw Greenock Morton compete in the Scottish Championship the second tier of Scottish football, having finished top of the Scottish League One in 2014-15. Morton also competed in the Challenge Cup, Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The 2015–16 Scottish League Cup was the 70th season of Scotland's second-most prestigious football knockout competition. It is also known as The Scottish League Cup presented by Utilita for sponsorship reasons.
The 2017–18 Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the IRN-BRU Cup due to sponsorship reasons, is the 27th season of the competition. The tournament took on a similar format from the previous season, however, two teams from the Republic of Ireland's Airtricity League entered the competition for the first time taking the total number of participating clubs to 56. This was the second season with two clubs from both Northern Ireland and Wales competing alongside the 30 members of the 2017–18 Scottish Championship, 2017–18 Scottish League One and 2017–18 Scottish League Two, four teams from the 2017–18 Highland Football League and four from the 2017–18 Lowland Football League as well as the Under-20 teams of the teams competing in the 2017–18 Scottish Premiership. The Welsh teams were The New Saints and Connah's Quay Nomads while the Northern Irish teams were Crusaders and Linfield.
The 2018–19 Scottish League Cup group stage was played from 14–28 July 2018. A total of 40 teams competed in the group stage. The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the four best runners-up progressed to the second round of the 2018–19 Scottish League Cup.
The 2019–20 Scottish League Cup Group stage was played from 12 to 28 July 2019. A total of 40 teams competed in the group stage. The winners of each of the eight groups, as well as the four best runners-up progressed to the second round of the 2019–20 Scottish League Cup.
The 2014–15 season was Livingston's second season in the Scottish Championship and their fourth consecutive season in the second-tier of Scottish football, having been promoted from the Scottish Second Division during the 2010–11 season. Livingston also competed in the Challenge Cup, League Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The 2021–22 Scottish Challenge Cup known as the SPFL Trust Trophy due to sponsorship reasons, was the 30th season of the competition. The total number of participating clubs was 50, down from 58, with only Scottish clubs competing due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland. The competition began on 10 August 2021 with the first round and ended on 3 April 2022 with the final at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire.
The 2021–22 season was Arbroath's third consecutive season in the Scottish Championship, following their promotion from Scottish League One in the 2018–19 season. They also competed in the Scottish League Cup, Scottish Challenge Cup and the Scottish Cup.
The 2022–23 season was Dundee's first season back in the second tier of Scottish football after being relegated from the previous season's Premiership. Dundee also competed in the Scottish League Cup, the Scottish Cup and the Scottish Challenge Cup.
The 2022–23 Scottish Championship was the tenth season of the Scottish Championship, the second tier of Scottish football.
The 2022–23 Scottish Challenge Cup known as the SPFL Trust Trophy due to sponsorship reasons, was the 31st season of the competition. The total number of participating clubs was 53, up from 50, with the return of clubs from Wales and Northern Ireland. The competition began on 9 August 2022 with the first round and ended on 26 March 2023 with the final at Falkirk Stadium.
The 2023–24 Scottish Challenge Cup, known as the SPFL Trust Trophy due to sponsorship reasons, was the 32nd season of the competition. The total number of participating clubs was 53, including clubs from Wales and Northern Ireland. The competition began on 1 August 2023 with the first round and the final took place on 24 March 2024.