Premier Sports Cup: Craig Levein's group stage reaction

The Premier Sports Cup group stage draw was held on Wednesday afternoon and excitement can now begin to build after we found out our opponents.

We will compete in Group F alongside Greenock Morton of the Scottish Championship, Alloa Athletic of League One, East Fife of League Two and Brechin City of the Highland League.

The 2024/25 Premier Sports Cup begins on the weekend of July 13/14, with further group stage matchdays scheduled for July 16/17, July 20/21, July 23/24 and July 27/28. Full fixture information will be announced in due course.

The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join European entrants Celtic, Rangers, Heart of Midlothian, Kilmarnock and St Mirren in the last 16 on the weekend of August 17/18.

Manager Craig Levein was keen to emphasise how important the Premier Sports Cup group stage will be in order to build early momentum. 

Levein said: “You can’t afford to take anything for granted in cup competitions. We will need to be good from the word go and we need to show respect to every team we come up against.

“We’ll get moving on our research and get a look at what we will be facing. It is important that we have a really good start.

“If we start well in cup competition, you can then follow it up with a good start in the league. I am determined not to be in the same position as we were last season.”