CELTIC will learn their Scottish Cup fourth round fate when the draw is made tonight.
The ballot will be screened live on BBC Scotland immediately after the tie between Ayr United and Pollok at Somerset Park which will kick off at 7.45pm. Extra-time and penalty-kicks will take place in the event of a draw.
The date for the fourth stage of the world’s oldest Cup competition is scheduled for the weekend of January 21/22.
Ange Postecoglou will be looking for a first after missing out on the national silverware during his glorious debut campaign while guiding the Hoops to their tenth Premiership title in 11 years and the League Cup, won 2-1 against Hibs in December thanks to a double second-half salvo from Kyogo Furuhashi.
THE CUP THAT CHEERS…Callum McGregor and Scott Brown after Celtic had sealed the sensational quadruple treble following the dramatic penalty-kick shoot-out against Hearts at Hampden on December 20 2020.
The Parkhead men had claimed the Scottish Cup on four consecutive seasons and a penalty-kick from Kristoffer Ajer in the spot-kick shoot-out cemented the club’s phenomenal quadruple treble at Hampden in December 2020.
The showdown with Hearts had finished 3-3 after extra-time before the Norwegian settled it with a belter from 12 yards past his former Celtic team-mate Craig Gordon.
The stunning sequence kicked off in 2017 when Tom Rogic claimed the late winner in the 2-1 victory over Aberdeen, a year later Callum McGregor and Olivier Ntcham were on the mark in the 2-0 success over Motherwell and on May 25 2019 Odsonne Edouard took centre stage with a double in the 2-1 triumph over the Tynecastle side.
HAMPDEN HERO…Odsonne Edouard races away after slotting the winner beyond Hearts keeper Bobby Zlamall to claim the 2019 Scottish Cup for Celtic.
Then came the six-goal stalemate against Robbie Neilson’s side with Ryan Christie, Edouard (pen) and Leigh Griffiths netting for Neil Lennon’s men. Christie missed a spot-kick, but his blushes were spared by two excellent saves from Conor Hazard before the silverware was sealed with Ajer’s ferocious effort.
The trophy has gone to Perth and Ibrox in the subsequent terms.
All 12 top-flight clubs will be in the draw after receiving a bye in the opening stages.
They will be joined by the 20 winners from the weekend fixtures to make up the 32 teams competing in the fourth stage.
The Cup Final is due at Hampden on Saturday June 3 2023.
