CELTIC will discover who they play in this season’s Scottish Cup when the fourth round draw is made tomorrow night.
The ballot will be shown live on BBC Scotland immediately following the remaining tie between Brechin City and Darvel at Glebe Park which has a 7.45pm kick-off.
At this stage, the 20 successful sides from the previous round will join all 12 of the Premiership teams in the hat, including Ange Postecoglou’s side who have won the silverware in four out of the past five seasons.
Callum McGregor, who took over from Aberdeen-bound Scott Brown in the summer, has played a major role in those triumphs and will be looking to a first as captain this time around.
THE CUP THAT CHEERS…Callum McGregor and skipper Scott Brown with the Scottish Cup on December 20 last year as Celtic complete the spectacular quadruple treble.
The glory sequence began in Brendan Rodgers’ debut campaign in 2016/17 when Tom Rogic scored his memorable last-gasp winner in the 2-1 triumph over Aberdeen who had taken the lead through future Celt Jonny Hayes.
Stuart Armstrong quickly cancelled that strike with the equaliser to set up a tantalising grand finale with the Australian international playmaker waltzing through the backtracking Dons rearguard to squeeze the ball between keeper Joe Lewis and his near post.
The following year, two first-half efforts from McGregor and Olivier Ntcham saw off Motherwell 2-0 and then Odsonne Edouard took centre stage on the iconic date of May 25 in 2019 when he fired in a penalty-kick leveller after Ryan Edwards had tucked one behind Scott Bain to give Hearts the advantage shortly after the interval.
HAMPDEN HERO…Odsonne Edouard is congratulated by Scott Sinclair after firing in the Scottish Cup winner against Hearts in the May 25 2019 Final. James Forrest is about to join in.
The trophy, though, was heading back to the east end of Glasgow when the French striker raced onto a headed pass from Mikael Lustig to nonchalantly clip the winner beyond the outrushing Bobby Zlamall.
The Cup was won again in the phenomenal quadruple treble term when the Covid-delayed 2020 Final was played on December 20 last year and Neil Lennon’s side had to dig deep to overcome a battling Tynecastle team, with former Hoops hero Craig Gordon in goal.
Ryan Christie and Edouard, with another spot-kick, thumped Celtic into a 2-0 lead, but the Edinburgh outfit battled back to make it 2-2 to take the spectacle to extra-time.
Once more, the Hoops went ahead when substitute Leigh Griffiths walloped a ricochet from a right-wing corner-kick into the roof of the net.
Astonishingly, Robbie Neilson’s players drew level again to take the outcome to penalty-kicks.
Kristoffer Ajer held his nerve before lashing the decisive spot-kick beyond the helpless Gordon.
THE QUADRUPLE TREBLE WINNER…Kristoffer Ajer lashes his penalty-kick past former Celtic team-mate Craig Gordon for the 2020 Scottish Cup clincher.
Alas, the run came to a halt during the wretched campaign of last season when the club finished trophyless for the first time in 11 years.
Postecoglou, though, can guide the team to this term’s first piece of silverware when the Parkhead club take on Hibs in the Premier Sports League Cup Final at Hampden on December 19, six days before Christmas.
The Greek-Australian will then get his first taste of the Scottish Cup on the weekend of January 22/23 when the big guns take part in the quest for glory at the national stadium on May 21 2022.
The 12 Premiership clubs, including holders St Johnstone, go into the unseeded draw along with the 20 winners from yesterday’s third round ties:
Alloa (beat Bonnyrigg Rose 5-0);
Annan Athletic (Gala Fairydean 1-0);
Airdrie (Stenhousemuir 2-0);
Arbroath (Forfar 3-0);
Auchinleck Talbot (Hamilton Accies 1-0);
Ayr United (Albion Rovers 2-1);
Banks O’Dee (East Fife 2-1);
Clydebank (Clyde 2-0);
Cove Rangers or Queen of the South (drew 1-1);
Dumbarton (Sauchie Juniors 3-1);
East Kilbride (Dalbeattie Star 2-1);
Edinburgh City (Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 2-1);
Inverness Caley Thistle or Morton (drew 1-1);
Kelty Hearts or Montrose (drew 0-0);
Kilmarnock (Queen’s Park 1-0);
Partick Thistle (Dunfermline 1-0);
Peterhead (Civil Service Strollers 3-0);
Raith Rovers (Falkirk 2-1);
Stirling Albion (Tranent 4-0);
Brechin City or Darvel (playing tomorrow night).
* DON’T miss the unbeatable match report from Celtic v Aberdeen this afternoon – only in your champion CQN.
