Motherwell’s Andy Halliday welcomes early return of Premier Sports Cup

Motherwell midfielder Andy Halliday declared himself a big fan of the Premier Sports Cup as the competition ushers in another season in Scottish football.

The Steelmen begin their group campaign with a game against Clyde at New Douglas Park on Saturday and the 33-year-old midfielder is desperate to get into competitive action.

“I can’t wait,” said the former Rangers, Hearts and Bradford player. “It’s funny, a lot of people kind of turn their nose up at the League Cup competition starting before the (league) season, but to be honest, I love it.

“I’m not a fan of friendlies. Never have been. There’s nothing better than playing for something, playing for three points and playing with a crowd watching you as well. So I enjoy the cup competition coming early.

“Yes, you’re not obviously at maximum in terms of your squad, the numbers you’re going to bring in and obviously your own personal fitness.

“But I’d much rather get fit in competitive action than closed-door friendlies and playing in front of nobody.”

Hearts welcome Neil Lennon’s Championship side Dunfermline to Tynecastle in a later kick-off on Saturday and Jambos boss Derek McInnes is taking nothing for granted.

He said: “I’ve never viewed being involved in the League Cup and thinking you can use these games as pre-season games.

“Dunfermline is a tough game for us, especially at this stage of the season.

“A lot is expected of us, a lot of people anticipating us just turning up and blowing Dunfermline away.

“It’s not as simple as that, especially at this stage of the season, especially when you’re still trying to put your squad together and your best squad together.

“Ideally, Dunfermline might have been the last game in the group because they are the toughest team, but likewise for them.”

Kilmarnock travel to Highland League outfit Brora Rangers, where Killie boss Stuart Kettlewell ended his playing career before moving into coaching.

The former Ross County and Motherwell boss said: “I spent a little bit of time at Brora when I first went into coaching as assistant manager and sort of kidded myself on towards the end of my career that I could still play – but I couldn’t.

“It’s a place I know really well, difficult place to go. So it’s fair to say we’ll not be misunderstanding what the challenge is in hand.”

St Mirren travel to newly-promoted Arbroath, who won League One last season, and Saints manager Stephen Robinson is expecting a test of his side’s mettle.

He said: “Arbroath have done very well. They’ve been very good with us as well in terms of our (loan) players, with young Callum Penman and Fraser Taylor who have both developed fantastically well, so we know they play a really good brand of football.

“They’re coming up, which means they’ll be very confident in terms of what they can do.

“So it’s a test, it’s a tough start of the season. Everybody will expect us to turn up and roll Arbroath over, it never happens like that.

“We have to be at our best, we have to show respect to who we’re playing against and we have to be inventive and creative.”

Falkirk and Livingston, who both came up from the Championship last season, take on Brechin away and East Fife away respectively.

The other William Hill Premiership club involved in the competition at this stage, Dundee, host Airdrieonians.