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Scottish
League Cup
The
League Cup was first competed for in season 1946-47, following the
format of the War League Cup which was played for during the War, with a
group stage followed by straight knockout rounds.
St.Mirren’s
first match in the competition was on the 21st September 1946, when
Rangers won easily, 4-0, at Ibrox.
This result
pretty much sums up Saints record in the tournament, as in over 30 years
of competition in this format, they only progressed through the group
phase on four occasions!
From the early
eighties the competition was changed to a straight knockout format, but
has done nothing to enhance Saints reputation.
Best season in
the competition was in 1955-56 when they reached the final for the first
(and only) time.
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13/08/1955
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Group
Stage
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Kilmarnock
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Rugby
Park
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0-0
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Bobby Holmes
Cup
Final scorer
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17/08/1955
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Group
Stage
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Airdrie
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Love
Street
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3-2
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Gemmell(2)
Callan
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20/08/1955
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Group
Stage
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Dundee
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Dens
Park
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0-2
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27/08/1955
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Group
Stage
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Kilmarnock
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Love
Street
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3-0
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Wilson(2)
Holmes
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31/08/1955
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Group
Stage
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Airdrie
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Broomfield
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4-2
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Holmes(3)
Gemmell
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03/09/1955
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Group
Stage
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Dundee
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Love
Street
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0-3
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14/09/1955
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¼ Final
1st Leg
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Dumbarton
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Love
Street
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5-1
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Straiton(2)
Rodger Gemmell Laird
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17/09/1955
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¼ Final
2nd Leg
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Dumbarton
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Boghead
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1-1
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Straiton
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01/10/1955
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Semi
Final
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Motherwell
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Ibrox
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3-3
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Gemmell(3)
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08/10/1955
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Semi
Final
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Motherwell
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Celtic
Park
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2-0
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Laird
Brown
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22/10/1955
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Final
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Aberdeen
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Hampden
Park
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1-2
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Holmes
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The
team for the final was:-
Lornie,
Lapsley, Mallan, Neilson, Telfer, Holmes, Rodger, laird, Brown, Gemmell,
Callan.
The
Aberdeen team included a player by the name of Jim Clunie who was to join
Saints in the 1960’s and went on to manage the team to Anglo Scottish
Cup glory in 1980.
Apart
from this season the League Cup is almost forgettable in Saint’s history
and the only other seasons worth noting are three semi final appearances:-
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06/10/1971
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Celtic
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Hampden
Park
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0-3
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07/10/1981
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Rangers
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Love
Street
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2-2
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McAvennie
Scanlon
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28/10/1981
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Rangers
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Ibrox
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1-2
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Scanlon
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06/02/2001
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Kilmarnock
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Hampden
Park
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0-3
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One
final League Cup match that rates a mention is a match at Ibrox on the
23/08/1972.
Rangers
scored early through Alfie Conn. Everyone expected a thrashing and they
got it…..or Rangers got it!
Step
forward Ally McLeod. The Saints striker netted four goals without reply to
record a memorable victory and remains the only player to score four goals
at Ibrox against Rangers!
Ally
McLeod
Four Goals in Ibrox Thriller
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