The draw for the Viaplay League Cup group stages has handed Motherwell an intriguing clash with Queen's Park, while Hamilton Accies face a 'New Douglas Park' derby with ground-sharing Clyde.
There is no regionalisation to the draw for this year's competition, which kicks-off on the weekend of July 15/16, and the Steelmen face some potentially lengthy travelling with Elgin City, Queen of the South and East Fife making up their opponents in Group G. It also sees 'Well striker Connor Shields set to face the Queen's Park side he featured for on loan last season.
Accies have been drawn in Group C where they are joined by top seeds Livingston, Cove Rangers, Highland League Brechin City and the Bully Wee, who are tenants at Accies' home ground.
For the other Lanarkshire sides involved, Airdrieonians have landed in Group E and face a rematch with Dundee after facing them in the Scottish Cup last season. Their group also features Inverness Caley Thistle, Dumbarton and Bonnyrigg Rose.
Lowland League Albion Rovers have gone into Group F, where they face top seeds Kilmarnock, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline and Annan Athletic.
Fixtures for the group stage will be confirmed in due course.
The full group draw is as follows:
Group A: St Johnstone, Ayr United, Alloa Athletic, Stirling Albion, Stenhousemuir
Group B: Dundee Utd, Partick Thistle, Falkirk, Peterhead, Spartans
Group C: Livingston, Hamilton Accies, Cove Rangers, Clyde, Brechin City
Group D: Ross County, Greenock Morton, FC Edinburgh, Kelty Hearts, Stranraer
Group E: Dundee, Inverness CT, Airdrieonians, Dumbarton, Bonnyrigg Rose
Group F: Kilmarnock, Raith Rovers, Annan Athletic, Albion Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic
Group G: Motherwell, Queen’s Park, Queen of the South, Elgin City, East Fife
Group H: St Mirren, Arbroath, Montrose, Forfar Athletic, Cowdenbeath
The eight group winners and three best runners-up will join European entrants Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian in the last 16 in August.
The dates for this season's competition are as follows:
Group stage
MD1: Weekend of July 15/16
MD2: Midweek of July 18/19
MD3: Weekend of July 22/23
MD4: Midweek of July 25/26
MD5: Weekend of July 29/30
Second round
Weekend of August 19/20
Quarter-finals
Midweek of September 26-28
Semi-finals
Weekend of November 4/5
Final
Sunday December 17
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