Scottish League Cup in unprecedented spotlight on 80th birthday

It is the 80th anniversary of the Scottish League Cup - but the country's second-most prestigious knockout competition will be in the limelight like never before.

A new deal between Scottish Professional Football League organisers and broadcaster Premier Sports means 25 games from the group stage will be streamed live on its website in addition to others being broadcast live.

As usual, 40 teams - minus the five playing in European competition handed byes to the knockout stage - start the journey to Hampden in eight groups of five as they dream of emulating holders Celtic.

Under the Premier Sports Cup banner, it all kicks of on Friday evening as Edinburgh City entertain Partick Thistle before 15 more games on Saturday, but what are the most intriguing match-ups - and the odd rules to watch out for?

Let us get those strange rules out the way first.

In addition to Aberdeen, Celtic, Dundee United, Hibernian and Rangers being catapulted into the last 16 while they play in Europe, the seven other teams from last season's Premiership are seeded.

As a result, relegated Ross County are in a group with no current Premiership sides, while Group H has two - Kilmarnock and promoted Livingston.

However, it is not just the group winners who progress - there are three places for the best runners-up after the sides play one another just once.

Nevertheless, Livingston's visit to Rugby Park on Wednesday could be vital to both their chances and is one of the biggest games of the group stage.

Yes, that is another odd rule. No luck of the draw here as the top-ranked side always get home advantage against the group's second seeds.

What makes the League Cup even more unusual is what happens if there is a draw.

While both sides, just like in any other league, receive a point each, the match, without extra-time, goes to a penalty shoot-out, with the winners taking what can often be a crucial bonus point.

Championship winners Falkirk will have been happy to be drawn in a group where their main challengers should be Queen's Park, who struggled to avoid relegation as the Bairns won promotion last season and are now under new head coach Sean Crighton.

John McGlynn's side start away to Highland League runners-up Brechin City and will also fancy their chances against third-tier Cove Rangers and Spartans from League 2.

Despite the presence of Queen of the South from the division below, County and Thistle, who both lost in last season's Premiership play-offs, will expect to be in a direct shoot-out for top spot when they meet in their group's final game on 26 July in Dingwall.

Both Championship sides begin their campaigns away to League Two opposition - County in Stranraer, while Edinburgh host a Thistle side now under Mark Wilson after co-manager Brian Graham's move to Falkirk as a player.

New Dundee head coach Steven Pressley gets a chance to strike early against his side's most likely challengers when Airdrieonians, who just managed to avoid dropping to the third tier via the play-offs, visit Dens Park on Saturday.

Third-tier part-timers Alloa Athletic and Montrose, plus a Bonnyrigg Rose side relegated to the Lowland League, will not be expected to provide much of a hurdle thereafter.

St Mirren, who finished sixth in the top flight, at home to Ayr United, who lost in the promotion play-offs, is another potential top-place showdown on 27 July.

But, first, Stephen Robinson's Buddies face a tricky opener on Saturday away to likely buoyant League 1 champions Arbroath as third-tier Annan Athletic host League 2 side Forfar Athletic looking for likely consolation points.

Heart of Midlothian find themselves in the League Cup after an absence of three seasons and missing out on Europe also meant a change of head coach, with Derek McInnes moving from Kilmarnock to make his competitive debut at home to Dunfermline Athletic.

The Edinburgh side will be favourites in a potential early group decider despite the second-tier Pars keeping a hold of their own big-name team boss after Neil Lennon led his side to safety from relegation while in interim charge.

The group also features two sides relegated after 15-points penalties last season.

Hearts will on Tuesday be the first side to visit Hamilton Academical in their new home at Broadwood in Cumbernauld after the club relegated to League 1 moved 15 miles away following a stadium dispute.

Meanwhile, Dumbarton begin life under the ownership of new Canadian owner Mario Lapointe on Tuesday at home to League 2 rivals Stirling, who host Accies on Saturday.

Relegated St Johnstone will be pleased to have been handed a group where their main challengers are likely to be a Raith Rovers side who missed out on the promotion play-offs last season, albeit the Fife side finished the season strongly under new head coach Barry Robson.

Saturday's hosts, Lowland League champions East Kilbride, play their first game as a SPFL club after their promotion and will be hoping to put behind them Tuesday's 8-0 thrashing by Hearts in a closed-doors friendly after two promising displays against second-tier sides - beating Dunfermline then drawing with Greenock Morton.

Rovers visit League 2 side Elgin City, while third-tier Inverness Caledonian Thistle start their campaign in midweek.

Former IFK Goteborg head coach Jens Berthel Askou does not have to travel far for his first competitive game as Motherwell boss, with hosts Clyde continuing to play at the home of North Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton despite Accies moving to the League 2 club's former stadium in Cumbernauld.

Morton should be Well's main group challengers, but the Championship side are reportedly struggling to fill their bench because of departures and injuries as they visit Peterhead, with another third-tier side, Stenhousemuir, making up the section.

Former Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell makes his competitive debut as Kilmarnock manager away to Highland League champions Brora Rangers.

Livingston, back in the top flight after their play-off win over County, visit League 2 champions East Fife, with third-tier Kelty Hearts not playing until midweek.

Some managers have complained that the League Cup has been undermined because the competition's early start means they have yet to complete their summer transfer activity.

Others say they prefer an early start to competitive games to pre-season friendlies.

Premier Sports has been encouraged enough this week to extend its deal to broadcast the League Cup until 2031.

Rangers were the first names on the trophy, beating Aberdeen 4-0 in the final, and there will be plenty of TV highlights between now and the 80th on 14 December.