Festival Cup
Sport | Football (soccer) |
---|---|
Founded | 2003 |
Ceased | 2004 |
No. of teams | 2 |
Country | Scotland |
Last champion(s) | Heart of Midlothian (2nd title) |
Most titles | Heart of Midlothian (2 titles) |
The Festival Cup was a
Concept and format
The idea for a football tournament during the Edinburgh Festival was first mooted in early 2003, with the intention being to organise a three team tournament during the duration of the Edinburgh Festival.
Eventually, though, organisers proved unable to attract a suitable foreign team and a single game format, comprising Hearts and Hibs, was agreed upon, with the clubs hosting the game in alternate years. The first event was scheduled for the Saturday before the start of the 2003–04 season.
Tournaments
Hibernian | 0 – 1 | Heart of Midlothian |
---|---|---|
Report | Webster 17' |
Heart of Midlothian | 3 – 1 | Hibernian |
---|---|---|
Sives 42' de Vries 63' Wyness 81' |
Report | Dobbie 80' (pen.) |
Demise
Despite initial enthusiasm for the competition, logistical problems soon led to doubts over its future. The failure to attract any non-Scottish opposition reduced it merely to the status of an extra Edinburgh derby. The prominence of the first game was not helped by the Scottish Premier League scheduling a league derby would occur just two weeks after the Festival Cup, with both matches played at Easter Road.[2]
The following year, pre-arranged friendlies and
Further
References
- ^ a b "Festival Cup for Capital". Edinburgh Evening News. 27 March 2003.
- ^ "Hearts festival party". Scotland on Sunday. 3 August 2003.
- ^ a b "Cup dream has sadly runneth dry". Edinburgh Evening News. 2 September 2004.