Celtic’s Scottish Cup draws don’t always make headlines.
But then again, it’s not every year that the Scottish champions get a dose of Junior football.
Celtic have drawn Auchinleck Talbot in the third round of the Scottish Cup, and will play away against the sixth-tier side in January.
Last year, Brendan Rodgers’ Celts faced Buckie Thistle of the Highland League at Celtic Park. But a tie with a side from the tier below away from home undoubtedly holds even more appeal.
This is especially the case given Talbot’s position as one of the most famous teams in Junior Football – and there are few faces as familiar at that level as their manager, Tommy Sloan.
Auchinleck Talbot manager on Scottish Cup tie against Celtic
Sloan, who works on a building site in his day job, has been the Auchinleck manager since 2003.
There can’t be many managers who have remained in the same role between Martin O’Neill’s two Celtic spells.
There have been questions over whether the game will be moved to a different location for financial reasons, but as far as Sloan understands it, the Celts are heading to Beechwood Park.
He told BBC Scotland: “They’re coming to Beechwood obviously, and they went to Feyenoord last week!
“I don’t think they’ll be worrying too much about coming to Beechwood when they can go to Feyenoord and win.
“But look, it’s on the day, isn’t it? And it’s a great thing for us to look forward to.
“As far as I know, I’ve never heard anything different [than playing it at Beechwood] yet. So I’m just taking it. We’re the home side, and I’m hearing all the hospitality is sold out already…
“So there you go! I’m not surprised. My phone last night, as soon as the draw was made, there was quite a funny one.
“It obviously got busy after that, but more or less the first one was my grandson. He’s 12 years old and he’s football mad.
“He says: ‘Can you get me and my dad a ticket?’ That was it. That made me smile, I must admit. That did, it made me smile.”
Auchinleck Talbot boss Tommy Sloan on Celtic tie
More background on Celtic’s Scottish Cup opponents Auchinleck Talbot
Ayrshire is a stronghold for Junior football in Scotland, and Auchinleck are one of many historic sides from the area.
They are the most successful team in the history of the Junior Cup. Darvel, Beith and Hurlford have all also recently won the trophy hailing from Ayrshire.
Ayrshire-born Sloan also took charge of a home Scottish Cup tie against Hearts three years ago. The Edinburgh side won 5-0 that day.
Granted that Celtic avoid an almighty embarrassment, it should be a good day out for the fans lucky enough to get a ticket at Beechwood.
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