Scottish Cup: Pars quids in with Rangers TV tie

Dunfermline interim chairman Bob Garmory expressed his delight yesterday with the confirmation that the club’s William Hill Scottish Cup fifth round tie against Rangers will be televised.

The ties will take place over the weekend of 5 February. Picture: SNS

The clash between the top two in League 1 will now take place at Ibrox on Friday, 7 February (7:30pm kick-off) to accommodate BBC coverage, with the financially fragile Pars reaping the benefits in their first season since narrowly avoiding liquidation.

Sky Sports will show the fifth-round ties between Celtic v Aberdeen (12:45pm kick-off) and Dundee United and St Mirren (12 noon) on Saturday, 8 February and Sunday, 9 February respectively. The TV money alone will bank Dunfermline £82,500, while the gate receipts will be split between the clubs – ensuring Dunfermline walk away with a handsome six-figure sum.

Garmory, who is one of the figureheads of the fans’ group now controlling Dunfermline, Pars United, is already hoping the club’s good fortune will stretch to a televised replay at East End Park. He smiled: “As I have repeatedly told everyone around East End Park – as chairman, my personal choice would be a hard-fought draw at Ibrox followed by a wonderful victory in the replay at East End Park…live on Sky, of course. People tend to look at me like I have developed an ailment when I start to talk like that. But we can hope.”