Scottish Cup fourth round draw: Celtic to face former Rangers hero, lower-league trip to Ibrox, tricky Hearts test

Celtic have landed a date with Barry Ferguson’s Alloa Athletic in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup draw, while Rangers have a home tie against Stirling Albion and holders St Johnstone will face Kelty Hearts or Montrose.

The Scottish Cup fourth round will take place over the weekend of January 22.

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic will travel to Clackmannanshire to come up against League One outfit Alloa, who are managed by former Rangers captain Ferguson in what will be a mouth-watering tie, sure to be screened live by competition broadcaster Premier Sports.

Rangers have home advantage when the welcome the Binos, who are in League Two, to Ibrox, while St Johnstone – 1-0 winners over Hibs in the final last season – face a potential banana skin tie against the winners of the Kelty Hearts v Montrose replay.

Non-league Auchinleck Talbot have been rewarded for their shock 1-0 win over Hamilton Accies in the last round with a home tie against Hearts, who they have faced two times in the past ten years in this competition, although both ties were at Tynecastle rather than Beechwood Park.

Last year’s runners-up Hibs will face either Cove Rangers or Queen of the South to Easter Road, while Aberdeen have a home draw against League Two outfit Edinburgh City.

Championship leaders Kilmarnock welcome Dundee United to Rugby Park in one of the ties of the round, and Motherwell also face Championship opponents after being pitted against Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Greenock Morton.

There were home draws for two non-league outfits in Clydebank and Banks O’Dee, who take on Annan Athletic and Raith Rovers respectively.

The ties are due to be played on the weekend of January 22, three weeks after the winter shutdown for Premiership clubs, and as many as four ties could be broadcast live by Premier Sports and the BBC.

Scottish Cup fourth round draw (ties to be played weekend of January 22): Peterhead v East Kilbride; Clydebank v Annan Athletic; Banks O’Dee v Raith Rovers; Motherwell v Inverness Caledonian Thistle or Greenock Morton; Kelty Hearts or Montrose v St Johnstone; Livingston v Ross County; Dumbarton v Dundee; Aberdeen v Edinburgh City; Rangers v Stirling Albion; Ayr United v St Mirren; Kilmarnock v Dundee United; Hibs v Cove Rangers or Queen of the South; Partick Thistle v Airdrieonians; Auchinleck Talbot v Hearts; Alloa Athletic v Celtic, Arbroath v Brechin City or Darvel.