The controversial tournament was expanded again this year to allow even more teams in from across the British Isles as well as Scottish Premiership colt teams again.

But Hopkin, who is now manager of Bradford City, believes it’s a ludicrous format in comparison to England’s version of it - the Checkatrade Trophy.

David Hopkin has hit out at the Irn-Bru Cup. Picture: SNS/Rob Casey

He said: “It’s getting beyond silliness now. It used to be a cup for the lower league teams with a chance of winning some silverware.

“Now you’ve got to travel to Boreham Wood and Ireland and other places. It should be a Scottish cup competition but you could end up with a Welsh, Irish or English team winning it.

“I don’t know what the SFA were thinking when they changed it.

“Perhaps they want to get these teams in to see how it worked between Scotland and England and maybe set up something bigger in the future. But it doesn’t make sense to me. At first it was okay and teams liked playing in it but what they’ve done now makes it difficult.

“If you’re a part-time Highland League team and have got to travel to Wales and Ireland to play in a game, you’ve got to take the time off work. You get drawn away to somewhere ‘abroad’ and players will have to take two days off. All right, you might have some of the expenses covered but not enough.

“It just becomes a hindrance. I can’t see why it still can’t be just the Scottish clubs like it should be.”

Ex-Livingston boss David Hopkin brands Irn-Bru Cup '˜beyond silliness'