Stephen Halliday: League Cup now ready to regain some of its lost polish

THE League Cup may have reached pensionable age this season but Scottish football's third major competition could be about to enjoy a new lease of life. As the 65th edition of the tournament continues with this week's third round ties, it suddenly carries greater relevance for many of the participants than it has for some time.

Since the SPL's formation in 1998, there has been a tendency to sneer at the significance on the calendar of the Scottish Football League's flagship event. In removing an automatic European place for the winners, it was deliberately devalued further by the top-flight clubs.

But none of the ten SPL sides still left in the League Cup this season are likely to be in any way dismissive of the potential rewards it offers. In many cases, they will be equally aware that the consequences of an early exit will not be easily brushed aside.

Hibs manager John Hughes may question the level of expectations among his club's supporters but that is unlikely to make them any more tolerant of elimination against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on Wednesday night. The simmering discontent over a stuttering start to the season could boil over if the 2007 winners lose to Mixu Paatelainen's men.

On the same evening, Neil Lennon is one manager who will need no-one to persuade him that the League Cup is well worth winning. While his SPL record in charge of Celtic remains faultless, guiding them to a 13th straight victory in the competition with the 2-1 success at Kilmarnock yesterday, Lennon knows he can scarcely afford to suffer another embarrassment in cup football.

Since replacing Tony Mowbray in March, initially on an interim basis, Lennon has seen Celtic eliminated from three separate cup competitions at the first time of asking. The 2-0 Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Ross County at Hampden remains a major stain on Lennon's nascent managerial CV, one compounded this season by successive European exits at the hands of Braga and Utrecht in the Champions League and Europa League respectively. Any visit of Inverness Caledonian Thistle to the east end of Glasgow stirs memories of the night ten years ago when John Barnes' flawed tenure at Celtic spectacularly imploded with Scottish Cup defeat at home to the then First Division club.

While an Inverness win on Wednesday would be less of a shock, it would nonetheless represent another serious setback for Lennon.

Reclaiming the SPL title from Rangers is the clear and obvious priority for Lennon in his first full season as manager but he is keenly aware that the League Cup offers him his first chance of silverware. So although he may make changes to his line-up on Wednesday night, it would be a major surprise if he does not treat the tie with the utmost seriousness.

The pressure on holders Rangers to retain the trophy may be less intense, given that they remain active on the European front.Yet although Walter Smith's men face a demanding schedule of Champions League and domestic fixtures over the next three months, the veteran manager's hunger to mark his final season at Ibrox with as much success as possible will ensure tomorrow night's visit of Dunfermline is not taken lightly.

Aberdeen's regular difficulties against lower division opposition in both cup competitions in recent years will be at the forefront of their supporters' minds when Raith Rovers, who knocked them out of the Scottish Cup last season, visit Pittodrie on Wednesday. For manager Mark McGhee, a repeat defeat would place him under fresh scrutiny.

Certainly, the least likely comment you are likely to hear from any defeated manager this midweek is "Ach well, it's only the League Cup".