| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | Scotland |
| Dates | 5 August 2008 – 15 March 2009 |
| Teams | 42 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Celtic |
| Runners-up | Rangers |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 41 |
| Goals scored | 135 (3.29 per match) |
The2008–09Scottish League Cup was the 63rd season of the Scotland's second most prestigiousfootball knockout competition, also known for sponsorship reasons as theCo-operative Insurance Cup.Celtic won the cup beatingRangers 2–0 afterextra time thanks to a goal fromDarren O'Dea and anAiden McGeady penalty.
| Round | First match date[1] | Fixtures | Clubs |
|---|---|---|---|
| First round | 5 August 2008 | 14 | 42 → 28 |
| Second round | 26 August 2008 | 12 | 28 → 16 |
| Third round | 23 September 2008 | 8 | 16 → 8 |
| Quarter-finals | 28 October 2008 | 4 | 8 → 4 |
| Semi-finals | 27 January 2009 | 2 | 4 → 2 |
| Final | 15 March 2009 | 1 | 2 → 1 |
The First round draw was conducted atHampden Park on 2008-07-22.[2]
| 2008-08-05 | Montrose | 0–2 | Cowdenbeath | Links Park, Montrose |
| 19:45 | Report | McGregor 6'Fairbairn 81' | Attendance: 382 Referee: A Muir |
| 2008-08-05 | Ross County | 2–3 (a.e.t.) | Airdrie United | Victoria Park, Dingwall |
| 19:45 | Dall 43' Hart 76' | Report | di Giacomo 23',112' Noble 86' | Attendance: 869 Referee: C Allan |
| 2008-08-05 | Dumbarton | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (5–4p) | Annan Athletic | Strathclyde Homes Stadium, Dumbarton |
| 19:30 | Logan 115' Geggan  103'  104'Penalty Shootout Clark  Logan Tiernan O'Byrne Murray | Report | Jack 103' (pen.) Penalty Shootout Jardine Johnstone Parker Adamson Inglis  | Attendance: 462 Referee: G Hilland |
| 2008-08-05 | Peterhead | 0–2 | Dunfermline Athletic | Balmoor Stadium, Peterhead |
| 19:45 | Report | Phinn 46' Kirk 50' | Attendance: 1,291 Referee: G Salmond |
| 2008-08-05 | Stranraer | 3–6 | Greenock Morton | Stair Park, Stranraer |
| 19:45 | Frizzel 37' McColm 72'Gibson 84' | Report | McGuffie 5' Wake 12',85'Russell 23',32'Paartalu 40' | Attendance: 317 Referee: S Finnie |
| 2008-08-05 | Alloa Athletic | 2–0 | Elgin City | Recreation Park, Alloa |
| 19:45 | Scott 71' Kelly 78' | Report | Attendance: 269 Referee: C Brown |
| 2008-08-05 | Clyde | 4–1 | Queen's Park | Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld |
| 19:45 | Roddy MacLennan 15' Gibson 63'McSwegan 86',88' | Report | Harkins 82' | Attendance: 690 Referee:Stuart Dougal |
| 2008-08-05 | Albion Rovers | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–4p) | Raith Rovers | Cliftonhill Stadium, Coatbridge |
| 19:45 | Report | Davidson 50' 78' | Attendance: 415 Referee: S Nicholls |
| 2008-08-05 | Partick Thistle | 4–3 (a.e.t.) | Forfar Athletic | Firhill Stadium, Glasgow |
| 19:30 | McKeown 39' Gray 70',97'Chaplain 112' | Report | Fotheringham 13' Lilley 65'Smith 103' | Attendance: 1,192 Referee: E Smith |
| 2008-08-05 | Stenhousemuir | 1–5 | St Johnstone | Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir |
| 19:30 | Love 12' | Report | Sheerin 23' (pen.) Milne 78'Holmes 79',83'Hardie 88' | Attendance: 687 Referee: C Boyle |
| 2008-08-06 | Ayr United | 2–1 | Berwick Rangers | Somerset Park, Ayr |
| 19:45 | Aitken 40' Williams 45' | Report | Greenhill 12' | Attendance: 745 Referee: S. Conroy |
| 2008-08-06 | East Fife | 0–3 | Brechin City | Bayview Stadium, Methil |
| 19:45 | Report | Twigg 44' White 65'Ward 74' | Attendance: 523 Referee: B. Winter |
| 2008-08-06 | Arbroath | 3–2 | Stirling Albion | Gayfield Park, Arbroath |
| 19:45 | McMullan 48' Wright 64'Bishop 80' | Report | A. Graham 5' Harty 63' | Attendance: 448 Referee: J. McKendrick |
| 2008-08-06 | East Stirlingshire | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Livingston | Ochilview Park, Stenhousemuir |
| 19:30 | B. Graham 90' | Report | Fox 80' G. Smith 113' | Attendance: 360 Referee: C.Charleston |
Source:Scottish Football League
The second round draw was conducted at The Signet Library,Edinburgh on 2008-08-11.[3]
| 26 August 2008 | St Mirren | 7–0 | Dumbarton | St Mirren Park, Paisley |
| 19:45 | Robb 18' Mehmet 33',50',52'Dorman 39'Dargo 75'Mason 77' | Report | Attendance: 1,747 Referee: Steve O'Reilly |
| 26 August 2008 | Livingston | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | St Johnstone | Almondvale Stadium, Livingston |
| 19:45 | Griffiths 58' Cuenca 95' | Report | Craig 46' | Attendance: 979 Referee: Steven Nicholls |
| 26 August 2008 | Dundee | 1–2 | Partick Thistle | Dens Park, Dundee |
| 19:45 | McHale 80' | Report | Maxwell 78' Harkins 87' (pen.) | Attendance: 2,507 Referee: Willie Collum |
| 26 August 2008 | Hibernian | 3–4 (a.e.t.) | Greenock Morton | Easter Road, Edinburgh |
| 19:45 | Keenan 80' Shiels 84'Pinau 91' | Report | Russell 29',115' (pen.) Masterton 66'Harding 118' | Attendance: 14,874 Referee:Iain Brines |
| 26 August 2008 | Hamilton Academical | 3–1 | Clyde | New Douglas Park, Hamilton |
| 19:45 | Grady 17' Thomas 81'Stevenson 90' (pen.) | Report | Clarke 19' Ohnesorge 66'  | Attendance: 1,146 Referee: David Somers |
| 26 August 2008 | Cowdenbeath | 1–5 | Dundee United | Central Park, Cowdenbeath |
| 19:45 | Dempster 74' | Report | Daly 30',47',80' Goodwillie 41',60' | Attendance: 1,423 Referee: Euan Norris |
| 26 August 2008 | Raith Rovers | 1–3 | Falkirk | Stark's Park, Kirkcaldy |
| 19:45 | Walker 58' Campbell 74' | Report | Higdon 16' J. Stewart 35' (pen.)M. Stewart 84' | Attendance: 2,090 Referee:Craig Thomson |
| 26 August 2008 | Dunfermline Athletic | 1–0 | Alloa Athletic | East End Park, Dunfermline |
| 19:45 | Kirk 8' | Report | McKeown 84' | Attendance: 1,326 Referee: S McLean |
| 27 August 2008 | Arbroath | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (2–4p) | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Gayfield Park, Arbroath |
| 19:45 | Tosh 21' Sellars 87' (pen.) | Report | Vigurs 18' Wood 64'Barrowman 120' | Attendance: 596 Referee: A Muir |
| 27 August 2008 | Ayr United | 0–1 | Aberdeen | Somerset Park, Ayr |
| 19:45 | Report | Maguire 40' | Attendance: 2,979 Referee: Brian Winter |
| 27 August 2008 | Brechin City | 0–2 | Kilmarnock | Glebe Park, Brechin |
| 19:45 | Report | Wright 58' Bryson 65' | Attendance: 802 Referee: Steve Conroy |
| 27 August 2008 | Heart of Midlothian | 0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–4p) | Airdrie United | Tynecastle Stadium, Edinburgh |
| 19:45 | Report | McDonald 107' | Attendance: 6,844 Referee: Eddie Smith |
Source:Scottish Football League
The Third round draw was conducted atHampden Park, Glasgow on 2008-09-01.[4]
| 23 September | Celtic | 4–0 | Livingston | Celtic Park, Glasgow |
| 19:45 | Loovens 24' Samaras 64',85' (pen.)Scott Brown 81' | Report | Attendance: 23,569 Referee: W Collum |
| 23 September | Dundee United | 2–0 | Airdrie United | Tannadice Park, Dundee |
| 19:45 | Goodwillie 33' Robertson 42' | Report | Attendance: 3,444 Referee: M Tumilty |
| 23 September | Dunfermline Athletic | 2–0 | St Mirren | East End Park, Dunfermline |
| 19:45 | Bayne 69' Wiles 74' | Report | Attendance: 2,186 Referee: C Murray |
| 23 September | Falkirk | 2–1 | Queen of the South | Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk |
| 19:45 | McCann 29' Lovell 73' | Report | Kean 58' | Attendance: 2,058 Referee: E Smith |
| 23 September | Greenock Morton | 1 – 2 (a.e.t.) | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Cappielow, Greenock |
| 19:45 | McAlister 34' | Report | Hastings 79' Imrie 111' | Attendance: 2,023 Referee:M McCurry |
| 24 September | Kilmarnock | 4–2 | Aberdeen | Rugby Park, Kilmarnock |
| 19:45 | Sammon 2',33' Fernandez 12'Taouil 17' (pen.) | Report | McDonald 6' Miller 26' (pen.) | Attendance: 4,339 Referee:D McDonald |
| 24 September | Motherwell | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Hamilton Academical | Fir Park, Motherwell |
| 19:45 | Murphy 66' Porter 45' | Report | Graham 53' Ettien 95'Mensing 112' | Attendance: 5,590 Referee:I Brines |
| 24 September | Partick Thistle | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Rangers | Firhill Stadium, Glasgow |
| 19:45 | McKeown 33' | Report | Boyd 25' Mendes 116' | Attendance: 6,497 Referee: S Conroy |
Source:Scottish Football League
The quarter-final draw was conducted atHampden Park, Glasgow on 25 September 2008.[5]
| Rangers | 2–0 | Hamilton Academical |
|---|---|---|
| Boyd 24' Lafferty 50' | Report |
| Kilmarnock | 1–3 | Celtic |
|---|---|---|
| Invincibile 69' | Report | McDonald 11' Nakamura 45'McGeady 72' |
The semi-final draw was conducted at theScottish Parliament, Edinburgh on 12 November 2008 by First MinisterAlex Salmond, a representative of sponsorsCo-operative Insurance and the Presiding Officer of the Parliament,Alex Fergusson.[6]
A team, player and young player were chosen by the Scottish sports press as the top performers in each round.
| Round | Team | Player | Young player | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | Greenock Morton | |||
| R2 | Greenock Morton | Stephen Robertson (Airdrie United) | Leigh Griffiths (Livingston) | |
| R3 | Dunfermline Athletic | Conor Sammon (Kilmarnock) | David Goodwillie (Dundee United) | [7] |
| QF | Scott Robertson (Dundee United) | Scott Arfield (Falkirk) | [citation needed] |
In Australia theScottish League Cup was available on SBS andSetanta Sports who also broadcast it in Ireland. In the UK theScottish League Cup was broadcast onBBC Scotland andBBC Red Button.