Festival Cup
Encyclopedia
The Festival Cup was a Scottish
football
tournament played in 2003 and 2004. Designed to tie in with the Edinburgh Festival
, on both occasions when competed for it consisted of a single match between Edinburgh
's two professional clubs, Heart of Midlothian
and Hibernian
.
agreements would be invited to compete with Hearts and Hibernian in a triangular tournament. As Edinburgh's twin cities include Munich
, Florence
and Kiev
, the local media speculated that a globally recognised team such as FC Bayern Munich
, ACF Fiorentina
or Dynamo Kiev
may play in Scotland's capital.
Eventually, though, organisers proved unable to attract a suitable foreign team and a single game format, comprising Hearts and Hibs, was agreed upon, with the clubs hosting the game in alternate years. The first event was scheduled for the Saturday before the start of the 2003–04 season.
. The prominence of the first game was not helped by the Scottish Premier League
scheduling a league derby would occur just two weeks after the Festival Cup, with both matches played at Easter Road
.
The following year, pre-arranged friendlies and fixture congestion
meant that the clubs found it difficult to find a suitable date within the Festival period. The international fixture weekend in early September was agreed upon, but this meant that both sides were missing players who were representing national teams, effectively reducing the game to little more than a reserve team
fixture. Amongst the sides who played, Craig Sives
and Calum Elliot
had both yet to feature in the Hearts first team, while Hibs included untried personnel in the form of John Kane and Jay Shields
.
Further fixture congestion
resulted in the clubs failing to reach agreement upon a suitable date in 2005, and there has been no attempt since then to revive the competition.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
tournament played in 2003 and 2004. Designed to tie in with the Edinburgh Festival
Edinburgh Fringe
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest arts festival. Established in 1947 as an alternative to the Edinburgh International Festival, it takes place annually in Scotland's capital, in the month of August...
, on both occasions when competed for it consisted of a single match between Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
's two professional clubs, Heart of Midlothian
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
and Hibernian
Hibernian F.C.
Hibernian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Leith, in the north of Edinburgh. They are one of two Scottish Premier League clubs in the city, the other being their Edinburgh derby rivals, Hearts...
.
Concept and format
The idea for a football tournament during the Edinburgh Festival was first mooted in early 2003, with the intention being to organise a three team tournament during the duration of the Edinburgh Festival. Initial proposals suggested a club from one of the cities with which Edinburgh has twinningTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
agreements would be invited to compete with Hearts and Hibernian in a triangular tournament. As Edinburgh's twin cities include Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
and Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
, the local media speculated that a globally recognised team such as FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich
FC Bayern Munich , is a German sports club based in Munich, Bavaria. It is best known for its professional football team, which is the most successful football club in Germany, having won 22 national titles and 15 cups....
, ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina
ACF Fiorentina, commonly referred to as simply Fiorentina, is a professional Italian football club from Florence, Tuscany. Founded by a merger in 1926, Fiorentina have played at the top level of Italian football for the majority of their existence; only four clubs have played in more Serie A...
or Dynamo Kiev
FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
may play in Scotland's capital.
Eventually, though, organisers proved unable to attract a suitable foreign team and a single game format, comprising Hearts and Hibs, was agreed upon, with the clubs hosting the game in alternate years. The first event was scheduled for the Saturday before the start of the 2003–04 season.
Tournaments
----Demise
Despite initial enthusiasm for the competition, logistical problems soon led to doubts over its future. The failure to attract any non-Scottish opposition reduced it merely to the status of an extra Edinburgh derbyEdinburgh derby
The Edinburgh derby is an informal title given to any football match played between Scottish clubs Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian , the two professional clubs based in Edinburgh, Scotland. The two clubs have a fierce rivalry that dates back to the clubs being founded in the mid-1870s, which...
. The prominence of the first game was not helped by the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
scheduling a league derby would occur just two weeks after the Festival Cup, with both matches played at Easter Road
Easter Road
Easter Road is a football stadium located in the Leith area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hibernian . The stadium currently has an all-seated capacity of 20,421, which makes it the fifth-largest football stadium in Scotland. Easter Road is also...
.
The following year, pre-arranged friendlies and fixture congestion
Fixture congestion
Fixture congestion is a term used in sports to describe a team playing too many matches in a short space of time.In football, extended runs in cup competitions can cause fixture congestion. A team may appeal to a governing body to extend their season but it is not compulsory for a governing body...
meant that the clubs found it difficult to find a suitable date within the Festival period. The international fixture weekend in early September was agreed upon, but this meant that both sides were missing players who were representing national teams, effectively reducing the game to little more than a reserve team
Reserve team
Large professional sports clubs often have far more players under contract than could possibly play in a match. As a result, many of these clubs create second teams composed of players who need playing time, but have little hope of playing on the first team. The players on this second team are...
fixture. Amongst the sides who played, Craig Sives
Craig Sives
Craig Stuart Sives is a Scottish professional association football player who currently plays for Shamrock Rovers in the League of Ireland.-Career:...
and Calum Elliot
Calum Elliot
Calum Elliot is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing for Scottish First Division club Dundee on loan from Scottish Premier League club Heart of Midlothian.-Domestic:...
had both yet to feature in the Hearts first team, while Hibs included untried personnel in the form of John Kane and Jay Shields
Jay Shields
Jay Shields is a Scottish association football player, currently playing with junior side Bo'ness United.Shields has played for Hibernian, Greenock Morton, Cowdenbeath and Arbroath, with loan spells at Berwick Rangers and Dundee.-Career:A tough battler and a competent defender, Shields made his...
.
Further fixture congestion
Fixture congestion
Fixture congestion is a term used in sports to describe a team playing too many matches in a short space of time.In football, extended runs in cup competitions can cause fixture congestion. A team may appeal to a governing body to extend their season but it is not compulsory for a governing body...
resulted in the clubs failing to reach agreement upon a suitable date in 2005, and there has been no attempt since then to revive the competition.