Football: St Andrews United boss Robbie Raeside will lead team into first ever home Scottish Cup tie a week on Saturday

Saints subsequently played Sauchie – who went on to finish runners-up in last season’s East of Scotland League Premier Division – in a preliminary round tie in the nation’s most prestigious cup competition on August 27, 2022 and competed well before ultimately being defeated 4-2.

If that experience whet the appetites of Saints followers, excitement is now building again ahead of United’s first ever home Scottish Cup tie, against Haddington Athletic in the second peliminary round of the 2023-24 tournament on Saturday, September 2.

"St Andrews United are now a full SFA member club and have their SFA club licence,” manager Robbie Raeside told the Herald and Citizen.

"It means we get automatic entry to the Scottish Cup every season.

"Last season I thought we were very unlucky to lose 4-2 at Sauchie. We were 3-2 down, pushing and should have had a penalty. Then they broke away in the last minute to make it 4-2.

"So that was a bit frustrating as we competed very well. We are looking forward to having a home tie this year and although Haddington are another premier league club we are looking forward to going toe to toe with them.

"We certainly don’t have any fear over that fixture. It’s another competition we want to go as far as we can in.

"Hopefully the St Andrews public have seen the success we’ve been having in the last 12 or 14 months at the club and hopefully they’ll come out in their numbers and support us. That would be great.”

The rise of St Andrews United saw the club gain promotion to the East of Scotland League first division last season and the Recreation Park side have made a good start to life in a higher league as they currently sit sixth on nine points after winning three of their first four games.

Saints visit Whitehill Welfare in the league this Saturday with kick-off at 2.30pm.