EAST Lothian’s footballers could be left behind on the road to Hampden if controversial plans for this season’s Scottish Cup get the green light.

Haddington Athletic, Musselburgh Athletic and Tranent Juniors were all set, for the first time, to join Preston Athletic in flying the flag for the county in the premier cup competition in Scottish football.

However, with the football season kicking off late due to the coronavirus pandemic, various options are being weighed up for the tournament.

More than 100 sides were due to take part in the Scottish Cup, including the quartet from East Lothian.

However, one option being considered is to streamline the tournament for the 2020-21 season, with just 52 teams taking part.

That would include the 42 Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) sides and 10 from outside the top four flights of the Scottish footballing pyramid.

Another option could see replays scrapped in a bid to ease potential fixture congestion.

Kevin McDonald, manager of Musselburgh Athletic, described it as “a huge blow” if his side were to miss out.

He said: “We worked so hard to get there.

“Clubs are working hard to get their licences and that is difficult but we did it the hard way by winning two competitions to get in.

“It would be a massive blow to miss out, especially with the floodlights going in and how hard the club has been working.”

Musselburgh defeated Oakley United 4-2 to lift the Alex Jack Cup, which also secured them a place in the final of the South and East Shield.

A 7-0 win over Mid Annandale saw them rewarded with a place in the Scottish Cup but it remains to be seen if that will now be the case.

It could be that those teams outside the top 42 are put into a ballot and it is the luck of the draw to win in a place in the Scottish Cup.

McDonald said: “Obviously, the whole plan and the way the club is going is to try to create a bigger support.

“This was a massive push in the right direction – having the Scottish Cup.”

Meanwhile, if Tranent Juniors contest a Scottish Cup tie it would mark a memorable moment for Johnny Harvey’s men.

The Foresters Park side started back training last week, with sessions involving a maximum of five players.

The manager said: “It would be a massive honour for me personally just to be involved at that level with my hometown club.

“It would be extremely satisfying but it is not just about me.

“There are a few local boys playing for the club and for the committee it would be extremely satisfying for them to host a Scottish Cup game.”

Positively, he stressed, if the club were to miss out this year, it would only be a season delay before they made their Scottish Cup bow.

And Joe Hamill, who knows what it is like to play and score in a Scottish Cup tie, was also disappointed that his side could miss out on a place in the tournament.

The Haddington boss said that a lot of work had gone on behind the scenes at Millfield, with the installation of floodlights and various other works carried out.

He said: “Myself and the coaching team had been speaking about all the hype up to the game.

“It is massive and you look at the success [in the cup in recent seasons] of teams like Bonnyrigg Rose, Broxburn Athletic and Penicuik Athletic. You look forward to it and it is a big thing for the club.”