It isn't just Celtic followers who will be willing them on in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final with St Johnstone.

Those who aid Hibernian, Dundee United, St Mirren - and perhaps even the more pessimistic Aberdeen fans - will also be hoping Brendan Rodgers holders gain for one particular straightforward rationale...

A closing among Celtic and Aberdeen - whatever the result - will imply the best five finishers in the Scottish Premiership are going to be assured Europe next year.

Why is the fact that?
The Scottish Cup winners get paid a place during the Europa League Engage in-off spherical, With all the workforce that finishes 3rd while in the Premiership likely into the second qualifying round.

Whoever is fourth, might be within the equivalent stage of your Convention League.

On the other hand, if Celtic get the cup, anything shuffles down simply because they have by now clinched a place inside the Champions League qualifiers. Rangers will much too.

That means the Europa Perform-off location - along with the confirmed six-recreation Convention League marketing campaign that comes along with it - goes to whoever finishes 3rd within the league.

At present, that is Hibs. But United and Aberdeen and St Mirren - albeit the arithmetic is vastly versus them - are still in the mix.

But even the clubs who pass up out on 3rd could even now be rewarded.

Fourth position would be upgraded from Conference League to Europa League, with that Conference spot gonna whoever finishes fifth.

St Johnstone, not surprisingly, could scupper All of this which has a next victory over Celtic inside a month.

Should they do so, then either they or Aberdeen could look forward to at the very least six rewarding video games inside the Conference League arrive the autumn.