The 2012–13 Scottish Cup was the 128th edition of Scotland’s premier knockout football competition. The tournament began in September 2012 and concluded with the final on 26 May 2013 at Hampden Park in Glasgow.
Format and participation
The competition was open to clubs from the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) and eligible non‑league teams. Teams entered at various stages according to their league tier, with preliminary rounds for lower‑division and non‑league clubs, followed by successive knockout rounds culminating in the final.
Key dates
- First round: 7 September 2012
- Fourth round (entry of Premiership clubs): Early January 2013
- Semi‑finals: 11 April 2013 (first leg) and 14 April 2013 (second leg)
- Final: 26 May 2013
Final
- Venue: Hampden Park, Glasgow
- Attendees: Approximately 48,000 spectators
- Result: Celtic 3 – 0 Hibernian
- Goal scorers: Leigh Griffiths (15’), James Forrest (35’), Mark Wilson (90+2’)
Celtic secured their 35th Scottish Cup title, completing a domestic treble for the season. Hibernian, as runners‑up, reached the final for the first time since 2001.
Defending champions
The previous season’s champions, Heart of Midlothian, entered the competition in the fourth round but were eliminated by Hibernian in the quarter‑finals.
Notable moments
- The early rounds featured several upsets, including non‑league side Spartans eliminating a League Two club.
- The semi‑finals were contested over two legs for the first time since the 1980s, with Celtic defeating St Johnstone 3‑2 on aggregate and Hibernian overcoming Aberdeen 2‑1 on aggregate.
Subsequent season
The competition was followed by the 2013–14 Scottish Cup.
References
- Scottish Football Association, “Scottish Cup 2012–13 Results and Fixtures.”
- BBC Sport, “Celtic 3–0 Hibernian: Celtic win Scottish Cup,” 26 May 2013.
