Stephen Robinson echoes Lee Johnson over Premier Sports Cup as he claims format 'set up against' Premiership sides

Stephen Robinson has become the second top flight manager to slam the Premier Sports Cup schedule - claiming the early start is unfair on Premiership clubs.

The St Mirren boss called for an SPFL rethink as he vented just days after Hibs counterpart Lee Johnson dubbed the July 9 start to the group stage as “degrading” and after both side toppled out in the first round. However Record Sport understands league chiefs currently have no plans to change the format next season. Hibs boss Johnson hit out over the weekend claiming the fast start was senseless and dangerous to players’ fitness.

Arbroath number two Iain Campbell had earlier dubbed the kick-off date “crazy” and now Robinson, who took Motherwell to the final of the competition in 2017, has added to the fury. He said: “Whatever I say at the moment people will think I’m only saying it because we didn’t qualify. But speaking to other managers it doesn’t work for the Premiership side.

“It’s set up against us because if you play your strongest side in the four group games you get 11 players fit, you don’t get your squad of 20 fit. It’s so early, it’s two weeks in and we’ve picked up numerous injuries because of it. Alex Greive, Scott Tanser, to name a few and the other clubs are the exact same because you’re going into games where usually you’d take them off after 45 or 60.

"I don’t think anyone enjoys it. It’s so early in the competition and it’s not conducive to good football or building for the season. I’d like it looked at and that’s whether we won or not.”

It’s the second season in a row that the campaign has kicked off for sides not in Europe on the second weekend of July. SPFL bosses were hamstrung this season due to the five-week break for the World Cup in