1891–92 Scottish Cup preliminary rounds

The preliminary rounds for the 1891–92 Scottish Cup took place between 5 September and 5 December 1891 to decide the 17 teams that would join the 15 exempt clubs in the first round. This was the first season to feature preliminary rounds following a change to the competition format from the previous 18 editions.

A total of 167 teams entered the preliminary rounds which were open to all members of the Scottish FA.

After the completion of the four preliminary rounds which saw 976 goals scored across 147 matches, Aberdeen, Arbroath, Annbank, Ayr, Battlefield, Bathgate Rovers, Bridge of Allan, Broxburn Shamrock, Cowlairs, Dunblane, East Stirlingshire, Kilmarnock Athletic, Linthouse, Mid-Annandale, Monkcastle, St Bernard's and Thistle advanced to the first round.

Background
Following the creation of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) in 1873, membership swelled to 81 by 1876 and entrants to the Scottish Cup regularly exceeded 100 between 1877 and 1891. This, coupled with some heavily one-sided ties – including Arbroath's world-record 36–0 win against Bon Accord – prompted calls for a system of exemption for the leading clubs. The formation of the Scottish Football League in 1890 created a sea change and allowed the leading clubs to bring forward a change to the competition format. At the SFA's annual general meeting on 12 May 1891, Mr Kennedy of Dumbarton proposed that the Scottish Cup be split into two parts; a preliminary stage and a final stage. This would see 16 clubs given an exemption from competing in the preliminary stage while the rest of the competition entrants would play-off for the 16 remaining places in the first round of the final stage. The resulting vote came down to the chairman's casting vote and he sided in favour of introducing the preliminary stages.

Format
Alongside the four semi-finalists from the previous season, 12 further teams were voted to be exempt from competing in the preliminary rounds. The names of the remaining clubs were placed into lots according to their districts and drawn into pairs. The home team would be the first team drawn unless only one of the clubs in a pair had a private ground. In the event of a draw, the second team drawn would have the choice of ground for the replay. This process was repeated for the second and third preliminary rounds. All competing clubs were placed into a single lot for the fourth preliminary round.

Calendar
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Teams
At a committee meeting on 11 June 1891, the 16 teams to be exempt from the preliminary rounds were decided. By virtue of being semi-finalists in 1890–91, Heart of Midlothian, 3rd Lanark RV, Dumbarton and Abercorn were the first to be exempt. Following a vote, Queen's Park, Rangers, Celtic, Renton, St Mirren, Vale of Leven, Clyde, Cambuslang, Dundee Our Boys, Kilmarnock, Northern and Leith Athletic were given an exemption from the preliminary rounds. However, Dundee Our Boys requested to take part in the preliminary rounds. Their request was granted and their place in the first round was vacated. As a result, 17 teams would qualify through the preliminary rounds rather than 16.

Glasgow and Lanarkshire district
Rutherglen received a bye to the second preliminary round.

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Renfrewshire and Ayrshire district
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Dunbartonshire, Stirlingshire and Clackmannanshire district
Clackmannan received a bye to the second preliminary round.

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East of Scotland and Fife district
Edinburgh University received a bye to the third preliminary round.

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Forfarshire district
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Perthshire district
Vale of Atholl received a bye to the second preliminary round.

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Argyll district
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Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire district
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Northern Counties
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Selkirkshire district
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Southern Counties
Moffat received a bye to the second preliminary round.

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East of Scotland, Fife, Dunbartonshire and Stirlingshire district
Cowdenbeath received a bye to the third preliminary round.

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Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Ayrshire district
Saltcoats Victoria received a bye to the third preliminary round.

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Forfarshire and Perthshire district
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Argyll district
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Aberdeenshire district
Orion received a bye to the third preliminary round.

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Northern Counties
Inverness Caledonian received a bye to the third preliminary round.

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Southern Counties and Selkirkshire district
Annan received a bye to the third preliminary round.

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Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, Ayrshire and Argyll district
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Dunbartonshire, Fife, Stirlingshire and East of Scotland district
Dalmuir Thistle received a bye to the fourth preliminary round.

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Forfarshire and Perthshire district
Arbroath received a bye to the fourth preliminary round.

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Aberdeenshire district
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Northern Counties
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Southern Counties
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Fourth preliminary round
Linthouse, Ayr, Bridge of Allan, East Stirlingshire, Mid-Annandale, Dunblane, Broxburn Shamrock, St Bernard's and Kilmarnock Athletic received a bye to the first round.

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