Plenty of Nothing

Palais du Trocadéro

Le Palais du Trocadéro (1878 - 1935). Source.

Halifax Armoury Finial

Source.

Cove Rangers

Cove Rangers, 1956. Source.

Morton host Cove Rangers. This is the first Scottish League match between these two clubs, but not the first match. They met up at Cove Rangers' old ground Allan Park in the 2004-05 Scottish Cup Round Two and Morton won 1 - 7. The last Morton player to score on Cove Rangers was Chris Millar.

Cove Rangers were founded in 1922, and in 1947 became a founding member of the Aberdeenshire Amateur League Division One, which they won 13 times including 1956 (above). They moved to the North Junior League in 1985 and the Highland League in 1986. They won that league seven times, and in 2019 they relegated Berwick Rangers to win a spot in the SPFL. Cove won League Two in 2020 and League One in 2022, and now they find themselves in the Championship. The division has never had an Aberdeen club before.

After guiding them through two promotions manager Paul Hartley left for Hartlepool this summer, because naming is destiny. Their present gaffer is Jim McIntyre, formerly of Dunfermline, Queen of the South, Ross County and Dundee. They wear blue.

After Week One's games Cove Rangers sit atop the Championship. Morton meanwhile are in a four-way tie for third (prior to last night's match between Queen's Park and Ayr, that is.)

[Morton win 1 - 0. Goal by Quitongo.]

Prior to this season, how many games had Cove Rangers played against the other 2022-23 Championship clubs?

7    Queen's Park

4    Partick Thistle

3    Inverness CT

3    Raith Rovers

2    Dundee

1    Morton

0    Arbroath

0    Ayr United

0    Hamilton Academical

Other Championship matches:

Queen's Park 2 - 3 Ayr United (last night)

Arbroath [0 - 0] Inverness CT

Partick Thistle [1 - 1] Hamilton Academical

Raith Rovers [0 - 1] Dundee

Other matches:

Edinburgh University 2 - 3 Gala Fairydean Rovers (August 2)

The Spartans [4 - 0] Gala Fairydean Rovers (today)

Nairn County [0 - 5] Forres Mechanics

Pollok [0 - 0] Largs Thistle

Shamrock Rovers vs UCD (yesterday) (postponed)

The Dutch Eerste divisie starts this weekend. Typical of football everywhere, Eerste divisie is the name of the second division. The top division, confusingly, is called the Eredivisie. We're following PEC Zwolle.

PEC Zwolle [2 - 1] De Graafschap (tomorrow)

Servette [1 - 0] Winterthur

Litherland REMYCA 1 - 2 FC Isle of Man (August 3)

Blaublitz Akita [1 - 1] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

Blancdieu Hirosaki [7 - 0] Bogolle.D.Tsugaru (tomorrow)

Forge [1 - 0] HFX Wanderers

League1 BC playoff final (August 1):

Varsity FC 1 - 1 TSS Rovers (TTS Rovers win on PK.)

TTS Rovers advance to the 2023 Canadian Championship. The Juan de Fuca Plate goes to the club with the most points after the male and female league tables are combined: Varsity FC.

League1 Ontario: North Toronto Nitro [5 - 2] North Mississauga

North Toronto Nitros have their home field in Downsview, Toronto.

PLSQ: Royal-Sélect de Beauport [5 - 0] CS Longueuil (tomorrow)

CSL: Serbian White Eagles [2 - 0] Toronto Falcons

Someone vandalized the pitch at Centennial Park Stadium, so CSL games have been shifted to Churchill Meadows, North Mississauga SC's pitch. [And then to Esther Shriner Stadium in North York.]

Toronto FC U23 0 - 1 Sunderland AFC U23, in Regina (August 3)

HFX Wanderers U23 1 - 0 CS St-Laurent (August 3)

UEFA Champions League 3QR, first leg (August 2):

Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) 2 - 0 Rangers

UEFA Europa League qualifying round, first leg (August 4):

Shamrock Rovers 3 - 1 Shkupi (North Macedonia)

Linfield 0 - 2 Zurich

UEFA Europa Conference 3QR, first leg (August 4):

Dundee United 1 - 0 AZ (Netherlands)

Viking (Norway) 5 - 1 Sligo Rovers

CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria) 0 - 1 St Patrick's Athletic

Concacaf League, preliminary round, second leg (August 2):

Pacific FC 6 - 0 Waterhouse FC (Jamaica)

Pacific advance.

Subsequent careers of clubs promoted via the pyramid playoffs:

FC Edinburgh (Edinburgh City)

2016-17    36    11    10    15    38    45       -7    43    7th, League Two

2017-18    36      7      9    20    37    62     -25    30    9th, League Two

2018-19    36    20      7      9    58    31    +27    67    3rd, League Two

2019-20    27    17      4      6    49    28    +21    55    2nd, League Two

2020-21    22    12      2      8    40    27    +13    38    2nd, League Two

2021-22    36    14    10    12    43    49       -6    52    4th, League Two    P

Cove Rangers

2019-20    28    22      2      4    76    34    +42    68    1st, League Two    P

2020-21    22    10      6      6    28    18    +10    36    3rd, League One

2021-22    36    23    10      3    73    32    +41    79    1st, League One    P

Kelty Hearts

2021-22    36    24      9      3    68    28    +40    81    1st, League Two    P

Once having gained entry to the SPFL, these three clubs have subsequently earned four promotions. Contrast the relegated clubs East Stirlingshire, Berwick and Brechin, who have not earned anything in their new leagues.

Times that Morton began the league season with a draw:

2022/7/30      Hamilton Academical 1 - 1 Morton

2021/7/31      Morton 2 - 2 Dunfermline

2018/8/4        Morton 2 - 2 Queen of the South

2017/8/5        Dumbarton 0 - 0 Morton

2016/8/6        St Mirren 1 - 1 Morton

2015/8/8        Morton 1 - 1 Falkirk

2012/8/11      Morton 2 - 2 Livingston

2011/8/6        Ross County 0 - 0 Morton

2010/8/7        Morton 0 - 0 Stirling Albion

2008/8/2        Clyde 1 - 1 Morton

2002/8/3        Gretna 1 - 1 Morton

1995/8/12      Dundee United 1 - 1 Morton

1994/8/13      Morton 1 - 1 Berwick Rangers

1985/8/10      Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Morton

1982/9/4        Morton 0 - 0 Kilmarnock

1976/9/4        Montrose 0 - 0 Morton

1975/8/30      Morton 0 - 0 Partick Thistle

1960/8/24      Morton 2 - 2 Stranraer

1957/8/21      Morton 1 - 1 Hamilton Academical

1954/9/11      Morton 2 - 2 Third Lanark

1953/9/5        Morton 3 - 3 Stenhousemuir

1951/9/8        Morton 2 - 2 Queen of the South

1948/8/14      Celtic 0 - 0 Morton

1945/8/11      Morton 1 - 1 Celtic

1943/8/14      Morton 1 - 1 Motherwell

1940/8/10      Third Lanark 2 - 2 Morton

1930/8/9        Ayr United 2 - 2 Morton

1927/8/13      Arbroath 1 - 1 Morton

1924/8/16      Morton 2 - 2 Kilmarnock

1921/8/17      Morton 0 - 0 Motherwell

1919/8/16      Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Morton

1917/8/18      Partick Thistle 3 - 3 Morton

1911/8/15      Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Morton

1896/8/22      Partick Thistle 2 - 2 Morton

The James Watt Dock, 1886

The opening of the James Watt Dock, Greenock, August 5th, 1886. Source.

    The "James Watt" Dock at Greenock. This dock, which has been constructed on the old Garvel Park Estate at the east end of Greenock, was formally opened on the 5th inst. The first sod of the dock was cut on the 1st of August, 1878, and the foundation stone was laid on August 6th, 1881. The construction has thus occupied eight years. The works comprise two tidal harbours, one wet dock, and one graving dock, with an extensive quayage area. The dimensions of these various docks are as follows:---James Watt wet dock,---width of entrance, 75 ft.; depth of water on cill at high water, 32 ft.; length, 2,000 ft.; width, 300 ft. to 350 ft.; length of jetty, 800 ft.; length of quays, 3,600 ft.  Great harbour (tidal), :---Length, 3,230 ft.; width, 600 ft.; area, 45 acres; depth at high water when completed, 38 ft.  Garvel basin (tidal):---Width of entrance, 175 ft.; depth at high water when completed, 35 ft.; length of quays, 2,480 ft.  Garvel graving dock:---Length, 635 ft.; width, 80 ft.; and depth on cill at high water, 20 ft.  The total water space provided by those docks and tidal harbours is ninety acres; the total quay area about 100 acres; and the total length of quays is over three miles.  The James Watt Dock, which is considered the greatest and most costly of these extensive harbours, is one of the finest harbourages for steamers in the United Kingdom.  It has cost over 250,000l., and the outlay on the entire scheme, which has been designed, by Mr. Kinipple, C.E., is fully half a million of money.  An extensive range of warehouses and sheds, capable of storing 20,000 tons of general merchandise, has been constructed at a cost of about 40,000l.  Lines of railways (Caledonian and Glasgow and South-Western) run along the sides of the Watt Dock, and lines of railways have also been laid through the centre of the warehouses and sheds; and hydraulic cranes of great power commanding those rails have been erected, so that goods can be loaded into or discharged from railway wagons under cover.  On the jetty at the Watt Dock two 30-ton steam coaling cranes have been provided, each crane being capable of loading about 150 tons of coal per hour.  According to the Scotsman, the James Watt Wet Dock has this enormous and essential advantage, that it is the only dock on the Clyde in which vessels of huge tonnage can be constantly kept afloat.  At all other docks or harbours the large class of steamers ground during a part of each tide.

The Builder, August 14, 1886, p. 256. Source.

Speed Demon

A replica of the motorcycle George Formby rode in the 1935 film No Limit about the TT motorcyle races on the Isle of Man. Source.

Bosnian Waitress by Mucha

Source. Read about Mucha's Bosnian commission here.

Joy Gas Bar

Source.

R-100 over Montreal, August 1, 1930

Source.

John Dunsworth

Source.

Alfred Morton 1918

Alfred Morton Cognac, 1918. Source.

Morton launch their eighth consecutive season in the Scottish Championship. In the time since the Scottish League reorganized into four divisions Morton have spent more years in this division than anybody else. (See D below.)

This year's Championship has seven teams in common with last year's: Arbroath, Inverness CT, Partick Thistle, Raith Rovers, Hamilton Accies, Morton and Ayr United. Killie, Dunfermline and Queen of the South are gone, replaced by Dundee, Cove Rangers and Queen's Park. Those last two have never played in this division before, though Queen's Park did play in the second tier in the three-division times and in the top tier in the two-division days. And in the years before the SFL they were the top club in Scotland.

This is the first time since 2013-14 that the Championship doesn't include a bigtime Premiership club. Dundee, Hamilton Accies, Partick Thistle and ICT sometimes play in the Premiership but you wouldn't call them huge. They’ll all be lucky to get past Arbroath, who won their League Cup group and appear to be carrying on from where they finished last season.

Morton have not been in the top division since 1988.

Today Morton visit Hamilton Accies at New Douglas Park.

Hamilton earned 8 points in the League Cup group stage on two wins, a shootout win and a loss, with 9 goals scored and 6 allowed.

Hamilton have had John Rankin as their head coach for one month. It's his first gig.

Morton visited Hamilton on August 7th last year and won 0 - 1.

Starting XI: [Schwake, Pignatiello, Strapp, O'Connor, Baird, Kabia, Blues, Muirhead, Quitongo, Gillespie, Lyon.]

Compare last year: Hamilton, Ledger, Strapp, Jacobs, Oliver, Blues, Muirhead, Ugwu, Hynes, McGregor, Lithgow.

The SPFL is bringing back the Reserve League. Rangers, Celtic and Hearts won’t be in it because their reserves are in the Lowland League. Participating clubs are: Dundee United, Hibs, Killie, Livi and Motherwell from the Premiership, Ayr, Dundee, Hamilton and Queen’s Park from the Championship, and Queen of the South from League 1.

Morton have signed 18-year-old striker Josh Gemmell and loaned him out to Broomhill of the Lowland League. Kyle Jacobs has been loaned out to FC Edinburgh.

[Hamilton Academical 1 - 1 Morton. Morton goal by Gillespie.]

Other Championship matches:

Ayr United [0 - 0] Arbroath

Cove Rangers [2 - 0] Raith Rovers

Dundee [2 - 3] Partick Thistle

Inverness CT [1 - 1] Queen's Park

Other matches:

Civil Service Strollers 1 - 3 Gala Fairydean Rovers (July 26)

Cowdenbeath [1 - 2] Gala Fairydean Rovers (today)

Forres Mechanics [0 - 1] Brechin City

Largs Thistle [1 - 1] Glenafton Athletic

FC Isle of Man [0 - 1] Lower Breck

Mito HollyHock [1 - 0] Omiya Ardija

Tohoku: Bogolle.D.Tsugaru [0 - 8] Cobaltore Onagawa (tomorrow)

PEC Zwolle [2 - 1] Dordrecht (friendly)

Winterthur [1 - 4] Lugano (tomorrow)

FAI Cup, Round One: UCD 3 - 0 Cockhill Celtic (yesterday)

Canadian Championship final (July 26):

Vancouver Whitecaps 1 - 1 Toronto FC (Vancouver win on PK.)

League1 Ontario: North Mississauga 0 - 6 Vaughan Azzurri (yesterday)

Vaughan Azzurri played HFX Wanderers in the first round of the 2019 Canadian Championship. Wanderers were impressed by Duran Lee's play for Azzurri and signed him for the remainder of 2019. Matthew Arnone and Tomasz Skublak have also played for Vaughan Azzurri.

PLSQ: FC Laval [2 - 1] Royal-Sélect de Beauport (tomorrow)

CSL: BGHC 1 [1 - 10] Serbian White Eagles

HFX Wanderers [2 - 4] York United (Monday) [Halifax goals by Santos and Garcia.]

[HFX Wanderers have signed Ludwig Kodjo-Amla from CS St-Hubert.]

HFX Wanderers U23 2 - 3 CS St-Hubert (friendly) (July 27)

UEFA Champions League 2QR, second leg:

Bodo/Glimt 8 - 0 Linfield (July 27)

Shamrock Rovers 2 - 1 Ludogorets Razgrad (July 26)

Linfield and Shamrock Rovers both drop down to the Europa League.

UEFA Europa Conference 2QR, second leg (mostly July 28):

The New Saints 0 - 0 Vikingur Reykjavik (July 26)

Sligo Rovers 2 - 0 Motherwell

Mura 0 - 0 Saint Patrick’s Athletic    (Saint Patrick’s win on PK.)

Crusaders 1 - 1 Basel

Newtown 1 - 2 Spartan Trnava

Saint Patrick’s advance. Motherwell, Crusaders, TNS and Newtown are out.

Concacaf League, preliminary round, first leg (July 26):

Waterhouse FC 0 - 0 Pacific FC

Plenty of Nothing's objectives for Morton in 2022-23:

1)    Make the Premiership playoffs.

2)    Make the final of any cup. (See E below.)

3)    Get a win off each Championship opponent.

4)    Sweep an opponent.

5)    Play a Premiership side at Cappielow.

6)    Score on Aberdeen.

7)    Play Kelty Hearts.

8)    Have a top scorer with at least 10 goals.

Appendices:

A) When did everyone find out they were in the 2022-23 Scottish Championship?

April 16        Hamilton Academical

April 23        Greenock Morton

April 23        Cove Rangers

April 29        Raith Rovers

April 29        Ayr United

May 6          Partick Thistle

May 11        Dundee

May 13        Arbroath

May 15        Queen's Park

May 23        Inverness CT

B) When did they most recently get into the Championship, and was it from above or below?

2022    Dundee (above)

2022    Cove Rangers (below)

2022    Queen's Park (below)

2021    Hamilton Accies (above)

2021    Partick Thistle (below)

2020    Raith Rovers (below)

2019    Arbroath (below)

2018    Ayr United (below)

2017    Inverness CT (above)

2015    Morton (below)

C) In which divisions have the 2022-23 Championship clubs played since 1994?

Dundee              BBBBAA     AAAAABBBBB     BBABAAAAAB    BAB

Inverness CT     DDDCCB    BBBBAAAAAB     AAAAAAABBB    BBB

Hamilton            BBCBBC    DCCCBBBBAA    ABBBAAAAAA     ABB

Partick Thistle    AABBCC    CBAABCBBBB     BBBAAAAABB    CBB

Raith Rovers     BAABBB    BBCBBCCCCB     BBBBBBBCCC    BBB

Morton               CBBBBB    BCDCCCCBBB    BBBBCBBBBB     BBB

Ayr Utd              BCCBBB    BBBBCCCCCB    CBCCCCBCBB    BBB

Arbroath            DDDDCC    CBBCCDDDCC   DCCCDDDCCB    BBB

Queen's Park    DDDDDD    CDDDDDDCCD   DDDDDDCCDD   DCB

Cove Rangers   HHHHHH   HHHHHHHHHH   HHHHHHHHHD    CCB

(A = tier I; B = tier II; etc.; H = Highland League)

D) Since 1994, which clubs have spent at least half of the time in tier II, including this season?

21 years        Greenock Morton

19 years        Queen of the South

19 years        Raith Rovers

18 years        Falkirk

16 years        Ayr United

15 years        Dundee

E) Morton's cup finals:

1915/12/8      Morton 2 - 1 Rangers    War Fund Shield

1918/5/4        Celtic 1 - 0 Morton          War Fund Shield

1922/4/15      Morton 1 - 0 Rangers    Scottish Cup

1942/5/9        Morton 0 - 1 Rangers     Southern League Cup

1948/4/21      Rangers 1 - 0 Morton     Scottish Cup

1963/10/26    Rangers 5 - 0 Morton     League Cup

1992/12/13    Morton 2 - 3 Hamilton    Challenge Cup

(Not counting 84 Renfrewshire Cup finals.)