The tatty marble staircase.
Glasgow City Chambers were opened in 1888. Heritage category: A. Cost: £578,232. Height: 240 feet. Auditorium capacity: 300. Pipe organ? No.
In other words, this building is less venerable than Paisley's town hall, shorter than Greenock's, more expensive than both put together, with less seating and no pipe organ. In a word, rubbish.
It's the 2017-18 Scottish Cup Quarter-Finals. Morton visit Celtic.
This is only the second time in the 21st Century that Morton have made it to the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. The other occasion was two years ago.
Morton and Celtic have been drawn together in the Scottish Cup 13 times before. Celtic have prevailed 12 times, and Morton once, in 1947-48. Celtic are heavy favourites.
But let us not forget Round Three of the 2013-14 League Cup when Morton went to Parkhead and won 0 - 1. Read the match report.
Now that Celtic are out of the Europa League they're free to meet Morton in a replay any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. When was the last time Morton and Celtic went to an extra game in the Scottish Cup? 1907.
If Celtic win it'll be the third year in a row that Morton have been knocked out of the Scottish Cup by an Old Firm club. That's a step up from losing to Spartans.
Despite Tuesday's loss Morton still have the best defensive record in the Championship, with 24 goals allowed in 26 games. They have not conceded two goals in a game since Dec 9th.
Today's game has an early start, 12:30 local time, to accommodate Sky Sports who are broadcasting it. This is just the second televised match this season for Morton.
The snowy weather in Scotland has been wiping out fixtures all week. All of today's league matches are off. Fixture congestion is becoming an issue for everyone (apart from Celtic). How many Tuesdays are left before the end of the season? March 6, 13, 20 and 27; April 3, 10, 17 and 24. Morton are already booked for March 13 and April 10.
[Celtic 3 - 0 Morton.]
Other games:
Rangers vs Falkirk
These two have been drawn together 16 times before. Rangers have advanced 14 times, Falkirk twice. [Rangers 4 - 1 Falkirk.]
Aberdeen vs Kilmarnock
These two have been drawn together seven times previously. Aberdeen have always advanced. But Killie are hot. They haven't lost a game since January 27th, although that loss was to Aberdeen. [1 - 1.]
Motherwell vs Hearts
These two have been drawn together nine times before. Motherwell have advanced six times, Hearts three. In league play this season they have played to a win, a draw and a loss. [Motherwell 2 - 1 Hearts.]
Morton in Glasgow this decade:
2017/2/12 Rangers 2 - 1 Morton
2016/3/11 Rangers 3 - 1 Morton
2016/3/6 Celtic 3 - 0 Morton
2015/12/12 Rangers 2 - 2 Morton
2013/9/24 Celtic 0 - 1 Morton
2013/4/10 Partick 1 - 0 Morton
2012/12/26 Partick 1 - 2 Morton
2012/2/18 Partick 0 - 0 Morton
2011/9/30 Partick 5 - 0 Morton
2011/4/23 Partick 2 - 0 Morton
2010/11/13 Partick 0 - 0 Morton
2010/1/4 Partick 1 - 0 Morton
Rank the quarter-finalists by Scottish Cups already won:
37 Celtic
33 Rangers
8 Hearts
7 Aberdeen
3 Kilmarnock
2 Falkirk
2 Motherwell
1 Morton
1978-79. Morton met Hearts at Tynecastle for their Scottish Cup Fourth Round tie, and it ended in a tie, 1 - 1. Morton goal by George Anderson.
1933-34. Morton hosted Stenhousemuir and won 3 - 1.
1944-45. Morton visited Hamilton Academical and won 6 - 2 in Southern League Cup play.
CONCACAF Champions League, Round of 16, second leg:
Guadalajara 5 - 0 Cibao. Cibao are out.
New York Red Bulls 2 - 0 Olimpia. Olimpia are out.
Toronto FC 0 - 0 Colorado Rapids. Toronto advance.
Abruzzo: San Nicolò [3 - 4] L'Aquila
Regionalliga Südwest: FSV Frankfurt [0 - 3] 1. FC Saarbrücken
Bombensucher bohrten in Ludwigspark.
League of Ireland, First Division: Wexford vs UCD [postponed]
SWFL Division 1 South: Celtic Academy vs Morton [postponed]
Svenska Cupen group stage: Malmö FF [3 - 1] IF Brommapojkarna
J2: JEF United Chiba [0 - 0] Mito HollyHock
Tokyo 23 FC play Cereza FC in the quarter-finals of the Tokyo Cup. This year's cup has been in progress since early December, taking six rounds to winnow the Toyko metropolitan league teams from 63 to two: Cerveza and Nankatsu SC. These are now joined by last season's six Tokyo-based Kanto League clubs: Aries, Tokyo 23 FC, Waseda United, Tokyo United, Hitachi Building Systems and FC Korea. See here for the entire bracket. The games:
Aries [3 - 1] Waseda United
Tokyo 23 [1 - 2] Cerveza
Tokyo United [5 - 3] Nankatsu SC
Hitachi Building Systems [2 - 1] FC Korea
The winner of this cup will be [gets to the next round of deciding] the Tokyo prefecture representative in Round One of the 98th Emperor's Cup.
Clydebank want back in the senior leagues. This is interesting because they're located outside the geographical areas of the East and South of Scotland Leagues. Would they be promoted straight to the Lowland League, or could this trigger the creation of a tier VI West of Scotland League?
A valuable resource The Scottish Football Historical Archive seems to have gone down permanently. This would be a great loss for the stats-minded Scottish football fan if it were not preserved here at the Internet Archive.
Rangers versus non-league sides in the Scottish Cup:
2018/1/31 Fraserburgh 0 - 3 Rangers
2012/9/29 Forres Mechanics 0 - 1 Rangers
1996/1/27 Keith 1 - 10 Rangers
1984/2/18 Inverness Caledonian 0 - 6 Rangers
1977/2/26 Rangers 3 - 0 Elgin City
1966/2/28 Ross County 0 - 2 Rangers
1964/1/25 Rangers 9 - 0 Duns
1954/3/13 Rangers 4 - 0 Berwick Rangers
1952/2/9 Rangers 6 - 1 Elgin City
1949/1/22 Rangers 6 - 1 Elgin City
1948/1/24 Stranraer 0 - 1 Rangers
1934/1/20 Rangers 14 - 2 Blairgowrie
1929/1/19 Rangers 11 - 1 Edinburgh City
1927/1/22 Leith Athletic 1 - 4 Rangers
1925/2/7 Montrose 0 - 2 Rangers
1922/1/28 Inverness Clachnacuddin 0 - 5 Rangers
1921/2/26 Rangers 4 - 1 Alloa Athletic
1921/2/19 Rangers 0 - 0 Alloa Athletic
1920/2/21 Rangers 3 - 0 Broxburn United
1920/2/7 Rangers 5 - 0 Arbroath
1914/2/7 Rangers 5 - 0 Alloa Athletic
1912/1/27 Rangers 3 - 1 Stenhousemuir
1910/1/22 Rangers 3 - 1 Inverness Thistle
1909/1/23 St Johnstone 0 - 3 Rangers
1907/2/16 Galston 0 - 4 Rangers
1905/2/25 Rangers 5 - 1 Beith
1905/1/28 Rangers 2 - 1 Ayr Parkhouse
1903/3/7 Stenhousemuir 1 - 4 Rangers
1903/1/10 Rangers 7 - 0 Auchterarder Thistle
1902/1/25 Rangers 5 - 1 Inverness Caledonian
1902/1/11 Rangers 6 - 1 Johnstone
1900/1/27 Rangers 12 - 0 Maybole
1899/2/11 Ayr Parkhouse 1 - 4 Rangers
1898/2/5 Queen's Park 1 - 3 Rangers
1898/1/22 Rangers 12 - 0 Cartvale
1898/1/8 Rangers 8 - 0 Polton Vale
1894/2/10 Queen's Park 1 - 3 Rangers
1894/2/3 Rangers 1 - 1 Queen's Park
1894/1/13 Clyde 0 - 5 Rangers
1893/11/25 Rangers 8 - 0 Cowlairs
1893/1/28 St Bernard's 3 - 2 Rangers
1892/11/26 Rangers 7 - 0 Annbank United
1892/1/30 Rangers 2 - 0 Annbank United
1892/1/23 Kilmarnock 2 - 3 Rangers
1891/12/26 Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Rangers
1891/12/19 Rangers 0 - 0 Kilmarnock
1891/11/28 Rangers 5 - 1 St Bernard's
Prior to 1890-91 all clubs were non-league.
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