Plenty of Nothing

Finlaystone House

Finlaystone House is about two miles east of the Bouverie Tenements. Source.

Dundee visited Cappielow last night for an evening match televised by BBC Scotland. Dundee held 2nd place with 42 points, Morton fourth with 34.

Prior to this match Morton and Dundee had combined for two scoreless draws. (See A below.)

Many chose Dundee to walk through the Championship this year but they have held first place for only two weeks so far. (See B below.)

Last weekend's win over first-place Queen's Park was only the seventh time Morton have defeated the division leader since coming up from League One in 2015. (See C below.)

Morton 1 - 0 Dundee. Goal by Baird.

The other Championship matches:

Queen's Park (1st) 1 - 1 Raith Rovers (6th) (also last night)

Ayr United (2nd) [0 - 1] Partick Thistle (6th)

Partick Thistle sacked manager Ian McCall right after their Scottish Cup loss to Rangers. Dougie Imrie moves up to 16th position on the SPFL manager seniority list, and 3rd in the Championship after Dick Campbell (Arbroath) and Billy Dodds (ICT). Source.

Cove Rangers (8th) [1 - 1] Arbroath (9th)

Inverness CT (7th) [0 - 3] Hamilton Accies (10th)

League One watch:

Clyde and Peterhead hold the bottom two positions in League One, with 11 points each, far and away the worst records in the SPFL this season. Eighth-place Kelty can be projected to finish with 43 points, which means that either Clyde or Peterhead must win 11 of their 12 remaining games to escape relegation. But each has only two wins so far. They play each other today:

Clyde [1 - 0] Peterhead

Other matches:

ADO Den Haag 3 - 1 PEC Zwolle (yesterday)

Hearts B vs Gala Fairydean Rovers [postponed]

Rothes [2 - 1] Forres Mechanics

Largs Thistle [1 - 2] Clydebank

Ashton Athletic [0 - 1] FC Isle of Man

Winterthur 1 - 2 Servette (February 15)

Winterthur [1 - 1] Sion

Livi [1 - 1] Morton Women (tomorrow)

The League of Ireland has begun: 

Dundalk 1 - 1 UCD (yesterday)

J2 begins. There are four Tohoku clubs this year: Blaublitz Akita, Vegalta Sendai, Montedio Yamagata and Iwaki FC. I'll keep track of the games between these four and make a league table out of the results. Plus let's follow Mito HollyHock again:

Shimizu S-Pulse [0 - 0] Mito HollyHock

Canada

HFX Wanderers have signed defender Ryan James, who has played for several USL Championship clubs, and defender Daniel Nimick from Western Michigan University. Samuel Salter has been transferred to Atlético Ottawa for an undisclosed fee.

Canadian soccer has fallen into the hands of oligarchs. Read. And.

About Preston Lions

We've been following the career of Iida Kodai, who played for HFX Wanderers in 2019, OKC Energy of the USL Championship in 2020 and 2021, RANS Nusantara of the Indonesian league briefly in 2022, and has now signed with Preston Lions of the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, in the third tier of Australian soccer. NPL2 Vic is essentially a semi-pro city league in Melbourne. Its season corresponds with the Southern Hemisphere's fall, winter and spring, which means it's time for it to start. Let's follow Preston Lions through the 2023 campaign and learn a thing or two about Australian soccer.

Preston Lions is a diaspora club, with ties to the Macedonian community, and many of the players have Macedonian surnames. One guy who doesn't is Connor Bell, who has had three stints with the club, and who also played for Morton in 2018-19 and scored one goal for them:

2018/7/28      38'    Cappielow    Albion Rovers   Hallford    League Cup

NPL2 Vic: Preston Lions 1 - 2 Pascoe Vale (yesterday)

A) Times that Morton failed to score on a divisional opponent all season, since 1976:

2020-21        Arbroath (3 games)

2020-21        Raith Rovers (3 games)

2013-14        Alloa (4 games)

1996-97        St Johnstone (4 games)

1990-91        Dundee (3 games)

1989-90        Falkirk (3 games)

1989-90        Meadowbank Thistle (3 games)

1988-89        Raith Rovers (3 games)

1984-85        Dundee United (4 games)

B) 2022-23 Scottish Championship top and bottom teams week by week (2 of 3):

Week 13            Ayr United            Arbroath

Week 14            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 15            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 16            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 17            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 18            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 19            Dundee                Hamilton Academical

Week 20            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 21            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 22            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 23            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 24            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Part 1 of 3. Part 3 will post on May 5th.

C) Matches in which Morton beat the Championship leader:

2023/2/11      Morton 3 - 2 Queen's Park                      league

2022/8/6        Morton 1 - 0 Cove Rangers                    league

2021/12/7      Morton 1 - 1 ICT (Morton won on PK)    SCup R3

2019/1/4        Morton 1 - 0 Ross County                       league

2018/8/25      Morton 2 - 1 Ross County                       league

2017/9/9        Morton 3 - 2 Dunfermline                        league

2016/10/15    QoS 0 - 5 Morton                                    league

Historical matches:

February 18, 1978    Morton 3 - 0 Livingston

Scottish Cup, Round Four. Goals by Billy Thomas and Andy Ritchie (2).

Port Glasgow Athletic in the Scottish 2nd XI Cup, 1880s and 1890s:

1883/9/15      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 3 Johnstone Rovers

1883/10/20    R2    Kilmarnock Athletic 6 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/10/25    R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 2 Arthurlie

1884/11/22    R3    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Kilmarnock

1884/12/13    R3    Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/10/10    R1    Lanemark vs Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/12/12    R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Neilston

1886/2/6        R3    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Hibs

1886/3/6        R4    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Annbank

1886/3/27      SF    Rangers 5 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/11/13    R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Morton

1887/9/10      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 0 Arthurlie

1887/10/1      R2    bye

1887/10/22    R3    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 5 Abercorn

1887/10/29    R3    Abercorn 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/9/8        R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Neilston

1888/9/29      R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 2 St Mirren

1889/9/14      R1    St Mirren 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/9/13      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 3 Dykebar

1890/10/4      R2    Morton 4 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1891/9/12      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 Neilston

1891/10/3      R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Pollokshaws

1891/10/31    R3    Abercorn 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1892/9/10      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Abercorn

1893/9/16      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Pollokshaws

1893/9/30      R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 4 5th Kirkcudbright RV

1893/10/21    R3    Partick Thistle 2 - 5 Port Glasgow Athletic

1893/11/11    R4    bye

1893/12/2      R5    Queen's Park 7 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1894/9/8        R1    Abercorn 4 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1895/9/x        R1    Port Glasgow Athletic wo/scr Motherwell

1895/10/5      R2    Albion Rovers 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1896/x/x        R1    Port Glasgow Athletic vs Partick Thistle

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive)

The Kick Inside

Kate Bush's first album The Kick Inside was released on this date in 1978. This is the Canadian album cover, one of six variants (two UK, one US, one Canadian, one Yugoslavian and, rarest of all, one Uruguayan). Listen to the album, and also an Italian fan's note-perfect cover of Ian Bairnson's guitar solo at the close of "Wuthering Heights".

Lego Habitat

Source.

The Angel Stone

The Angel Stone is thought to be a remnant of the Anglo-Saxon St. Mary's Church that once stood on the site of the present-day Manchester Cathedral, and as such is regarded as the oldest thing in the cathedral. It was also the subject of the first half-tone photograph ever published in the Manchester Guardian, on February 15th, 1905. Source.

Siegfried and the Dragon

Source.

Mills Brothers, 1980s

Source.

Premier Hockey Federation Uniforms

Buffalo Beauts. Source.

Boston Pride. Source.

Connecticut Whale. Source.

Metropolitan Riveters. Source.

Minnesota Whitecaps. Source.

Toronto Six. Source.

Montreal Force. Source.

Darvel

Darvel knocked Aberdeen out of the Cup last month. Source.

It's the Scottish Cup, Round Five. Sixteen teams remain: eight from the Premiership, five from the Championship, and one each from League One, League Two, and the West of Scotland League.

The games are:

Hamilton Academical 0 - 2 Heart of Midlothian (last night)

The Accies were in the Challenge Cup just three days before.

Raith Rovers [3 - 1] Motherwell    Upset

This is only their second meeting of the 21st Century in any competition. How come Morton get Motherwell all the time?

Livingston [0 - 3] Inverness CT    Upset

ICT have won two of three Scottish Cup ties against Livi.

Dundee United [0 - 1] Kilmarnock

Dundee United have won three of five Scottish Cup ties against Killie.

Celtic [5 - 1] St Mirren

These two first met in the Cup in 1891 -- Celtic won.

Ayr United [4 - 1] Elgin

Elgin beat Ayr in 1967.

Rangers [3 - 2] Partick Thistle (tomorrow)

These two first met in the Cup in 1880 -- Rangers won.

Darvel [1 - 5] Falkirk (Monday) [Makes Aberdeen look pretty ill.]

This is their first meeting ever. 

Darvel are the giant-killers of the 2022-23 Cup. Their elimination of Aberdeen in Round Four recalls that time in 1959 when Fraserburgh felled Dundee United. Darvel are currently top of the West of Scotland League Premier Division and stand a good chance of earning promotion to the Lowland League in the spring.

Darvel FC has been around since 1889, but it's only the last couple of years that they have challenged to move up the leagues. (See their recent record against Largs Thistle below.) Their current squad includes 14 players with SPFL experience, including Ross Caldwell who played for Morton in 2015.

Darvel is a town on the River Irvine in Ayrshire. Paddling upriver from the coast you meet Irvine, Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, Hurlford, Galston, Newmilns, and Darvel. Irvine, Hurlford and Darvel all have teams in the West of Scotland League Premier Division.

In the Championship:

Morton vs Queen's Park

Morton and Queen's Park make up a fixture postponed from December 17th. Queen's Park are first in the Championship with 43 points, Morton seventh with 31. Morton are eight games without a win (3D 5L). But a win today would vault them into fourth place.

In head-to-head action Morton are historically the better team. (See below.)

Queen's Park are playing a league match instead of the Scottish Cup because they fielded an ineligible player in the last round and the match was awarded to ICT.

[Each side has an Oakley playing for it: George for Morton and Marcel for Queen's park.]

After today Morton have 8 home games and 5 away games remaining.

[Morton win 3 - 2. Goals by Oakley (twice) and Baird.]

Dundee [3 - 0] Cove Rangers (tomorrow)

Also postponed from December 17th.

The Scottish Challenge Cup semi-finals were held midweek:

Hamilton Academical 2 - 1 Queen of the South (February 7)

Dundee 2 - 2 Raith Rovers (February 8)    Raith won on PK.

Each of the semi-finalists has won the cup twice, except for Raith who have won it two and a half times.

It's also the Scottish Junior Cup quarter-finals:

Bellshill Athletic [0 - 4] Glenafton Athletic

Dundee East Craigie [2 - 1] Shotts Bon Accord

Hurlford United [1 - 2] Cumnock Juniors

Larkhall Thistle [1 - 2] Rutherglen Glencairn

Other matches:

Gala Fairydean Rovers 0 - 2 Tranent (February 7)

Gala Fairydean Rovers [0 - 2] East Stirlingshire (today)

Forres Mechanics [1 - 2] Banks O' Dee

FC Isle of Man [4 - 1] Irlam

Largs Thistle [5 - 0] Arthurlie

Zurich [1 - 1] Winterthur (tomorrow)

PEC Zwolle 4 - 1 Jong AZ (yesterday)

The FIFA Club World Cup has been going on this week:

Round One (February 1):

Al Ahly 3 - 0 Auckland City

Round Two (February 4):

Seattle Sounders 0 - 1 Al Ahly

Wydad Casablanca 1 - 1 Al-Hilal (Al-Hilal won on PK)

Semi-finals (February 7 and 8):

Flamengo 2 - 3 Al-Hilal

Al Ahly 1 - 4 Real Madrid

Final (today):

Real Madrid [5 - 3] Al-Hilal

Japan Super Cup:

Yokohama F. Marinos [2 - 1] Ventforet Kofu

The Japanese soccer season begins. This year for the first time there could be relegation from J3 to the JFL. How that works: If both of the top two 2023 JFL finishers have the necessary licenses, then the top JFL club will go up and the bottom J3 club will go down, while the second JFL club and the second-last J3 club have a playoff. If the top JFL club has a license but the second-place club does not, then only the top JFL club and the bottom J3 club will change places. If only the second-place JFL club has a license, then that club will play the bottom J3 club in a playoff. If neither of the top two JFL has a license then there is no promotion/relegation. 100-Year Plan status is no longer a criterion for promotion.

Canada:

HFX Wanderers have signed French forward Théo Collomb from Vancouver Whitecaps.

Vancouver FC's stadium is pretty much copied off the Wanderers Ground. Source.

Historical matches:

February 11, 1967    Albion Rovers 0 - 1 Morton

February 5, 1978    Albion Rovers 0 - 1 Morton

Scottish Cup, Round Three. Goal by Ritchie.

How Darvel got here:

2022/8/27      PR    Haddington Athletic 1 - 3 Darvel

2022/9/17      R1    Darvel 8 - 0 Tynecastle

2022/10/22    R2    Dalbeattie Star 1 - 7 Darvel

2022/11/26    R3    Montrose 2 - 5 Darvel

2023/1/23      R4    Darvel 1 - 0 Aberdeen

Largs Thistle versus Darvel since 2006:

2008/7/26      Darvel 1 - 3 Largs Thistle    friendly

2017/11/4      Largs Thistle 3 - 3 Darvel    WoS First Division

2018/1/27      Darvel 0 - 2 Largs Thistle    WoS First Division

2018/5/12      Largs Thistle 4 - 0 Darvel    Ayrshire Cup QF

2018/11/24    Darvel 1 - 2 Largs Thistle    Scottish Junior Cup R4

2021/8/14      Largs Thistle 0 - 2 Darvel    WoSFL Premier Division

2022/3/30      Darvel 2 - 1 Largs Thistle    WoSFL Premier Division

2022/11/9      Darvel 1 - 2 Largs Thistle    WoSFL Premier Division

(Source: Largs Thistle website)

Morton's best results against Queen's Park:

1946/10/12    Queen's Park 0 - 6 Morton    League Cup GS

1952/11/15    Queen's Park 2 - 7 Morton    league

1916/2/26      Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park    league

1940/11/9      Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park    Southern League

1966/11/22    Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park    league

Queen's Park's best result against Morton:

1937/11/6      Queen's Park 5 - 1 Morton    league

Pierre of the Plains (1914)

Based on a novel by Gilbert Parker. Source.

Izu Dancer Figurine

Source.