Plenty of Nothing

Cape Tormentine

Steve Boyko of the blog Confessions of a Train Geek visits the abandoned Cape Tormentine train station.

Kingston Avenue, c. 1912

1912 versus 2018. The road has changed its name, the tracks have been taken up, a whole generation of shade trees has grown up and died off, the barns in the back have come and gone, but the two yellow houses are still yellow.

Halifax King of Donair 2000

Source.

HFX Wanderers host Valour FC.

Neither side can win the Spring Season, but tonight's game isn't completely meaningless. If Cavalry win both the Spring Season and the Fall Season, then the second-place team in the overall standings will meet them in the final, and any points earned today would help toward that.

Either HFX or Valour can still finish the Spring season with an equal number of wins and losses, but they can't both do it.

[Wanderers 2 - 0 Valour. Goals by Kourouma and Garcia.]

Also:

York9 [0 - 2] Cavalry

I've adopted the spelling York9 so that the 9 will look less like part of a score.

Edmonton [1 - 0] Forge

If Forge lose or draw, Cavalry finish first in the apertura. How can Forge win the aperura? 1) Beat Edmonton, and 2) Cavalry must lose to York9 and Pacific, or have a loss and a draw, after which they would have the same number of points and wins as Forge but a lower goal difference.

[Cavalry win the Spring Season. They can now literally lose every match until October and still be in the league finals.]

Which members of the 2019 HFX Wanderers played in last summer's friendlies against the Fortuna Düsseldorf development squad? Scott Firth and Christian Oxner.

Who are the CPL's Trinidadian players, and which Trinidadian teams have they played for?

Akeem Garcia: San Juan Jabloteh, W Connection, North East Stars, Santa Rosa

Elton John: San Juan Jabloteh, Ma Pau, North East Stars, Central FC, Queen's Park

Kareem Moses: Joe Public, St Ann's Rangers, North East Stars

Andre Rampersad: Santa Rosa

Jan-Michael Williams: W Connection, St Ann's Rangers, Central FC, North East Stars

Marie-Soleil Beaudoin, who refereed HFX Wanderer's home opener on May 4th, was head official for the France-Brazil game in the Women's World Cup on June 23rd.

Mortonalia: The development squad is off to Portugal for a two-week training camp sponsored by McGill's busline. Given the chairman's statement in March about there being no money, you have to suppose that the club in fact has two boards of directors.

Manageria: Oran Kearney has left St Mirren, reportedly for Coleraine. The two clubs have a friendly scheduled for Saturday. Awkward!

AFC Champions League, Round of 16, second leg:

Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 - 2 Kashima Antlers (July 25)

3 - 3 on aggregate -- Kashima advance on the away goal rule.

Ulsan Hyundai 0 - 3 Urawa Red Diamonds (July 26)

Urawa advance.

UEFA Champions League preliminary round semi-finals (yesterday):

All these games are in Pristina.

Feronikeli (Kosovo) 1 - 0 Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar)

Tre Penne (San Marino) 0 - 1 Santa Coloma (Andorra)

Final (June 28):

Feronikeli [2 - 1] Santa Coloma

Winner plays The New Saints in the first qualifying round.

UEFA Europa League preliminary round, first leg (tomorrow):

Progrès Neiderkorn [1 - 0] Cardiff Metropolitan University

Progrès famously knocked Rangers out of the preliminary round two years ago.

Ballymena United [2 - 0] NSÍ Runavík

KÍ Klaksvík [5 - 1] Tre Fiori

Barry Town United [0 - 0] Cliftonville

These are only the games involving clubs from Wales, Northern Ireland and the Faroes. There are many more.

Which teams from San Marino have been in UEFA European competition, and how often?

8 times (3 + 5)        La Fiorita

7 times (4 + 3)        Tre Penne

6 times (1 + 5)        Folgore

5 times (3 + 2)        Tre Fiore

4 times (0 + 4)        Libertas

4 times (0 + 4)        Juvenes/Dogana

3 times (2 + 1)        Murata

3 times (0 + 3)        Domagnano

once (0 + 1)            Cosmos

once (0 + 1)            Pennarossa

once (0 + 1)            Faetano

(Champions League + UEFA Cup/Europa League)

Nova Scotia Clippers, 1991

The Nova Scotia Clippers were members of the old Canadian Soccer League for one season, 1991. Their home ground was Beazley Park in Dartmouth. Source.

HFX Wanderers host York 9 FC. The Wanderers are looking for their second league win of the season, and York 9 are looking for their first.

York 9 have the only former Greenock Morton player in the league, Luca Gasparotto.

The 9 in York 9 refers to the nine municipalities that make up York Region. They are: the Town of Aurora, the Town of East Gwillimbury, the Town of Georgina, the Township of King, the City of Markham, the Town of Newmarket, the Town of Richmond Hill, the City of Vaughan, and the Town of Whitechurch-Stouffville. The name is totally copied off Tokyo 23 FC of the Kanto Soccer League.

They play their home games at York Lions Stadium at York University, in Toronto. They plan to build a stadium in York Region at some point. Their green and white kit is apparently lifted from the Franco-Ontarien flag.

[HFX Wanderers 1 - 1 York 9. Wanderers goal by Schaale.]

Also today: Forge [2 - 0] Edmonton

Gripes: I've complained already about the CPL's 28-game schedule, the apertura/clausura system, and the three-team CONCACAF League qualification. Now how about these quibbles:

It looks very likely that Cavalry FC will win the Apertura. If they do they should be the ones to go to the CONCACAF League, not Edmonton, Valour or Forge.

What happens if the same club gets into the CONCACAF League and then wins the Voyageurs Cup? Who gets the second spot? Does it even go to a Canadian team?

The format of the championship in October between the Apertura and Clausura winners hasn't been announced. Is it one game, is it two, or best of seven, or what?

Fun fact: Despite having a perfect record Cavalry FC have the worst average attendance. Source.

What are the mascots of the Canadian Premier League?

HFX Wanderers: Rover, a Nova Scotia Duck Toller

York 9 FC: Yorky, an android from the future

Forge FC: Sparx, a dragon

Valour FC: Vic, a lion

Cavalry FC: Sarge, a horse

FC Edmonton: Kicks, a soccer ball

Pacific FC: Stewie the Starfish

I'm torn between Sparx and Stewie.

What are the airport codes of the CPL cities?

YHZ    Halifax

YYZ    Toronto

YHM    Hamilton

YWG    Winnipeg

YYC    Calgary

YEG    Edmonton (Edmontonians actually call their city YEG.)

YYJ    Victoria

FC Edmonton in the Canadian Championship:

2011/4/27      SF      Edmonton 0 - 3 Toronto

2011/5/4        SF      Toronto 1 - 0 Edmonton

2012/5/2        SF      Edmonton 0 - 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

2012/5/9        SF      Vancouver Whitecaps 3 - 1 Edmonton

2013/4/24      SF      Edmonton 2 - 3 Vancouver Whitecaps

2013/5/1        SF      Vancouver Whitecaps 2 - 0 Edmonton

2014/4/23      PR      Ottawa Fury 0 - 0 Edmonton

2014/4/30      PR      Edmonton 3 - 1 Ottawa Fury

2014/5/7        SF      Edmonton 2 - 1 Montreal Impact

2014/5/14      SF      Montreal Impact 4 - 2 Edmonton

2015/4/22      PR      Ottawa Fury 1 - 3 Edmonton

2015/4/29      PR      Edmonton 3 - 1 Ottawa Fury

2015/5/13      SF      Vancouver Whitecaps 1 - 1 Edmonton

2015/5/20      SF      Edmonton 1 - 2 Vancouver Whitecaps

2016/5/11      PR      Edmonton 0 - 3 Ottawa Fury

2016/5/18      PR      Ottawa Fury 0 - 2 Edmonton

2017/5/3        PR      Ottawa Fury 1 - 0 Edmonton

2017/5/10      PR      Edmonton 2 - 3 Ottawa Fury

Mortonalia: Chris Millar and Bob McHugh have signed on for another year. The dugouts at Cappielow are getting modernised. Morton's opponents in the League Cup group stage will be Motherwell, Queen of the South, Annan Athletic and Dumbarton.

It's the Europa League final in Baku: Chelsea [4 - 1] Arsenal.

Jolly Tar was not selected to be HFX Wanderers mascot. Source.

William Young

William Young was born in Falkirk in 1799 and served as Premier of Nova Scotia from 1854 to 1860. He is not the only Bairn to become premier of a Canadian province: Tommy Douglas, Premier of Saskatchewan from 1944 to 1961, also started out in Falkirk.

Morton visit the Falkirk Stadium. This is a must-win game for both sides, as neither can expect many points in the last two weeks of the season: Morton have Dunfermline and Dundee United; Falkirk have Dundee United and Ross County.

If Morton beat Falkirk, and Partick beat Alloa, Morton will move up to sixth place.

If Falkirk beat Morton, and Partick and QoS both win, Morton will drop to tenth place.

Morton have not lost to Falkirk yet this season.

Falkirk have lost their appeal and have 28 days to fork over £40,000 to the SPFL as a result of the McKinnon affair. Story.

This is matchday 34 and fifth-place Dunfermline can still finish the season tenth. The relegation fight at the bottom of League One is nearly as close. [Ha ha. As soon as I say that Brechin and Stenny get locked into the relegation zone.]

Current winless streaks (league + cup):

7        Morton

5        Dunfermline

4        Queen of the South

2        Inverness CT

2        Partick Thistle

1        Ross County

1        Ayr United

0        Dundee United

0        Alloa

0        Falkirk

Other Championship matches:

Ayr United 1 - 3 Ross County (last night)

ICT [0 - 2] Dundee United

If the Tangerines fail to earn all available points from here on or if Ross County earn any more points then Ross County win the title.

Partick [2 - 1] Alloa

QoS [2 - 1] Dunfermline

If the Pars fail to earn all available points they are out of the Premiership playoffs.

[Morton win 0 - 2. Goals by Kiltie and Telfer. Ayr and Inverness make the Premiership playoffs. The bottom six clubs can all still be relegated, but Morton are in a good position at sixth with 40 points.]

How have Morton performed against Falkirk in league play this century?

2018-19        1 win, 2 draws so far.

2017-18        1 win, 3 losses; 4 gf, 5 ga; 3 points.

2016-17        1 win, 3 draws; 5 gf, 4 ga; 6 points.

2015-16        1 draw, 3 losses; 1 gf, 4 ga; 1 point.

2013-14        2 draws, 2 losses; 3 gf, 7 ga; 2 points.

2012-13        2 wins, 2 losses; 5 gf, 6 ga; 6 points.

2011-12        2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss; 5 gf, 3 ga; 7 points.

2010-11        2 draws, 2 losses; 3 gf, 5 ga; 2 points.

2000-01        2 wins, 2 losses; 5 gf, 7 ga; 6 points.

Most draws in a 36-game season, Morton (updated):

14            2001-02

13            2016-17 + 2018-19 after 33 games

12            3 times

11            4 times

10            5 times

  9            once

Most clean sheets, Morton:

25        1966-67        (38 league + 11 cup games)

22        1963-64        (36 league + 20 cup games)

20        2005-06        (36 league + 7 cup + 2 playoff games)

18        1995-96        (36 league + 4 cup games)

18        1988-89        (39 league + 7 cup games)

Fewest clean sheets, Morton:

  0        1902-03        (22 league + 1 cup game)

  0        1895-96        (18 league + 1 cup game)

  1        1937-38        (38 league + 4 cup games)

  1        1893-94        (18 league + 1 cup game)

  2        seven times

So far this season Morton have 11 clean sheets.

Stranraer's reserve team have won the South of Scotland League, but are ineligible for promotion to the Lowland League.

1928-29: On April 16th Morton travelled to Love Street to meet St Mirren in the second leg of their Renfrewshire Cup final. St Mirren won 6 - 1 and took the cup.

On April 20th Morton hosted Leith Athletic and won 4 - 1.

Cowlairs versus Kilmarnock. These two played in the 1892-93 Scottish Alliance. Cowlairs won 3 - 1 at home on October 1, 1892. They played to a 3 - 3 draw in Kilmarnock on April 29, 1893. They never met in the Scottish League or the Scottish Cup.

Celtic FC games on Easter Sunday in the 21st Century:

2018/4/21      Hibs vs Celtic

2017/4/16      Ross County 2 - 2 Celtic

2013/3/31      St Mirren 1 - 1 Celtic

2011/4/24      Rangers 0 - 0 Celtic

2010/4/4        Hibs 0 - 1 Celtic

2008/3/23      Gretna 0 - 3 Celtic

2006/4/16      Livingston 0 - 2 Celtic

2004/4/11      Livingston 1 - 3 Celtic

2001/4/15      Dundee United 1 - 3 Celtic

Celtic play on Easter Sunday, but always away.

SWFL2 W/SW: Morton Women [2 - 1] Gleniffer Thistle (tomorrow)

Danish 1st Division: Fredericia [1 - 0] Koge (April 22nd)

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [2 - 3] Servette

Regionalliga Südwest: 1. FC Saarbrücken [0 - 0] Astoria Walldorf

72nd Aomori Prefecture Football Championship semi-final:

Match No. 8: ReinMeer Aomori [0 - 1] Blancdieu Hirosaki

24th Fukushima Prefecture Football Championship:

Match No. 13: FC Primeiro [1 - 0] Soma SC

Match No. 14: Nihon University Faculty of Eng'g AC SC [0 - 4] FFC Matsushita

Match No. 15: Aizu Olympus [0 - 5] Eastern Japan Int'l University SC

69th Iwate Prefecture Football Championship semi-final:

The first three rounds of this tournament were played late last year. Bracket.

Iwate University [0 - 4] Ganju Iwate

The winner will meet Grulla Morioka in the final.

This weekend Iwaki FC play training matches against Japan Soccer College (today) and a Tochigi SC XI (tomorrow). [Iwaki 1 - 0 Japan Soccer College.] [Iwaki 2 - 2 Tochigi.]

The Bedford Basin Volvos

There are two dozen or more Volvos on the floor of Bedford Basin, allegedly dumped overboard in 1969. Source.

French Horn Step

Halifax Harbour, 1918

A study by Harold Gilman. The National Gallery of Canada has an exhibition of WWI Halifax paintings by Gilman and Arthur Lismer, on until March 17th.

Sackville Street Then and Now

Sackville Street, between Queen and South Park then (source), and now:

Frank's Bandstand, 1967

Watch.