Plenty of Nothing

Mud Punts

Mud punts were integral to the task of keeping the River Clyde dredged during the 19th and 20th centuries. A collection of them still exists in the tidal zone of Newshot Island in Inchinnan. Source.

Morton host Raith Rovers in a match postponed from January 12th. Morton are the only Championship side that Raith have not beaten so far this year. (See below.)

Morton are fifth with 40 points, Raith sixth with 38. Morton have won three straight.

Both teams are probably safe from relegation. But both need a win to chase down Partick Thistle and the final playoff spot.

[Morton 3 - 3 Raith Rovers. Morton goals by Shaw, Blues and Adeloye.]

Also:

Livingston [1 - 0] Falkirk

Livi are the only Championship side that Falkirk have not beaten. (See below.)

Elsewhere:

Keith [3 - 2] Nairn County

Civil Service Strollers [1 - 2] East Kilbride

Tomorrow it's the first round of the J League Cup:

Mito HollyHock [1 - 0] Roasso Kumamoto

Scottish Junior Cup QF (tomorrow):

Camelon [2 - 2] Tranent [Tranent win on PK]

Which Championship teams have not beaten which other Championship teams this season?

Ayr United have beaten everyone.

Falkirk have not beaten Livingston.

Livingston have not beaten Queen's Park.

Raith Rovers have not beaten Morton.

Morton have not beaten Falkirk or Livingston.

Queen's Park have not beaten Falkirk, Ayr United or Partick Thistle.

Dunfermline have not beaten Falkirk, Ayr United or Queen's Park.

Partick Thistle have not beaten Falkirk, Livingston, Morton or Raith Rovers.

Hamilton have not beaten Falkirk, Livingston, Ayr United or Raith Rovers.

Airdrieonians have not beaten Falkirk, Livingston, Ayr United, Partick Thistle or Morton.

Cambuslang FC in the Glasgow Cup:

1887/9/17      Battlefield 0 - 5 Cambuslang    R1

1887/10/15    bye    R2

1887/10/29    Cambuslang 11 - 0 Shettleston    R3

1887/11/19    Queen's Park 1 - 2 Cambuslang    SF

1888/1/28      Cambuslang 3 - 1 Rangers    final

1888/9/15      Third Lanark 6 - 0 Cambuslang    R1

1889/9/21      Cambuslang 12 - 0 Southern Athletic    R1

1889/10/12    Cambuslang 6 - 2 Whitefield    R2

1889/11/16    Cambuslang 3 - 1 Cowlairs    R3

1889/11/30    Celtic 4 - 1 Cambuslang    SF

1890/when    Cambuslang W - L Pollokshaws Harp    R1

1890/10/11    bye    R2

1890/11/1      Wanderers 1 - 1 Cambuslang    R3

1890/11/8      Cambuslang 4 - 1 Wanderers (protested)    R3 replay

1890/11/15    Cambuslang 2 - 1 Wanderers    R3 2nd replay

1890/12/13    Third Lanark 4 - 3 Cambuslang    SF

1891/9/19      Cambuslang 1 - 0 Cowlairs    R1

1891/10/10    bye    R2

1891/10/31    Cambuslang 2 - 2 Clyde (abandoned)    R3

1891/11/7      Clyde 4 - 0 Cambuslang    R3 replay

1892/9/17      Cambuslang 9 - 0 Glasgow Perthshire    R1

1892/10/8      Thistle 1 - 0 Cambuslang    R2

1893/9/16      Battlefield 2 - 4 Cambuslang    R1

1893/10/7      bye    R2

1893/10/28    Cowlairs 6 - 3 Cambuslang    R3

1894/9/15      Partick Thistle 3 - 1 Cambuslang    R1

1895/9/21      bye    R1

1895/10/19    Celtic 6 - 1 Cambuslang    R2

1896/9/26      Linthouse 2 - 0 Cambuslang    R1

1897/9/18      Cambuslang scr - wo Third Lanark    R1

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive.)

Thistle FC in the Glasgow Cup:

1887/9/17      Thistle 6 - 0 Southern Athletic    R1

1887/10/15    bye    R2

1887/11/5      Thistle 0 - 3 Queen's Park    R3

1888/9/15      Thistle 1 - 9 Queen's Park    R1

1889/9/21      Maryhill 4 - 8 Thistle    R1

1889/10/12    Partick Thistle 5 - 2 Thistle    R2

1890/9/20      Thistle 1 - 6 Third Lanark    R1

1891/9/19      Northern 4 - 3 Thistle    R1

1892/9/17      Thistle 2 - 0 Clyde    R1

1892/10/8      Thistle 1 - 0 Cambuslang    R2

1892/10/29    Thistle 4 - 1 Cowlairs (abandoned, awarded to Thistle)    R3

1892/12/17    Thistle 2 - 3 Rangers

1893/9/16      Thistle 2 - 1 Partick Thistle    R1

1893/10/7      bye    R2

1893/10/28    Thistle 0 - 7 Celtic    R3

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive.)

Whitefield FC in the Glasgow Cup:

1887/9/17      Northern 4 - 0 Whitefield    R1

1888/9/15      Cambuslang Hibernian 3 - 2 Whitefield    R1

1889/9/21      Whitefield 5 - 3 Kelvinside Athletic    R1

1889/10/12    Cambuslang 6 - 2 Whitefield    R2

1890/9/20      Whitefield 0 - 7 Linthouse    R1

1891/9/19      Whitefield wo - scr United Abstainers    R1

1891/10/10    bye    R2

1891/11/7      Linthouse 5 - 2 Whitefield    R3

1893/when    Rangers wo - scr Whitefield    R1

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive.)

Whitefield FC in the Glasgow Cup:

1887/9/17      Northern 4 - 0 Whitefield    R1

1888/9/15      Cambuslang Hibernian 3 - 2 Whitefield    R1

1889/9/21      Whitefield 5 - 3 Kelvinside Athletic    R1

1889/10/12    Cambuslang 6 - 2 Whitefield    R2

1890/9/20      Whitefield 0 - 7 Linthouse    R1

1891/9/19      Whitefield wo - scr United Abstainers    R1

1891/10/10    bye    R2

1891/11/7      Linthouse 5 - 2 Whitefield    R3

1893/when    Rangers wo - scr Whitefield    R1

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive.)

TS King Edward

Listen while rocket expert Scott Manley from Troon enthuses about TS King Edward and its cutting edge steam turbine technology.

Hamilton Accies visit Cappielow. Morton are seventh with 23 points, Hamilton eighth with 21. Morton have gone seven league games without a loss (DWDDWDW), though with two cup losses thrown in. Hamilton are currently alternating wins and losses. Last weekend they beat Airdrie. (To be fair, so has everyone.) So far this season Hamilton have taken a win and a draw from Morton in league play, but Morton knocked them out of the Challenge Cup.

Lewis Strapp has returned from Finland and signed with Airdrie.

[Match postponed.]

Other Championship matches:

Airdrieonians (10th) vs Falkirk (1st) (last night) (postponed)

Airdrie are 17 points behind Morton with 17 games remaining.

Ayr United (3rd) [3 - 0] Raith Rovers (6th)

Partick Thistle (4th) [1 - 4] Dunfermline (9th)

Queen's Park (5th) [2 - 0] Livingston (2nd)

Other matches:

Hearts B vs Civil Service Strollers (yesterday) (postponed)

Nairn County vs Turriff United [postponed]

Carluke Rovers vs West Park United [postponed]

FC Isle of Man [0 - 2] Glossop North End

North Regional Cup, R1:

Culter vs Fraserburgh United [postponed]

South Challenge Cup, R5:

Glasgow United (W3) vs Kirkintilloch Rob Roy (W1) [postponed]

West of Scotland League Cup, R3:

Arthurlie (W1) vs Beith (WP) [postponed]

Shotts Bon Accord (WP) vs Royal Albert (W4) [postponed]

Auchinleck Talbot (WP) vs Forth Wanderers (W2) [postponed]

Threave Rovers (W3) vs Kilbirnie Ladeside (W1) [postponed]

West of Scotland League Cup, R4:

Drumchapel United (WP) [5 - 0] Larkhall Thistle (W2)

Largs Thistle (WP) [4 - 0] Cumbernauld United (W1)

Muirkirk (W2) vs Maybole (W1) [postponed]

St Cadoc's (WP) vs Troon (WP) [postponed]

Historical matches:

1902/1/1        Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    G&WoSL

1902/1/4        Kilmarnock 1 - 2 Morton    G&WoSL

1941/1/1        Morton 1 - 2 St Mirren

1941/1/4        Airdrieonians 0 - 0 Morton

Dalbeattie Star versus Threave Rovers since 2011:

2019/7/11      Dalbeattie Star 2 - 1 Threave Rovers    friendly

2017/7/12      Threave Rovers 2 - 3 Dalbeattie Star    friendly

2016/2/24      Threave Rovers 3 - 4 Dalbeattie Star    LL

2015/10/10    Dalbeattie Star 7 - 1 Threave Rovers    LL

2014/1/3        Threave Rovers 1 - 3 Dalbeattie Star    LL

2014/12/20    Threave Rovers 1 - 4 Dalbeattie Star    LL Cup group stage

2014/11/15    Dalbeattie Star 4 - 4 Threave Rovers (DS won on PK) SoChCup R2

2014/9/6        Dalbeattie Star 0 - 0 Threave Rovers    LL

2014/5/26      Threave Rovers 1 - 4 Dalbeattie Star    LL

2014/2/15      Dalbeattie Star 6 - 1 Threave Rovers    LL Cup group stage

2013/12/28    Threave Rovers 1 - 4 Dalbeattie Star    LL Cup group stage

2013/8/13      Dalbeattie Star 0 - 0 Threave Rovers    LL

2013/5/18      Threave Rovers 1 - 2 Dalbeattie Star    Tweedie Cup final

2013/5/3        Threave Rovers 1 - 3 Dalbeattie Star    SoSLCup final

2013/5/1        Dalbeattie Star 2 - 1 Threave Rovers    Cree Lodge Cup

2013/3/2        Dalbeattie Star 1 - 1 Threave Rovers    SoSL

2012/8/1        Threave Rovers 0 - 1 Dalbeattie Star    SoSL

2012/5/19      Dalbeattie Star 3 - 0 Threave Rovers    Haig Gordon Cup final

2012/5/12      Threave Rovers 1 - 1 Dalbeattie Star    SoSL

2012/4/18      Dalbeattie Star 2 - 0 Threave Rovers    Potts Cup final

2012/4/4        Dalbeattie Star 0 - 1 Threave Rovers    Cree Lodge Cup

2011/8/24      Dalbeattie Star 4 - 3 Threave Rovers    SoSL

(Sources: Dalbeattie Star website )

HMS Largs

This photo of HMS Largs looks pretty murky, but then it's supposed to. During WWII the Largs was fitted out with diffused lighting camouflage to make it less distinguishable from the background.  Source.

Ayr United visit Cappielow. This is a Friday-nighter for BBC Scotland.

Ayr are currently third in the Championship with 21 points. Morton are eighth with 10 points. Morton are 19 points out of first place, 9 points out of fourth place, 1 point out of ninth place and 5 points out of last place. Morton have lost three games in a row and have not scored in four. Ayr posted an eleven-game unbeaten streak early on, but are now win one, lose one. They lost last week.

Ayr won the first match 1 - 0. The last Morton player to score on Ayr was Kirk Broadfoot on April 9th.

Three players have each scored three goals against Morton this season: Alan Trouten (East Fife), Oli Shaw (Hamilton Accies) and Brad Spencer (Falkirk).

Morton's 6 - 0 loss last week was their twentieth all-time by my count. (See below.)

The season is one-third over. Morton are on track to finish with 30 points, 4 more than in relegation year 2013-14.

Nathan Shaw is coming off the injured list where he has been since before he signed with the club.

[Morton 1 - 1 Ayr United. Morton goal by Iain Wilson. Ayr goal by George Oakley.]

The other Championship matches (tomorrow):

Falkirk (1st) [2 - 0] Airdrieonians (10th)

Hamilton (6th) [1 - 3] Livingston (2nd)

Partick Thistle (5th) [1 - 1] Raith Rovers (7th)

Queen's Park (4th) [2 - 1] Dunfermline Athletic (8th)

It's the first round of the 2024 Japanese Regional Football Champions League. Participating this year are regional league champions Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth, Blancdieu Hirosaki, Vonds Ichihara, Fukui United, FC Ise-Shima, Asuka FC, Fukuyama City, FC Tokushima, Veroskronos Tsuno, plus Japan Soccer College, J-Lease and FC Kariya from the 60th Shakaijin. The twelve teams are divided into three groups, and the winner of each group and the best 2nd-place team advance to the final round. The groups are:

A: FC Tokushima, Veroskronos Tsuno, J-Lease, and FC Ise-Shima;

B: Vonds Ichihara, FC Kariya, Asuka FC, and Blancdieu Hirosaki;

C: Fukuyama City, Fukui United, Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth, and Japan Soccer College.

I'm pulling for Blancdieu Hirosaki. Their games are:

Match No. 4:   Asuka FC [3 - 2] Blancdieu Hirosaki (today)

Match No. 10: FC Kariya [7 - 0] Blancdieu Hirosaki (tomorrow)

Match No. 15: Vonds Ichihara [2 - 1] Blancdieu Hirosaki (Sunday)

[J-Lease (A), Vonds Ichihara (B), Fukui United (C) and Asuka (2nd B) advance.]

Other matches:

Civil Service Strollers 1 - 2 Albion Rovers (November 5)

Largs Thistle [0 - 0] Clydebank (tomorrow)

Carluke Rovers [0 - 0] Kello Rovers (tomorrow)

Squires Gate [0 - 3] FC Isle of Man (tomorrow)

Ventforet Kofu [3 - 1] Mito HollyHock (Sunday)

This ends the 2024 J2 League schedule. [HollyHock finish 15th out of 20th.]

Veertien Mie [1 - 2] ReinMeer Aomori (Sunday)

Elfen Saitama [2 - 2] INAC Kobe Leonessa (Sunday)

University of Stirling [2 - 1] Civil Service Strollers (Sunday)

Morton Women [1 - 3] Forfar Farmington (Sunday)

FAI Cup final (Sunday):

Drogheda United [2 - 0] Derry City

North Region League Cup final (postponed to Sunday):

Culter 0 - 1 Hermes

Canadian Premier League final (tomorrow):

Cavalry [2 - 1] Forge

Forge make it to the final every year. This is Cavalry's third time. Regardless of the result, both teams are headed to the Concacaf Cup.

Highland League Cup, Round 1 (tomorrow):

Keith [0 - 5] Brora Rangers

Buckie Thistle [2 - 0] Clachnacuddin

Brechin [2 - 1] Inverurie Loco Works

Huntly [5 - 2] Wick Academy

Nairn County [0 - 6] Banks o' Dee

Rothes [1 - 8] Formartine United

Lossiemouth [1 - 4] Deveronvale

Fraserburgh [2 - 0] Forres Mechanics

UEFA Champions League, league stage matchday four (November 5):

Celtic 3 - 1 Red Bull Leipzig

UEFA Europa League, league stage matchday four (November 7):

Olimpiacos 1 - 1 Rangers

UEFA Conference League, league stage matchday three (November 7):

Hearts 0 - 2  1.FC Heidenheim

Shamrock Rovers 2 - 1 The New Saints

Larne 1 - 2 St. Gallen

WE League Cup, group stage (November 6):

JEF United Chiba 1 - 1 Elfen Saitama

AFC Champions League Elite league stage, matchday 4:

Kawasaki Frontale 3 - 1 Shanghai Port (November 5)

Vissel Kobe 2 - 0 Gwangju (November 5)

Yokohama F. Marinos 5 - 0 Buriram United (November 6)

AFC Champions League Two group stage, matchday 4 :

Sydney FC 0 - 1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima (November 7)

U Sports Women's Soccer championship (Sunday):

U Laval Rouge et Or [0 - 1] UBC Thunderbirds

U Sports Men's Soccer championship (Sunday):

U de Montreal Carabins [0 - 1] UBC Thunderbirds

Historical matches:

1901/11/9      Morton 2 - 3 Rangers

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

2002/11/9      Queen's Park 1 - 1 Morton

Goal by David MacGregor.

Top and bottom Championship sides week by week (part 1):

Week 1            Ayr & Livi             Dunfermline & Hamilton

Week 2            Ayr United            Dunfermline Athletic

Week 3            Ayr United            Dunfermline Athletic

Week 4            Ayr United            Dunfermline Athletic

Week 5            Falkirk                  Raith Rovers

Week 6            Ayr United            Airdrieonians

Week 7            Ayr United            Airdrieonians

Week 8            Ayr United            Airdrieonians

Week 9            Falkirk                  Airdrieonians

Week 10          Falkirk                  Airdrieonians

Week 11          Falkirk                  Airdrieonians

Week 12          Falkirk                  Airdrieonians

Cavalry versus Forge in the CanPL playoffs:

2019/10/26    Forge 1 - 0 Cavalry    final, leg one

2019/11/2      Cavalry 0 - 1 Forge    final, leg two

2022/10/15    Cavalry 1 - 1 Forge    SF, leg one

2022/10/23    Forge 2 - 1 Cavalry    SF, leg two

2023/10/14    Cavalry 1 - 2 Forge    1st SF

2023/10/28    Forge 2 - 1 Cavalry    final

2023/10/27    Forge 0 - 1 Cavalry   1st SF

2013/11/9      Cavalry vs Forge    final

Morton's 6 - 0 losses:

1891/10/3      Linthouse 6 - 0 Morton           ScAlliance

1903/8/15      Dundee 6 - 0 Morton              league

1905/2/11      Morton 0 - 6 Rangers              ScCup R2

1926/10/2      Motherwell 6 - 0 Morton          league

1926/12/18    Clyde 6 - 0 Morton                  league

1933/3/11      Aberdeen 6 - 0 Morton            league

1935/3/16      Raith Rovers 6 - 0 Morton       league

1945/10/6      Hearts 6 - 0 Morton                 league

1952/9/13      Morton 0 - 6 Hibs                     LCup QF, leg 1

1956/10/6      Stirling Albion 6 - 0 Morton      league

1957/12/14    Cowdenbeath 6 - 0 Morton      league

1965/2/10      Dunfermline 6 - 0 Morton        league

1973/3/3        Dundee 6 - 0 Morton               league

1974/12/14    Morton 0 - 6 Dundee United    league

1980/9/6        Aberdeen 6 - 0 Morton            league

1982/10/16    Dundee United 6 - 0 Morton    league

2001/1/2        Morton 0 - 6 Ayr United           league

2012/2/4        Motherwell 6 - 0 Morton           ScCup R5

2019/9/28      Dundee United 6 - 0 Morton    league

2024/11/2      Falkirk 6 - 0 Morton                  league

Sir Charles Ogle

The ferry Sir Charles Ogle ran between Halifax and Dartmouth from 1830 till 1894. Source.

Albert Harbour

Albert Harbour, Greenock, 1904. Source.

Morton host Brechin City.

Of the five clubs relegated out of the SPFL via the pyramid playoffs Brechin is the only one to have made a serious effort to get back up. In their three Highland League seasons they have finished third, first and second. If they keep up that level of play they will eventually get their hedge back into the SPFL. As for Albion Rovers, Cowdenbeath, Berwick and East Stirlingshire, the question is which one will be in the East of Scotland League first.

Morton last played Brechin in the 2017-18 Championship, the year that Brechin earned one win in league play. The last Morton player to score on the Hedgemen was John Baird.

Several of the Brechin players have SPFL experience, but none played for Morton. Cameron Blues played for Brechin in 2018-19. Brechin's manager Patrick Cregg made one appearance for Morton in 2010.

It's hard to see Morton advancing to Round Two after Saturday's loss to East Fife, especially as seven second place clubs already have 3 points. But it's not mathematically impossible yet.

[Morton win 1 - 0 on a goal by Cammy Ballantyne.]

Also:

Alloa [0 - 0] East Fife [Alloa win on PK]

St Johnstone are off.

Group F standings after today's matches:

East Fife           2    1    0    1    0    3    0    +3    4

St Johnstone    1    1    0    0    0    2    1    +1    3

Morton              2    1    0    0    1    1    3     -2    3

Alloa                 1    0    1    0    0    0    0      0    2

Brechin             2    0    0    0    2    1    3     -2    0

Other matches:

Carluke Rovers 0 - 1 Lanark United (Clydesdale Cup SF) (July 15)

HFX Wanderers U21 [1 - 1] Ipswich Town U21 (at CBU) (tomorrow) [Wanderers win on PK.]

UEFA Champions League, 1QR, second leg:

Shamrock Rovers [2 - 1] Vikingur (Iceland)

FK Dečić (Montenegro) [1 - 1] The New Saints

Larne [0 - 4] FC RFS (Latvia) (tomorrow)

[Shamrock Rovers and The New Saints advance. Larne drop into the Conference League.]

The 2024-25 Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup:

This is the sixth year for this made-up cup which uses actual Championship results to fabricate a knock-out competition. The teams are seeded based on last year's Premiership, Championship and League One standings:

Livingston (12th in the Premiership)

Raith Rovers (2nd in the Championship)

Partick Thistle (3rd)

Airdrieonians (4th)

Morton (5th)

Dunfermline (6th)

Ayr United (7th)

Queen's Park (8th)

Falkirk (1st in League One)

Hamilton Accies (2nd in League One)

Top seed plays bottom seed, second seed plays second bottom seed, etc. Round One involves only the bottom four teams. Each known fixture is played as soon as it comes up, even if the previous round is not finished. Reverse fixtures are acceptable. All actual league games, cup matches and playoffs are eligible, but our tournament's tie-breakers take precedence. Those are, in order: 1) fewer red cards; 2) fewer yellow cards; 3) more corner kicks; 4) visitor.

Matches:

R1    Falkirk vs Queen's Park (August 2)

R1    Hamilton Accies vs Ayr United (August 3)

R2    Partick Thistle vs Dunfermline (September 21)

R2    Morton vs Airdrieonians (September 21)

R2    Livingston vs R1x

R2    Raith Rovers vs R1y

SF

SF

F

Once the finalists are known, the other eight teams embark on the Consolation Cup which has three rounds.

Lusitania by Karl Goetz

Karl Goetz (1875-1950) was a German artist specializing in commemorative/satirical medallions. He's probably best known for this propaganda piece on the sinking of the Lusitania by a submarine on May 7th, 1915 (which the medal famously got wrong by two days). The other side shows a skeleton running the Cunard Line ticket office under the motto Business Above All. Source.

The Theresa E. Connor

The banks schooner Theresa E. Connor was launched on this day in 1938 at Lunenburg. Source.

Lurcher Lightship No. 4

The Lurcher Shoal is located 20 miles off Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. From 1904 to 1969 the Canadian Coast Guard had a lightship positioned there to divert ships away from the the hazardous feature. There's an automatic buoy in place now. Lurcher is also the name of the rectangle of sea that includes the shoal. Source.

Aberystwyth College Mosaic

A detail from the mosaics adorning the Old College building at Aberystwyth University. Source.

The Elisabeth Mann Borgese

Source.