That portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in Miss Moneypenny's office in Octopussy and The Spy Who Loved Me is from the brush of Leonard Boden, who was born in Greenock in 1911. Source.
The League Cup group stage finishes up. Morton host Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic. It's the first ever meeting between these two clubs.
Bonnyrigg Rose have been around since 1881 but they played in the junior ranks until 2018, when they joined the East of Scotland League. The next year they were promoted to the Lowland League, and this year they defeated Cowdenbeath to earn a place in the SPFL League Two. They play at New Dundas Park in Bonnyrigg, Midlothian, and wear red and white hoops like Hamilton Accies.
Famously, Sean Connery played for them in the early 1950s.
Bonnyrigg have retained most of the squad that won the Lowland League last season. But their manager Robbie Horn says that they don't have the financial backing enjoyed by the likes of Cove Rangers and Kelty Hearts. Source.
Goalkeeper Craig Coyle made 119 appearances for Morton from 2001 to 2005, and sat on the bench for Bonnyrigg Rose from 2006 to 2009.
Morton’s shootout win against Hibs on Wednesday has been thrown out as Hibs had fielded an ineligible player. The match is now recorded as a 3 - 0 victory for Morton. (Does that mean that Gillespie’s goal is expunged?) Morton enter today’s game with 4 points and an outside chance at winning the group. To win the group they must beat Bonnyrigg and hope that Clyde beat Falkirk.
Since the League Cup group stage was reintroduced in 2016 Morton have never finished last in their group.
Group D standings after the ruling:
Falkirk 3 1 2 0 0 2 1 +1 7
Hibs 4 2 0 0 2 9 5 +4 6
Morton 3 1 0 1 1 3 2 +1 4
Bonnyrigg 3 1 0 1 1 4 6 -2 4
Clyde 3 1 0 0 2 3 7 -4 3
Group D:
Falkirk [1 - 0] Clyde
Morton [3 - 1] Bonnyrigg Rose [Morton goals by Kabia, Pignatiello and Gillespie. Morton don’t make it into Round Two.]
Hibs have played their four.
[Final Group D standings:
Falkirk 4 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2 10
Morton 4 2 0 1 1 6 3 +3 7
Hibs 4 2 0 0 2 9 5 +4 6
Bonnyrigg 4 1 0 1 2 5 9 -4 4
Clyde 4 1 0 0 3 3 8 -5 3 ]
The Highland League and Lowland League start this weekend.
Strathspey Thistle [0 - 4] Forres Mechanics
Caledonian Braves [2 - 2] Gala Fairydean Rovers
Hearts have signed Lawrence Shankland.
Elsewhere:
Largs Thistle [1 - 1] Herriot Watt University (friendly)
UCD 0 - 2 Shelbourne (yesterday)
SC Cambuur 1 - 3 PEC Zwolle (friendly) (yesterday)
Skipton Cup: FC Isle of Man [2 - 0] Guernsey FC
St Gallen [2 - 0] Winterthur
Canada:
HFX Wanderers [1 - 1] Edmonton
[Halifax goal by Salter.]
Mateo Restrepo is retiring to go to med school.
League1 Ontario: Guelph United 2 - 0 North Mississauga (yesterday)
Guelph United played HFX Wanderers in the first round of this year's Canadian Championship, having won League1 in their first season.
PLSQ: Royal-Sélect de Beauport [1 - 1] AS Laval (tomorrow)
L1BC: Victoria Highlanders [2 - 1] Rivers FC (tomorrow)
This ends the L1BC regular schedule. [Victoria Highlanders finish bottom.] The two top teams, Varsity and TTS Rovers, will meet in a playoff final on August 1st.
CSL: Serbian White Eagles [1 - 1] Scarborough SC
Coupe de France, Round Two:
Ilienne vs Miquelonnaise
Round One took place on July 6th. Ilienne played Saint Pierraise to a 2 - 2 draw, and then won on penalty kicks. The winner of Round Two will play an opponent in France on September 10th.
[Ilienne advance.]
Japan:
Mito HollyHock vs Oita Trinita [postponed]
Tohoku: Blancdieu Hirosaki vs Bogolle.D.Tsugaru (tomorrow) (postponed to August 7)
UEFA Europa Conference 2QR, first leg (Juy 21):
Vikingur Reykjavik 2 - 0 The New Saints
Motherwell 0 - 1 Sligo Rovers
St Patrick's Athletic 1 - 1 Mura (Slovenia)
Basel 2 - 0 Crusaders
Spartak Trvana (Slovakia) 4 - 1 Newtown
Scotland's UEFA coefficient and ranking, the past decade:
2022-23 33.375 11th
2021-22 27.875 14th
2020-21 22.125 20th
2019-20 18.625 26th
2018-19 18.925 23rd
2017-18 17.300 25th
2016-17 17.900 23rd
2015-16 16.566 23rd
2014-15 15.191 24th
2013-14 21.141 18th
Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic league titles won:
1897-98 Midlothian Junior League
1913-14 Midlothian Junior League
1937-38 Midlothian Junior League
1963-64 Edinburgh and District Junior League
1964-65 Edinburgh and District Junior League Mid/East Division
1965-66 Edinburgh and District Junior League Mid/East Division
1966-67 Edinburgh and District Junior League Mid/East Division
1975-76 East Region Junior League Division A
1976-77 East Region Junior League Division A
1983-84 East Region Junior League Division B
1984-85 East Region Junior League Division A
2008-09 East Region Super League
2011-12 East Region Super League
2015-16 East Region Super League
2017-18 East Region Super League
2018-19 East of Scotland League
2021-22 Lowland League
(Source: SFHA)