Plenty of Nothing

Whither Bonnyrigg?

Dalhousie Castle, the big house in Bonnyrigg, also has a tilty pitch. Source.

St Johnstone were relegated to the Championship Wednesday. They'd been in the Premiership since 2009.

Premiership playoff semi-finals:

Partick Thistle 0 - 2 Livingston (May 13)

Livingston 2 - 0 Partick Thistle (yesterday)

Livi advance.

Championship playoff finals:

Cove Rangers 1 - 2 Airdrieonians (May 14)

Airdrieonians [0 - 0] Cove Rangers (today)

[Airdrie stay up.]

League One playoff finals:

East Fife 3 - 2 Annan Athletic (May 13)

Annan Athletic 1 - 1 East Fife (yesterday)

East Fife are promoted to League One, Annan relegated.

Pyramid playoffs, second leg:

Bonnyrigg Rose [0 - 0] East Kilbride

If Bonnyrigg go down it will be the first time for a pyramid-promoted club. If East Kilbride fail to go up it will be their third time losing as a pyramid promotion finalist. [EK are promoted and Bonnyrigg go down.]

Lowland League playoff, first leg:

Musselburgh Athletic [1 - 1] Clydebank

Icelandic Women's Cup, R16 (May 12):

HK 2 - 0 Grindavík/Njarðvík

Other matches:

Kongsvinger 1 - 3 Odd (May 12)

Largs Thistle 1 - 1 Pollok (May 13)

Islevale 1 - 4 Culter (May 13)

Newmains United 4 - 2 Carluke Rovers (May 13)

Meshakhte 0 - 0 Spaeri (May 15)

Odd 2 - 0 Moss (yesterday)

Treaty United 4 - 0 UCD (yesterday)

Mito HollyHock [2 - 1] Roasso Kumamoto

[HollyHock are in third place.]

Elfen Saitama [3 - 3] Urawa Red Diamonds

Thie ends the 2024-25 WE League. Elfen Saitama finish sixth.

Carluke Rovers [6 - 1] BSC Glasgow

[Carluke finish in eighth place.]

Grindavík/Njarðvík [1 - 1] ÍA 

Halifax Tides [0 - 1] AFC Toronto

MLS: CF Montréal [1 - 6] FC Toronto

Vancouver FC [0 - 2] HFX Wanderers

[Goals by Telfer and Coimbra.]

Sfida Setagaya [0 - 0] Speranza Osaka (tomorrow)

Grulla Morioka [0 - 1] Minebea Mitsumi (tomorrow)

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

This is Morton's last fixture of the season. They'll finish tenth out of twelve.

North Regional Cup, SF:

Culter [5 - 0] Lossiemouth United

Scottish Junior Cup, SF, 2nd leg (tomorrow):

Largs Thistle [0 - 2] Johnstone Burgh

[Johnstone advance.]

Bonnyrigg Rose in the SPFL:

2022-23    36    11      9    16    36    47     -11    42    8th, League Two

2023-24    36      9    12    15    47    48       -1    39    8th, League Two

2024-25    36    12      6    18    40    62     -22    36    10th, League Two

Historical matches:

1902/5/13      Morton 1 - 3 Kilmarnock    G&WoSL

Morton finished bottom of the Glasgow and West of Scotland League.

Previous pyramid playoff finals:

2023-24    Stranraer (42) 5 - 3 agg. East Kilbride (LL)

2022-23    Albion Rovers (42) 1 - 2 agg. The Spartans (LL)

2021-22    Cowdenbeath (42) 0 - 4 agg. Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (LL)

2020-21    Brechin City (42) 1 - 3 agg. Kelty Hearts (LL)

2019-20    cancelled

2018-19    Berwick Rangers (42) 0 - 7 agg. Cove Rangers (HL)

2017-18    Cowdenbeath (42) 3 - 2 agg. Cove Rangers (HL)

2016-17    Cowdenbeath (42) 5 - 3 pk. East Kilbride (LL)

2015-16    East Stirlingshire (42) 1 - 2 agg. Edinburgh City (LL)

2014-15    Montrose (42) 3 - 2 agg. Brora Rangers (HL)

Who scored on Morton in 2024-25?

2024/7/13      Alan Trouten (East Fife)

2024/7/13      Alan Trouten (East Fife)    2nd

2024/7/13      Alan Trouten (East Fife)    3RD

2024/7/20      Benjamin Mbunga Kimpioka (St Johnstone)

2024/7/20      Benjamin Mbunga Kimpioka (St Johnstone)    2nd

2024/7/27      Conor Sammon (Alloa)

2024/8/24      Scott Pittman (Livingston)

2024/8/31      Brad Spencer (Falkirk)

2024/8/31      Dylan Tait (Falkirk)

2024/8/31      Alfredo Agyeman (Falkirk)

2024/9/14      Dom Thomas (Queen's Park)

2024/9/28      Jay Henderson (Ayr United)

2024/10/26    Oli Shaw (Hamilton)

2024/10/26    Oli Shaw (Hamilton)    2nd

2024/10/26    Oli Shaw (Hamilton)    3RD

2024/10/29    Zak Rudden (Queen's Park)

2024/11/2      Keelan Adams (Falkirk)

2024/11/2      Ethan Ross (Falkirk)

2024/11/2      Brad Spencer (Falkirk)    2nd

2024/11/2      Gary Oliver (Falkirk)

2024/11/2      Calvin Miller (Falkirk)

2024/11/2      Brad Spencer (Falkirk)    3RD

2024/11/8      George Oakley (Ayr United)

2024/11/12    Reece McAlear (Livingston)

2024/11/12    Stevie May (Livingston)

2024/11/16    Dylan Easton (Raith Rovers)

2024/11/30    Mikey Devlin (Ayr United)

2024/11/30    Jamie Murphy (Ayr United)

2024/12/14    Ben Wilson (Airdrieonians)

2024/12/14    Ben Wilson (Airdrieonians)    2nd

2024/12/31    Aidan Fitzpatrick (Partick Thistle)

2024/1/25      Zak Rudden (Queen's Park)    2nd

2025/2/1        Daniel O'Reilly (Partick Thistle)

2025/2/1        Logan Chalmers (Partick Thistle)

2025/2/15      Ben Wilson (Airdrieonians)    3RD

2025/2/15      Ricco Diack (Airdrieonians)

2025/2/21      Scott Arfield (Falkirk)

2025/2/21      Ethan Ross (Falkirk)    2nd

2025/2/25      Tete Yengi (Livingston)

2025/2/25      Danny Wilson (Livingston)

2025/2/25      Andrew Shinnie (Livingston)

2025/3/1        Chris Kane (Dunfermline)

2025/3/1        Chris Kane (Dunfermline)    2nd

2025/3/8        Curtis Main (Ayr United)

2025/3/22      Zak Rudden (Queen's Park)    3RD

2025/3/25      James Gullan (Raith Rovers)

2025/3/25      James Gullan (Raith Rovers)    2nd

2025/3/25      Aidan Connolly (Raith Rovers)

2025/3/29      Daniel O'Reilly (Partick Thistle)    2nd

2025/4/5        Scott Arfield (Falkirk)    2nd

2025/4/5        Calvin Miller (Falkirk)    2nd

2025/4/5        Scott Arfield (Falkirk)    3RD

2025/4/5        Ethan Ross (Falkirk)    3RD

2025/4/5        Barney Stewart (Falkirk)

2025/4/12      Cristian Montaño (Livingston)

2025/4/12      Scott Pittman (Livingston)    2nd

2025/4/26      Josh Mullin (Raith Rovers)

(Shoot-out goals and own goals not included.)

Morton's referees, 2024-25:

2024/7/13      L     Y3    Colin Whyte

2024/7/16      W    Y1    Euan Anderson

2024/7/20      L     Y3    Iain Snedden

2024/7/27      W    Y2    Ross Hardie

2024/8/3        D     Y1    Colin Steven

2024/8/10      D     Y1    Dan Mcfarlane

2024/8/24      D     Y3    Euan Anderson    2nd time

2024/8/31      L      Y4    Graham Grainger

2024/9/7        W     R1    Duncan Nicolson

2024/9/14      L      Y4    Lloyd Wilson

2024/9/21      W     Y0    Gavin Duncan

2024/9/28      L      Y3    Colin Steven    2nd time

2024/10/5      W     Y3    Iain Snedden    2nd time

2024/10/11    W     Y1    Ross Hardie    2nd time

2024/10/19    D      Y1    Ryan Lee

2024/10/26    L      Y3     Lloyd Wilson    2nd time

2024/10/29    L      R1 Y5    Duncan Williams

2024/11/2      L      Y3     David Dickinson

2024/11/8      W     Y1     Peter Stuart

2024/11/12    L       Y1    Chris Graham

2024/11/16    W      Y3    Dan McFarlane    2nd time

2024/11/30    L       Y1    Iain Snedden    3RD time

2024/12/7      D      Y1    Grant Irvine

2024/12/14    D      Y3    Matthew MacDermid

2024/12/21    W      Y3    Dan McFarlane    3RD time

2024/12/28    D      Y1    Duncan Nicolson    2nd time

2024/12/31    W     Y2    Ryan Lee    2nd time

2025/1/25      W     Y0    Steven McLean

2025/2/1        D      Y3    Chris Graham    2nd time

2025/2/15      D      Y2    Ryan Lee    3RD time

2025/2/18      W     Y0    Euan Anderson    3RD time

2025/2/21      L       Y3    Dan McFarlane    4TH TIME

2025/2/25      L       Y0    Graham Grainger    2nd time

2025/3/1        L       Y2    Duncan Williams    2nd time

2025/3/8        W      R1 Y2    John Beaton

2025/3/15      W      Y1    Iain Snedden    4TH TIME

2025/3/22      W      Y2    Peter Stuart    2nd time

2025/3/25      D       Y3    Lloyd Wilson    2nd time

2025/3/29      L        Y2    Chris Graham    3RD time

2025/4/5        L        Y4    Grant Irvine    2nd time

2025/4/12      L        Y1    Ross Hardie    3RD time

2025/4/19      W       Y5    Kevin Clancy

2025/4/26      D        Y0    Chris Graham    4TH TIME

2025/5/2        W       Y2    Alastair Grieve

Morioka Castle in the Snow

Source.

Saint Paul Ice Palace, 1887

Source.

Spišský Hrad

Source.

Innsbruck Castle, 1494

Dürer passed through Innsbruck on the way to Italy in 1494 and made some watercolours of the medieval city. Source.

Casco Castle, Maine

Source.

Lego Himeji Castle

Source.

Castello Di Roccascalegna

Source.

Castle Levan

Castle Levan is a fortified house overlooking Levan Burn on the west side of Gourock. Source.

Raith Rovers visit Cappielow. Morton are sixth with 48 points, Raith seventh with 42. These two have an even record so far, with a win, a draw and a loss each, but Raith knocked Morton out of the Challenge Cup. Raith are out of the playoffs; Morton still have an outside chance.

Morton have not lost since April 1st; Raith have not won since April 1st.

Raith's top scorer is Aidan Connolly with 12 goals. Robbie Muirhead has 9.

Morton enter this match with 12 draws. (See below.) And they have only 9 losses. If they can avoid another one they will equal their total for 1995-96 and 2012-13.

Michael Tidser is to be the next Kelty Hearts manager.

[Morton win 1 - 0. Goal by King.]

The other Championship matches:

Hamilton 1 - 2 Inverness CT (April 18)

Ayr (5th) 0 - 0 Queen's Park (2nd) (last night)

Arbroath (8th) [0 - 1] Cove Rangers (10th)

Hamilton Academical (9th) [2 - 2] Partick Thistle (4th)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (3rd) [1 - 1] Dundee (1st)

Highland League:

Buckie Thistle [0 - 2] Brechin City

This is for the Highland League title. First-place Buckie Thistle have 87 points, second-place Brechin City 86. The winner of this match will go on to meet The Spartans in the pyramid playoffs. Brechin are trying to become the first club to return to the SPFL after having been relegated out via the playoffs.

Other matches:

[Stirling Albion win League Two.]

Gala Fairydean Rovers [4 - 1] Open Goal Broomhill

The name Open Goal Broomhill becomes plain old Broomhill once this season ends. This is Gala's final league fixture of 2022-23, but they have the Lowland League Cup next weekend.

Largs Thistle [4 - 1] Hurlford United

[South Challenge Cup SF (April 18):

Caledonian Braves 2 - 3 The Spartans]

FC Isle of Man [3 - 1] Wythenshawe Town

Sligo Rovers [3 - 1] UCD

Winterthur [1 -  2] Grasshoppers

Almere City FC 1 - 1 PEC Zwolle (yesterday)

Veres Rivne [1 - 1] Minaj

Nojima Stella [0 - 1] Elfen Saitama

Dryburgh [0 - 0] Morton Women (tomorrow)

Oita Trinita [0 - 1] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

NPL2 Vic: Preston Lions 2 - 1 Northcote City (yesterday)

Forge [1 - 1] HFX Wanderers

[Halifax goal by Ferrin.]

Scrosoppi [0 - 2] Vaughan Azzurri

Each CPL club is allowed to partner with a lower league club and send players down to gain increased playing time. York United is affiliated with Alliance United and Forge with Sigma, both of League1 Ontario. HFX Wanderers have their own reserve team that will play a series of exhibition games this summer.

76th Aomori Prefecture Football Championship (April 23):

Match No. 9: ReinMeer Aomori [2 - 3] Blancdieu Hirosaki

73rd Iwate Prefecture Football Championship:

FC Ganju Iwate [1 - 0] Nippon Steel Kamaishi

28th Mie Prefecture Football Championship, semifinals (April 23):

Veertien Mie [7 - 0] Yokkaichi University

FC Ise-Shima [1 - 2] Suzuka Point Getters

Most draws in a season, Morton:

17    1993-94 (44-game season)

16    1989-90 (39-game season)

14    2001-02 (36-game season)

14    1920-21 (42-game season)

Historical matches:

April 17, 1967    Brechin 0 - 4 Morton

April 19, 1967    Morton 13 - 1 Rootes (Linwood)

This was the first round of the Renfrewshire Cup. The final round took place late in 1967.

April 22, 1967    Morton 0 - 0 Arbroath

April 19, 1978    St Johnstone 0 - 1 Morton

Goal by Russell.

April 22, 1978    Stirling Albion 1 - 2 Morton

Goals by Billy Thomas and Goldthorp.

Gourock Castle

Gourock Castle stood on Bath Street from 1840 to 1896 and played no part whatsoever in Scottish history. Source.

Inverness CT visit Cappielow. Morton are fifth in the Championship with 43 points. ICT are sixth with 39.

So far this season Morton have 2 wins and a draw against ICT and have outscored them 7 goals to 2. Muirhead and Gillespie each have 2 goals against the Caledonian Thistle. In previous years ICT have never failed to beat Morton at least once.

ICT have scored 40 goals to Morton's 41 and have allowed 41 to Morton's 35. ICT's top scorer is Billy Mckay with 12 goals. He has one goal against Morton.

2022-23 is shaping up to be ICT's poorest season since 2001-02. That year they finished 6th in the First Division with 48 points. But they beat Partick Thistle last weekend, a big win for them and Morton both.

They're skint.

[Morton 1 - 2 ICT. Morton goal by Gillespie. Morton cannot finish in tenth place.]

The other Championship matches:

Arbroath (8th) 2 - 0 Ayr United (3rd) (last night)

Dundee (2nd) [7 - 0] Hamilton Accies (10th)

Raith Rovers (7th) [2 - 0] Queen's Park (1st)

Cove Rangers (9th) [0 - 5] Partick Thistle (4th)*

*This is a Plenty of Nothing Championship Consolation Cup quarter-final.

Other matches:

St Patrick's 3 - 0 UCD (yesterday)

PEC Zwolle 2 - 0 Jong FC Utrecht (yesterday)

Forres Mechanics [2 - 3] Buckie Thistle

Hearts B [3 - 0] Gala Fairydean Rovers

Morton Women [1 - 4] Renfrew (tomorrow)

Largs Thistle [0 - 2] Darvel

Lower Breck [0 - 2] FC Isle of Man

Basel [2 - 0] Winterthur

Minaj [1 - 2] Inhulets'

Tokyo 23 FC [1 - 0] Toho Titanium

Elfen Saitama [0 - 1] Vegalta Sendai

Montedio Yamagata [0 - 1] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

Briobecca Urayasu [1 - 1] Honda FC (tomorrow)

NPL2 Vic: Langwarrin SC [1 - 2] Preston Lions

[Preston Lions have applied to join the proposed national second division or Championship which is due to begin play in 2024.]

Vancouver Whitecaps [5 - 0] CF Montreal

HFX Wanderers vs University of South Florida (in Florida) (March 27)

South Challenge Cup quarter-finals:

Caledonian Braves [2 - 1] Auchinleck Talbot

Kilwinning Rangers [1 - 4] Gartcairn

Sauchie Juniors [1 - 4] Drumchapel United

The Spartans [4 - 2] University of Stirling

I'm going to follow Fujieda City Hall SC this season. They compete in the same league as FC Kariya, the Tokai Adult Soccer League. They've already played a bunch of training matches:

March 5th: Wyvern 3 - 2 Fujieda City Hall

March 11th: Fujieda City Hall 1 - 0 Shizuoka University

March 19th: Tohoka University 3 - 2 Fujieda City Hall

March 26th: Fujieda City Hall 10 - 2 Nihon Fukushi University

The 2023 Shizuoka Prefecture Football Championship [preliminary tournament] has been going on since February, but I've only just found the bracket. It started out with 25 teams, and is now down to the final four:

Fujieda City Hall [1 - 5] Tohoka University (April 2)

Gakunan F Mosuperio [0 - 1] Shizuoka Sangyo University (April 2)

76th Aomori Prefecture Football Championship:

Match No. 1: Oirase FC 0 - 9 Bogolle D. Tsugaru (March 26)

Match No. 2: Shichinohe SC [3 - 7] Hachinohe Gakuin University (April 2)

Match No. 3: Japan Marine Self-Defence Force [5 - 2] Aomori Chuo Gakuin University (April 2)

Match No. 4: Blancdieu Hirosaki [14 - 0] Air Self-Defence Force Misawa (April 2)

Match No. 5: Bogolle D. Tsugaru [2 - 5] Aomori University (April 2)

Historical matches:

April 1, 1967    East Fife 0 - 1 Morton

Galston FC in the Qualifying Cup and Scottish Cup, 1920s:

1920/9/4       QC1     Maybole scr/wo Galston

1920/9/18     QC2     Galston 7 - 4 Girvan Athletic

1920/10/2     QC3     bye

1920/10/16   QC4     bye

1920/10/30   QC5     Galston 0 - 0 Johnstone

1920/11/6     QC5     Johnstone 3 - 0 Galston

1921/1/22     SC1     Bo'ness 1 - 0 Galston

1921/9/2       QC1     Galston 0 - 0 Stevenston United

1921/9/10     QC1     Stevenston United 0 - 0 Galston

1921/9/17     QC1     Galston 0 - 4 Stevenston United

1922/9/2       QC1     Galston wo/scr Girvan Athletic

1922/9/16     QC2     Galston 3 - 0 Hamilton Garrison

1922/9/30     QC3     Dalbeattie Star 1 - 2 Galston

1922/10/14   QC4     bye

1922/10/28   QC5     Mid-Annandale 0 - 0 Galston

1922/11/4     QC5     Galston 0 - 4 Mid-Annandale

1923/1/13     SC1     Galston 1 - 0 Stenhousemuir

1923/1/27     SC2     Peterhead 1 - 0 Galston

1923/9/1       QC1     Hurlford scr/wo Galston

1923/9/15     QC2     bye

1923/9/29     QC3     Beith 4 - 4 Galston

1923/10/6     QC3     Galston vs Beith not played?

1924/1/19     SC1     Galston 6 - 2 Gala Fairydean

1924/2/9       SC2     Hearts 6 - 0 Galston

1924/9/6       QC1     Moorpark 0 - 2 Galston

1924/9/27     QC2     Galston 4 - 0 Glasgow University

1924/10/4     QC3     Dykehead 3 - 1 Galston

1925/1/24     SC1     Motherwell 6 - 3 Galston

1925/9/5       QC1     Galston 4 - 0 Paisley Grammar School FP

1925/9/19     QC2     Galston 1 - 1 Moorpark

1925/9/26     QC2     Moorpark 4 - 2 Galston

1926/9/4       QC1     Galston 6 - 1 Moorpark

1926/9/18     QC2     Helensburgh 3 - 0 Galston

1927/9/3       QC1     Galston 0 - 4 Royal Albert

1928/9/1       QC1     Galston 7 - 0 Paisley Grammar School FP

1928/9/15     QC2     Dykehead vs Galston not played?

1928/9/29     QC3     Galston wo/scr Nithsdale Wanderers

1928/10/13   QC4     bye

1928/10/27   QC5     Glasgow University 2 - 1 Galston

1929/1/19     SC1     Albion Rovers 7 - 1 Galston

1929/9/7       QC1     Galston 4 - 1 Moorpark

1929/9/21     QC2     bye

1929/10/5     QC2     Galston 2 - 3 Dalbeattie Star

1930/1/18     SC1     Arbroath 6 - 1 Galston

QC = Qualifying Cup; SC = Scottish Cup

(Source: The Beautiful Dribbling Game)