Plenty of Nothing

Morton Castle, 1869

Watercolour of Morton Castle, by Princess Helena, 1869. Source.

Greenock Morton travel to Palmerston Park to contest the ownership of Morton Castle, located in Nithsdale. Thanks to Morton's win on Leap Day last year they are currently king of the castle and QoS are the dirty rascal.

After last night's Arbroath/Dundee match Morton hold fourth place with 16 points. QoS are eighth with 11 points. Morton won their December 19th match 2 - 0 at Cappielow, but QoS won the shootout in their League Cup group stage match October 6th.

Morton's last three matches have ended in a draw. At the moment, seven of the ten Championship clubs have accumulated at least as many draws as wins. Hearts are the only team without any draws.

[QoS have brought in an emergency goalkeeper.]

Morton Castle games up till now:

Jan 28, 2012        QoS 2 - 1 Morton        M7 Q10*

Mar 29, 2014       QoS 3 - 0 Morton         Q4 M10

Oct 10, 2015        QoS 1 - 0 Morton         Q5 M6

Feb 4, 2017          QoS 3 - 0 Morton         M3 Q5

Feb 17, 2018        QoS 1 - 1 Morton         M5 Q6

April 6, 2019         QoS 1 - 1 Morton         M6 Q7

Feb 29, 2020        QoS 0 - 4 Morton        M6 Q9

*Means Morton were in seventh place and QoS in tenth place at time of kickoff.

Other Championship matches:

Arbroath [1 - 1] Dundee (last night)

Dunfermline [0 - 0] Ayr United

Hearts [2 - 3] Raith Rovers

Raith first match of 2021.

Inverness CT vs Alloa [postponed -- frozen pitch]

[QoS 2 - 1 Morton. Queen of the South retake the castle. Morton goal by Orsi.]

It's the League Cup semi-finals:

St Johnstone [3 - 0] Hibs

These two have met in the League Cup semi-final twice before, in 2007 and 2016. Hibs won both times.

Livingston [1 - 0] St Mirren (tomorrow)

Now that these two are in the group stage south section they meet up pretty often, but they've never met in the semi-finals before. Livi are on a nine-game unbeaten streak. St Mirren are on a four-game winless streak.

These two cup games will employ goal-line technology.

When did these clubs last appear in the League Cup final?

2015-16    Hibs

2012-13    St Mirren

2003-04    Livingston

1998-99    St Johnstone

How many times has each won the cup?

3        Hibs

1        St Mirren

1        Livingston

0        St Johnstone

When has neither Old Firm team made the League Cup semi-finals?

1950-51, 1954-55, 1959-60, 1979-80, 2006-07, 2013-14, 2020-21.

League Cups won:

46    (62%)    Old Firm

28    (38%)    everyone outside the Old Firm combined

Other matches:

3.Liga: 1.FC Saarbrücken [0 - 0] VfB Lübeck (tomorrow)

Swiss Challenge League: Chiasso [0 - 3] Winterthur

Postponed:

Kilmarnock vs St Johnstone (postponed due to the League Cup)

Lowland League: Bonnyrigg Rose vs Gala Fairydean Rovers

Highland League: Clachnacuddin vs Buckie Thistle

WoSFL: Troon vs Largs Thistle

SWF Championship South: Gartcairn vs Morton

Progrès Niederkorn haven't played in two months.

Developments:

The twenty League One and Two clubs have written to the football authorities asking to be allowed to resume play.

Tokyo Musashino City FC of the JFL and Tokyo United of the Kanto League have merged. The JFL team will now go by the name Tokyo Musashino United, while the Kanto League team will continue as Tokyo United. The JFL team had already announced that it is not aiming at J League membership.

HFX Wanderers are setting up an U-23 squad.

Wanderers have signed Nova Scotian goalkeeper Kieran Basket, who has been playing for the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

They've also signed Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, formerly of Montreal Impact, Ottawa Fury, and Saint Louis FC.

Montreal Impact has renamed itself Club de Foot Montréal. I do not think this is an improvement.

The Canadian Premier League has put out a coffee table book about last year's tournament.

Iida Kodai has renewed his contract with Oklahoma City Energy FC.

Club The Strongest's crosstown rivals Bolivar have entered into a partnership with Manchester City FC.

Scottish Cup

Suppose the lower leagues don't return this year and their teams all drop out of the Scottish Cup. Who's left? There are the 12 Premiership clubs, plus Queen of the South and Dundee who have already won their Round Two matches, plus Arbroath, Raith Rovers, Ayr United, Inverness CT and Hearts, whose Round Two opponents would have dropped out, plus either Morton or Dunfermline, who have their Round Two match still to play. That makes 20 teams. Round Three could be reorganized to have the eight remaining Championship clubs play each other, so that Round Four would have 16 teams, the Premiership clubs plus the four Round Three winners.

South Challenge Cup

They're still trying to finish the 2019-20 South Challenge Cup. BSC Glasgow beat East Kilbride in one semi-final on December 27th. The other semi-final between Hill of Beath Hawthorn and Dunipace is still up in the air. The final is scheduled for March 14th.

This is a good illustration of how it's better to have the lockdown late in the competition. The 2020-21 cup still has 66 teams in it, which should prove to be a rescheduling nightmare.

Historical matches:

Jan 23, 1915. Morton visited Dundee and played to a 1 - 1 draw.

SFL Division Three in the 1924-25 Scottish Cup:

Beith

    did not play

Brechin City

    did not play

Clackmannan

1925/1/24      R1    Raith Rovers 3 - 0 Clackmannan

Dumbarton Harp

    did not play

Dykehead

1925/1/24      R1    Dykehead 1 - 0 Forfar

1925/2/7        R2    Dykehead 3 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1925/2/21      R3    Kilmarnock 5 - 0 Dykehead

Galston

1925/1/24      R1    Motherwell 6 - 3 Galston

Helensburgh

1925/1/24      R1    Bo'ness 1 - 1 Helensburgh

1925/1/27               Helensburgh 0 - 0 Bo'ness

1925/2/3                Bo'ness 2 - 0 Helesburgh (at Firhill)

Leith Athletic

1925/1/24      R1    Hearts 4 - 1 Leith Athletic

Lochgelly United

1925/1/24      R1    Lochgelly United 4 - 0 Breadalbane

1925/2/7        R2    Dundee 2 - 1 Lochgelly United

Mid Annandale

    did not play

Montrose

1925/1/24      R1    Montrose 6 - 2 Inverness Citadel

1925/2/7        R2    Montrose 0 - 2 Rangers

Nithsdale Wanderers

1925/1/24      R1    Broxburn United 3 - 2 Nithsdale Wanderers

Peebles Rovers

1925/1/24      R1    St Cuthbert Wanderers 0 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1925/1/27               Peebles Rovers 5 - 0 St Cuthbert Wanderers

1925/2/7        R2    Dykehead 3 - 1 Peebles Rovers

Queen of the South

1925/1/24      R1    Queen of the South 1 - 1 Alloa

1925/1/27               Alloa 2 - 0 Queen of the South

Royal Albert

1925/1/24      R1    Royal Albert 9 - 1 Stranraer

1925/2/7        R2    Royal Albert 1 - 3 Broxburn United

Solway Star

1925/1/24      R1    Solway Star 4 - 2 Stenhousemuir

1925/2/7        R2    Vale of Leven 2 - 2 Solway Star

1925/2/12               Solway Star 3 - 3 Vale of Leven

1925/2/16               Vale of Leven 1 - 2 Solway Star (at Cathkin Park)

1925/2/21      R3    Celtic 2 - 0 Solway Star

Vale of Leven

1925/1/24      R1    Vale of Leven 2 - 0 Inverness Caledonian

1925/2/7        R2    Vale of Leven 2 - 2 Solway Star

1925/2/12               Solway Star 3 - 3 Vale of Leven

1925/2/16               Vale of Leven 1 - 2 Solway Star (at Cathkin Park)

Painted Ceiling, Delgatie Castle

Source.

Veste Coburg

The west face. Source.

Leap Day Football

Morton Castle, 1789, which was not a leap year. Source.

It's the Morton Castle Game. The winner of today's match at Palmerston gains possession of Morton Castle in Nithsdale.

Morton are in sixth place with 32 points, 3 behind fourth-place Ayr United. Morton have not had a loss since St Johnstone put them out of the Scottish Cup on January 18th, and have not had a loss in league play since Partick beat them on December 28th. They have not been this high up in the table since October.

Queen of the South are ninth with 26 points. They're on a six-game winless streak. They have not won a game in 2020.

But Morton have yet to win against QoS this season, unless you count that 2-point shoot-out win in the League Cup group stage.

Past Morton Castle games:

Jan 28, 2012        QoS 2 - 1 Morton

Mar 29, 2014       QoS 3 - 0 Morton

Oct 10, 2015        QoS 1 - 0 Morton

Feb 4, 2017         QoS 3 - 0 Morton

Feb 17, 2018       QoS 1 - 1 Morton

April 6, 2019        QoS 1 - 1 Morton

This is only the sixth time that Morton have played a competitive match on February 29th. The previous occasions were:

1908/2/29    Morton 1 - 1 St Mirren

1936/2/29    Forfar 7 - 3 Morton

1964/2/29    Morton 6 - 1 Forfar

1984/2/29    Morton 1 - 2 Clydebank

1992/2/29    Montrose 1 - 1 Morton

The other Championship matches:

Alloa (8th) [0 - 2] Ayr United (4th)

Dundee (3rd) vs Arbroath (5th) [postponed]

Dunfermline (7th) [2 - 0] Dundee United (1st)

ICT vs Partick (postponed to March 17)

[And Morton win the castle 0 - 4. Goals by Tumilty, Nesbitt, Cadden and McGuffie.]

League One:

Clyde (8th) [3 - 2] Falkirk (2nd)

Dumbarton (6th) [1 - 0] Raith Rovers (1st)

Forfar (9th) [0 - 1] East Fife (4th)

Montrose (5th) [1 - 0] Airdrieonians (3rd)

Stranraer (10th) vs Peterhead (7th) (postponed)

Lowland League: Kelty Hearts (1st) [3 - 2] Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic (2nd)

It's also the Scottish Cup quarter-finals:

Hibs 5 - 2 Inverness CT (last night)

These two have only met twice before in the Scottish Cup. Hibs won both times.

Hearts [1 - 0] Rangers [Upset!]

This is the 26th Scottish Cup tie between these two. Hearts have prevailed six times.

St Mirren [0 - 2] Aberdeen

Aberdeen have prevailed seven out of eleven times.

St Johnstone [0 - 1] Celtic (tomorrow)

These two have met in the Scottish Cup seven times, of which Celtic have won six.

Which clubs have knocked Rangers out of the Scottish Cup, and how often?

25 times        Celtic

11 times        Hibs

  6 times        Hearts [now 7]

  6 times        Dundee United

  6 times        Aberdeen

  5 times        Vale of Leven

  5 times        Clyde

  5 times        Dundee

  3 times        Dumbarton

  3 times        Kilmarnock

  2 times        Queen's Park

  2 times        Third Lanark

  2 times        Partick Thistle

  2 times        Falkirk

  2 times        Motherwell

  2 times        Dunfermline

  1 time          Renton

  1 time          Cambuslang

  1 time          St Bernard's

  1 time          Port Glasgow Athletic

  1 time          Albion Rovers

  1 time          Morton

  1 time          Ayr United

  1 time          St Mirren

  1 time          Queen of the South

  1 time          Berwick Rangers

  1 time          Hamilton Academical

  1 time          Raith Rovers

Scottish Junior Cup quarter-finals:

Auchinleck Talbot vs Hurlford United [postponed]

Beith Juniors [4 - 1] Kello Rovers

Darvel Juniors vs Broughty Athletic [postponed]

Neilston Juniors [1 - 4] Pollok

1907-08. See the Leap Day scores above.

1963-64. See above. Morton secured promotion with this win.

SWF Championship South: Morton 4 - 2 St Mirren (Feb 26)

SWF Championship Cup, Round Two: Ayr United [1 - 2] Morton (tomorrow)

Swiss Challenge League: Vaduz vs Winterthur [postponed]

Europa League, Round of 32, return leg (Feb 27):

Celtic 1 - 3 Copenhagen

Braga 0 - 1 Rangers

Malmö 0 - 3 Wolfsburg

Celtic and Malmö are out. Rangers advance to the Round of 16.

The J League has postponed all its fixtures till March 15 because of the coronavirus.

Copa Libertadores, Third Stage, second leg (Feb 26):

No Bolivian teams.

Bolivian league:

The Strongest 4 - 0 Royal Pari (Feb 27)

Nacional Potosi [3 - 1] The Strongest (tomorrow)

Concacaf Champions League, Round of 16, second leg (Feb 26):

Montreal Impact 0 - 0 Saprissa

Impact advance on the away goal rule.

HFX Wanderers have signed two Brazilians: João Morelli, most recently of the Estonian club Levadia, and Eriks Santos, most recently of FC Dila Gori in Georgia. There are now six foreign citizens on the squad -- Wanderers are permitted one more. Onetime Wanderer Elliot Simmons has signed with Cavalry.

Dumfries YMCA in the South of Scotland League:

                  G     W     D     L      F      A       GD    Pts    Pos

2014-15    26     0      1    25    32    201    -169      1    14th

2015-16    26     2      0    24    32    138    -106      6    14th

2016-17    26     0      1    25    22    163    -141      1    14th

2017-18    28     2      0    26    26    148    -122      6    15th

2018-19    30     3      2    25    29    125      -96    11    15th

2019-20    Withdrew after 12 matches -- record expunged.

Ardgowan Castle

Ardgowan Castle on the Shaw-Stewart estate overlooking Inverkip.  Source.

Morton (7th) host Dundee FC (4th). This is their third meeting of this season. So far each side has a win and a loss. If Morton are able to win by four goals today, and Dunfermline and Arbroath both lose, Morton will take over fourth place.

Dundee did not score a goal in the month of January.

Dundee's Paul McGowan played for Morton in 2006-07. Declan McDaid started out in the Morton youth squad and made one appearance for the first team in 2012-13.

John Sutton played for Dundee in 2004-05. Jim McAlister was a Dark Blue from 2012 to 2015.

Morton have signed defender Sean McGinty, previously of Partick Thistle and before that a lot of English teams named Town and United. Also signed is midfielder Craig McGuffie, formerly of Ayr United, Glenafton and Raith Rovers. [Adam Livingstone has returned to Motherwell.]

Why are there no Scottish football clubs named Town? Like, literally none.

Jai Quitongo has joined Dumbarton. So has Ross Forbes. Former Morton players on Dumbarton: Quitongo, Forbes, Conor Brennan, Ruaridh Langan, Stefan McCluskey, Joe McKee.

The other Championship matches:

Partick Thistle (10th) 1 - 1 Ayr United (3rd) (last night)*

Dundee United (1st) [0 - 1] Arbroath (6th)*

ICT (2nd) [1 - 1] Alloa (9th)

QoS (8th) [2 - 3] Dunfermline (5th)

[Morton 1 - 1 Dundee. Morton goal by McAlister.]

(*Championship League Cup semi-final.) (Partick advance on the corner kick rule.) [The finalists are Partick Thistle and Arbroath.]

League One:

Airdrieonians (3rd) [0 - 1] Raith Rovers (1st)

East Fife (4th) [4 - 2] Dumbarton (6th)

Forfar (9th) [2 - 1] Clyde (7th)

Montrose (5th) [4 - 3] Peterhead (8th)

Stranraer (10th) [1 - 1] Falkirk (2nd)

Scottish Cup Round Four replays (Jan 28):

Falkirk 2 - 0 Arbroath

Hibs 4 - 2 Dundee United

Since 1994, how many years has each of the 2019-20 Championship clubs spent in tier III?

14        Alloa

13        Ayr United

12        Arbroath

  9        Queen of the South

  7        Morton

  4        Partick Thistle

  3        Dunfermline

  2        Inverness CT

  0        Dundee

  0        Dundee United

1963-64. Morton travelled to East Fife and lost 1 - 3. It was the Ton's first and only loss of the season in league play.

The last time Morton finished higher than the other 2019-20 Championship clubs:

1967-68    Dundee United

1995-96    Dundee

1998-99    Inverness CT

2017-18    Ayr United

2018-19    Partick Thistle

2018-19    Dunfermline

2018-19    Alloa

2018-19    Queen of the South

2018-19    Arbroath

Years that Morton finished higher than Dundee FC:

1900-01        Morton (4th, Div 1), Dundee (7th, Div 1)

1911-12        Morton (6th, Div 1), Dundee (8th, Div 1)

1913-14        Morton (4th, Div 1), Dundee (7th, Div 1)

1914-15        Morton (4th, Div 1), Dundee (14th, Div 1)

1915-16        Morton (3rd, Div 1), Dundee (8th, Div 1)

1916-17        Morton (2nd, Div 1), Dundee (16th, Div 1)

1946-47        Morton (6th, Div A), Dundee (1st, Div B)

1967-68        Morton (6th, Div 1), Dundee (9th, Div 1)

1977-78        Morton (1st, Div 1), Dundee (3rd, Div 1)

1978-79        Morton (7th, Prem), Dundee (1st, Div 1)

1979-80        Morton (6th, Prem), Dundee (9th, Prem)

1980-81        Morton (8th, Prem), Dundee (2nd, Div 1)

1981-82        Morton (7th, Prem), Dundee (8th, Prem)

1995-96        Morton (3rd, Div 1), Dundee (5th, Div 1)

SPFL Reserve Cup: Dunfermline vs Morton (Jan 27) [postponed -- snow-covered pitch]

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [3 - 2] Chiasso (tomorrow)

[Winterthur hold fifth place.]

AFC Champions League East, playoff round (Jan 28):

FC Seoul 4 - 1 Kedah

Shanghai SIPG 3 - 0 Buriram UNited

FC Tokyo 2 - 0 Ceres-Negros

Kashima Antlers 0 - 1 Melbourne Victory

Kashima Antlers are out!

Copa Libertadores, first stage, second stage (Jan 29):

Guaraní 4 - 0 San José

San José are out.

Iwaki FC play their first game of the year tomorrow: a training match against Sakushin Gakuin University. [Iwaki 1 - 0 Sakushin.]

Bolivian league:

The Strongest 3 - 2 Real Potosi (Jan 29)

Always Ready [4 - 1] The Strongest (tomorrow) (today)

Can there be a better fixture than Always Ready vs The Strongest? No.

The Canadian Premier League announced its expansion into Ottawa Wednesday. The new club will be owned by Atlético de Madrid of the Spanish league, who also have a team in the Mexican league, Atlético San Luis. From the way they're talking it looks like Ottawa will begin play in the Spring Season.

The inclusion of Ottawa should reduce the HFX Wanderers' travel bill. Last season they flew to the Western provinces ten times. This year, assuming they get knocked off by Montreal Impact in the Canadian Championship quarter-finals, they'll fly out West eight times.

In contrast, York9 were able to travel by bus to at least three of their fixtures last season.

HFX Wanderers have signed Jamaican winger Alex Marshall.

The province is pushing a plan to build a multi-level parkade on the site of the Museum of Nature's parking lot, which would involve encroaching on the Wanderers Grounds and the Junior Lancers' paddock.

Kunohe Castle

Kunohe Masazane rebelled when the shogun Toyotomi Hideyoshi appointed Nanbu Nonunao head of the Nanbu clans instead of him. The shogun sent an army to Kunohe in 1591, burnt the castle and killed Masazane and 5000 of his followers, thereby ending the Sengoku Period and unifying Japan. Source. Read a manga about it.

Iwakitaira Castle

Not much remains of Iwakitairi Castle in downtown Iwaki, but this map shows where it used to be. The Iwaki clan lost power after fighting on the wrong side in the Battle of Sekigahara, and later on the Meiji government filled in the castle moat (shown in blue) for a railroad right-of-way. Source.

Iwaki FC [5 - 0] Saruta Kogyo

Saruta Kogyo is the company team for Saruta Kogyo KK, a manufacturer of industrial machinery headquartered in Akita City. They wear blue. They play at Soyu Stadium, the former home of Blaublitz Akita. This is their second spell in the Tohoku League Div 1. Website.

Tomorrow Iwaki FC have a training match against Machida Zelvia. [2 - 2.]

When did the 2019 Tohoku League Div 1 teams most recently join the division?

2019    Cobaltore Onagawa (from the JFL)

2019    Saruta Kogyo

2019    Iwaki FC

2018    Akita FC Cambiare

2017    Nippon Steel Kamaishi

2015    Blancdieu Hirosaki

2013    Ganju Iwate

2011    Fuji Club 2003

2009    Morioka Zebra

1999    FC Primeiro

Wikipedia has the annual standings of the Japanese Regional Soccer Leagues. The Tohoku League begins in 1977.

Around the Japanese leagues:

FC Tokyo are top of J1, and FC Tokyo U23 are bottom of J3. Vanraure Hachinohe are second-bottom. Montedio Yamagata are atop J2, having beaten Mito HollyHock yesterday.

Sony Sendai are atop the JFL. FC Imabari are in the top four and hold a J3 license, giving them hope for promotion at the end of the season.

Iwate FC are top of the Tohoku League. The other regional league leaders are: Sapporo FC (Hokkaido), Vonds (Kanto), Fukui United (Hokushinetsu), Tokai Gakuen University (Tokai), Ococias Kyoto (Kansai), Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima (Chugoku), Kochi United (Shikoku), Okinawa SV (Kyushu).

2019 Canadian Championship, Round Two, second leg:

Valour 0 - 2 HFX Wanderers (June 12)

HFX goals by Kourouma and Bona. Kourouma leads the tournament in scoring. Wanderers advance. They are now scheduled to play nine games in July.

Cavalry 2 - 1 Forge (June 11)

Cavalry advance.

Edmonton 1 - 0 York 9 (June 12)

York are 3 - 2 on aggregate and advance.

Valour, Forge and Edmonton, the three 'inaugural' clubs, are all eliminated after receiving a bye into this round. There is now no chance of one club winning both Canadian places in CONCACAF competition.

Canadian Premier League (yesterday):

York 9 (1 - 0) Pacific

It's York 9's first league win. On the other side, Pacific were the first CPL team knocked out of the Voyageurs Cup, and now they're the first team that cannot win the apertura.

Edmonton 0 - 3 Cavalry

With this loss Edmonton can't win the apertura either.

Forge 2 - 1 Valour

Forge qualify for the 2019 CONCACAF League.

Mortonalia: Morton have signed striker Robbie Muirhead, formerly of Kilmarnock, Dundee United, Partick, Hearts, Milton Keynes Dons and most recently Dunfermline. Michael Tidser and Gregor Buchanan have gone over to Falkirk.

Actor Martin Compston talks about his time at Cappielow.

SWFL2 W/SW: Morton Women [3 - 1] Kilwinning

Lowland League: East of Scotland League champions Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic have been granted an SFA license after all and will be promoted to the Lowland League for 2019-20, causing Whitehill Welfare to be relegated.

2019 Women's World Cup group stage:

Group D: Japan 2 - 1 Scotland (June 14)

Group E: Canada 2 - 0 New Zealand (June 15)

Which 2015 Women's World Cup matches were held in Moncton, New Brunswick?

2015/6/9        France 1 - 0 England

2015/6/9        Colombia 1 - 1 Mexico

2015/6/13      France 0 - 2 Colombia

2015/6/13      England 2 - 1 Mexico

2015/6/15      Ivory Coast 1 - 3 Norway

2015/6/17      Costa Rica 0 - 1 Brazil

2015/6/21      Brazil 0 - 1 Australia

Alloa Tower

Portraits of the Earls of Mar and sundry Erskines may be viewed in Alloa Tower, a National Trust property. Source.

Morton visit Alloa Athletic.

This is Alloa's fourth year in the Championship this decade. Morton were around for three of those, having been relegated in 2014, thanks in no small part to Alloa who beat them four games out of four that season. Head to head in league play in the 2010s Alloa have 4 wins, Morton 3, with a draw.

Alloa finished third in League One last year, and earned promotion to the Championship by beating Raith Rovers and Dumbarton in the playoffs. They are almost everyone's favourite to finish tenth this year, mainly because teams that come up to the Championship through the playoffs usually go down again after a year. But this is the Championship, where something always goes inexplicably wrong for some team that was supposed to do well.

Is that team Morton?

Alloa earned 8 points in the League Cup group stage, which is better than Morton did. They lost their league opener 1 - 0 to Ross County.

Alloa players Andy Graham, Alan Trouten and Scott Taggart used to play for Morton. Robert Thomson once played for Alloa.

The name Alloa is unlikely to derive from the Hawai'ian aloha.

Scott Tiffoney has signed with Livingston, but will be loaned back to Morton for six months.

Morton management have taken their contract offer to Jai Quitongo off the table.

[Morton win 0 - 2. Both goals by Millar.]

Other match of the day: Partick [2 - 1] Falkirk. These two have played 175 Scottish League matches since 1905, but their last league game was five years ago.

Mark Russell has signed with Falkirk.

Also: Dunfermline [1 - 3] Ross County

ICT [0 - 0] Ayr United

Earlier this week Ayr turned down a £150,000 bid for Lawrence Shankland. Shankland has scored 9 goals for them so far this season (league + League Cup). As a team Ayr have scored 14 and allowed 1. Who scored against them? Michael Tidser.

QoS [1 - 2] Dundee United

Most significant Partick/Falkirk league match:

2013/4/20    Falkirk 0 - 2 Partick    This victory earned Partick a spot in the Premier League, where they stayed five years. Match report.

Which SPFL club is in the longest current streak of losing seasons? Cowdenbeath, six seasons (2012-13 to 2017-18 and counting). Joint second are Partick Thistle and Ross County at five each.

Have Celtic ever had a losing season? Yes.

It's the First Preliminary Round of the 2018-19 Scottish Cup. Let's watch:

Hawick Royal Albert [0 - 5] Bonnyrigg Rose

Auchinleck Talbot [3 - 1] Banks O'Dee

Threave Rovers [0 - 3] Beith

Tynecastle [0 - 2] Shortlees AFC

Golspie Sutherland [1 - 4] Burntisland Shipyard

[This is only Shipyard's third win ever in the Scottish Cup. See:

Burntisland Shipyard in the Scottish Cup:

2017-18    PR1    Burntisland Shipyard 0 - 7 Colville Park

2016-17    PR2    Bonnyrigg Rose 14 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

2015-16    PR1    St Cuthbert Wanderers 3 - 1 Burntisland Shipyard

2014-15    PR      Lothian Thistle HV 3 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

2013-14    R1      Inverurie Loco Works 3 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

2012-13    R1      Turriff United 6 - 1 Burntisland Shipyard

2011-12    R1       Culter 4 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

2010-11    R1       Glasgow University 1 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

2009-10    R2       Edinburgh City 5 - 1 Burntisland Shipyard

2008-09    R1       Clachnacuddin 4 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

2007-08    R1       Wigtown & Bladnoch 3 - 5 Burntisland Shipyard

                 R2       Albion Rovers 8 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

1994-95    R2       Burntisland Shipyard 6 - 2 St Cuthbert Wanderers

                 R3       Huntly 7 - 0 Burntisland Shipyard

1938-39    R1       Burntisland Shipyard 3 - 8 Celtic

1935-36    R1       Burntisland Shipyard 2 - 2 Dumbarton

                             Dumbarton 4 - 2 Burntisland Shipyard    ]

This year I want to follow Morton through the 1928-29 and 1951-52 seasons.

1928-29. Morton were members of the First Division from 1900 till 1927, a string of success that they have not since equalled. August 11, 1928 found them beginning their second year back in Division Two. The season-opener was against the old Clydebank (1914-1932) at Cappielow. Morton won 3 - 2.

1951-52 found Morton in Division One.

The St Mungo Cup was held in July. On July 14th Morton went down 1 - 2 to Clyde in the first round at Cappielow.

The League Cup group stage occupied the second half of August. Morton were in Group 1 along with old Airdrieonians, Third Lanark and Celtic. On this date Morton were at home to Airdrieonians and won 2 - 1.

Arthurlie vs Clyde. These two clubs played together in the Scottish League Division Two for the five seasons of 1901-02 to 1905-06, and again in 1924-25 and 1925-26. Altogether Clyde had six wins, Arthurlie three, with five draws. Scoring: 29 to 19 in favour of Clyde. They also met in the 1925-26 Scottish Cup, Round Two, playing to a 2 - 2 draw on Arthurlie's ground before Clyde won 1 - 0 at Shawfield Stadium.

UEFA Champions League 3QR, first leg (midweek):

Celtic 1 - 1 AEK Athens

Malmö 1 - 1 MOL Vidi (Hungary)

If Celtic and Malmö both advance they will meet in the next round.

UEFA Europa League 3QR, first leg (midweek):

Hibs 0 - 0 Molde

Hibs bested Runavik and Asteras Tripolis to get to this round. If they defeat Molde they will progress to their fourth opponent for the first time ever in UEFA competition.

Rangers 3 - 1 Maribor

The New Saints 0 - 2 Midtjylland

Ufa 2 - 1 Progrès Niederkorn

If Rangers and Progrès both advance they will meet in the next round.

Allsvenskan: Dalkurd FF [0 - 1] Malmö FF

Dalkurd was founded in 2004 by Kurds living in Dalarna. [Malmö are 6th in the table.]

J2: Avispa Fukuoka [2 - 0] Mito HollyHock

The Suruga Bank Championship was held August 8th at Yanmar Stadium between J1 champions Cerezo Osaka and Copa Sudamericano holders Independiente of Argentina. This cup has been going on since 2008. Japanese clubs have won six times (twice for Kashima Antlers and once each for FC Tokyo, Júbilo Iwata, Kashiwa Reysol and Urawa Red Diamonds. South American clubs have won four times (Arsenal and River Plate of Argentina, Internacional of Brazil, and Santa Fe of Colombia).

Cerezo Osaka 0 - 1 Independiente

USL: Nashville SC [2 - 0] Ottawa Fury

Danish 1st Division: Fredericia [0 - 0] Hvidovre

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [1 - 1] FC Kriens

It says something about Switzerland's place in Europe that the people of Kriens had the time and energy to found a soccer club in 1944.

Regionalliga Südwest: VfB Stuttgart II (0 - 3) 1. FC Saarbrücken (Aug 7)

Another reserve team. Stuttgart II dropped down from 3. Liga in 2016. Stuttgart is the capital of Baden-Württemberg.

1. FC Saarbrücken [1 - 0] TSV Eintracht Stadtallendorf (Aug 11)

Eintracht Stadtallendorf came up from the Hessenliga in 2016. Eintracht means the same as United.

[Saarbrücken are fourth in the table behind Ulm, Homburg and Steinbach.]

2018 Canadian Championship final, first leg:

Vancouver 2 - 2 Toronto (Aug 8)

SJFA West of Scotland Premiership: Pollok 2 - 2 Largs Thistle (Aug 8)

Largs Thistle [1 - 1] Kilwinning Rangers (Aug 11)

UEFA Women's Champions League group stage:

Glasgow City are in Group 3 along with the champions of Belgium, Poland and Georgia.

Glasgow City 1 - 2 Anderlecht (Aug 7)

Glasgow City 7 - 0 Martve (Aug 10)

The top twelve European countries (by coefficient) have two clubs each in this competition. Scotland is country #13. Poland is #16. Belgium is #22. Georgia is not ranked.

98th Emperor's Cup, Round Three

Souvenirs of Travel, Second Series: Takamatsu Castle in Sanuki (1921), by Kawase Hasui. Source.

It's Round Three of the 98th Emperor's Cup. All the J3 clubs are out. Except for Nara Club, all the JFL clubs are out. Except for Kwansei Gakuen University, all the prefectural champions are out. Kamatamare Sanuki, about whom I did all this nice research, are out.

But our guys Mito HollyHock, Montedio Yamagata, Vegalta Sendai, Albirex Niigata and Consadole Sapporo are still in.

Let's carry on with this year's method and follow everyone.

Match No. 57: Kawasaki Frontale (J1) [1 - 1] Mito HollyHock (J2) [Frontale win on penalty kicks.]

Match No. 58: Shonan Bellmare (J1) [0 - 0] V-Varen Nagasaki (J1) [Bellmare won on penalty kicks.]

This is the fourth meeting between these two in 2018. Bellmare beat V-Varen 2 - 1 in the first week of the league schedule. In Group D of the League Cup V-Varen won 2 - 1, and then Bellmare won 2 - 0.

Match No. 59: Sagan Tosu (J1) [3 - 1] Tokushima Vortis (J2)

Match No. 60: Vissel Kobe (J1) [6 - 1] JEF United Chiba (J2)

Match No. 61: Kashiwa Reysol (J1) [1 - 2] Montedio Yamagata (J2) [Upset]

Match No. 62: FC Tokyo (J1) [3 - 1] Albirex Niigata (J2)

Match No. 63: Yokohama F. Marinos (J1) [2 - 1] Yokohama FC (J2)

It's a Yokohama Derby!

Match No. 64: Vegalta Sendai (J1) [1 - 0] Omiya Ardija (J2)

Match No. 65: Kashima Antlers (J1) [5 - 1] Machida Zelva (J2)

Match No. 66: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J1) vs Nara Club (JFL)
Nagoya Grampus (J1)

The penalty kicks at the end of Game 44 were disallowed because of a procedural error, and retaken on June 28th. This time Nagoya won. Sanfrecce and Grampus have their first league game on July 22nd. (Match No. 66 is postponed because of the flooding and landslides around Hiroshima.)

Match No. 67: Urawa Red Diamonds (J1) [2 - 1] Matsumoto Yamaga (J2)

Match No. 68: Kwansei Gakuen University (Kanto Student League 1) [0 - 1] Tokyo Verdy (J2)

Match No. 69: Cerezo Osaka (J1) [3 - 0] Zweigen Kanazawa (J2)

Match No. 70: Shimizu S-Pulse (J1) [0 - 1] Ventforet Kofu (J2) [Upset]

Match No. 71: Júbilo Iwata (J1) [4 - 1] Renofa Yamaguchi (J2)

Match No. 72: Consadole Sapporo (J1) [4 - 0] Avispa Fukuoka (J2)

Kamatamare Sanuki in the Emperor's Cup:

98回        R2        Yokohama FC 2 - 0 Kamatamare Sanuki

97回        R2        Ehime FC 2 - 1 Kamatamare Sanuki

96回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 0 FC Imabari

                R2        Kamatamare Sanuki 0 - 2 Ehime FC

95回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 0 Kochi University

                R2        Montedio Yamagata 3 - 1 Kamatamare Sanuki

94回        R2        Matsumoto Yamaga 1 - 0 Kamatamare Sanuki

93回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 7 - 2 Kagawa Prefectural Takamatsu Commercial High School

                R2        JEF United Ichihara Chiba 5 - 0 Kamatamare Sanuki

92回        R1        Saga University 0 - 5 Kamatamare Sanuki

                R2        Sagan Tosu 0 - 1 Kamatamare Sanuki

                R3        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 2 Urawa Red Diamonds

91回        R1        Yonago Kita High School 1 - 3 Kamatamare Sanuki

                R2        Yokohama F. Marinos 3 - 1 Kamatamare Sanuki

90回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 1 Kochi University (Kamatamare won on penalty kicks.)

                R2        Omiya Ardija 4 - 1 Kamatamare Sanuki

89回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 0 Tottori Dreams FC

                R2        FC Tokyo 4 - 0 Kamatamare Sanuki

88回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 0 Gainare Tottori

                R2        Tokushima Vortis Second 2 - 1 Kamatamare Sanuki

87回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 1 - 4 Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima FC

86回        R1        Kamatamare Sanuki 0 - 5 Rosso Kumamoto

In 2005 Kamatamare Sanuki were known as Takamatsu FC.

From 2000 to 2004 they were known as Sun Life FC.

81回        R1        Sun Life FC 0 - 4 Kunimi High School

80回        R1        Sun Life FC 0 - 5 Otsuka Pharmaceuticals

From 1991 to 1999 they were known as Kagawa Shiun FC.

79回        R1        Kagawa Shiun FC 4 - 3 Nissei Plastic Industrial

                R2        Honda FC 6 - 0 Kagawa Shiun FC

78回        R1        Kagawa Shiun FC 1 - 9 Kawasaki Frontale

77回        R1        Kagawa Shiun FC 1 - 0 Waseda University

                R2        Jatco 6 - 0 Kagawa Shiun FC

76回        R1        Toa University 3 - 4 Kagawa Shiun FC

                R2        Honda FC 3 - 2 Kagawa Shiun FC 

Forte Spagnolo

The Spanish Fort was built in L'Aquila, Abruzzo, in 1534 by Viceroy Don Pedro de Toledo to nail down the northern edge of Spain's Italian empire. Source.