Plenty of Nothing

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.

The Seige of Morton Castle

Impregnable Morton Castle. Source.

Greenock Morton visit Queen of the South in the Battle for Morton Castle. What is the Battle for Morton Castle? I made it up. The winner of the season's second league match between QoS and Morton at Palmerston wins Morton Castle. In the time that I've kept track of this QoS have always won it.

The Battle for Morton Castle so far:

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

Morton Castle is on the A76 between Dumfries and New Cumnock.

If Morton prevail today they will have won five in a row, a feat they have not performed since October 2012. [QoS 1 - 1 Morton. Goal by Oliver. Morton slip into fourth place ahead of idle Dunfermline. As incumbents QoS retain the castle.]

1978-79. On this date Morton met Partick Thistle at Cappielow and played them to a 2 - 2 draw. Morton scorers were Thomson and Ritchie. Highlights.

1944-45. Morton fell 1 - 2 to Hamilton Accies at Cappielow, their fourth loss in a row. At this point they have played 29 of 30 league fixtures, but now the action switches to the Southern League Cup for the next six weeks.

In the days of two divisions, when each club played each divisional rival twice, did Morton ever beat Celtic in both meetings? Yes. In 1946-47. Rangers? 1916-17. Queen of the South? 1966-67.

How many games have Queen of the South played against the other 2017-18 Championship clubs?

Falkirk                   128

Dumbarton            119

Morton                   103

Brechin                  100

St Mirren                100

Dunfermline            86

Livingston               77

Dundee Utd            38

Inverness CT          26

It's the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

The New Saints vs Dumbarton

TNS made it to the semi-finals of last year's cup too, while Dumbarton have never made it this far before. Cards on the table: I want Dumbarton to win this cup. But, here's what they're up against. TNS are first in the Welsh Premier League with 63 goals for in 24 games. Dumbarton are ninth in the Scottish Championship with 15 goals for in 22 games. The New Saints score four times as many goals as the Sons. [Dumbarton win 1 - 2 ! Match report.]

Inverness CT vs Crusaders

ICT won this competition in 2003 and have made it to the final two other times. Crusaders are top of the NIFL Premeirship with 82 goals for in 28 games. ICT are seventh in the Scottish Championship with 30 goals for. [Inverness CT 3 - 2 Crusaders.]

Other match of the day: 2nd-place Livingston vs 1st-place St Mirren. [Livi 4 - 1 St Mirren.]

It's the fifth round of the Scottish Junior Cup. All the games:

Auchinleck Talbot [4 - 1] Pollok

Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic [1 - 2] Beith Juniors

Carnoustie Panmure [3 - 0] Arthurlie

Irvine Meadow [0 - 2] Lochee

Kilbirnie Ladeside [0 - 3] Bo'ness United

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy [4 - 3] Linlithgow Rose

Sauchie Juniors [0 - 1] Hurlford United

Yoker Athletic vs Wishaw Juniors or Forth Wanderers can't go today because we're still waiting for Wishaw vs Forth Wanderers [postponed].

Europa League Round of 32, first leg:

Celtic 1 - 0 Zenit

Östersund 0 - 3 Arsenal

What if Celtic and Morton play to a draw in the Scottish Cup on March 3rd? Assuming Celtic stay alive in the Europa League their schedule will look like this:

March 3        Scottish Cup QF (Morton)

March 8        Europa League R16

March 11      Rangers

March 15      Europa League R16

March 18      Motherwell

March 23      Scotland* vs Costa Rica

March 27      Hungary vs Scotland

March 31      Ross County

April 5           Europa League QF

April 8           Hamilton

April 12         Europa League QF

April 15         Scottish Cup SF

*Celtic have five players on the Scotland squad.

I don't know where they'd fit in a replay.

Regionalliga Südwest: Stuttgart Kickers vs 1. FC Saarbrücken [postponed]

AFC Champions League Group Stage, matchday 1:

Group E: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 3 - 2 Kashiwa Reysol

Group F: Kawasaki Frontale 0 - 1 Shanghai SIPG

Group G: Jeju United 0 - 1 Cerezo Osaka

Group H: Kashima Antlers 1 - 1 Shanghai Shenhua

SJFA West First Division: Kello Rovers [1 - 2] Largs Thistle

SWFL Division 1 South: Morton [1 - 4] Thistle Weir

Morton played a friendly against Zenit at Cappielow in 1972. Source.

Kumamoto Castle Assembly

Kumamoto Castle was severely knocked about in the earthquake of April 16, 2016. Here is an overhead shot of the stones of the castle walls lined up in preparation for reassembly. The trick will be to restore the elegant curve of the walls, called mushagaeshi. The whole reconstruction is budgeted at 42.5 billion yen. Source.

Castle Mortonous

Winner of today's match gets Morton Castle. Source.

Morton visit Palmerston Park to play Queen of the South.

If Morton win today, and Dundee United lose to Raith, Morton will move up into second place.

We have established through point by point comparison that the Swiss Challenge League is the European league most like the Scottish Championship, and that within that league the club most like Greenock Morton is FC Winterthur. But, on second thought, there was one ten-club second-tier division that we left out: the Scottish Championship. Which Scottish Championship club is most like Greenock Morton? Let's analyze each of Morton's nine rivals as they meet them in the coming weeks to see which one is most Tonlike.

How are Queen of the South like Morton?

Since 1994 Morton and QoS are the 3rd and 4th most frequent members of the second tier. Both clubs recently had one-year stints in the third tier. Palmerston Park is a good old-fashioned football ground, except for the artificial turf. Both teams wear blue and white. Morton have won the Scottish Cup once, QoS never. Queen of the South have won the Challenge Cup twice, Morton never. Neither club has won the League Cup.

How has the Battle for Morton Castle gone up till now?

Jan 28, 2012        QoS 2 - 1 Morton

Mar 29, 2014       QoS 3 - 0 Morton

Oct 10, 2015        QoS 1 - 0 Morton

[QoS win 3 - 0 and keep the castle. Morton slip to fourth place behind Falkirk.]

What was the high point in each competition for Morton in the 21st Century?

League Cup    semi-final    2016-17

Scottish Cup    quarter-final    2015-16

League    First Division runners-up    2012-13

Challenge Cup    semi-final    2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08

Compare Queen of the South:

League Cup    quarter-final    2016-17

Scottish Cup    final    2007-08

Challenge Cup    won    2002-03, 2012-13

League    First Division/Championship, 4th place    6 times

What is the correct abbreviation for Greenock Morton? It's GMFC. But the people who design television graphics demand three-letter abbreviations. So you sometimes see MOR, and sometimes GMO, which also stands for genetically modified organism.

If Morton earn promotion, how well will they do in the Premiership?

Let's start with some assumptions: Morton finish third, and then win the playoffs, beating Falkirk, Dundee United, and then Hamilton. Hibs and Morton go up, Inverness and Hamilton go down.

Let's suppose that in the part of 2017-18 before the split, Morton perform exactly as they have done in their last three games against each opponent. This is a pessimistic measure, as most of those games were played by a worse Morton squad. In some cases it's also a hopelessly outdated measure as, in the case of Hearts, those games took place in the 1980s.

Over the first 33 games, Morton would win 5, draw 7, and lose 21, for a total of 22 points. That would not be enough to make the split. Let's suppose that Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts, St Johnstone and Ross County make the split. If you look at Morton's fourth-most-recent game against each of Partick, Dundee, Motherwell, Kilmarnock, and Hibs, you find two more wins and three more losses. So Morton would finish with 28 points, good for twelfth place in every year so far in the 21st Century. Morton would be relegated.

Current away lossless streaks:

0            Raith Rovers

1            Dundee United, Dumbarton, St Mirren

2            Morton

3            Falkirk, QoS

4            Hibs, Dunfermline

5            Ayr United

Copa Liberadores, second stage, leg one. Let's follow the three winners from the first stage, plus the club with the best name:

Montevideo Wanderers 0 - 2 The Strongest (BOL)

This was The Strongest's first ever victory on Uruguayan soil.

Independiente del Valle 1 - 0 Olimpia (PAR)

Capiatá 1 - 3 Universitario (PER)

OFC Champions League, qualification round:

January 31st:

Puaikura 2 - 1 Lupe o le Soaga

Veitongo 3 - 1 Utulei Youth

February 3rd:

Puaikura 3 - 1 Utulei Youth

Lupe o le Soaga 1 - 1 Veitongo

Puaikura and Lope o le Soaga advance to the group stage.

It was the preliminary round of the 2017 AFC Champions League this midweek. No Japanese clubs involved yet. Last week's winner Global of the Philippines were knocked out 6 - 0 by Brisbane Roar. I notice that India is now in the West Zone.

The Swiss Challenge League ends its midwinter break and returns today to start the second half of the schedule. Our guys Winterthur are in eighth place, five points above the tenth, relegation, spot, currently occupied by Schaffhausen. Chiasso are ninth. In first place and running away with the league are FC Zürich.

Today: Chiasso [4 - 1] Winterthur

Auchinleck Talbot vs Largs Thistle

Largs Thistle, I should have mentioned before now, play in the Super League Premier Division, the top tier of the 64-club West Region of junior football. The Super League Premier Division has twelve clubs, each playing a 22-game schedule. The bottom three face relegation at the end of the season. Largs are currently eleventh and would drop automatically if the season were over now. Largs have six games left to play, but due to Scottish Cup and Scottish Junior Cup commitments, Auchinleck have twelve. [Auchinleck Talbot win 2 - 1.]