Plenty of Nothing

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)

Boleyn Castle

From 1904 until 2016 West Ham United played at the Boleyn Ground, which was built on the grounds of Green Street House, at one time (reputedly) the home of Anne Boleyn. The brick tower in this picture survived until 1955. Source.

Morton host Kilmarnock in a Friday nighter broadcast on BBC Scotland. Killie are first in the division with 59 points. Morton are seventh with 36. This is Morton's last chance to get a win off Kilmarnock. So far Killie have earned two wins and a draw, as well as a win in the League Cup group stage. The last time Morton beat Killie at Cappielow was Round Three of the 2006-07 Scottish Cup. 3 - 1.

If Morton win, and Arbroath beat Partick, Kilmarnock's lead will be reduced to 1 point.

In the four-division era no team with greater than 9 losses has won tier II. Kilmarnock come into this game with 8. Second-place Arbroath have 4. Morton won League One with 11 losses in 2015.

This was the first season in the 21st century that Killie, Ayr United and Morton all appeared in the same division. (See below.)

What happened the last time Killie and Morton met in the top division? On March 19th, 1983, Killie won 4 - 0 at Rugby Park.

What was the most important Kilmarnock/Morton game? Probably the 1919-20 Scottish Cup semi-final played at Hampden on March 27th, 1920. Killie won 3 -2 and went on to beat Albion Rovers in the final, also by a score of 3 - 2.

[Morton 1 - 1 Kilmarnock. Goal by Ugwu.]

The other Championship matches:

Ayr United (8th) [1 - 1] Hamilton Accies (6th) (also tonight)

Partick (4th) [0 - 0] Arbroath (2nd) (tomorrow)

Dunfermline (9th) vs Raith (5th) (postponed)

QoS (10th) vs ICT (3rd) (postponed)

Which bottom-five side has the hardest home stretch?

Hamilton           Ayr, Arbroath, Morton, Raith, ICT

Morton              Killie, Raith, Hamilton, ICT, Arbroath

Ayr United        Hamilton, ICT, Dunfermline, QoS, Partick

Dunfermline      Raith, Killie, Ayr, Partick, QoS

QoS                  Partick, Arbroath, ICT, Ayr, Dunfermline

Morton have four top-five opponents, Ayr two, the rest three. Morton have the hardest home stretch.

If Dunfermline and QoS were to win all their remaining games, the Pars would finish with 44 points and QoS 41. But they can't both win all their games because they play each other on the final weekend. So at best they can finish with 44 (Pars) and 38 (QoS), or 41 (Pars) and 41 (QoS), or 42 (Pars) and 39 (QoS) if they tie that game. 

If Morton were to go on a winning streak while Dunfermline and QoS lost all their games, how soon would Morton be safe from relegation? April 9th.

The Challenge Cup final is Sunday:

Raith Rovers [3 - 1] Queen of the South

Has any team won the Challenge Cup and then been relegated?

Ross County (2006-07)

South Challenge Cup quarter-finals (tomorrow):

Auchinleck Talbot [2 - 1] Pollok

Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic [3 - 0] Bo'ness United

East Kilbride [0 - 2] Sauchie Juniors

Jeanfield Swifts [3 - 4] The Spartans

Other matches:

Dundalk [2 - 0] UCD

Beerschot [1 - 3] Club Brugge KV    [Goal by Shankland.]

Winterthur [2 - 1] Ouchy (tomorrow)

East Kilbride vs Berwick Rangers (tomorrow) (postponed)

Brechin City [4 - 0] Clachnacuddin (tomorrow)

FC Isle of Man [2 - 1] Abbey Hulton (tomorrow)

Mito HollyHock 0 - 1 Tochigi SC (March 30)

Thespakusatsu Gunma [2 - 1] Mito HollyHock (Sunday)

JUFA Kanto 1: Waseda University [0 - 0] University of Tsukuba (Sunday)

SWF Championship South: Hutchison Vale [2 - 3] Morton (Sunday)

Darvel 2 - 1 Largs Thistle (March 30)

Kilbirnie Ladeside [1 - 2] Largs Thistle (tomorrow)

Simcoe County Rovers 0 - 1 HFX Wanderers (friendly) (March 31)

Simcoe County Rovers play in League1 Ontario. HFX Wanderers have signed three young players, Ousman Mahese, Wesley Timoteo and C.J. Smith, and simultaneously loaned them out to FC Edmonton.

1860 Munich [1 - 1] 1.FC Saarbrücken (tomorrow)

Saarland Cup quarter-final (March 30):

FC 08 Homburg  2 - 1  1.FC Saarbrücken

1.FC Saarbrücken in the previous rounds:

2021/10/12    Mettlach/Merzig  0 - 4  1.FC Saarbrücken    Round Five

2021/11/10    Jägersburg  0 - 4  1.FC Saarbrücken    Round of 16

Archive of Saarland Cup results.

75th Aomori Soccer Championship, Round One (Sunday):

Match No. 1: Aomori University [8 - 0] Gonohe SC

Match No. 2: Misawa Japan Air Self-Defense Force [0 - 15] Hachinohe Gakuin University

Match No. 3: Blancdieu Hirosaki [11 - 0] Shichinohe SC [Highlights.]

Kilmarnock's last ten winning seasons:

2018-19        38    19    10      9    50    31    +19    67    3rd, Premiership

2017-18        38    16    11    11    49    47      +2    59    5th, Premiership

2006-07        38    16      7    15    47    54       -7    55    5th, Premier League

2005-06        38    15    19    13    63    64       -1    55    5th, Premier League

2002-03        38    16      9    13    47    56       -9    57    4th, Premier League

2000-01        38    15      9    14    44    53       -9    54    4th, Premier League

1998-99        36    14    14      8    47    29    +18    56    4th, Premier League

1997-98        36    13    11    12    40    52     -12    50    4th, Premier Division

1992-93        44    21    12    11    67    40    +27    54    2nd, Division One

1991-92        44    21    12    11    59    37    +22    54    4th, Division One

Seasons in which Morton played in the same division as both Ayrshire derby clubs:

1913-14; 1914-15; 1915-16; 1916-17; 1917-18; 1918-19; 1919-20

1920-21; 1921-22; 1922-23; 1923-24; 1924-25; 1929-30

1930-31; 1931-32; 1932-33; 1937-38; 1939-40

1949-50

1952-53; 1953-54

1969-70

1970-71; 1971-72; 1972-73; 1974-75

1983-84; 1985-86; 1988-89

1990-91; 1991-92; 1992-93

2021-22

Seasons in which all four Ayrshire and Renfrewshire derby clubs appeared in the same division:

1913-14, 1914-15; 1915-16; 1916-17; 1917-18; 1918-19; 1919-20

1920-21; 1921-22; 1922-23; 1923-24; 1924-25; 1929-30

1930-31; 1931-32; 1932-33; 1937-38; 1939-40

1969-70

1970-71

1992-93

1999-2000

April 1, 2000.    Morton lost 0 - 2 to Inverness CT at Cappielow.

April 2, 2000.    Clydebank lost 0 -1 to Falkirk at Cappielow.

Morton in 1899-1900:

1900/5/15      Morton 2 - 1 Port Glasgow     G&WoS League

1900/5/12      Morton 3 - 1 Kilmarnock         G&WoS League

1900/5/9        Partick Thistle 2 - 1 Morton    G&WoS League

1900/5/5        Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Morton         G&WoS League

1900/5/1        St Mirren 2 - 1 Morton            G&WoS League

1900/4/28      Morton 1 - 1 Port Glasgow     Renfrew. Cup final

1900/4/21      Port Glasgow 3 - 2 Morton     Renfrew. Cup final*

1900/4/14      Morton 3 - 0 Partick Thistle    G&WoS League

1900/4/7        Morton 3 - 0 Motherwell            SFL2

1900/3/31      Morton 4 - 2 Paisley Academicals    Renfrew. Cup SF

1900/3/24      Leith Athletic 0 - 1 Morton         SFL2

1900/3/17      Morton 3 - 1 Cartvale            Renfrewshire Cup R2

1900/3/10      Morton 1 - 0 Abercorn           Renfrewshire Cup R1 replay

1900/3/3        Abercorn 2 - 2 Morton           Renfrewshire Cup R1

1900/2/24      Clyde 2 - 2 Morton                G&WoS League

1900/2/17      Abercorn 2 - 3 Morton               SFL2

1900/2/3        Morton 1 - 0 St Mirren           G&WoS League

1900/1/27      Hamilton 3 - 4 Morton               SFL2

1900/1/20      Morton 5 - 0 Linthouse              SFL2

1900/1/13      Rangers 4 - 2 Morton            Scottish Cup R1

1899/12/30    Port Glasgow 1 - 3 Morton    G&WoS League

1899/12/23    Ayr FC 1 - 4 Morton                   SFL2

1899/12/9      Leith Athletic 1 - 1 Morton (abandoned)    SFL2

1899/12/2      Morton 2 - 0 Airdrieonians         SFL2

1899/11/25    Motherwell 4 - 3 Morton             SFL2

1899/11/18    Morton 0 - 4 Linthouse (abandoned)    SFL2

1899/11/11    Morton 3 - 0 Clyde                 G&WoS League

1899/11/4      Linthouse 0 - 5 Morton               SFL2

1899/10/28    Morton 2 - 3 Partick Thistle        SFL2

1899/10/21    Morton 3 - 2 Port Glasgow         SFL2

1899/9/30      Morton 4 - 0 Leith Athletic          SFL2

1899/9/23      Airdrieonians 0 - 5 Morton         SFL2

1899/9/16      Morton 7 - 1 Ayr FC                   SFL2

1899/9/9        Port Glasgow 6 - 4 Morton         SFL2

1899/9/2        Morton 7 - 0 Hamilton                SFL2

1899/8/26      Partick Thistle 2 - 1 Morton        SFL2

1899/8/19      Morton 3 - 2 Abercorn                SFL2

*The Renfrewshire Cup final was a two-game tie.

(Sources: fitbastats for the Scottish League Division Two; The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; SFHA for the Renfrewshire Cup and the Glasgow and West of Scotland League; the Glasgow Herald for the matches on 1899/11/18, 1899/12/9, 1900/3/3.)

Schloss Habsburg

Schloss Habsburg in Aargau, Switzerland was the original Habsburg castle, and gave the family its name. They loaded up the truck and moved to Austria in 1276 and in 1415 it was taken over by the Swiss Confederacy. Source.

Burgruine Dürnstein

Dürnstein Castle in Austria was one of the places where Richard the Lionhearted was imprisoned on the way home from the Crusades. Source.

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.