Plenty of Nothing

Scaring the Horses

The Halifax Junior Bengal Lancers in formation behind the Wanderers' main stand. Source.

The Canadian Premier League has more horses about it than you'd normally expect from a soccer organization. The league's spring training camp was held at Los Establos on a converted polo ground. There's Cavalry FC, who are owned and operated by the horse-breeding Southern family and whose pitch is a converted show jumping ring. And HFX Wanderers perform just across the fence from the Junior Bengal Lancers horse club.

Are soccer clubs and horses the best neighbours? How do the horses not bust out of their stalls whenever 5000 people leap to their feet and shout "GOOOOOAL!!!"?

Tonight it's:

HFX Wanderers vs Cavalry FC

The situation: If Cavalry win or draw this game then HFX cannot win the apertura.

The Calgary club are on an extended road trip while their home ground at Spruce Meadows is converted back to show jumping.

[Cavalry win 1 - 2. HFX goal by Rampersad. Only Cavalry or Forge can win the apertura.]

Also:

York 9 [0 - 0] Edmonton

Valour [1 - 2] Pacific (tomorrow)

Mortonalia: Morton have signed winger Aidan Nesbitt who previously played for the club in 2016-17 while on loan from Celtic. He has also played for Partick Thistle, MK Dons and Dundee United. Charlie Telfer has gone over to Falkirk.

AFC Champions League, Round of 16, first leg:

Kashima Antlers 1 - 0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Urawa Red Diamonds [1 - 2] Ulsan Hyundai

Women's World Cup:

Group D

Japan [0 - 2] England (today)

Scotland [3 - 3] Argentina (today)

Group E

Netherlands [2 - 1] Canada (tomorrow)

Canadian teams in American soccer leagues:

MLS:    Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps, Montreal Impact

USL Championship:    Ottawa Fury

USL League One: Toronto FC II

USL League Two: Thunder Bay Chill, WSA Winnipeg, Calgary Foothills, TSS FC Rovers, Victoria Highlanders

Fukushima United seasons:   

             G      W    D     L      F      A     GD   pts       pos            EC

2018    32      9    13    10    36    43      -7     40    12th, J3        no

2017    32    13      4    15    39    43      -4     43    10th, J3        no

2016    30      7      9    14    35    44      -9     30    14th, J3        R2

2015    36    13    10    13    42    48      -6     49      7th, J3        R1

2014    33      9      9    15    30    38      -8     36      7th, J3        R1

2013    34      8    10    16    35    42      -7     34    14th, JFL      R2

2012    12     11     0      1     61     6    +55    33      1st, Toh 1    R4

2011    12     11     0      1     53     6    +47    33      1st, Toh 1    R2

2010    14     12     1      1    46     9     +37    37    2nd, Toh 1     R1

2009    14     11     3      0     51    8     +43    36    2nd, Toh 1     R3

2008    14     14     0      0    76     8    +68     42    1st, Toh 2S    R1

2007    14     12     1      1    83     7    +76     37    2nd, Toh 2S   no

as Perada Fukushima:

2006    12       3     1      8    27    41    -14     10     6th, Toh 2S   no

Riko Ueki's sticker from the 2019 Women's World Cup Missing in Footy Album.

Yawata Uma

In the feudal era the Nanbu clans had control of eastern Aomori Prefecture and most of Iwate Prefecture. The Nanbu were breeders of warhorses, and they constructed a series of fortified ranches where they could raise and protect their valuable animals. These fortified places are known collectively as the Nine Numbered Stockades, and each one was named sequentially according to the formula "number + nohe". Each "nohe" except for the fourth one has given its name to a modern town or city.

Why is there no Shinohe today? At first you might think there never was a Shinohe because Japanese culture is somewhat shy of the number four, which sounds the same as the word for death. But plenty of people have Shinohe as a family name, so that can't be it.

Within the boundaries of Hachinohe, which has grown into a large city, there's an outlying district called Yawata which has a shrine named Kushihiki Hachiman-gu. The shrine is associated with a local folk-art tradition: carved wooden horses called Yawata Uma. These wooden horses suggest that the area around Yawata might have been the missing Numbered Stockade Number Four. Source. Source.

Racecourses of Japan

Source.

Horse Archery

Today is Health and Sports Day in Japan. There's a lot of track and field going on, but also horse archery if you look carefully. This man found some in an Aomori park in 2014.

Czech George and the Dragon

Mikoláš Aleš, St George and the Dragon. Source.

George and the Dragon in Ethiopia

Source.

Epona d'Alésia

A limestone statue of Epona found at Alesia in 1907. Source.

Dunfermline the Horse

Dunfermline, owned by the Queen, won both the Epsom Oaks and the St. Leger Stakes in the Silver Jubilee year of 1977. Source.

Morton visit Dunfermline for a game originally scheduled November 11th. This is Morton's thirteenth match of the season. In the first dozen they accumulated four wins, four draws and four losses, with a +2 goal difference, good for sixth place. In their first meeting with the Pars on September 9th Morton won 3 - 2. Morton have not scored more than two goals in a game since.

Dunfermline are part of pack of five teams any one of which could be holding first place on any given week. They (the Pars) have the best goal difference.

What was Morton's most significant game against Dunfermline?

April 30th, 2011            Morton 0 - 2 Dunfermline

The Pars clinched first place and promotion to the Premier League.

Since 1994, which Fife clubs have played in tier II?

1994-95        Raith Rovers, Dunfermline

1995-96        Dunfermline

1996-97        East Fife

1997-98        Raith Rovers

1998-99        Raith Rovers

1999-00        Raith Rovers, Dunfermline

2000-01        Raith Rovers

2001-02        Raith Rovers

2002-03

2003-04        Raith Rovers

2004-05        Raith Rovers

2005-06

2006-07

2007-08        Dunfermline

2008-09        Dunfermline

2009-10        Dunfermline, Raith Rovers

2010-11        Dunfermline, Raith Rovers, Cowdenbeath

2011-12        Raith Rovers

2012-13        Raith Rovers, Dunfermline, Cowdenbeath

2013-14        Raith Rovers, Cowdenbeath

2014-15        Raith Rovers, Cowdenbeath

2015-16        Raith Rovers

2016-17        Raith Rovers, Dunfermline

2017-18        Dunfermline

Raith Rovers 16 times, Dunfermline 10, Cowdenbeath 4, East Fife 1.

Morton's 4 - 4 draws through history:

Sept 29, 1894            Partick 4 - 4 Morton

Dec 18, 1915             Queen's Park 4 - 4 Morton

Oct 5, 1929                Morton 4 - 4 Hamilton

Dec 20, 1941             Third Lanark 4 - 4 Morton

Sept 22, 1945            Morton 4 - 4 Third Lanark

Jan 26, 1946              Rangers 4 - 4 Morton

Nov 19, 1960             Morton 4 - 4 Hamilton

April 12, 1969            Morton 4 - 4 St Johnstone

How did Stirling Albion come to be known as a yo-yo club?

1945: founded

1946: joined the SFL Division C

1947: promoted to Division B

1949: promoted to Division A

1950: demoted

1951: promoted

1952: demoted

1953: promoted

1956: demoted

1958: promoted

1960: demoted

1961: promoted

1962: demoted

1965: promoted

1968: demoted

[1 - 1. Morton goal by Oliver.]

Ginger the Horse

Ginger the horse, Cathcart Street, by Andy Scott, who also did the Kelpies at Falkirk. Source. Also. Ginger fell into the Albert Harbour and drowned in 1889.

Morton host Queen of the South.

QoS can jump to second place with a win coupled with losses by Livingston, Dunfermline and Dundee United. (Admittedly a tall order.) The best Morton can do is to move up to fifth place.

How do QoS usually fare in their first league match at Cappielow?

2007/9/1        Morton 0 - 1 QoS

2008/9/13      Morton 0 - 0 QoS

2009/12/12    Morton 1 - 2 QoS

2010/10/16    Morton 2 - 0 QoS

2011/11/26    Morton 2 - 2 QoS

2013/9/21      Morton 0 - 2 QoS

2015/11/14    Morton 2 - 0 QoS

2016/12/24    Morton 1 - 0 QoS

It could go either way.

Advanced mediumity. Entering today's action Queen of the South are fifth and Morton sixth. The middle of the Championship certainly does feel like the default position for both these clubs.

In the old two-division set up they played together in the top division five times and the second division six times. During the three-division days of 1975 to 1994 they played together five times, always in the middle division. Since 1994 they have played together eleven times, twice in the third tier, and nine times in the second tier, never in the first or fourth.

Which SPFL club has proven to be the most mediocre? There are a lot of ways to come at this metric. How about this: take the 37 clubs that have played continuously through the four-division era and assign them points according to which divisions they appeared in. A year in the top tier is worth one point. A year in the fourth tier is worth four points. The club with the lowest score is best. Celtic, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Kilmarnock each score 24. The worst score belongs to Montrose: 95. The club closest to 59.5 is most mediocre. Queen of the South and Morton each score 57, 2.5 off the mark. But Ayr United score 61, 1.5 off the mark. Ayr United are the most mediocre club in the SPFL.

What was Morton's most significant game against QoS?

Twice Queen of the South have knocked out Morton on the way to winning the Challenge Cup, and one other time on the way to the final. Let's go with the first cup-winning year:

Aug 13th, 2002            Queen of the South 1 - 0 Morton

1978-79. Morton travelled to Paisley and held St Mirren to a scoreless draw. After twelve weeks of play, first place (Dundee United) and ninth place (Morton) were separated by four points.

1933-34. Morton were away at Ochilview where they lost to Stenhousemuir by a score of 1 - 0.

1944-45. Morton were at Ibrox where they beat Rangers 4 - 2.

[QoS win 1 - 2. Morton goal by Harkins.]

Other match of the day: Brechin City vs Dumbarton. Can Brechin win at all this year? [Dumbarton win.]

For some reason I'm dead keen on Livingston taking over first place for a week or two. They can do it today if they beat Inverness (very possible) and Dundee United beat St Mirren (there's a decent chance of that too). [St Mirren cling to first place.]

Partick Thistle and Third Lanark, two Glasgow clubs -- which was greater?

League. They played 98 games over 49 seasons. Partick won 41 games, Third Lanark 39, and 18 draws.

Scottish Cup. They met in R1 of the 1884-85 cup. Thirds won. They met in R1 of the 1889-90 cup. Thirds won again. And R1 of the 1922-23 cup. They played to a draw, and Thirds won the replay. Third Lanark won the Scottish Cup twice, Partick once.

League Cup. They ran into each other in the 1960-61 group stage. Thirds won both games. Partick won the League Cup once, but only after Third Lanark's demise.

Glasgow Cup. In 23 years, Thirds prevailed 13 times to Partick's 10. They each won the cup three times during Third Lanark's existence, and Partick have won it twice more subsequently.

Glasgow League. Five games, four wins for Third Lanark.

Third Lanark was greater.

Scottish clubs versus Swiss clubs, part seven, Dundee:

Mar 27, 1968                Dundee 1 - 0 Zurich

Apr 3, 1968                   Zurich 0 - 1 Dundee

Totals: 2 wins Dundee, 0 wins Swiss clubs. Dundee is mightier than Switzerland.

Top and bottom Championship clubs week by week (1/3):

Week 1            QoS                    Brechin

Week 2            Dundee Utd        Inverness CT

Week 3            Dundee Utd        Inverness CT

Week 4            Dunfermline        Brechin

Week 5            St Mirren             Brechin

Week 6            Dunfermline        Brechin

Week 7            Dunfermline        Brechin

Week 8            St Mirren             Brechin

Week 9            St Mirren             Brechin

Week 10          St Mirren             Brechin

Week 11          St Mirren             Brechin

[Week 12         St Mirren             Brechin]

[Third Lanark watch: there have been 17 draw scores in the first third of the season, giving statistical ghost team Third Lanark 17 points and positioning them 5.5th in the table.]

SWFL Div 2 West: Morton [7 - 1] Dumbarton United. [Morton win the league!]

North of Scotland Cup final (at Station Park, Nairn Grant Street Park, Inverness):

Brora [2 - 0] Lossiemouth

Brora Rangers win the North of Scotland Cup.

SJFA West First Division: Largs [3 - 3] Darvel

UEFA Champions League group B:

Celtic 1 - 2 Bayern Munich

UEFA Europa League group J:

Athletic Bilbao 1 - 0 Östersund

Copa Libertadores semifinals, second leg:

Lanús 4 - 2 River Plate

Grêmio 0 - 1 Barcelona

It's Lanús and Grêmio in the final.

Abruzzo:

Francavilla 1 - 1 Avezzano (Nov 1)

Pineto [2 - 0] Francavilla

Avezzano [1 - 1] L'Aquila

JFL:

Vanraure Hachinohe [1 - 0] Tokyo Musashino City

ReinMeer Aomori [0 - 1] Honda FC

Germany:

1. FC Saarbrücken 4 - 0 TSV Schott Mainz (November 1st)

1899 Hoffenheim II [1 - 1] 1. FC Saarbrücken (today)

FAI Cup final: Dundalk vs Cork City

Dundalk have won this cup ten times before, Cork City three times.

[1 - 1. Cork City win on penalty kicks.]

39th Empress's Cup, Round Two:

This is where most of the Nadeshiko League clubs join in.

Match No. 17: NTV Beleza (N1) [6 - 0] JFA Academy Fukushima

Match No. 18: Sfida Setagaya FC (N2) [0 - 1] JEF United Chiba Ladies U-18

Match No. 19: Iga FC Kunoichi (N1) [3 - 0] Fukuoka J. Anclas

Match No. 20: Albirex Niigata Ladies (N1) [4 - 1] Sendai University

Match No. 21: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (N1) [8 - 0] Nippon University Fields Yokohama Satellite B

Match No. 22: Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies (N2) [2 - 0] Fujieda Junshin High School

Match No. 23: Orca Kamogawa FC (N2) [2 - 0] Niigata University of Health and Welfare

Match No. 24: Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies (N1) [2 - 0] Konomiya Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki

Match No. 25: AC Nagano Parciero Ladies (N1) [3 - 2] Bunnys Kyoto SC

Match No. 26: AS Harima Albion (N2) [3 - 5] Tokiwagi Gakuen High School

Match No. 27: Nippon Sport Science Fields Yokohama (N2) [5 - 2] Shikoku Gakuin University Kagawa West High School

Match No. 28: JEF United Chiba Ladies (N1) [3 - 0] Angeviolet Hiroshima

Match No. 29: Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara (N1) [1 - 0] NGU Loveledge Nagoya

Match No. 30: Chifura AS Elfen Saitama (N1) [1 - 0] Aichi Toho University

Match No. 31: Ehime FC Ladies (N2) [0 - 1] Waseda University

Match No. 32: INAC Kobe Leonessa (N1) [5 - 0] Okayama Yunogo Belle (N2)

Nadeshiko means pink or more precisely a pink complexion. Japanese women's sports leagues get stuck with names like this. The top women's hockey league is the Smile League.

The red and the black: Dundee FC away 2017-18.

The White Horse of Mormond

Captain Fraser had this white horse cut into the quartz of Mormond Hill on his lands near Fraserburgh after he returned from the wars in Flanders. His white horse was shot under him in battle, and his sargeant was also shot while dismounting to give Fraser his white mount. Source.