Plenty of Nothing

Hood's Well

Hood's Well at Port Glasgow railway station. Source.

All of today's professional football matches in the UK have been postponed.

Morton were to visit Queen's Park at Stenhousemuir's home ground Ochilview. Queen's Park are groundsharing there until they can get their own place Lesser Hampden up to standard.

The other Championship matches:

Cove Rangers (9th) vs Dundee (3rd) (last night) (postponed)

Arbroath (10th) vs Raith Rovers (8th) (postponed)

Ayr United (1st) vs Partick Thistle (2nd) (postponed)

Inverness CT (5th) vs Hamilton Accies (7th) (postponed)

Other matches:

Dumbarton watch: Stranraer vs Dumbarton (postponed)

Forres Mechanics vs Clachnacuddin (postponed)

FC Isle of Man vs Burscough (postponed)

UCD 3 - 2 Dundalk (yesterday)    Upset

PEC Zwolle 2 - 2 Willem II (yesterday)

Winterthur [0 - 6] Luzern

Inhutlets' [1 - 2] Minaj (Monday)

HFX Wanderers [1 - 0] Valour    [Goal Salter.]

HFX Wanderers were the lowest-scoring team of 2019 and 2021, and are the lowest-scoring team so far this year. It was all over once Morelli tore his ACL.

PLSQ: Royal-Sélect de Beauport [2 - 1] CS St-Hubert (tomorrow)

Grulla Morioka [1 - 0] Mito HollyHock

Omiya SC [1 - 5] Bogolle.D.Tsugaru (tomorrow)

Waseda University [2 - 0] Keio University (73rd annual Sōkei match)

The WE League Cup has been going on for a couple of weeks. It starts with a group stage in which the 11 teams are divided into groups of five and six. Our team Elfen Saitama are in the five-team Group A. They've played a couple of games already:

2022/8/20      Albirex Niigata 1 - 1 Elfen Saitama

2022/9/3        Omiya Ardija 1 - 2 Elfen Saitama

2022/9/11      Mynavi Sendai [3 - 3] Elfen Saitama

Coupe de France, Round Three:

Luynes Sports [6 - 0] AS Ilienne Amateur (Saint Pierre et Miquelon)

Luynes Sports play in a Regional 2 league in the seventh tier of French football. The village of Luynes is near Aix-en-Provence.

UEFA Champions League, group stage, matchday 1:

Celtic 0 - 3 Real Madrid (September 6)

Ajax 4 - 0 Rangers (September 7)

This is the first time since 2007-08 that there are two Scottish clubs in the Champions League group stage.

UEFA Europa League, group stage, matchday 1:

Omonia 0 - 3 Sheriff Tiraspol (September 8)

UEFA Europa Conference, group stage, round 1:

Hearts 0 - 4 Başakşehir (September 8)

Shamrock Rovers 0 - 0 Djurgården (September 8)

South Challenge Cup, Round Two (North West section) (all postponed):

Ardour vs Glasgow United

Arthurlie vs Irvine Meadow XI

Ashfield vs Thorn Athletic

Beith vs Largs Thistle

Benburb vs Rutherglen Glencairn

Glasgow Perthshire vs Kilwinning Rangers

Glendale vs Yoker Athletic

Harmony Row vs Neilston

Johnstone Burgh vs Campbeltown Pupils

Kilbirnie Ladeside vs Drumchapel United

Maryhill vs St Roch's

Petershill vs Vale of Clyde

Pollok vs Clydebank

Rossvale vs Irvine Victoria

Saltcoats Victoria vs Renfrew

St Cadoc's vs BSC Glasgow

Historical matches:

September 5, 1966    Brechin City 1 - 2 Morton

September 7, 1966    Morton 5 - 2 Brechin City

These two matches made up the Supplementary Round of the 1966-67 League Cup, the purpose of which was to reduce the nine group winners to eight before the quarter finals began. Brechin were winners of Group 9. I don't know how exactly Morton and Brechin were pegged to play this round. Morton had the third best points total of the group stage winners.

September 10, 1966    Cowdenbeath 0 - 1 Morton

This was league match number two. Morton have now played ten games in a month, and not lost one.

September 10, 1977    Morton 0 - 0 Dumbarton

Port Glasgow Athletic 1883-84:

1884/5/3        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 2 Alclutha (Dumbarton)

1884/4/19      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Morton

1884/4/12      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Pilgrims (Glasgow)

1884/3/29      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Clyde

1884/3/22      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 0 2nd Possilpark

1884/3/1        Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 5 Kilmarnock Athletic

1884/2/23      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Thornliebank

1884/2/16      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 2nd Clyde

1884/2/16      Clyde 0 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/2/2        2nd Partick Thistle 2 - 0 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/2/2        Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Partick Thistle

1884/1/19      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Lyle Athletic

1883/12/29    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 0 Queen's Park 2nd XI

1883/12/22    2nd Johnstone Athletic 5 - 1 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1883/12/15    Morton 2 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1883/12/8      2nd Linthouse 4 - 3 Clune Park Swifts, Port Glasgow

1883/12/8      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 1 St Mirren

1883/11/10    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 1 Renfrew

1883/11/3      Cowlairs 0 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1883/10/20    Kilmarnock Athletic 6 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    2nd XI Cup R2

1883/10/6      Partick Thistle 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1883/9/29      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 3 Arthurlie    SCup R2

1883/9/22      2nd Johnstone 1 - 3 [2nd] Port Glasgow Athletic

1883/9/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Johnstone

1883/9/15      St Mirren 3 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R1

1883/9/15      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 3 Johnstone Rovers    2nd XI Cup R1

1883/9/8        Lochwinnoch scr/wo Port Glasgow Athletic    SCup R1

1883/9/8        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 Cowlairs    (very blurry)

1883/9/1        Kilmarnock Athletic 6 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1883/8/25      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 3 Arthurlie    ("on their new field")

RCup = Renfrewshire Cup

SCup = Scottish Cup

Are Clune Park Swifts the same as 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic?

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup and Second XI Cup; Glasgow Herald for friendlies.)

Morton vs Port Glasgow Athletic, December 15, 1883:

    PORT-GLASGOW ATHLETIC v. MORTON.--Played at Cappielow Park, Greenock. Notwithstanding that rain fell nearly all the afternoon about 2000 spectators were present. The field was in very bad condition, but both teams went into their work with a will, and the game was a hard one all through, being sometimes, indeed, pretty rough. In the first half, though both goals were frequently in danger, time was nearly up before anything was gained. Latterly, Nugent got on the ball and centered in good style. Morton missed the ball right in front of goal, but Barrie came up in the nick of time and sent the ball through, thus drawing first blood for the Morton. Nothing more was done in this half. On change of ends for some time the play was of a give and take nature, when the "Port" began to press the Morton, and things looked bad, but the ball grazed the posts and went behind. Both teams now wrought harder than ever. For a time the "Port" again pressed the Morton, and a corner was the result. Hunter took the kick and placed the ball right in the mouth of the Morton's goal, when it was breasted through. From the kick-off till within five minutes of time the game was very open, good runs being made on both sides. The Morton now played with great dash, Gillespie especially doing good work, and had the game well in hand. The ball being shot to the left, that wing took it well up the field, and the "Port" backs being pressed with the ball behind. Nugent took the kick and landed the ball in good position, but the "Port" cleared their goal, only, however, to give the Morton another corner on the opposite wing. Walker took this one, which was also placed well, but it was kicked out, when Barr returned it, and scored the winning point for the Morton amidst great cheering. The ball was just kicked off when time was called. The match thus resulted in favour of the Morton by two goals to one. The Athletics played well all through. Hunter, as usual, put in some good shots, and Graham and M'Kerrall played a nice game. The Morton were in good form. The forwards played a first-rate game, the wings specially showing up. The half-backs and backs also played splendidly. The goalkeepers had not a great deal to do, but did their work well. Teams. -- Port-Glasgow Athletic -- Goal, Blackadder; backs, Stewart and Ritchie; half-backs, M'Kenzie and M'Garry; forwards, Hunter, M'Grannachan, Stewart, Thomson, Graham, and M'Kerrall. Morton -- Goal, Tobin; backs, Roberts and Greig; Half-backs, Walker, Ramsay, and Barr; forwards, Gillespie, Barrie, Morton, M'Klaren, and Nugent. Mr Goudie, of the Rangers, acted as referee.

Glasgow Herald, December 17, 1883, page 9.

Two seasons of Port Glasgow Athletic:

    POST-GLASGOW ATHLETIC. The match secretary's report for the past season shows the total number of matches played to have been 35, compared with 22 in the previous season. Of these, the following were won, lost, and drawn.--1883-84--Won, 17, lost, 11, drawn, 7, goals won, 94, lost, 62; in club's favour, 32. 1882-83--Won, 11, lost, 5, drawn, 6, goals won, 73, lost, 42; in club's favour, 31. (Glasgow Herald, May 19, 1884, p. 8.)

Or you could say:

                   G    W   D     L      F      A     GD     P

1883-84    35    17    7    11    94    62    +32    41

1882-83    22    11    6      5    73    42    +31    28

This article is a little gem because it shows how far the three sources The Beautiful Dribbling Game, Scottish Football Historical Archive, and the Glasgow Herald, can be relied on. So far, using these sources, I have found records of 17 Port Glasgow matches in 1882-83 and 29 in 1883-84.

Italian Joust

Source. This work appears in the Met's exhibition of Maximilian I's jousting armour, which you can see in this video.

Chris Riddell

Chris Riddell's strength as a political cartoonist is that he's also a children's book illustrator. Source.

The Lion of Belfort

Belfort is the corner of Alsace that France managed to hang on to after the Franco-Prussian War. To compensate themselves for losing the rest they built the enormous Lion of Belfort, designed by Frédéric Bartholdi, who also did the Statue of Liberty. There are copies of it in Paris and Montreal. The Lion of Belfort is a two-hour drive from the Löwendenkmal in Lucerne. Source.

Lion of Judah, Addis Ababa

Source.

Echigojishi

Seki Sanjuro II performs the Echigo Lion Dance. Print by Utagawa Tokoyuni I. Source.

Unicorn and Lion

Cast iron unicorn and lion. Source.

All football matches are postponed. Morton do not visit Partick Thistle.

Every conceivable solution for ending the 2019-20 season is in the mix right now. The SPFL could:

1) Declare 2019-20 null and void.

2) Reschedule the remaining matches in the autumn and make 2020-21 a short season.

3) Play the Premiership to the 33-game mark.

4) End the season as it is now and restructure the leagues for 2020-21, making three 14-team leagues. In effect there would be a lot of promotion and no relegation.

The other Championship matches (not):

Dundee vs Arbroath (March 24)

Arbroath vs Dundee United (last night)

Alloa vs Dunfermline

Dundee vs QoS

ICT vs Ayr United (postponed)

League One (as if):

East Fife vs Clyde

Forfar vs Falkirk

Peterhead vs Montrose

Raith Rovers vs Airdrieonians (postponed)

Stranraer vs Dumbarton

It's not the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup:

Raith Rovers vs Inverness CT (at McDairmid Park in Perth)

ICT have won this trophy twice (in 2003-04 and 2017-18); Raith have won it once (in 2013-14). But ICT have only ever competed for the cup 13 times while Raith have competed 23 times, which makes ICT's achievement about 3.5 times greater than Raith's. The two clubs have met in the cup once only, in the 2003-04 semi-finals, and ICT won.

Which SPFL clubs have never competed in the Challenge Cup?

Aberdeen, Celtic, Motherwell. Except that their colt teams have.

Which SPFL clubs have competed in every Challenge Cup but have never made the final?

Arbroath, East Fife, Forfar, Montrose, Albion Rovers, Cowdenbeath, Queen's Park, Stirling Albion.

Which of these has won the fewest games in this cup?

Albion Rovers. 14 wins in 29 years.

1907-08. Morton hosted Third Lanark and lost 0 - 2.

1963-64. Alloa visited Cappielow and played the Ton to a 2 - 2 draw.

SPFL Reserve League: Morton vs St Mirren (March 23) (no)

SWF Championship Cup quarter-finals: Morton vs Airdrie (tomorrow) (good luck)

Bolivian league: Aurora vs The Strongest (tomorrow) (nuh huh)

JFL: Sony Sendai vs Iwaki FC (postponed)

The 100th Emperor's Cup has been reorganized. A schedule was announced in December, but in mid-March the format was revised, with an extra round inserted and the J1 clubs entering at a later date than before. The changes do not alter the number of matches, which remains at 87. It looks to me as if the coronavirus crisis is being used to justify changes that the top clubs were already pushing for. But with the continuation of the coronavirus crisis there's still a strong chance that this year's Cup will get reformatted again or cancelled entirely.

Regardless, a bracket for Rounds One to Four is out. Round One will involve the 47 prefectural champions plus one, as usual. This year the 48th club is recommended by the JFL -- Honda FC.

The Tokyo Olympics have been postponed to 2021.

Canadian Premier League. The owners of Cavalry FC have been to visit Ross County's Victoria Park to learn how to winterize their park. And they have committed to installing proper floodlights, so you won't be able to call them Chiaroscuro FC anymore.

The West of Scotland League continues toward a 2020-21 launch. The plan is to play the first season in a conference format, and then reorganize into upper and lower divisions in the second year, the way the East of Scotland League did when all those junior clubs flocked to it a couple of years ago. Also, the West teams will continue to be eligible for the Scottish Junior Cup. Greenock Juniors have signalled their desire to join the new league. Source. Source.

Managers Jim McInally and Ian McCall head to head:

2007/10/6      Morton 4 - 2 Partick             First Division

2007/12/22    Partick 1 - 1 Morton              First Division

2008/3/15      Morton 0 - 0 Partick              First Division

2008/4/26      Partick 0 - 3 Morton             First Division

2015/9/26      Ayr Utd 1 - 1 Peterhead        League One

2015/12/19    Peterhead 3 - 0 Ayr Utd       League One

2016/2/6        Ayr Utd 1 - 2 Peterhead       League One

2016/4/23      Peterhead 0 - 4 Ayr Utd       League One

2016/5/3        Peterhead 1 - 4 Ayr Utd       playoffs

2016/5/7        Ayr Utd 2 - 1 Peterhead       playoffs

(McInally = Morton, Peterhead; McCall = Partick, Ayr Utd)

McInally 4 wins, McCall 3 wins, plus 3 draws.

Club The Strongest in the Copa Libertadores (part 2, 21st century):

2000/2/15      R1    Palmeiras 4 - 0 The Strongest

2000/3/8        R1    The Strongest 5 - 1 Juventude

2000/3/21      R1    El Nacional 0 - 0 The Strongest

2000/4/6        R1    The Strongest 4 - 2 Palmeiras

2000/4/12      R1    Juventude 4 - 0 The Strongest

2000/4/20      R1    The Strongest 1 - 4 El Nacional

2001/2/22      R1    River Plate 5 - 1 The Strongest

2001/3/1        R1    The Strongest 1 - 1 Guaraní

2001/4/5        R1    The Strongest 4 - 1 River Plate

2001/4/10      R1    El Nacional 2 - 1 The Strongest

2001/4/17      R1    Guaraní 4 - 1 The Strongest

2001/5/3        R1    The Strongest 2 - 1 El Nacional

2003/2/18      GS    Cruz Azul 3 - 2 The Strongest

2003/2/27      GS    The Strongest 1 - 0 Fénix

2003/3/11      GS    Corinthians 4 - 1 The Strongest

2003/3/20      GS    Fénix 2 - 0 The Strongest

2003/4/3        GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Cruz Azul

2003/4/9        GS    The Strongest 0 - 2 Corinthians

2004/2/5        GS    São Caetano 4 - 2 The Strongest

2004/2/19      GS    The Strongest 0 - 0 América

2004/3/16      GS    Peñarol 4 - 0 The Strongest

2004/3/23      GS    The Strongest 2 - 0 Peñarol

2004/4/8        GS    América 4 - 0 The Strongest

2004/4/15      GS    The Strongest 0 - 2 São Caetano

2005/3/3        GS    The Strongest 3 - 3 São Paulo

2005/3/10      GS    Quilmes 1 - 0 The Strongest

2005/3/15      GS    Universidad de Chile 2 - 1 The Strongest

2005/4/13      GS    The Strongest 0 - 0 Universidad de Chile

2005/4/28      GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Quilmes

2005/5/11      GS    São Paulo 3 - 0 The Strongest

2006/2/9        GS    The Strongest 3 - 2 Newell's Old Boys

2006/2/22      GS    Goiás 2 - 0 The Strongest

2006/2/28      GS    Unión Española 1 - 0 The Strongest

2006/3/29      GS    The Strongest 0 - 1 Unión Española

2006/4/5        GS    The Strongest 1 - 0 Goiás

2006/4/19      GS    Newell's Old Boys 2 - 0 The Strongest

2012/2/15      GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Santos

2012/2/23      GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Juan Aurich

2012/3/13      GS    Internacional 5 - 0 The Strongest

2012/3/21      GS    The Strongest 1 - 1 Internacional

2012/4/5        GS    Juan Aurich 1 - 0 The Strongest

2012/4/19      GS    Santos 2 - 0 The Strongest

2013/2/14      GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Arsenal

2013/2/28      GS    São Paulo 2 - 1 The Strongest

2013/3/7        GS    Atlético Mineiro 2 - 1 The Strongest

2013/3/13      GS    The Strongest 1 - 2 Atlético Mineiro

2013/4/4        GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 São Paulo

2013/4/17      GS    Arsenal 2 - 1 The Strongest

2014/2/13      GS    Atletico Paranaense 1 - 0 The Strongest

2014/2/20      GS    The Strongest 1 - 0 Universitario

2014/3/11      GS    The Strongest 2 - 0 Vélez Sarsfield

2014/3/18      GS    Vélez Sarsfield 2 - 0 The Strongest

2014/3/27      GS    Universitario 3 - 3 The Strongest

2014/4/8        GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Atletico Paranaense

2014/4/17       16    The Strongest 2 - 0 Defensor Sporting

2014/4/29       16    Defensor Sporting 2 - 0 The Strongest (Defensor won on PK.)

2015/2/3        R1    Monarchas Moralia 1 - 1 The Strongest

2015/2/10      R1    The Strongest 2 - 0 Monarchas Moralia

2015/2/17      GS    The Strongest 3 - 1 Internacional

2015/2/24      GS    Emelec 3 - 0 The Strongest

2015/3/5        GS    Universidad de Chile 3 - 1 The Strongest

2015/3/17      GS    The Strongest 5 - 3 Universidad de Chile

2015/4/15      GS    The Strongest 1 - 0 Emelec

2015/4/22      GS    Internacional 1 - 0 The Strongest

2016/2/17      GS    São Paulo 0 - 1 The Strongest

2016/3/2        GS    The Strongest 2 - 1 Trujillanos

2016/3/16      GS    The Strongest 1 - 1 River Plate

2016/4/6        GS    River Plate 6 - 0 The Strongest

2016/4/12      GS    Trujillanos 2 - 1 The Strongest

2016/4/21      GS    The Strongest 1 - 1 São Paulo

2017/2/2        R2    Montevideo Wanderers 0 - 2 The Strongest

2017/2/9        R2    The Strongest 4 - 0 Montevideo Wanderers

2017/2/16      R3    Unión Española 1 - 1 The Strongest

2017/2/23      R3    The Strongest 5 - 0 Unión Española

2017/3/9        GS    The Strongest 2 - 0 Santa Fe

2017/3/16      GS    Santos 2 - 0 The Strongest

2017/4/18      GS    Sporting Cristal 0 - 0 The Strongest

2017/4/4        GS    The Strongest 5 - 1 Sporting Cristal

2017/4/17      GS    The Strongest 1 - 1 Santos

2017/4/23      GS    Santa Fe 1 - 1 The Strongest

2017/7/6         16    The Strongest 1 - 1 Lanús

2017/8/8         16    Lanús 1 - 0 The Strongest

2018/3/15      GS    The Strongest 1 - 0 Peñarol

2018/4/3        GS    Libertad 3 - 0 The Strongest

2018/4/18      GS    The Strongest 1 - 2 Atlético Tucumán

2018/4/25      GS    Atlético Tucumán 3 - 0 The Strongest

2018/5/3        GS    The Strongest 1 - 3 Libertad

2018/5/17      GS    Peñarol 2 - 0 The Strongest

2019/2/5        R2    The Strongest 1 - 1 Libertad

2019/2/13      R2    Libertad 5 - 1 The Strongest

2020/2/5        R2    The Strongest vs Atlético Tucumán

2020/2/12      R2    Atlético Tucumán vs The Strongest

1300 words and not one fresh result.

Lions of India

India's 500-or-so remaining wild lions live in Gir Forest National Park in Gujarat. Source.

Lions Door, 1631

Oak door in St Saviour's Church, Darmouth, Devon. Source.

The Last Moroccan Lion, 1925

The last photograph of a lion in the wild in Morocco was taken from an aeroplane in 1925. In fact the entire Wikipedia article on the Barbary lion is striking in that all the photos are in black and white. The lions made it into the 20th Century, but not the part with colour photography.