Plenty of Nothing

Gourock Ropework

The Gourock Ropework in, er, Port Glasgow.

Morton host Ayr United. Morton are sixth with 19 points and a -7 goal difference. Ayr are seventh with 19 points and a -8 goal difference. Morton have won both previous matches against Ayr, who are the only club the Ton could sweep this season.

Morton are six games without a loss, league and cup, and have not surrendered a goal in three matches. Earlier in the season Morton were giving up two goals per game, but now it's down to 1.4 per game.

They're 4 points out of fourth place and 5 points out of tenth.

Ayr are three games without a loss, but have surrendered six goals in that span.

[Morton win 3 - 0 on a hat-trick by Robbie Muirhead.]

The other Championship matches:

Airdrieonians (5th) [2 - 0] Inverness CT (8th)

Arbroath (9th) [0 - 3] Dundee United (2nd)

Dunfermline Athletic (4th) [1 - 2] Raith Rovers (1st)

Partick Thistle (3rd) [3 - 2] Queen's Park (10th)

Today's matches are at 3:00 pm UK time because it's a bank holiday in Scotland.

There's an interesting discussion going on at Pie and Bovril about reduced squad sizes in the Championship.

Dunfermline Athletic versus Raith Rovers in their local cups:

1891/5/23      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 2 Raith Rovers (abandoned)    FChCup F

1891/6/6        Raith Rovers 5 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FChCup F

1900/4/14      Dumfermline Athletic 6 - 3 Raith Rovers    WCup SF

1901/4/6        Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 2 Raith Rovers    WCup SF

1902/1/4        Dunfermline Athletic vs Raith Rovers (abandoned)    WCup R1

1903/2/14      Raith Rovers 0 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup R1, leg 1

1903/2/28      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 0 Raith Rovers    FCup R1, leg 2

1904/4/2        Raith Rovers 2 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FL

1905/1/4        Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 1 Raith Rovers    FL

1905/2/25      Raith Rovers 3 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FL

1905/5/15      Raith Rovers 5 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    WCup F

1905/11/4      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 2 Raith Rovers    FCup SF

1905/11/11    Raith Rovers 2 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF replay

1906/5/10      Raith Rovers 3 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    WL

1908/8/26      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 0 Raith Rovers    WL

1908/10/5      Raith Rovers 4 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    WL

1909/1/30      Raith Rovers 0 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

1909/2/6        Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 3 Raith Rovers    FCup SF replay

1909/8/25      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 0 Raith Rovers    WL playoff

1910/4/27      Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 0 Raith Rovers    WL

1911/1/28      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 2 Raith Rovers    WL

1911/3/4        Raith Rovers 'A' 0 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F

1911/3/25      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 1 Raith Rovers 'A'    FCup F replay

1911/10/7      Dunfermline Athletic wo/scr Raith Rovers    FCup R1

1918/4/6        Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup F

1918/4/13      Raith Rovers 2 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    WCup SF

1918/4/20      Raith Rovers 0 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F replay

1920/2/28      Raith Rovers 'A' 1 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

1921/4/12      Raith Rovers 1 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    WCup SF

1921/5/4        Raith Rovers 3 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F

1922/9/6        Raith Rovers 4 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup R1

1923/8/29      Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 2 Raith Rovers    WCup R1

1924/4/2        Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup R1

1926/4/12      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers (DA win on corners)    WCup SF

1926/8/25      Dunfermline Athletic 3 - 3 Raith Rovers    FCup R1

1926/9/22      Raith Rovers 3 - 3 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup R1 replay

1927/4/20      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers (DA win on corners)    FCup R1 replay

1928/4/28      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 0 Raith Rovers    WCup F

1929/3/27      Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup R1

1929/8/28      Raith Rovers 3 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

1930/4/23      Dunfermline Athletic 4 - 1 Raith Rovers    WCup SF

1930/10/6      Raith Rovers 6 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    WCup R1

1933/4/26      Dunfermline Athletic 3 - 1 Raith Rovers    WCup F

1934/10/1      Raith Rovers 4 - 3 Dunfermline Athletic    WCup R1

1935/9/4        Raith Rovers 5 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

1936/9/16      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 0 Raith Rovers    FCup SF

1937/8/25      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 3 Raith Rovers    WCup SF

1939/4/26      Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F

1939/8/16      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers (DA win coin toss)    FCup F replay

1939/8/23      Raith Rovers 4 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    WCup F

1939/10/14    Raith Rovers 2 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

1948/3/24      Dunfermline Athletic 0 -  1 Raith Rovers    FCup R1

1950/10/2      Raith Rovers 6 - 3 Dunfermline Athletic (protested)    FCup R1

1955/5/14      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers (trophy shared)    FCup F

1957/9/30      Raith Rovers 4 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F

1958/5/7        Raith Rovers 2 - 3 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F, leg 1

1958/5/10      Dunfermline Athletic 3 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup F, leg 2

1960/5/11      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup F, leg 1

1960/5/14      Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic (trophy shared)    FCup F, leg 2

1961/5/10      Raith Rovers 3 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F, leg 1

1961/5/13      Dunfermline Athletic 4 - 0 Raith Rovers    FCup F, leg 2

1965/10/11    Raith Rovers 1 - 5 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F, leg 1

1965/10/18    Dunfermline Athletic 4 - 3 Raith Rovers    FCup F, leg 2

1966/10/12    Raith Rovers 1 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F, leg 1

1966/10/19    Dunfermline Athletic 4 - 5 Raith Rovers (trophy shared)   FCup F, leg 2

1971/4/26      Dunfermline Athletic 4 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup SF

1973/3/7        Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup F, leg 1

1973/3/14      Raith Rovers 3 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F, leg 2

1975/9/30      Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic (RR win on PK)    FCup SF

1979/10/2      Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic (DA advance)    FCup SF

1980/11/17    Raith Rovers 2 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F, leg 1

1981/4/29      Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 0 Raith Rovers    FCup F, leg 2

1983/8/13      Dunfermline Athletic 2 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup F

1987/8/1        Raith Rovers 2 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic (RR win on PK)    FCup SF

1991/3/26      Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 2 Raith Rovers    FCup SF

1992/7/26      Raith Rovers vs Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F

1995/8/15      Raith Rovers 1 - 0 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup F

1996/8/29      Dunfermline Athletic 5 - 0 Raith Rovers    FCup F

1997/9/23      Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 3 Raith Rovers    FCup R1

1998/10/29    Raith Rovers 2 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic (RR win on PK)    FCup R1

2001/5/2        Dunfermline Athletic 1 - 0 Raith Rovers    FCup F

2002/4/29      Raith Rovers 2 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

2003/4/6        Dunfermline Athletic 4 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup F

2004/5/13      Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic (RR win on PK)    FCup F

2011/8/30      Dunfermline Athletic 0 - 1 Raith Rovers    FCup SF

2016/8/31      Raith Rovers 1 - 1 Dunfermline Athletic (RR win on PK)    FCup SF

2019/4/30      Raith Rovers 1 - 2 Dunfermline Athletic    FCup SF

FChCup = Fifeshire Charity Cup; FCup = Fife Cup, Fifeshire Cup, Fife and District Cup; FL = Fife League; WCup = Wemyss Cup; WL = Wemyss League

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive)

Town Hall

No. 11 King Street, Port Glasgow, was built in 1758 and for a time served as Town Hall. Source.

It's Round Four of the Challenge Cup. Morton host Kelty Hearts. These two met in the League Cup group stage in July and Morton won 3 - 1.

Morton reached the Challenge Cup semi-finals four straight years from 2005-06 to 2008-09 but haven't been that far since. Between 2009 and now they have been knocked out in their first match six times. They recently went seven years without a Challenge Cup win. Since 1990 twenty-five clubs have built a better record in this cup than Morton's, including one defunct club and one Welsh one.

But last season Hamilton won the Challenge Cup and went on to be relegated, so anything can happen.

Michael Tidser visits Cappielow as a manager for the first time.

[Morton win 4 - 1. Goals by Muirhead (3) and Crawford. Kelty goal by Reece Lyon.]

The other Challenge Cup matches:

Raith Rovers [3 - 1] Montrose

East Kilbride [2 - 5] Hamilton Academical

These two have met twice before, the Accies winning both times.

Falkirk [1 - 0] Queen's Park

These two first met in Round Three of the 1886-87 Scottish Cup. Queen's Park won that one 3 - 8.

Queen of the South [1 - 2] Arbroath

The New Saints [2 - 2] East Fife [TNS win on PK]

The New Saints are the last remaining cross-border club.

Peterhead [0 - 2] Dundee United

Rangers B vs Airdrieonians (November 7)

Rangers B are the last remaining colt team.

Has there ever been a Challenge Cup match between non-SFA clubs? Yes:

2018/10/13    Bohemians 0 - 0 Sutton United (Bohemians won on PK)

2018/10/13    Connah's Quay Nomads 2 - 0 Coleraine

2023-24 South Challenge Cup, R3 (selected matches):

Beith [4 - 2] Arthurlie

Auchinleck Talbot [4 - 1] Arniston Rangers

Glenafton Athletic [1 - 0] Dundonald Bluebell

Hurlford United [0 - 1] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy

Cumbernauld Colts [4 - 2] Irvine Meadow XI

Jeanfield Swifts [1 - 1] Largs Thistle [Largs win on PK]

Pollok 6 - 2 Camelon Juniors (yesterday)

Gretna 2008 [1 - 6] St Cadoc's

Troon [3 - 0] Abbey Vale

Linlithgow Rose [4 - 2] St Peter's

Scottish Junior Cup, Round 2:

Aberdeen East End [5 - 0] East Kilbride Thistle

Carnoustie Panmure [3 - 2] Letham

Dundee Violet [3 - 0] Deveronside

You have to believe that opposing fans call these guys Neveronside.

Finnart [2 - 1] Dyce

Kello Rovers [2 - 3] Gartcairn

Vale of Leven [1 - 0] Carluke Rovers

Canadian Premier League playoffs:

HFX Wanderers finished the regular season in third place, with an identical record to second-place Forge. It wasn't until the fourth tie-breaker (away game goal difference) that Forge emerged the stronger side.

The league has adopted the Page system for this year's playoffs. Five teams qualify. Match #1, the fourth-place finisher plays the fifth-place finisher. Match #2, the third-place finisher plays the winner of Match #1. Match #3, the first-place finisher plays the second-place finisher. Match #4, the loser of Match #3 plays the winner of Match #2. Match #5, the winner of Match #3 plays the winner of Match #4. So Match #3 and Match #5 can feature the same two teams.

HFX Wanderers and Pacific were even in league play this season, with a win, two draws and a loss each.

Match #1 (October 11):

Pacific 1 - 0 York United

Match #2 (today):

HFX Wanderers [0 - 1] Pacific

Match #3 (today):

Cavalry [1 - 2] Forge

Other matches:

UCD 1 - 2 Bohemians (October 12)

Carrick Rangers 1 - 2 Linfield (yesterday)

Montrose Roselea [1 - 7] East Craigie

Montrose Roselea transferred from the North Region Premier League prior to this season. They use Links Park when Montrose FC are out of town.

Inverurie Loco Works [0 - 2] Banks o' Dee

West Didsbury & Chorlton [2 -1] FC Isle of Man

Dryburgh [5 - 1] Morton Women (tomorrow)

Fuji Club [7 - 1] Morioka Zebra (tomorrow)

Aberdeenshire Shield (October 11):

Hermes 3 - 4 Banks o' Dee

UEFA Women's Champions League 2QR, first leg (October 11):

Glasgow City 0 - 4 Brann

WE League Cup final:

Sanfrecce Hiroshima [0 - 0] Albirex Niigata [Sanfrecce win on PK]

Historical matches:

1882/10/14    Johnstone Rovers 2 - 2 Morton    (Renfrewshire Cup R1)

1944/10/14    Morton 4 - 1 Queen's Park    (Southern League)

1967/10/11    Celtic 7 - 1 Morton   (League Cup semi-final. Match report.)

1967/10/14    Morton 4 - 0 Airdrieonians   (league)

1995/10/14    Morton 2 - 0 Hamilton

Goals by Mahood and Hawke.

Finlaystone House

Finlaystone House is about two miles east of the Bouverie Tenements. Source.

Dundee visited Cappielow last night for an evening match televised by BBC Scotland. Dundee held 2nd place with 42 points, Morton fourth with 34.

Prior to this match Morton and Dundee had combined for two scoreless draws. (See A below.)

Many chose Dundee to walk through the Championship this year but they have held first place for only two weeks so far. (See B below.)

Last weekend's win over first-place Queen's Park was only the seventh time Morton have defeated the division leader since coming up from League One in 2015. (See C below.)

Morton 1 - 0 Dundee. Goal by Baird.

The other Championship matches:

Queen's Park (1st) 1 - 1 Raith Rovers (6th) (also last night)

Ayr United (2nd) [0 - 1] Partick Thistle (6th)

Partick Thistle sacked manager Ian McCall right after their Scottish Cup loss to Rangers. Dougie Imrie moves up to 16th position on the SPFL manager seniority list, and 3rd in the Championship after Dick Campbell (Arbroath) and Billy Dodds (ICT). Source.

Cove Rangers (8th) [1 - 1] Arbroath (9th)

Inverness CT (7th) [0 - 3] Hamilton Accies (10th)

League One watch:

Clyde and Peterhead hold the bottom two positions in League One, with 11 points each, far and away the worst records in the SPFL this season. Eighth-place Kelty can be projected to finish with 43 points, which means that either Clyde or Peterhead must win 11 of their 12 remaining games to escape relegation. But each has only two wins so far. They play each other today:

Clyde [1 - 0] Peterhead

Other matches:

ADO Den Haag 3 - 1 PEC Zwolle (yesterday)

Hearts B vs Gala Fairydean Rovers [postponed]

Rothes [2 - 1] Forres Mechanics

Largs Thistle [1 - 2] Clydebank

Ashton Athletic [0 - 1] FC Isle of Man

Winterthur 1 - 2 Servette (February 15)

Winterthur [1 - 1] Sion

Livi [1 - 1] Morton Women (tomorrow)

The League of Ireland has begun: 

Dundalk 1 - 1 UCD (yesterday)

J2 begins. There are four Tohoku clubs this year: Blaublitz Akita, Vegalta Sendai, Montedio Yamagata and Iwaki FC. I'll keep track of the games between these four and make a league table out of the results. Plus let's follow Mito HollyHock again:

Shimizu S-Pulse [0 - 0] Mito HollyHock

Canada

HFX Wanderers have signed defender Ryan James, who has played for several USL Championship clubs, and defender Daniel Nimick from Western Michigan University. Samuel Salter has been transferred to Atlético Ottawa for an undisclosed fee.

Canadian soccer has fallen into the hands of oligarchs. Read. And.

About Preston Lions

We've been following the career of Iida Kodai, who played for HFX Wanderers in 2019, OKC Energy of the USL Championship in 2020 and 2021, RANS Nusantara of the Indonesian league briefly in 2022, and has now signed with Preston Lions of the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2, in the third tier of Australian soccer. NPL2 Vic is essentially a semi-pro city league in Melbourne. Its season corresponds with the Southern Hemisphere's fall, winter and spring, which means it's time for it to start. Let's follow Preston Lions through the 2023 campaign and learn a thing or two about Australian soccer.

Preston Lions is a diaspora club, with ties to the Macedonian community, and many of the players have Macedonian surnames. One guy who doesn't is Connor Bell, who has had three stints with the club, and who also played for Morton in 2018-19 and scored one goal for them:

2018/7/28      38'    Cappielow    Albion Rovers   Hallford    League Cup

NPL2 Vic: Preston Lions 1 - 2 Pascoe Vale (yesterday)

A) Times that Morton failed to score on a divisional opponent all season, since 1976:

2020-21        Arbroath (3 games)

2020-21        Raith Rovers (3 games)

2013-14        Alloa (4 games)

1996-97        St Johnstone (4 games)

1990-91        Dundee (3 games)

1989-90        Falkirk (3 games)

1989-90        Meadowbank Thistle (3 games)

1988-89        Raith Rovers (3 games)

1984-85        Dundee United (4 games)

B) 2022-23 Scottish Championship top and bottom teams week by week (2 of 3):

Week 13            Ayr United            Arbroath

Week 14            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 15            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 16            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 17            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 18            Ayr United            Hamilton Academical

Week 19            Dundee                Hamilton Academical

Week 20            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 21            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 22            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 23            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Week 24            Queen's Park       Hamilton Academical

Part 1 of 3. Part 3 will post on May 5th.

C) Matches in which Morton beat the Championship leader:

2023/2/11      Morton 3 - 2 Queen's Park                      league

2022/8/6        Morton 1 - 0 Cove Rangers                    league

2021/12/7      Morton 1 - 1 ICT (Morton won on PK)    SCup R3

2019/1/4        Morton 1 - 0 Ross County                       league

2018/8/25      Morton 2 - 1 Ross County                       league

2017/9/9        Morton 3 - 2 Dunfermline                        league

2016/10/15    QoS 0 - 5 Morton                                    league

Historical matches:

February 18, 1978    Morton 3 - 0 Livingston

Scottish Cup, Round Four. Goals by Billy Thomas and Andy Ritchie (2).

Port Glasgow Athletic in the Scottish 2nd XI Cup, 1880s and 1890s:

1883/9/15      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 3 Johnstone Rovers

1883/10/20    R2    Kilmarnock Athletic 6 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/10/25    R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 2 Arthurlie

1884/11/22    R3    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Kilmarnock

1884/12/13    R3    Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/10/10    R1    Lanemark vs Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/12/12    R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Neilston

1886/2/6        R3    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Hibs

1886/3/6        R4    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Annbank

1886/3/27      SF    Rangers 5 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/11/13    R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Morton

1887/9/10      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 0 Arthurlie

1887/10/1      R2    bye

1887/10/22    R3    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 5 Abercorn

1887/10/29    R3    Abercorn 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/9/8        R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Neilston

1888/9/29      R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 2 St Mirren

1889/9/14      R1    St Mirren 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/9/13      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 3 Dykebar

1890/10/4      R2    Morton 4 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1891/9/12      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 Neilston

1891/10/3      R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Pollokshaws

1891/10/31    R3    Abercorn 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1892/9/10      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Abercorn

1893/9/16      R1    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Pollokshaws

1893/9/30      R2    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 4 5th Kirkcudbright RV

1893/10/21    R3    Partick Thistle 2 - 5 Port Glasgow Athletic

1893/11/11    R4    bye

1893/12/2      R5    Queen's Park 7 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1894/9/8        R1    Abercorn 4 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1895/9/x        R1    Port Glasgow Athletic wo/scr Motherwell

1895/10/5      R2    Albion Rovers 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1896/x/x        R1    Port Glasgow Athletic vs Partick Thistle

(Source: Scottish Football Historical Archive)

Someone Lives on 3rd Floor

Inside Clune Park, Port Glasgow. Source.

The Miramichi Buildings

The Miramichi Buildings in Port Glasgow were offices for a lumber yard on the Clyde shore where timbers from New Brunswick were offloaded and sawn up. The site is now a Tesco Extra. It would be interesting to hear how people in Port Glasgow pronounced Miramichi, but the memory of that might be lost. (People in New Brunswick say MEERmiSHEE.) Source.

Morton visit Hamilton. Morton are fifth in the division with 30 points, Hamilton tenth with 11. Hamilton are in dire shape this season. They have only 2 wins in league play, the last one coming October 18th. They have not scored in a league match since November 11th.

But they're into the Challenge Cup semi-finals. (See below.)

Morton have a win and a draw against the Accies so far this season.

Compare and contrast the Accies and Morton. So far in the 21st Century Hamilton have spent ten seasons in the Premiership, Morton zero. But they each suffered a plunge to the bottom division early in the century: Hamilton were in Division Three in 2000-01, Morton 2002-03. Attendance is about the same: when Morton visited Hamilton July 30th, attendance was 1,357. When Hamilton visited Morton October 8th it was 1,361.

Morton have acquired striker Ally Roy on loan from Glentoran. Roy has also played for Hearts, East Stirlingshire, Stenny, Dumbarton, Sligo Rovers, Derry City, Partick Thistle, Airdrieonians and Queen of the South. While with Queen of the South he scored against Morton in the August 21, 2021 match at Cappielow.

Jaze Kabia has returned to Livingston. Darren Hynes has signed with Clyde.

[Hamilton 1 - 0 Morton.]

The other Championship matches:

Ayr United (2nd) [2 - 2] Arbroath (9th)

Cove Rangers (8th) [2 - 2] Raith Rovers (7th)

Dundee (3rd) vs Partick Thistle (4th) [postponed]

Inverness CT (6th) [0 - 0] Queen's Park (1st)

The Challenge Cup quarter-finals were held midweek:

Hamilton Accies 3 - 2 Clyde (January 10)

Queen of the South 0 - 0 Kelty Hearts (January 10) (QoS won on PK.)

Queen's Park 0 - 1 Raith Rovers (January 11)

Dundee vs Dunfermline (postponed)

Also, it's the League Cup semi-finals:

Celtic [2 - 0] Kilmarnock

Rangers [2 - 1] Aberdeen (tomorrow)

This set of four clubs has never met up in the League Cup semi-finals before.

The Scottish League Cup had been branded the Premier Sports Cup since 2021, in honour of an Irish pay TV channel, but Premier Sports has been bought out by Viaplay and so in November the cup was rebranded the Viaplay Cup.

Other matches:

Celtic B [2 - 4] Gala Fairydean Rovers

Forres Mechanics [0 - 8] Brora Rangers

Longridge Town vs FC Isle of Man [postponed]

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy vs Largs Thistle [postponed]

Heracles Almelo [0 - 3] PEC Zwolle (tomorrow)

Morton Women [0 - 4] Hutchison Vale (tomorrow)

KNVB Beker, Round Two:

Feyenoord 3 - 1 PEC Zwolle (January 12)

Canada:

Aidan Daniels and Jake Ruby have signed contract extensions with HFX Wanderers. The club has signed midfielder Lorenzo Callegari from FC Chambly in the French fourth tier.

CF Montréal are in hot water for hiring a guy who once called for Pauline Marois to be shot. Story.

44th Empress's Cup, quarter-finals (tomorrow):

Match No. 41: Beleza [3 - 0] Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Match No. 42: Albirex Niigata [1 - 0] Omija Ardija Ventus

Match No. 43: Urawa Red Diamonds [1 - 2] INAC Kobe Leonessa

Match No. 44: Nojima Stella [0 - 2] Elfen Saitama

Waseda University in the Empress's Cup:

第27回    R1    Seiwa Gakuen High School 0 - 2 Waseda University

               R2    NTV Beleza 5 - 0 Waseda University

第28回    R1    FC Adooma 0 - 4 Waseda University

               R2    Waseda University 1 - 0 Albirex Niigata

               R3    Waseda University 0 - 2 TEPCO Malise

第30回    R1    Butchigiri 0 - 8 Waseda University

               R2    AS Elfen Sayama 2 - 3 Waseda University

               R3    Urawa Red Diamonds 3 - 0 Waseda University

第31回    R1    Hinomoto Gakuen High School 3 - 7 Waseda University

               R2    Ohara Gakuen JaSRA 1 - 1 Waseda University (Ohara won on PK)

第33回    R2    Waseda University 6 - 2 Jumonji High School

               R3    INAC Kobe Leonessa 1 - 0 Waseda University

第34回    R1    Fukui High School of Fukui Institute of Technology 0 - 3 Waseda University

               R2    Hokkaido Otani Muroran High School 1 - 5 Waseda University

               R3    INAC Kobe Leonessa 1 - 0 Waseda University

第35回    R1    Waseda University 3 - 0 Sendai University

               R2    Waseda University 4 - 0 Japan Soccer College

               R3    Waseda University 0 - 4 NTV Beleza

第37回    R1    Waseda University 1 - 0 Fukuoka J. Anclas

               R2    AS Harima Albion 2 - 2 Waseda University (Waseda won on PK)

               R3    NTV Beleza 5 - 0 Waseda University

第38回    R1    Fukuoka J. Anclas 0 - 5 Waseda University

               R2    Nojima Stella 3 - 2 Waseda University

第39回    R1    Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita 1 - 3 Waseda University

               R2    Ehime FC 0 - 1 Waseda University

               R3    Waseda University 1 - 1 INAC Kobe Leonessa (Waseda won on PK)

               QF    Nojima Stella 4 - 3 Waseda University

第40回    R1    Fukuoka J. Anclas 0 - 3 Waseda University

               R2    MyNavi Vegalta Sendai 2 - 0 Waseda University

第41回    R1    Waseda University 3 - 1 Kibi International University Charme Okayama Takahashi

               R2    Nippon Sport Science University Fields Yokohama 1 - 0 Waseda University

第42回    R1    Waseda University 5 - 0 Okayama Yunogo Belle

               R2    AS Harima Albion 2 - 1 Waseda University

第43回    R1    Waseda University 4 - 0 Shikoku Gakuin University Kagawa Nishi High School

               R2    Sfida Setagaya 1 - 0 Waseda University

第44回    R1    Bunnys Gunma FC White Star 1 - 3 Waseda University

               R2    Loveledge Nagoya 1 - 2 Waseda University

               R3    Orca Kamogawa 0 - 0 Waseda University (Waseda won on PK)

               R4    Omiya Ardija Ventus 1 - 0 Waseda University

Historical matches:

January 14, 1967    Clydebank 0 - 1 Morton

January 14, 1978    Morton 2 - 0 Stirling Albion

Two for Goldthorp.

The Skelpies

The Port Glasgow Shipbuilders monument was installed this year. Source.

It's the Scottish Cup, Round Three. Morton host Queen of the South. This is the eighth year in a row that these two teams have met in a competitive match. This is also the eighth Scottish Cup tie between them. To date Morton have advanced four times, QoS three.

Morton are undefeated in 8 matches, for the first time since July/August 2016. Queen of the South beat Montrose 4 - 0 last week.

Auchinleck Talbot, Darvel, Drumchapel, Dunipace, Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Linlithgow Rose, Pollok and Sauchie have been in it since the preliminary round. Morton have never played any of them. Morton have also never played Broomhill, Formartine, Fraserburgh, Kelty Hearts, the University of Stirling or Wick Academy.

Queen of the South's Iain Wilson, Gavin Reilly and Scott Fox have all played for Morton in the past. Morton's Darragh O'Connor and Jack Baird have played for QoS. The last Morton player to score on Queen of the South was Cameron Blues back in February.

Every Championship side has a lower league opponent, so they could conceivably all advance to Round Four, though if Morton win and the other nine lose that's fine too.

When were Morton last eliminated from the Scottish Cup in November?    2014.

When were Morton last eliminated from the Scottish Cup at Cappielow?    2010.

When were Morton last eliminated from the Scottish Cup by Queen of the South?    2008.

[There's a Quitongo on either side, Jai for Morton and Rico for QoS.]

[Morton win 4 - 1. Goals by Muirhead (2), Gillespie and King.]

The other Scottish Cup matches:

Broomhill 1 - 2 Alloa (yesterday)

First meeting ever.

Partick Thistle [3 - 0] Kelty Hearts

First meeting ever.

Dundee [6 - 2] Airdrieonians

They met in the 2005-06 Scottish Cup (round 4) and Dundee won.

Fraserburgh [0 - 2] Arbroath

These two met in the 1999-2000 Scottish Cup (round 2) and Arbroath won.

Inverness CT [3 - 2] Stirling Albion

They met in the 2006-07 and 2015-16 Scottish Cups and ICT won both times.

Raith Rovers [3 - 0] Auchinleck Talbot

First meeting ever.

Peterhead [0 - 3] Queen's Park

They met in the 1978-79 and 2008-09 Scottish Cups and Queen's Park won both times.

Cove Rangers [7 - 0] Dunipace

First meeting that I know of.

Hamilton Academical [4 - 0] East Kilbride

They've met in the League Cup but not this cup.

Dunfermline [4 - 0] Forfar

These two met in the Scottish Cups of 1949-50, 1961-62, 1983-84 and 1991-92, and Dunfermline won each time.

Clyde [1 - 3] Dumbarton    (Upset)

These venerable clubs have met in the Scottish Cup four times before, twice in the 19th Century and twice in the 20th.

Drumchapel United [1 - 0] FC Edinburgh    (Upset)

First meeting ever.

Wick Academy [0 - 6] Falkirk

First meeting ever.

Montrose [2 - 5] Darvel    (Upset)

First meeting ever.

Formartine [1 - 3] Stenhousemuir

First meeting ever.

Hill of Beath Hawthorn [1 - 2] Elgin

First meeting ever.

Albion Rovers [0 - 1] University of Stirling    (Upset)

These to have met before, in the 2014-15 Cup. (See below.) University of Stirling are currently in the Lowland League's pyramid playoff spot.

Linlithgow Rose [1 - 0] Sauchie Juniors

An East of Scotland Premier Division clash.

Ayr United [1 - 0] Pollok (Monday)

First meeting ever.

Other matches:

Forres Mechanics [3 - 4] Nairn County

Gala Fairydean Rovers [2 - 1] Civil Service Strollers

Largs Thistle [0 - 1] Cambuslang Rangers

FC Isle of Man [2 - 1] Charnock Richard

Elfen Saitama [3 - 1] JEF United Chiba

Morton Women [0 - 2] Ayr (tomorrow)

Zorya Luhansk [1 - 1] Minaj (tomorrow)

Zorya Luhansk is one of the big Ukrainian clubs, having won the Soviet Top League in 1972. They're in UEFA Europa Conference League this year due to having won the 2021-22 Ukrainian Cup. Luhansk has been in the war zone since 2014, so Zorya groundshare with Metalurh Zaporizhzhia, though now that's not so far from the war either.

The Ukrainian Premier League is now off till March.

Canada

Thompson River University won the Canadian university men's soccer championship. Université de Montréal Carabins won the women's title.

The CPL has pulled the plug on FC Edmonton, so the league will play the 2023 season with eight teams. The league ran the club in 2022 and much of the Eddies roster this year was made up of loan players, three of them from HFX Wanderers: Ousman Maheshe, Wesley Timoteo and CJ Smith.

Japan

It's the final round of the 2022 Japan Regional Football Champions League. The four finalists are FC Kariya, Okinawa SV, Briobecca Urayasu and Tochigi City. The final pecking order for promotion to the JFL will be known tomorrow.

[The final order is: Briobecca Urayasu, Okinawa SV, Tochigi City, FC Kariya. Briobecca and Okinawa are promoted to the JFL.]

So here's how the Japanese leagues played out:

Yokohama F. Marinos won the J1 title. They'll be joined in the AFC Champions League by the 2nd- and 3rd-place finishers Kawasaki Frontale and Sanfrecce Hiroshima, plus Emperor's Cup winners Ventforet Kofu, who were 18th in J2. Shimizu S-Pulse and Júbilo Iwata are relegated to J2.

Albirex Niigata and Yokohama FC are promoted to J1. FC Ryukyu and Iwate Grulla Morioka are relegated to J3.

Iwaki FC and Fujieda MYFC are promoted to J2. At first Iwaki were going to be denied but the powers that be accepted their promise to have a big stadium built by 2031. Iwaki were in the Fukushima Prefecture league third division just seven years ago. 

Nara Club and FC Osaka are promoted from the JFL to J3. There is no relegation to the JFL this year, but there will be in 2023, now that J3 is full.

Nobody from the Tohoku League made it to the JFL this year. [Briobecca Urayasu and Okinawa SV are promoted.]

I thought Bogolle.D.Tsugaru had avoided relegation from Tohoku Division 1, finishing 9th out of 12, but the bottom four teams are being relegated to make up for those two Covid seasons when Division 1 didn't relegate anyone. Morioka Zebra did manage to stay up, though.

It's the first round of the 44th Empress's Cup. The first three rounds will reduce a group of 37 teams down to five. These then join the 11 WE League teams in round four in December. The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final all take place in January. Let's follow the university clubs through the early rounds:

(Matches No. 1 and 17 are tomorrow.)

Match No. 1: Tokyo International University [0 - 4] Viamaterras Miyazaki

Match No. 3: Toyo University [5 - 0] Norddea Hokkaido

Match No. 6: Seisa Oso Rhea Shonan [1 - 1] Aichi Toho University    [Rhea win on PK]

Match No. 8: Speranza Osaka-Takatsuki [1 - 2] University of Tsukuba

Match No. 15: Diosa Izumo [3 - 0] Tokai University

Match No. 16: NGU Loveledge Nagoya [6 - 0] Sapporo University Vista

Match No. 17: Bunnys Gunma FC White Star [1 - 3] Waseda University

Canada and Japan in the World Cup:

Canada 2 - 1 Japan (friendly) (November 17)

Germany 1 - 2 Japan (November 23)

Belgium 1 - 0 Canada (November 23)

Japan [0 - 1] Costa Rica (tomorrow)

Croatia [4 - 1] Canada (tomorrow)

Historical matches:

November 22, 1966    Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park

November 26, 1966    Dumbarton 0 - 1 Morton

University of Stirling in the Scottish Cup:

2012/9/29      R2    University of Stirling 0 - 1 Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic

2014/10/5      R2    University of Stirling 1 - 4 Albion Rovers

2015/9/26      R1    Threave Rovers 1 - 3 University of Stirling

2015/10/24    R2    University of Stirling 1 - 2 Queen's Park

2016/9/24      R1    Clachnacuddin 1 - 2 University of Stirling

2016/10/26    R2    Arbroath 3 - 1 University of Stirling

2017/9/23      R1    Wick Academy 2 - 2 University of Stirling

2017/9/20      R1    University of Stirling 1 - 0 Wick Academy

2017/10/14    R2    Montrose 4 - 1 University of Stirling

2018/9/23      R1    University of Stirling 2 - 1 Keith

2018/10/20    R2    Deveronvale 1 - 2 University of Stirling

2018/11/24    R3    University of Stirling 0 - 4 Elgin City

2019/9/21      R1    Keith 2 - 3 University of Stirling

2019/10/20    R2    University of Stirling 0 - 2 Linlithgow Rose

2020/12/12   PR2   Jeanfield Swifts 3 - 1 University of Stirling

2021/9/18      R1    Caledonian Braves 0 - 1 University of Stirling

2021/10/23    R2    East Kilbride 4 - 0 University of Stirling

2022/9/18      R1    University of Stirling 3 - 0 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale

2022/10/22    R2    Dunbar United 1 - 3 University of Stirling

2022/11/26    R3    Albion Rovers vs University of Stirling

Port Glasgow Athletic 1885 to 1890

Port Glasgow Athletic 1889-90:

1890/4/26      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 0 2nd Morton

1890/4/12      Albion Rovers 5 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/4/5        Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/3/29      Thistle 1 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/3/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 6 Kilbirnie

1890/3/15      Abercorn 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup final

1890/3/8        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 2 Ladyburn

1890/3/8        St Mirren 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/2/22      Dykebar 0 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup SF replay

1890/2/15      Dykebar 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup SF replay

1890/2/1        Port Glasgow Athletic L - W Albion Rovers

1890/1/25      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Dykebar    RCup SF

1890/1/18      Partick Thistle Swifts 6 - 2 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1890/1/18      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 9 Partick Thistle

1890/1/11      Ladyburn 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic 2nd XI

1890/1/11      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 6 Uddingston

1890/1/4        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 Arthurlie

1889/12/28    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Dalry

1889/12/21    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 2 Methlan Park

1889/12/14    Northern 2 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/12/7      bye        RCup R3

1889/12/7      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 2 Pollokshaws

1889/11/30    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Thistle (Glasgow)

1889/11/16    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 0 Cathcart    RCup R2

1889/11/9      Port Glasgow Athletic 9 - 4 Renton

1889/10/26    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 1 Thornliebank

1889/10/26    Port Glasgow Athletic wo/scr Thornliebank    RCup R1

1889/10/19    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 4 Kilbirnie    ScCup R3

1889/10/12    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 Morton

1889/10/5      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 6 Partick Thistle Swifts

1889/10/5      Partick Thistle 5 - 2? Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/9/28      Morton Strollers 4 - 0 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/9/28      Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 0 Greenock Abstainers    ScCup R2

1889/9/21      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Dykebar

1889/9/14      St Mirren 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    Sc2XICup R1

1889/9/14      Harp (Dundee) 4 - ? Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/9/7        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Neilston    ScCup R1

1889/8/31      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Carlton (Greenock)

1889/8/31      Uddingston 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/8/24      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 1 Neilston

1889/8/10      Morton 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    Morton Sports

1889/8/3        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Abercorn    Morton Sports

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

Port Glasgow Athletic 1888-89:

1889/6/8        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Kilmarnock

1889/5/18      Morton 7 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    ["sixth occasion"]

1889/5/11      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 4 Shettleston

1889/5/4        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Glasgow Thistle

1889/4/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Cowlairs

1889/4/20      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Morton

1889/3/16      1st RRV 3 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/3/16      Clydebank 10 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/3/9        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 4 Dykebar

1889/3/2        Morton 1 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/2/23      Victoria (Port Glasgow) 2 - 3 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/2/23      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Renfrew

1889/2/23      Rangers 2 - 5 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/1/19      St Mirren 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/1/12      Ayr FC 8? - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/1/5        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 1st RRV

1888/12/29    Abercorn 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/12/15    Albion Rovers 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/12/1      Celtic Crusaders 5 - 3 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/12/1      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Celtic

1888/11/24    Port Glasgow Athletic 0 - 6 Partick Thistle        hard to make out

1888/11/17    Renfrew 4 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R2

1888/11/10    Kilmarnock 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/11/3      Dykebar Swifts 3 - 2 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/10/27    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 2 Greenock Rangers    RCup R1

1888/10/20    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Jamestown

1888/10/13    Port Glasgow Athletic 9 - 2 Woodvale

1888/10/6      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Clydebank

1888/9/29      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 2 St Mirren    Sc2XICup R2

1888/9/29      Dykebar 0 - 6 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/9/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 Northern

1888/9/8        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Neilston    Sc2XICup R1

1888/9/8        1st RRV 5 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/9/1        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 7 Morton    ScCup R1

1888/8/25      Morton 7 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic     

1888/8/18      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Carfin Shamrock

1888/8/11      Thistle 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

May 18th was reported to be the sixth meeting between Port Glasgow and Morton, but I've only found five of them.

I don't know what to make of all the activity on February 23rd.

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

Port Glasgow Athletic 1887-88:

1888/5/26      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Hibs

1888/5/19      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Dumbarton

1888/5/5        Port Glasgow Athletic vs Dykebar            [very smudgy]

1888/4/7        Port Glasgow Athletic 9 - 1 Battlefield

1888/4/x        Port Glasgow Athletic scr/wo 1st RRV    G&DChCup R1

1888/3/24      Albion Rovers 3 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/3/3        1st RRV 5 - 7 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/2/11      Abercorn 4 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup SF

1888/1/28      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Queen's Park (scratch team)

1888/1/14      St Mirren Strollers 3 - 0 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/1/14      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 0 St Mirren

1888/1/7        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 2nd Partick Thistle

1888/1/7        Partick Thistle vs Port Glasgow Athletic    [very blurry]

1887/12/24    2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Dumbarton Rangers

1887/12/24    Dumbarton 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/12/17    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Hearts

1887/12/10    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 0 Renfrew    RCup R3

1887/12/3      Greenock Rangers 3 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/11/26    2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 4 Rangers Swifts

1887/11/26    Rangers 6 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/11/19    bye        RCup R2

1887/11/19    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 2nd Athletic

1887/11/12    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 1st RRV

1887/11/5      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 2nd Hibs

1887/11/5      Hibs 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/10/29    Abercorn 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    Sc2XICup R3 replay

1887/10/29    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 0 Paisley Athletic    friendly

1887/10/29    Port Glasgow Athletic wo/scr Paisley Athletic    RCup R1

1887/10/22    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 5 Abercorn    Sc2XICup R3

1887/10/15    Ayr FC 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    ScCup R3

1887/10/8      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Partick Thistle

1887/10/1      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Renfrew    ScCup R2 replay

1887/10/1      bye        2nd XI Cup R2

1887/9/24      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 13 - 1 2nd Greenock Rangers

1887/9/24      Renfrew 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic    ScCup R2

1887/9/17      Dumbarton Athletic 3 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/9/10      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 0 Arthurlie    Sc2XICup R1

1887/9/10      St Mirren 6 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/8/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 11 - 0 Greenock Rangers    ScCup R1

1887/8/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Ayr FC

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup, Greenock and District Charity Cup and Scottish Second Eleven Cup; the Glasgow Herald for the rest.)

Port Glasgow Athletic 1886-87:

1887/5/21      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 5 Hibs

1887/5/14      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 4 Thornliebank

1887/5/7        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Partick Thistle

1887/4/30      East Stirlingshire 3 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/4/23      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 4 2nd Vale of Leven

1887/4/23      Vale of Leven 7 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/4/16      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Cambuslang

1887/4/9        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Airdrieonians

1887/4/2        Cambuslang 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/3/26      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 0 Partick Thistle

1887/3/19      Dumbarton 1 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/3/12      St Mirren 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/3/5        2nd Renfrew 1 - 3 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/3/5        Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 1 Renfrew

1887/2/26      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 1 Rangers (Greenock)

1887/2/19      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 St Mirren

1887/2/12      2nd Vale of Leven 5 - 2 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/2/12      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 5 Vale of Leven

1887/2/5        Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/1/22      2nd Port Glasgow 6 - 1 2nd Clyde

1887/1/22      Arthurlie 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R4

1887/1/1        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Our Boys (Dundee)

1886/12/25    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 3 Vale of Leven    ScCup R6

1886/12/11    2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 Lyle Athletic

1886/12/11    Paisley Athletic 1 - 8 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R3

1886/12/4      Belgrove 4 - 1 Broadfield (Port Glasgow)    Played at Greenock.

1886/12/4      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 2 St Bernard's    ScCup R5

1886/11/27    Dumbarton Athletic 3 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/11/20    Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 0 Cartvale    friendly

1886/11/20    Port Glasgow Athletic wo/scr Cartvale    RCup R2

1886/11/13    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Morton    Sc2XICup R1

1886/11/13    Morton 4 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic (protested)  

1886/11/13    bye    SCup R4

1886/11/6      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 East Stirlingshire

1886/10/30    Port Glasgow Thistle 6 - 0 Broadfield (at Clune Park)    Greenock and District Junior Cup

1886/10/30    Hibs 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/10/30    bye    RCup R1

1886/10/23    Abercorn 1 - 5 Port Glasgow Athletic    ScCup R3

1886/10/16    2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 2nd Northern

1886/10/9      Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 4 Kilmarnock

1886/10/2      St Mirren 2 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic    ScCup R2

1886/9/25      Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 3 Morton             

1886/9/11      Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 1 Johnstone Harp    ScCup R1

1886/9/4        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Dumbarton Athletic

1886/8/28      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 2nd Hearts

1886/8/28      Hearts 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/8/21      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 0 Ayr Strollers

1886/8/18      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 6 Dumbarton

1886/8/14      Morton 2 - 0 Port Glasgow*       Morton FC amateur athletic sports

1886/7/24      St Mirren 3 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    St Mirren FC athletic sports

*30 minutes each way.

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup and Scottish Second Eleven Cup; Wikipedia "1886-87 Dumbarton F.C. season for 1886/8/18; Glasgow Herald for the rest.)

Port Glasgow Athletic 1885-86

1886/5/29      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Dennistoun Athletic

1886/5/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Kilmarnock

1886/5/15      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 0 Cambuslang

1886/5/8        Strathmore (Dundee) 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/5/1        Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 2 Ayr FC

1886/4/24      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 11 - 1 2nd Cambuslang

1886/4/24      Cambuslang 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/4/17      Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 0 Abercorn

1886/4/10      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Thornliebank

1886/4/3        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 2nd Abercorn

1886/3/27      Rangers 5 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    Sc2XICup SF

1886/3/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 5 Partick Thistle

1886/3/20      Abercorn 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup final

1886/3/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Arthurlie

1886/3/6        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Annbank    Sc2XICup R4

1886/2/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Neilston    RCup SF

1886/2/20      Northern 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/2/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 2 St Mirren

1886/2/6        Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Hibs    Sc2XICup R3

1886/1/30      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 St Mirren

1886/1/23      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 St Mirren (protested)    RCup R3

1886/1/16      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Rangers

1885/12/26    Third Lanark 4 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    ScCup R5 replay

1885/12/19    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Third Lanark    ScCup R5

1885/12/12    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Neilston    Sc2XICup R2

1885/11/21    Port Glasgow Athletic 13 - 1 Waterloo    RCup R2

1885/11/14    St Mirren 5 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/11/14    bye    SCup R4

1885/10/31    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Cartvale    ScCup R3

1885/10/?      Lanemark L - W Port Glasgow Athletic    Sc2XICup R1

1885/10/10    Neilston 0 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    ScCup R2 replay

1885/10/3      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Neilston    ScCup R2

1885/9/26      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 0 Woodvale (Thornliebank)

1885/9/19      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 2nd Airdrieonians

1885/9/19      Airdrieonians 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/9/12      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 1st Renfrewshire RV    SCup R1

1885/9/5        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Arthurlie    score uncertain

1885/8/29      Abercorn vs Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/8/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 1 Wishaw Swifts

Port Glasgow Athletic received more of the Glasgow Herald's attention than did Morton this season.

It isn't till 1886 that the Herald begins to sort football scores into Scottish, English and rugby categories.

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup and Scottish Second Eleven Cup; Glasgow Herald for friendlies. Several Monday Heralds are missing.)

Bouverie

The Bouverie Tenements clung to the Port Glasgow hillside until their demolition in 2014. Source.

Raith Rovers visit Cappielow. Morton are sixth with 14 points, Raith seventh with 12. Raith won their August 13th meeting 2 - 1. Morton have not beaten Raith at Cappielow since January 14th, 2017.

Raith's top scorer is Aidan Connolly with 4 goals, 2 in league play and 2 in the League Cup. For the Ton, Robbie Muirhead has 5 league goals, and Grant Gillespie has 3 goals in league play and 2 in cup play.

Raith have signed 6' 8" Faroese striker John Frederiksen.

Raith have not played to a draw yet this season.

These two will meet again on December 10th in the Challenge Cup.

Alexander Easdale has signed with Troon.

After last night's Queen's Park/Arbroath match there is a four-way tie at the top of the Championship (though Partick Thistle are officially first on goal difference). For Morton to finish the day in top position they must beat Raith by 8 goals and Dundee, Cove Rangers and Hamilton must also all win.

[Morton win 1 - 0. Late goal by Grant Gillespie.]

The other Championship matches:

Queen's Park (4th) 1 - 1 Arbroath (10th) (last night)

Queen's Park held first place from minutes 30 to 60 of last night's game, with a goal difference of -3. It's not often you get a league leader with a negative gd.

Cove Rangers (8th) [0 - 1] Inverness CT (3rd)

Hamilton Academical (9th) [1 - 2] Partick Thistle (1st)

Dundee (5th) [2 - 1] Ayr United (2nd)*

*A Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup Round Two match.

Morton's last five 5 - 0 wins:

2022/10/8      Morton 5 - 0 Hamilton Accies    league

2022/1/8        Morton 5 - 0 Dunfermline    league

2019/7/23      Annan 0 - 5 Morton    League Cup group stage

2018/7/28      Albion Rovers 0 - 5 Morton    League Cup group stage

2017/7/29      Morton 5 - 0 Edinburgh City    League Cup group stage

Other matches:

Forres Mechanics [4 - 1] Deveronvale

Largs Thistle vs Arthurlie (postponed)

Morton Women [1 - 1] Rossvale (tomorrow)

West Didsbury & Chorlton 2 - 1 FC Isle of Man (October 11)

AFC Liverpool [1 - 0] FC Isle of Man (tomorrow)

PEC Zwolle 3 - 2 Heracles Almelo (yesterday)

Winterthur [1 - 0] Grasshoppers

Minaj 1 - 1 Veres Rivne (yesterday)

Tochigi 2 - 3 Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

Waseda University 2 - 1 Toin University of Yokohama (October 12)

Waseda University [2 - 3] Kokushikan University (tomorrow)

It’s the 58th Shakaijin, or All Japan Senior Football Championship, the tournament in which teams compete for one of the extra places in the Regional Champions League in November. The teams are:

NIFS Kanoya, Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth, BTOP Thank Kuriyama, Cobaltore Onagawa, Fuji Club 2003, Briobecca Urayasu, Vonds Ichihara, Tochigi City, Nankatsu SC, Tsukuba FC, Toin Yokohama University, Aries Tokyo, Fukui United, Arista Asama, Chukyo University, Chukyo University Athletic Association, Gakunan F. Mosuperio, SS Izu, Cento Cuora Harima, Arterivo Wakayama, AS Laranja Kyoto, Acacias Kyoto, Kansai University, Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima, Fukuyama City, Belugarosso Hamada, FC Tokushima, Lvnirosso NC, Okinawa SV, Veroskronos Tsuno, FC Nobeoka Agata, and J-Lease FC.

The tournament runs from today till the 19th.

[The quarter-finalists are Ococias Kyoto, Veroskronos Tsuno, Tochigi City, Briobecca Urayasu, BTOP Thank Kuriyama, Arterivo Wakayama, Nobeoka Agata and Kansai University.]

UEFA Champions League group stage, matchday 4:

Celtic 0 - 2 RB Leipzig (October 11)

Rangers 1 - 7 Liverpool (October 12)

UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 4:

Manchester United 1 - 0 Omonia (October 13)

UEFA Europa Conference group stage, matchday 4:

Fiorentina 5 - 1 Hearts (October 13)

Shamrock Rovers 0 - 2 Molde (October 13)

FAI Cup semi-finals (tomorrow):

Derry City [2 - 1] Treaty United

Waterford [0 - 1] Shelbourne

South Challenge Cup, Round Three Two:

Ardour [0 - 3] Glasgow United

Arthurlie [0 - 3] Irvine Meadow XI

Ashfield [2 - 0] Thorn Athletic

Beith [3 - 4] Largs Thistle

Benburb [1 - 4] Rutherglen Glencairn

Glasgow Perthshire [1 - 5] Kilwinning Rangers

Glendale [1 - 3] Yoker Athletic

Harmony Row [0 - 1] Neilston

Johnstone Burgh [3 - 1] Campbeltown Pupils

Kilbirnie Ladeside [2 - 4] Drumchapel United

Maryhill [5 - 1] St Roch's

Petershill [1 - 2] Vale of Clyde

Pollok [2 - 4] Clydebank

Rossvale 2 - 1 Irvine Victoria (yesterday)

Saltcoats Victoria [1 - 3] Renfrew

St Cadoc's [3 - 0] BSC Glasgow

Canadian Premier League semi-finals, first leg:

Cavalry [1 - 1] Forge

Pacific [0 - 2] Atletico Ottawa

HFX Wanderers have fired Stephen Hart. Wheeldon at Cavalry and Smyniotis at Forge are the only original head coaches left.

Iida Kodai is without a club again. He only made 2 starts for RANS Nusantara but scored 1 goal.

HFX Wanderers versus everyone else all-time, league, cup and playoff, by goal difference:

Valour FC             15    8    2    5    12    10    +2    

Guelph United        1    1    0    0      2      0    +2    

FC Edmonton       12    5    3    4    15    14    +1    

Atlético Ottawa     11    4    2    5    15    14    +1    

AS Blainville           1    1    0    0      2      1    +1    

Vaughan Azzurri     2    1    0    1      3      3      0    

Ottawa Fury           2    0    1    1      4      5     -1    

Toronto FC             1    0    0    1      1      2     -1    

York9/United         15    4    8    3    19    21    -2    

CF Montréal           1    0    0    1      1      3     -2    

Pacific FC             14    4    4    6    13    20     -7    

Cavalry FC           14    1    5    8      7    18    -11    

Forge FC              16    2    6    8     11   25    -14

Historical matches:

October 15, 1966    Queen of the South 2 - 5 Morton

October 15, 1977    Arbroath 1 - 2 Morton

Goals by George Anderson and Andy Ritchie.

Port Glasgow Athletic 1888-89:

1889/6/8        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Kilmarnock

1889/5/18      Morton 7 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    ["sixth occasion"]

1889/5/11      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 4 Shettleston

1889/5/4        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Glasgow Thistle

1889/4/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Cowlairs

1889/4/20      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Morton

1889/3/16      1st RRV 3 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/3/16      Clydebank 10 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/3/9        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 4 Dykebar

1889/3/2        Morton 1 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/2/23      Victoria (Port Glasgow) 2 - 3 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/2/23      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Renfrew

1889/2/23      Rangers 2 - 5 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/1/19      St Mirren 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/1/12      Ayr FC 8? - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1889/1/5        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 1st RRV

1888/12/29    Abercorn 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/12/15    Albion Rovers 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/12/1      Celtic Crusaders 5 - 3 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/12/1      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Celtic

1888/11/24    Port Glasgow Athletic 0 - 6 Partick Thistle        hard to make out

1888/11/17    Renfrew 4 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R2

1888/11/10    Kilmarnock 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/11/3      Dykebar Swifts 3 - 2 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/10/27    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 2 Greenock Rangers    RCup R1

1888/10/20    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Jamestown

1888/10/13    Port Glasgow Athletic 9 - 2 Woodvale

1888/10/6      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 Clydebank

1888/9/29      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 2 St Mirren    2nd XI Cup R2

1888/9/29      Dykebar 0 - 6 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/9/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 Northern

1888/9/8        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Neilston    2nd XI Cup R1

1888/9/8        1st RRV 5 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/9/1        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 7 Morton    SCup R1

1888/8/25      Morton 7 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic     

1888/8/18      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Carfin Shamrock

1888/8/11      Thistle 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

May 18th was reported to be the sixth meeting between Port Glasgow and Morton, but I've only found five of them.

I don't know what to make of all the activity on February 23rd.

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup and 2nd XI Cup.)

Port Glasgow Town Buildings

The Port Glasgow Town Buildings go back to 1816, making them way older than Greenock's. Source.

Morton (7th) host Hamilton Accies (9th). Their first meeting July 30th ended in a 1 - 1 draw. Morton have only scored 9 goals so far, but Hamilton have only scored 7.

Morton have not defeated Hamilton at Cappielow since 1999.

It's the beginning of the second quarter of 2022-23. If Morton stay to form they will end up with 44 points, 4 more than last season.

[Morton win 5 - 0. Goals by Baird, Kabia, Gillespie, and Muirhead (x2). That makes up for last week.]

The other Championship matches:

Inverness CT (4th) 1 - 0 Partick Thistle (1st) (last night)

Arbroath (10th) [1 - 1] Dundee (5th)

Ayr United (3rd) [5 - 0] Queen's Park (2nd)

Raith Rovers (8th) [3 - 0] Cove Rangers (6th)

Other matches:

UCD 0 - 2 Sligo Rovers (yesterday)

FC Dordrecht 3 - 0 PEC Zwolle (yesterday)

Bo'ness United [1 - 2] Gala Fairydean Rovers

Forres Mechanics 4 - 2 Wick Academy (October 5)

Formartine United [2 - 0] Forres Mechanics (today)

Clydebank [3 - 2] Largs Thistle

FC Isle of Man [0 - 1] Padiham

FC Edinburgh [2 - 1] Morton Women (tomorrow) [League Cup R2]

Montedio Yamagata [0 - 0] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

Waseda University [0 - 1] Toyo University (tomorrow)

Forge [1 - 0] HFX Wanderers (tomorrow)

This ends HFX Wanderers' season. [They finish seventh.] Ottawa, Pacific, Forge and Cavalry go into the playoffs, which start next week.

FC Laval are PLSQ champions and will go to the 2023 Canadian Championship.

Zurich [0 - 0] Winterthur (tomorrow)

Kryvbas KV [0 - 0] Minaj (tomorrow)

UEFA Champions League group stage, matchday 3:

Liverpool 2 - 0 Rangers (October 4)

RB Leipzig 3 - 1 Celtic (October 5)

UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 3:

Omonia 2 - 3 Manchester United (October 6)

UEFA Europa Conference group stage, matchday 3:

Hearts 0 - 3 Fiorentina (October 6)

Molde 3 - 0 Shamrock Rovers (October 6)

None of our teams are doing well in the group stage.

Morton after nine league matches:

2022-23    9    3    2    4      9    13      -4    11    7th

2021-22    9    1    3    5      7    14      -7      6    9th

2020-21    9    4    2    3      9    12      -2    14    5th

2019-20    9    3    1    5    11    21    -10    10    8th

2018-19    9    3    4    2    11    12      -1    13    6th

2017-18    9    4    2    3    12      9     +2    14    5th

2016-17    9    3    3    3    13    12     +1    12    6th

2015-16    9    2    4    3      9    12      -3    10    6th

Historical matches:

October 4, 1966    Morton 9 - 1 Stenhousemuir

October 8, 1966    Morton 1 - 0 Raith Rovers

October 5, 1977    Hearts 3 - 0 Morton

League Cup Round Three, first leg.

October 8, 1977    Morton 5 - 3 Hearts

League match. Morton goals by McGhee (2), Roddy Hutchison, and Goldthorp (2).

Port Glasgow Athletic 1887-88:

1888/5/26      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Hibs

1888/5/19      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Dumbarton

1888/5/5        Port Glasgow Athletic vs Dykebar            [very smudgy]

1888/4/7        Port Glasgow Athletic 9 - 1 Battlefield

1888/4/x        Port Glasgow Athletic scr/wo 1st RRV    G&DCCup R1

1888/3/24      Albion Rovers 3 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/3/3        1st RRV 5 - 7 Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/2/11      Abercorn 4 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup SF

1888/1/28      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Queen's Park (scratch team)

1888/1/14      St Mirren Strollers 3 - 0 2nd Port Glasgow Athletic

1888/1/14      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 0 St Mirren

1888/1/7        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 2nd Partick Thistle

1888/1/7        Partick Thistle vs Port Glasgow Athletic    [very blurry]

1887/12/24    2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Dumbarton Rangers

1887/12/24    Dumbarton 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/12/17    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Hearts

1887/12/10    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 0 Renfrew    RCup R3

1887/12/3      Greenock Rangers 3 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/11/26    2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 4 Rangers Swifts

1887/11/26    Rangers 6 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/11/19    bye        RCup R2

1887/11/19    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 2nd Athletic

1887/11/12    Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 1st RRV

1887/11/5      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 2nd Hibs

1887/11/5      Hibs 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/10/29    Abercorn 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    2nd XI Cup R3 replay

1887/10/29    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 0 Paisley Athletic    friendly

1887/10/29    Port Glasgow Athletic wo/scr Paisley Athletic    RCup R1

1887/10/22    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 5 Abercorn    2nd XI Cup R3

1887/10/15    Ayr FC 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    SCup R3

1887/10/8      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Partick Thistle

1887/10/1      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Renfrew    SCup R2 replay

1887/10/1      bye        2nd XI Cup R2

1887/9/24      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 13 - 1 2nd Greenock Rangers

1887/9/24      Renfrew 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic    SCup R2

1887/9/17      Dumbarton Athletic 3 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/9/10      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 0 Arthurlie    2nd XI Cup R1

1887/9/10      St Mirren 6 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1887/8/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 11 - 0 Greenock Rangers    SCup R1

1887/8/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Ayr FC

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup, Greenock and District Charity Cup and 2nd XI Cup.)

Port Glasgow Model Yacht Club Challenge Medal

The Port Glasgow Model Yacht Club Challenge Medal. Read about it here.

It's Round Three of the 2022-23 Scottish Challenge Cup, when Morton and the rest of the Championship enter the fray. They are joined by four cross-border clubs: Linfield and Clintonville from Northern Ireland, and The New Saints and Caernarfon Town from Wales.

The New Saints have been here four times before, the most of any cross-border team. They've played Forfar, Livingston (twice), St Mirren, Elgin, Queen of the South, Dumbarton, Queen's Park and Stenhousemuir. But to The New Saints the Challenge Cup is a mere amuse-bouche compared to UEFA competition, where TNS have played three dozen foreign clubs.

Linfield appeared in the 2016-17 cup when they faced Queen of the South, and 2017-18 when they played The Spartans and Dundee United.

Neither Cliftonville nor Caernarfon Town have been here before.

Livingston have had the most games against cross-border clubs: three for their first team (against Crusaders, and twice against The New Saints) plus one for their colt squad (against Sligo Rovers). Queen of the South and Rangers colts have each played three cross-border opponents. Morton have yet to meet even one.

Altogether in this round there are ten Championship clubs, ten from League One, three from League Two, three colt teams, two Highland League teams, two teams from Northern Ireland and two from Wales. Two of the colt teams, Rangers B and Celtic B, play in the Lowland League as guest clubs, and the third, Kilmarnock B, are in the Reserve League.

Colt teams were introduced into the Scottish Challenge Cup and the EFL Trophy in the very same month of August 2016, a pure coincidence.

Last year under manager Gus MacPherson Morton made it to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2014.

I can't think of the last time Morton played on a Thursday.

The matches:

Morton [1 - 1] Ayr United (today) [Morton win on PK. Lewis McGregor was the Morton goalscorer. Gillespie, Blues, Muirhead, Kabia and Grimshaw scored in the shootout.]

Not Ayr again. Morton draw a Championship opponent, and still have not faced a club outwith* the Scottish association.

*Scots for "from outside of".

Queen of the South [4 - 0] FC Edinburgh (today)

An all League One match.

Alloa [1 - 0] Airdrieonians (tomorrow)

Another all League One match.

Annan [1 - 2] Kelty Hearts (tomorrow)

The New Saints [0 - 3] Dundee (tomorrow)

Falkirk [2 - 0] Partick Thistle (tomorrow)

These two deserve each other.

Buckie Thistle [1 - 2] Linfield (September 24)

Buckie dress like Celtic, Linfield dress like Rangers.

Clyde [1 - 0] Caernarfon Town (September 24)

The chances of this pairing ever happening again are astronomical to one.

Peterhead [0 - 4] Elgin (September 24)

Cove Rangers [0 - 1] Raith Rovers (September 24)

Another all Championship match.

Arbroath [2 - 1] East Fife (September 24)

Inverness CT [3 - 3] Brechin (September 24) [ICT win on PK.]

Montrose [4 - 2] Kilmarnock B (September 24)

Cliftonville [2 - 3] Queen's Park (September 25)

At Solitude. Queen's Park have also played Connah's Quay Nomads and The New Saints in this cup.

Rangers B vs Hamilton Accies (November 8)

Dunfermline vs Celtic B (November 15)

These Old Firm colts just think they can play whenever.

Other matches (September 24 unless otherwise indicated):

Stranraer 3 - 2 Dumbarton (September 20)

HFX Wanderers vs Pacific (September 25) (postponed)

PLSQ: Royal-Sélect de Beauport [2 - 3] CS St-Laurent

Banks O' Dee [2 - 0] Forres Mechanics

[Irvine Meadow 1 - 1 Largs Thistle (September 24)]

Morton Women [3 - 3] Dryburgh Athletic (September 25)

Irlam 3 - 1 FC Isle of Man (September 20)

Isle of Man sit 15th in the NWCFL Premier.

FC Isle of Man [3 - 1] Lower Breck (FA Vase 2QR)

Bogolle.D.Tsugaru [3 - 0] Saruta FC

[Bogolle are safe from relegation. Coboltore Onagawa win the league.]

Arista Asama and Fukuyama City have won their leagues. [BTOP Thank Kuriyama have won the Hokkaido league.]

WE League Cup: Elfen Saitama [0 - 2] Urawa Reds (September 25)

Scottish Junior Cup, Round Two (mostly September 24):

Arthurlie [4 - 0] Lugar Boswell Thistle

Beith Juniors [2 - 0] Hermes

Cumnock Juniors [1 - 1] Ashfield {Cumnock win on PK.]

Darvel [10 - 1] Glentanar

Glasgow Perthshire [1 - 2] Kilbirnie Ladeside

Greenock Juniors [1 - 5] Rutherglen Glencairn

Hurlford [7 - 0] Dundee Downfield

Kirkkintilloch Rob Roy [3 - 0] Dundee North End

Larkhall Thistle [3 - 1] Benburb

Petershill 1 - 1 Irvine Meadow XI (Petershill win on PK.) (September 16)

Rossvale [2 - 4] Auchinleck Talbot

Rothie Rovers [1 - 5] Glenafton Athletic

Troon vs Irvine Victoria [postponed]

And many others.

The Canadian Premier League is going to reward regular season champions and playoff champions from here on and retroactively to the founding of the league. The regular season champions so far are:

2019    Cavalry

2020    Cavalry

2021    Forge

Playoff winners so far are:

2019    Forge

2020    Forge

2021    Pacific

Historical matches:

September 21, 1966    Aberdeen 3 - 0 Morton

This was the second leg of their League Cup quarter-final. Aberdeen won 4 - 3 on aggregate and advanced to the semifinals. Morton's undefeated streak ends at 12 games.

September 24, 1966    Third Lanark 1 - 1 Morton

This was Morton's final match at Cathkin Park.

September 24, 1977    St Johnstone 1 - 3 Morton

Goals by McGhee and Ritchie (2).

Port Glasgow Athletic 1885-86

1886/5/29      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 4 Dennistoun Athletic

1886/5/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Kilmarnock

1886/5/15      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 0 Cambuslang

1886/5/8        Strathmore (Dundee) 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/5/1        Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 2 Ayr FC

1886/4/24      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 11 - 1 2nd Cambuslang

1886/4/24      Cambuslang 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/4/17      Port Glasgow Athletic  3 - 3 Abercorn

1886/4/10      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Thornliebank

1886/4/3        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 2nd Abercorn

1886/3/27      Rangers 5 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    2nd XI Cup SF

1886/3/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 5 Partick Thistle

1886/3/20      Abercorn 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup final

1886/3/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Arthurlie

1886/3/6        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Annbank    2nd XI Cup R4

1886/2/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Neilston    RCup SF

1886/2/20      Northern 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1886/2/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 2 St Mirren

1886/2/6        Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 2 Hibs    2nd XI Cup R3

1886/1/30      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 St Mirren

1886/1/23      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 St Mirren (protested)    RCup R3

1886/1/16      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Rangers

1885/12/26    Third Lanark 4 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    SCup R5 replay

1885/12/19    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Third Lanark    SCup R5

1885/12/12    Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 0 Neilston    2nd XI Cup R2

1885/11/21    Port Glasgow Athletic 13 - 1 Waterloo    RCup R2

1885/11/14    St Mirren 5 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/11/14    bye    SCup R4

1885/10/31    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Cartvale    SCup R3

1885/10/?      Lanemark L - W Port Glasgow Athletic    2nd XI Cup R1

1885/10/10    Neilston 0 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    SCup R2 replay

1885/10/3      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Neilston    SCup R2

1885/9/26      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 0 Woodvale (Thornliebank)

1885/9/19      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 5 2nd Airdrieonians

1885/9/19      Airdrieonians 5 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/9/12      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 1 1st Renfrewshire RV    SCup R1

1885/9/5        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Arthurlie    score uncertain

1885/8/29      Abercorn vs Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/8/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 1 Wishaw Swifts

Port Glasgow Athletic received more of the Glasgow Herald's attention than did Morton this season.

It isn't till 1886 that the Herald begins to sort football scores into Scottish, English and rugby categories.

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup and 2nd XI Cup; Glasgow Herald for friendlies. Several Monday Heralds are missing.)