Plenty of Nothing

2022-23 Scottish Cup Final

ICT on their 2015 cup run. Source.

It's the 2022-23 Scottish Cup final: Celtic versus Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Inverness CT have reached the final only once before, in 2015, and they won, after having first beaten Celtic in the semi-final. Celtic and Caley Thistle have met in the Scottish Cup seven times before today, and Inverness have prevailed three times. (But, to be fair, Celtic met Inverness Caledonian in 1930 and Inverness Thistle in 1985 and beat them both 6 - 0.)

If ICT win they will draw even with St Johnstone, who have two Scottish Cups from two Scottish Cup finals. And even if they lose they will have done in 30 years what it has taken Morton 150 to do, namely, become Scottish Cup champions once and runners-up once. If they win they will be the first club outside the top division to do it since Hibs in 2015-16 and only the fourth overall.

If Celtic win they will have completed their eighth domestic treble, which would be a world record. They won the League Cup on February 26th, and the league title on May 7th.

[Celtic 3 - 1 Inverness CT]

Scottish Junior Cup final (yesterday):

Cumnock Juniors 1 - 0 Rutherglen Glencairn

Premiership playoff final:

Partick Thistle 2 - 0 Ross County (June 1)

Ross County [3 - 1] Partick Thistle (tomorrow)

[Ross County win on PK and stay up.]

Canadian Premier League:

The CPL season is 1/4 done. HFX Wanderers are seventh with 6 draws and 1 loss. If they continue in their present form they will finish the season with 24 draws and 4 losses. The current record for draws in a season is 12, held by York United.

Atlético Ottawa [2 - 0] HFX Wanderers

Other matches:

ProStars 2 - 0 Scrosoppi (May 30)

UCD 1 - 3 St. Patrick's (yesterday)

St Catharines Roma [1 - 2] Scrosoppi (yesterday)

NPL2 Vic: Preston Lions 2 - 1 Dandenong City (yesterday)

Sanfrecce Hiroshima [1 - 0] Elfen Saitama (yesterday)

Minaj [0 - 3] Zorya Luhansk (tomorrow)

This ends the Ukrainian Premier League schedule. [Minaj finish 10th out of 16.]

There was brawl at a Turkish hotel back in February between FC Minaj players and players from Russian club Shinnick Yaroslavl. Read.

Omiya Ardija [1 - 2] Mito HollyHock

Suzuka Point Getters [0 - 4] Honda FC

Blancdieu Hirosaki [16 - 0] Morioka Zebra (tomorrow)

Wyvern vs Fujieda City Hall (tomorrow) [postponed]

Swiss Cup (tomorrow):

BSC Young Boys [3 - 2] Lugano

2023 Concacaf Champions League final:

First leg (May 31): 

León 2 - 1 Los Angeles FC

Second leg (tomorrow): 

Los Angeles FC [0 - 1] León

2023 UEFA Europa League final (May 31):

Sevilla 1 - 1 Roma    (Sevilla win on PK.)

Mortonalia:

Jai Quitongo has signed on for next season.

Morton will vote No to the Scottish Conference League when the SFA clubs meet Tuesday.

Dumbartonalia:

Broomhill will be groundsharing at Dumbarton Stadium next season, which means Rangers B will not.

How did the 2022-23 Championship clubs fare in the cups?

                        Scottish Cup     League Cup    Challenge Cup        score

Inverness CT        [F]                     R2                   QF                       [10]

Hamilton               R5                     GS                   winner                  9

Raith Rovers        QF                     GS                   F                           9

Dundee                R4                      QF                   SF                        8

Partick Thistle      R5                      QF                   R3                        6

Arbroath               R4                     R2                    QF                        6

Morton                  R4                     GS                   QF                        5

Ayr United            QF                     GS                   R3                        5

Queen's Park       R4                      GS                   QF                       5

Cove Rangers      R4                     GS                   R3                        3

scoring: Scottish Cup R4 = 1, R5 = 2, QF = 3, SF = 4, F = 5, winner = 6; League Cup GS = 1, R2 = 2, QF = 3; Challenge Cup R3 = 1, R4 = 2, QF = 3, SF = 4, F = 5, winner = 6

Championship versus Premiership 2022-23:

2022/7/9        St Mirren 0 - 1 Arbroath    LCup GS

2022/7/12      Livingston 1 - 2 Inverness CT    LCup GS

2022/7/13      Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Partick Thistle (Partick won on PK)    LCup GS

2022/7/16      Cove Rangers 1 - 2 Livingston    LCup GS

2022/7/20      Hibs 0 - 3 Morton (awarded)   LCup GS

2022/7/23      St Johnstone 1 - 0 Ayr United    LCup GS

2022/7/24      Aberdeen 3 - 0 Raith Rovers    LCup GS

2022/8/31      Motherwell 4 - 0 Inverness CT    LCup R2

2022/10/19    Rangers 1 - 0 Dundee    LCup QF

2022/10/19    Aberdeen 4 - 1 Partick Thistle    LCup QF

2023/1/21      Arbroath 0 - 2 Motherwell    SCup R4

2023/1/21      St Mirren 0 - 0 Dundee (St Mirren won on PK)    SCup R4

2023/1/21      Hamilton 0 - 0 Ross County (Accies won on PK)    SCup R4

2023/1/21      Celtic 5 - 0 Morton    SCup R4

2023/2/10      Hamilton 0 - 2 Hearts    SCup R5

2023/2/11      Raith Rovers vs Motherwell    SCup R5

2023/2/11      Livingston vs Inverness CT    SCup R5

2023/2/12      Rangers vs Partick Thistle    SCup R5

2023/3/10      Inverness CT 2 - 1 Kilmarnock    SCup QF

2023/6/3        Celtic vs Inverness CT    SCup final

Which Scottish clubs have played the most playoff games?

32        New Airdrieonians

30        Queen's Park

28        Alloa

26        Cowdenbeath

24        Brechin

22        Stranraer

Historical matches:

1944/6/3        Raith Rovers 1 - 2 Morton    Summer Cup R1, first leg

When World War Two broke out the powers that be hastily cancelled all football. But they soon came around to the view that instead of no football there should be as much a possible, even in the close season. Hence the Summer Cup, which was played in June throughout the war, sometimes beginning in May and sometimes ending in July.

It was to be a busy week. The Allies entered Rome on June 4th, and invaded Normandy on June 6th.

North American Soccer League:

1967/5/31      Hibs 1 - 2 Aberdeen

1967/6/4        ADO Den Haag 0 - 2 Hibs

Early Glasgow football clubs with compass point names in the Scottish Cup:

Southern FC in the Scottish Cup:

1873/10/25    R1    3rd LRV wo/scr Southern

Western FC in the Scottish Cup:

1873/10/25    R1    Western 0 - 1 Byythswood

1874/10/24    R1    Western 0 - 1 Queen's Park

1875/10/23    R1    Caledonian 0 - 0 Western

1875/10/30    R1    Caledonian 0 - 3 Western

1875/11/6      R2    Western 3 - 0 Sandyford

1875/11/27    R3    Western 3 - 0 Helensburgh

1875/12/18    QF    3rd LRV 5 - 0 Western

1876/9/30      R1    Govan wo/scr Western

Eastern FC in the Scottish Cup:

1873/10/18    R1    Eastern 4 - 0 Rovers

1873/11/22    R2    Queen's Park 1 - 0 Eastern

1874/10/17    R1    Eastern 3 - 0  23rd Renfrewshire RV

1874/11/21    R2    Kilmarnock 0 - 3 Eastern

1874/12/26    R3    Renton 1 - 0 Eastern

1875/10/16    R1    Clydesdale 1 - 0 Eastern

1876/9/30      R1    Alexandra Athletic 1 - 1 Eastern

1876/10/7      R1    Eastern 2 - 0 Alexandra Athletic (protested)

1876/10/14    R1    Alexandra Athletic 1 - 0 Eastern

South Western FC in the Scottish Cup:

1876/9/30      R1    1st LRV 0 - 1 South Western

1876/10/28    R2    South Western 0 - 2 Dumbreck

1877/9/29      R1    South Western 8 - 0 Our Boys

1877/10/27    R2    South Western 2 - 0 Havelock

1877/11/10    R3    South Western 4 - 0  1st LRV

1877/12/1      R4    South Western 5 - 0 Glengowan

1877/12/29    R5    Hibs 1 - 3 South Western

1878/1/12      QF    South Western 1 - 0  3rd LRV (protested)

1878/1/19      QF    South Western 1 - 2  3rd LRV

1878/10/5      R1    South Western 2 - 0 Caledonian

1878/10/19    R2    South Western 5 - 0 Petershill (protested)

1878/10/26    R2    South Western 8 - 0 Petershill

1878/11/2      R3    3rd LRV 2 - 1 South Western

1879/9/20      R1    Whiteinch scr/wo South Western

1879/10/11    R2    South Western 9 - 0 Athole

1879/11/1      R3    South Western 2 - 1 John Elder

1879/11/22    R4    South Western 4 - 0 Arbroath

1879/12/27    R5    Parkgrove 2 - 3 South Western

1880/1/3        QF    Pollokshields Athletic 6 - 1 South Western

1880/9/11      R1    South Western 7 - 0 Ingram

1880/10/9      R2    South Western 2 - 0 Partick

1880/10/23    R3    bye

1880/11/13    R4    Arthurlie 4 - 3 South Western (protested)

1880/11/27    R4    Arthurlie 2 - 1 South Western

1881/9/17      R1    South Western wo/scr Jordanhill

1881/10/1      R2    Eastern Athletic scr/wo South Western

1881/11/5      R3    South Western 1 - 0 Partick

1881/11/12    R4    bye

1881/12/3      R5    South Western 1 - 2 Rangers (protested)

1881/12/24    R5    Rangers 4 - 0 South Western

1882/9/9        R1    South Western 0 - 3  3rd LRV

1883/9/8        R1    Battlefield 8 - 1 South Western

Northern FC in the Scottish Cup:

1875/10/16    R1    Northern 4 - 0 Ramblers

1875/11/6      R2    Queen's Park 5 - 0 Northern

1876/9/30      R1    Northern 12 - 0 Telegraphers

1876/10/21    R2    Northern 4 - 0 Alexandra Athletic

1876/11/11    R3    St Clement 1 - 2 Northern

1876/12/2      R4    Queen's Park 4 - 0 Northern

1877/9/29      R1    Northern 3 - 0 Pollokshields Athletic

1877/10/20    R2    Northern 1 - 2 Sandyford

1878/9/28      R1    Northern 2 - 2 Partick

1878/10/5      R1    Partick 2 - 0 Northern

1879/9/20      R1    Northern 3 - 0 Thistle

1879/10/11    R2    Whitefield 3 - 1 Northern (protested)

1879/10/25    R2    Northern wo/scr Whitefield

1879/11/1      R3    Pollokshields Athletic 2 - 1 Northern

1880/9/11      R1    Northern 3 - 1  3rd LRV

1880/10/2      R2    Northern 0 - 1 Rangers

1881/9/10      R1    Battlefield 1 - 3 Northern

1881/10/1      R2    Luton 1 - 9 Northern

1881/10/22    R3    Northern 1 - 2 Clyde

1882/9/16      R1    1st LRV 0 - 4 Northern

1882/9/30      R2    Northern 0 - 0 Pollokshields Athletic

1882/10/7      R3    Pollokshields 4 - 0 Northern

1883/9/8        R1    Northern 0 - 1 Rangers

1884/9/13      R1    Northern 6 - 4 Glasgow University YMCA

1884/10/4      R2    Granton 1- 3 Northern

1884/10/25    R3    Renton 9 - 2 Northern

1885/9/12      R1    Northern 4 - 1 Linthouse

1885/10/3      R2    Northern 7 - 2 Whitefield

1885/10/24    R3    Cowlairs 2 - 1 Northern

1886/9/11      R1    Northern 1 - 4  3rd LRV

1887/9/3        R1    Northern 5 - 1 Govan Athletic

1887/9/24      R2    Northern 6 - 3 Shettleston

1887/10/15    R1    Northern 3 - 4 Albion Rovers

1888/9/8        R1    Northern 2 - 3 Queen's Park

1889/9/7        R1    Whitefield 0 - 5 Northern

1889/9/28      R2    Clyde 1 - 2 Northern

1889/10/19    R3    Northern 2 - 1 Carfin Shamrock (abandoned)

1889/11/2      R3    Northern 3 - 4 Carfin Shamrock

1890/9/6        R1    Northern 5 - 0 Clydesdale (protested)

1890/9/20      R1    Northern 7 - 1 Clydesdale

1890/9/27      R2    Queen's Park 5 - 1 Northern

1891/11/28    R1    Broxburn Shamrock 7 - 2 Northern

1892/11/26    R1    Northern 1 - 3 Leith Athletic

1893/9/2      PR1   Northern 0 - 3 Wishaw Thistle

1894/9/1      PR1   Northern 3 - 3 Gordon Highlanders

1894/9/8      PR1   Northern 4 - 1 Gordon Highlanders

1894/9/22    PR2   Hamilton Harp 0 - 0 Northern

1894/9/29    PR2   Northern 4 - 1 Hamilton Harp

1894/10/13  PR3   bye

1894/11/3    PR4   Forfar 4 - 0 Northern

1895/8/31    QC1   Hamilton Harp 5 - 2 Northern

1896/8/29    QC1   Wishaw Thistle wo/scr Northern

(Source: The Beautiful Dribbling Game)

The Red and the Black, Part Vancouver

I was all set to dislike Vancouver FC based purely on their colourless black home kit, but then they unveiled their away strip and -- it's Dennis the Menace. Source.

Morton host Queen's Park. QP are second in the Championship with 58 points, Morton sixth with 51 points. Despite their relative positions Morton have dominated QP this season, taking two wins and a draw.

Morton's path to the playoffs basically involves winning both remaining games while Partick and Ayr lose theirs.

If Queen's Park mean to finish top of the Championship they must win today. Queen's Park held first place for twelve consecutive weeks but gave it up to Dundee on April 8th. A win today will put them in first place.

Regardless of the results this weekend and next Morton have had a winning season, their first since 2018.

Declan McManus has won the Cymru Premier League scoring title for the second consecutive year.

[Morton win 2 - 1. Goals by Gillespie and Robbie Crawford.]

The other Championship matches:

Dundee (1st) 0 - 0 Cove Rangers (10th) (last night)

Partick (4th) [2 - 0] Arbroath (8th)

Ayr United (5th) [1 - 0] Raith Rovers (7th)*

*This is a Plenty of Nothing Championship Consolation Cup quarter-final.

It's the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

Falkirk [0 - 3] Inverness CT

Rangers [0 - 1] Celtic (tomorrow)

Celtic have won the Cup 40 times, Rangers 34, Falkirk twice and Inverness CT once. ICT are in this after being awarded a fourth round win over Queen's Park after the latter fielded an ineligible player.

Other times in the 21st Century that the Scottish Cup semi-finals included two teams outwith the Premiership:

2001-02        Partick Thistle and Ayr United

2005-06        Dundee and Gretna

2007-08        St Johnstone and Queen of the South

2009-10        Ross County and Raith Rovers

2014-15        Hibs and Falkirk

2015-16        Rangers and Hibs

Has any team beaten both Old Firm clubs on the way to winning the Scottish Cup?

In 1901-02 Hibs beat Rangers in the semi-finals and Celtic in the final.

In 1925-26 St Mirren beat Rangers in the semi-finals and Celtic in the final.

In 1928-29 Kilmarnock beat Celtic in the semi-finals and Rangers in the final.

In the 1955-56 cup Hearts beat Rangers in the quarter-finals and Celtic in the final.

The last time each 2022-23 Championship team played Rangers:

2023/3/12        Rangers 3 - 0 Raith Rovers       SCup QF

2023/2/12        Rangers 3 - 2 Partick Thistle     SCup R5

2022/10/19      Rangers 1 - 0 Dundee               LCup QF

2021/4/4          Rangers 4 - 0 Cove Rangers    SCup R3

2021/2/7          Hamilton 1 - 1 Rangers             Premiership

2018/9/26        Rangers 4 - 0 Ayr United           LCup QF

2017/2/24        Inverness CT 2 - 1 Rangers    Premiership

2017/2/12        Rangers 2 - 1 Morton                SCup R5

2014/8/26        Queen's Park 1 - 2 Rangers      LCup R1

2014/3/23        Arbroath 1 - 2 Rangers              League One

It's the pyramid playoff, first leg:

The Spartans [1 - 0] Brechin City

Brechin are attempting to reenter the SPFL after an absence of two years. You'll recall that they were in the Championship as recently as 2017-18. They're the only one of the four clubs relegated out of the SPFL to have made a serious effort to get back in, and there's a lot of public sentiment in their favour on account of that hedge.

The Spartans have won the Lowland League three times now, but this is their first trip to the pyramid playoffs.

So far this season the Highland League is ahead in head-to-head games with the Lowland League.

2022/9/16      Broomhill (LL) 3 - 2 Brora (HL)    SCup R1

2022/9/17      Formartine (HL) 3 - 1 East Stirlingshire (LL)    SCup R1

2022/9/17      Civil Service Strollers (LL) 1 - 2 Fraserburgh (HL)    SCup R1

2022/9/17      Deveronvale (HL) 2 - 4 East Kilbride (LL)    SCup R1

2022/10/22    Buckie Thistle (HL) 1 - 3 Broomhill (LL)    SCup R2

Who beat Brechin this season?

2022/9/24      Inverness CT 3 - 3 Brechin (ICT won on PK)    Challenge Cup R3

2022/10/22    Brechin 2 - 2 Stirling Albion (Stirling won on PK)    Scottish Cup R2

2023/2/22      Formartine 2 - 0 Brechin    Highland League

2023/3/4        Inverurie Loco Works 2 - 0 Brechin    Highland League Cup

Other matches:

Lowland League Cup, R1:

Gala Fairydean Rovers [2 - 2] Caledonian Braves (Braves win on PK)

This ends Gala's season. They finished twelfth (out of nineteen) in the league.

South Challenge Cup, SF: Gartcairn 0 - 1 Drumchapel United (April 26)

Largs Thistle 1 - 0 Auchinleck Talbot (April 25)

Luzern 3 - 1 Winterthur (April 27)

Winterthur [1 - 4] Basel (tomorrow)

UCD 1 - 1 Bohemians (yesterday)

JEF United [2 - 2] Elfen Saitama

PEC Zwolle 4 - 0 FC Dordrecht (yesterday)

Darby FC [1 - 2] Scrosoppi (yesterday)

Minaj [1 - 1] Metalist 1926

Mito HollyHock [0 - 2] Tokyo Verdy

Honda FC [1 - 1] Tiamo Hirakata

Morioka Zebra [1 - 1] Oshu United

Tokyo United [0 - 3] Tokyo 23 FC (tomorrow)

Yazaki Valente [0 - 2] Fujieda City Hall (tomorrow)

NPL2 Vic: Bulleen Lions [3 - 4] Preston Lions (Monday)

Welsh Cup final (tomorrow):

The New Saints [6 - 0] Bala Town

KNVB Beker final (tomorrow):

Ajax [1 - 1] PSV Eindhoven [PSV win on PK]

Coupe de France final:

Nantes [1 - 5] Toulouse

2022 AFC Champions League final, first leg:

Al-Hilal [1 - 1] Urawa Red Diamonds

2023 Concacaf Champions League, SF, first leg:

UANL 2 - 1 León (April 25)

Philadelphia Union 1 - 1 Los Angeles FC (April 26)

Canada:

HFX Wanderers play their first home game of the season, and their first ever match against Vancouver FC.

[HFX Wanderers 1 - 1 Vancouver. Goal by Collomb.]

If you do a Google search on Vancouver FC almost all results that come back are for Vancouver Whitecaps, so you can imagine a rebranding is in the not so distant future.

Meanwhile, the league has taken over York United.

The Halifax sports calendar falls pretty neatly into Wanderers season and Mooseheads season. But is there ever any overlap?

2019/5/4        first Wanderers home game

2019/5/11      last Mooseheads home game

2019/9/27      first Mooseheads home game

2019/10/9      last Wanderers home game

2021/10/2      first Mooseheads home game

2021/11/7      last Wanderers home game

2022/4/30      first Wanderers home game

2022/5/11      last Mooseheads home game

2022/10/1      last Wanderers home game and first Mooseheads home game

2023/4/29      first Wanderers home game

2023/5/4 at the earliest         last Mooseheads home game

How do Morton tend to finish a Championship season?

  1st

  2nd    2013

  3rd    1996

  4th    2017

  5th    1998, 2016, 2019 [2023]

  6th    1999, 2009

  7th    2011, 2018, 2020, 2022

  8th    1997, 2000, 2008, 2010, 2012

  9th    2001, 2021

10th    2014

They tend to finish eighth.

Historical matches:

April 24, 1967    Queen's Park 1 - 2 Morton

April 29, 1967    Morton 6 - 1 Hamilton Academical

This ends the 1966-67 season. Morton finished in first place with 69 points and a +93 goal difference and were promoted to Division One. If it had been the three-point-win era they would have had 102 points. They allowed only 20 goals in 38 league matches.

April 26, 1978    Morton 3 - 1 Airdrieonians

Goals by Davie Hayes, Goldthorp and Ritchie.

April 29, 1978    Morton 2 - 3 Dundee

Two goals for Russell. This ends the schedule. Morton win the league, beating Hearts on goal difference and Dundee by a point. Morton and Hearts are promoted.

Darvel

Darvel knocked Aberdeen out of the Cup last month. Source.

It's the Scottish Cup, Round Five. Sixteen teams remain: eight from the Premiership, five from the Championship, and one each from League One, League Two, and the West of Scotland League.

The games are:

Hamilton Academical 0 - 2 Heart of Midlothian (last night)

The Accies were in the Challenge Cup just three days before.

Raith Rovers [3 - 1] Motherwell    Upset

This is only their second meeting of the 21st Century in any competition. How come Morton get Motherwell all the time?

Livingston [0 - 3] Inverness CT    Upset

ICT have won two of three Scottish Cup ties against Livi.

Dundee United [0 - 1] Kilmarnock

Dundee United have won three of five Scottish Cup ties against Killie.

Celtic [5 - 1] St Mirren

These two first met in the Cup in 1891 -- Celtic won.

Ayr United [4 - 1] Elgin

Elgin beat Ayr in 1967.

Rangers [3 - 2] Partick Thistle (tomorrow)

These two first met in the Cup in 1880 -- Rangers won.

Darvel [1 - 5] Falkirk (Monday) [Makes Aberdeen look pretty ill.]

This is their first meeting ever. 

Darvel are the giant-killers of the 2022-23 Cup. Their elimination of Aberdeen in Round Four recalls that time in 1959 when Fraserburgh felled Dundee United. Darvel are currently top of the West of Scotland League Premier Division and stand a good chance of earning promotion to the Lowland League in the spring.

Darvel FC has been around since 1889, but it's only the last couple of years that they have challenged to move up the leagues. (See their recent record against Largs Thistle below.) Their current squad includes 14 players with SPFL experience, including Ross Caldwell who played for Morton in 2015.

Darvel is a town on the River Irvine in Ayrshire. Paddling upriver from the coast you meet Irvine, Crosshouse, Kilmarnock, Hurlford, Galston, Newmilns, and Darvel. Irvine, Hurlford and Darvel all have teams in the West of Scotland League Premier Division.

In the Championship:

Morton vs Queen's Park

Morton and Queen's Park make up a fixture postponed from December 17th. Queen's Park are first in the Championship with 43 points, Morton seventh with 31. Morton are eight games without a win (3D 5L). But a win today would vault them into fourth place.

In head-to-head action Morton are historically the better team. (See below.)

Queen's Park are playing a league match instead of the Scottish Cup because they fielded an ineligible player in the last round and the match was awarded to ICT.

[Each side has an Oakley playing for it: George for Morton and Marcel for Queen's park.]

After today Morton have 8 home games and 5 away games remaining.

[Morton win 3 - 2. Goals by Oakley (twice) and Baird.]

Dundee [3 - 0] Cove Rangers (tomorrow)

Also postponed from December 17th.

The Scottish Challenge Cup semi-finals were held midweek:

Hamilton Academical 2 - 1 Queen of the South (February 7)

Dundee 2 - 2 Raith Rovers (February 8)    Raith won on PK.

Each of the semi-finalists has won the cup twice, except for Raith who have won it two and a half times.

It's also the Scottish Junior Cup quarter-finals:

Bellshill Athletic [0 - 4] Glenafton Athletic

Dundee East Craigie [2 - 1] Shotts Bon Accord

Hurlford United [1 - 2] Cumnock Juniors

Larkhall Thistle [1 - 2] Rutherglen Glencairn

Other matches:

Gala Fairydean Rovers 0 - 2 Tranent (February 7)

Gala Fairydean Rovers [0 - 2] East Stirlingshire (today)

Forres Mechanics [1 - 2] Banks O' Dee

FC Isle of Man [4 - 1] Irlam

Largs Thistle [5 - 0] Arthurlie

Zurich [1 - 1] Winterthur (tomorrow)

PEC Zwolle 4 - 1 Jong AZ (yesterday)

The FIFA Club World Cup has been going on this week:

Round One (February 1):

Al Ahly 3 - 0 Auckland City

Round Two (February 4):

Seattle Sounders 0 - 1 Al Ahly

Wydad Casablanca 1 - 1 Al-Hilal (Al-Hilal won on PK)

Semi-finals (February 7 and 8):

Flamengo 2 - 3 Al-Hilal

Al Ahly 1 - 4 Real Madrid

Final (today):

Real Madrid [5 - 3] Al-Hilal

Japan Super Cup:

Yokohama F. Marinos [2 - 1] Ventforet Kofu

The Japanese soccer season begins. This year for the first time there could be relegation from J3 to the JFL. How that works: If both of the top two 2023 JFL finishers have the necessary licenses, then the top JFL club will go up and the bottom J3 club will go down, while the second JFL club and the second-last J3 club have a playoff. If the top JFL club has a license but the second-place club does not, then only the top JFL club and the bottom J3 club will change places. If only the second-place JFL club has a license, then that club will play the bottom J3 club in a playoff. If neither of the top two JFL has a license then there is no promotion/relegation. 100-Year Plan status is no longer a criterion for promotion.

Canada:

HFX Wanderers have signed French forward Théo Collomb from Vancouver Whitecaps.

Vancouver FC's stadium is pretty much copied off the Wanderers Ground. Source.

Historical matches:

February 11, 1967    Albion Rovers 0 - 1 Morton

February 5, 1978    Albion Rovers 0 - 1 Morton

Scottish Cup, Round Three. Goal by Ritchie.

How Darvel got here:

2022/8/27      PR    Haddington Athletic 1 - 3 Darvel

2022/9/17      R1    Darvel 8 - 0 Tynecastle

2022/10/22    R2    Dalbeattie Star 1 - 7 Darvel

2022/11/26    R3    Montrose 2 - 5 Darvel

2023/1/23      R4    Darvel 1 - 0 Aberdeen

Largs Thistle versus Darvel since 2006:

2008/7/26      Darvel 1 - 3 Largs Thistle    friendly

2017/11/4      Largs Thistle 3 - 3 Darvel    WoS First Division

2018/1/27      Darvel 0 - 2 Largs Thistle    WoS First Division

2018/5/12      Largs Thistle 4 - 0 Darvel    Ayrshire Cup QF

2018/11/24    Darvel 1 - 2 Largs Thistle    Scottish Junior Cup R4

2021/8/14      Largs Thistle 0 - 2 Darvel    WoSFL Premier Division

2022/3/30      Darvel 2 - 1 Largs Thistle    WoSFL Premier Division

2022/11/9      Darvel 1 - 2 Largs Thistle    WoSFL Premier Division

(Source: Largs Thistle website)

Morton's best results against Queen's Park:

1946/10/12    Queen's Park 0 - 6 Morton    League Cup GS

1952/11/15    Queen's Park 2 - 7 Morton    league

1916/2/26      Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park    league

1940/11/9      Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park    Southern League

1966/11/22    Morton 5 - 0 Queen's Park    league

Queen's Park's best result against Morton:

1937/11/6      Queen's Park 5 - 1 Morton    league

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

To Dens Park on a Green Bus

Dundee Corporation buses are traditionally green. Source.

Morton visit Dundee. After the midweek matches Dundee are fourth with 17 points and a +3 goal difference, and Morton are fifth, also with 17 points but a +2 gd. In their first meeting back in August they played to a scoreless draw. The last Morton player to score on Dundee was Aidan Nesbitt, on April 10th, 2021.

The last time Morton won at Dens Park was on Boxing Day 2011. Andy Jackson was the goalscorer in a 0 - 1 win.

Morton have won their last three matches. Can they stretch that out to four? The last time they won four in a row was April to July 2019, but the close season fell between wins three and four. Before that was January to February 2018, but two of those four were cup games. The last time they won four league matches in a row in a single season was at the tail end of 2014-15 when they were in League One.

Dundee met Rangers in a League Cup quarter-final Wednesday. (See below.)

Morton's recent turnaround, in which they conceded 5 goals and then scored 5 a week later, is astonishingly similar to something that happened in 2018:

2018, under Jonatan Johansson:

2018/10/27    Ross County 5 - 0 Morton

2018/10/30    Queen of the South 1 - 2 Morton

2018/11/3      Morton 5 - 1 Partick Thistle

2022, under Dougie Imrie:

2022/10/1      Partick Thistle 5 - 1 Morton

2022/10/4      Queen's Park 1 - 2 Morton

2022/10/8      Morton 5 - 0 Hamilton Accies

[Dundee 0 - 0 Morton.]

The other Championship matches:

Inverness CT 0 - 1 Hamilton Accies (October 18)*

Arbroath [0 - 1] Raith Rovers (October 19)

Arbroath (10th) [1 - 0] Hamilton Accies (9th)

Ayr United (3rd) [2 - 2] Cove Rangers (8th)

Inverness CT (2nd) [1 - 1] Raith Rovers (7th)

Partick Thistle (1st) [0 - 4] Queen's Park (6th)

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

League Cup quarter-final results from midweek:

Kilmarnock 2 - 1 Dundee United (October 18)

Rangers 1 - 0 Dundee (October 19)

Aberdeen 4 - 1 Partick Thistle (October 19)

Motherwell 0 - 4 Celtic (October 19)

It's the Scottish Cup Round Two. This is where League Two join in. Let's watch these matches:

Cumnock Juniors 1 - 3 Dumbarton (yesterday)

Bo'ness United [1 - 1] Auchinleck Talbot    [Talbot won on PK.]

Dalbeatie Star [1 - 7] Darvel

Dunbar United [1 - 3] University of Stirling

Glasgow University [1 - 4] Albion Rovers

Kilwinning Rangers [1 - 3] Forfar

Pollok [4 - 3] Annan (Monday)

Wick Academy [2 - 0] Benburb

Newly-founded Yorkshire club Doncaster City FC have applied for a place in next year’s Scottish Cup.

Scottish Junior Cup, Round Two:

Troon [4 - 0] Fraserburgh United

It's the final of the J League Cup:

Cerezo Osaka [1 - 2] Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Sanfrecce were in the Emperor's Cup final just six days ago.

Have Mito Hollyhock ever played in the J League Cup? Yes:

2000/6/7        R1    Shimizu S-Pulse 4 - 1 Mito HollyHock

2000/6/14      R1    Mito HollyHock 1 - 3 Shimizu S-Pulse

2001/4/4        R1    Mito HollyHock 0 - 1 Yokohama F. Marinos

2001/4/18      R1    Yokohama F. Marinos 3 - 1 Mito HollyHock

Other matches:

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

This ends the 2022 J2 League schedule. [Mito finish 13th out of 22.]

Waseda University [0 - 2] Hosei University

The 2022-23 WE League season begins this weekend and will run till June 11th.

Mynavi Sendai [3 - 1] Elfen Saitama

The pecking order established by last weekend's 58th Shakaijin is: 1) Briobecca Urayasu, 2) BTOP Thank Kuriyama, 3) FC Nobeoka Agata and 4) Veroskronos Tsuno. BTOP are already in the Regional Champions League as Hokkaido champion, which improves the chances for 3) and 4).

Hutchison Vale [7 - 2] Morton Women (tomorrow)

Brora [4 - 1] Forres Mechanics

Gala Fairydean Rovers [3 - 3] Hearts B

Ardeer [0 - 2] Largs Thistle

Burscough vs FC Isle of Man (postponed)

[FA Vase, Round One Proper: Billingham Town 1 - 4 FC Isle of Man]

Winterthur 1 - 0 Sion (October 18)

Basel [3 - 1] Winterthur (tomorrow)

Metalist 1925 Kharkiv 0 - 1 Minaj (October 19)

Minaj vs Shakhtar Donetsk (postponed)

UCD 2 - 1 Drogheda (yesterday)

KNVB Cup, Round One: HHC 0 - 1 PEC Zwolle (October 20)

The Eredivisie is banning artificial pitches, effective 2025-26.

Canadian Premier League semi-finals, second leg (tomorrow):

Atlético [1 - 1] Pacific

Forge [2 - 1] Cavalry

[Atlético and Forge advance to the final.]

Historical matches:

October 22, 1966    Morton 2 - 1 Albion Rovers

October 19, 1977    Morton 0 - 1 Queen of the South

October 22, 1977    Morton 0 - 2 Kilmarnock

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    SCup 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    SCup R2

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

1889/9/14      St Mirren 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    2nd XI Cup R1

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

1889/9/7        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Neilston    SCup 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 2nd XI Cup; Glasgow Herald for friendlies.)

So Oder So ... Du Hast die Wahl

The All-German People's Party (Gesamtdeutche Volkspartie, or GVP) contested the 1953 West German election on a platform opposed to re-armament. Their campaign poster presented a stark choice: war or association football. So, which clubs did the GVP politicians support? See below.

Morton (6th) host Arbroath (10th).

Arbroath are in their fourth straight season in the Championship. If they can avoid relegation this year they'll equal Dumbarton's best run by a wee club in the Championship. However, after six games they are without a win.

Arbroath's Nicky Low has been loaned out to Kelty Hearts. Morton were after him, and the Greenock native has always wanted to play for his home team, but it was not in the interests of Arbroath to place him with a Championship rival. Instead Morton have signed midfielder Liam Grimshaw, formerly of Motherwell, Preston North End and Chesterfield.

Arbroath are managed by Dick Campbell who has been in the job since 2016.

Rather than schedule all of September 10th's postponed matches on a single midweek date, the SPFL is scattering them across the month of October.

[Morton 1 - 2 Arbroath. Goal by McGrattan.]

The other Championship matches:

Dundee (3rd) [2 - 3] Inverness CT (5th)

Hamilton Accies (7th) [0 - 2] Queen's Park (4th)

Partick Thistle (2nd) [2 - 2] Cove Rangers (9th)

Raith Rovers (8th) [3 - 2] Ayr United (1st)

It's the Scottish Cup Round One.

The early rounds of the Scottish Cup have changed significantly over the past few years. An influx of former junior clubs has swamped the oddball collection of SFA members who used to treat this part of the tournament as their moment in the spotlight. In 2018 there were 19 teams in the cup prior to the entry of the Highland and Lowland leagues. This year there were 50. Covid measures forced the powers that be to experiment with doing away with replays and it turns out they like the change. So no more squeaking out a draw at home and getting an away trip to a big stadium in every round.

Some of the matches:

Pollok 6 - 0 Huntley (yesterday)

Syngenta 2 - 4 Auchinleck Talbot (yesterday)

Benburb [4 - 2] Dundonald Bluebell

Clydebank [1 - 3] The Spartans

Darvel [8 - 0] Tynecastle

Forres Mechanics [2 - 3] Glasgow University

Gala Fairydean Rovers [1 - 4] Sauchie

Keith [1 - 2] Cumnock

Kilwinning Rangers [4 - 2] Tranent

Other matches:

Dumbarton [1 - 0] Bonnyrigg Rose

Hurlford [2 - 2] Largs Thistle

Renfrew [3 - 1] Morton Women (tomorrow)

Bury AFC 4 - 0 FC Isle of Man (September 13)

FC Isle of Man [0 - 3] Prestwick Heys

Mito HollyHock 0 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki (September 14)

Albirex Niigata [2 - 0] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

Ganju Iwate [2 - 1] Bogolle.D.Tsugaru (tomorrow)

Arterivo Wakayama have won the Kansai league.

WE League Cup: Elfen Saitama [0 - 1] Nagano Parceiro (Monday)

York United 0 - 0 HFX Wanderers (yesterday)

Wanderers cannot finish in first, second or eighth place.

PLSQ: CS Lanaudière-Nord [1 - 0] Royal-Sélect de Beauport

Royal-Sélect de Beauport are keen to get a CPL team for Quebec City. Source.

Jong AZ 2 - 3 PEC Zwolle (September 12)

PEC Zwolle 1 - 2 ADO Den Haag (yesterday)

FAI Cup QF (yesterday)

Treaty United 4 - 1 UCD

Swiss Cup Round Two:

Meyrin FC [0 - 4] FC Winterthur

UEFA Champions League group stage, matchday 2:

Rangers 0 - 3 Napoli (September 14)

Shakhtar Donetsk 1 - 1 Celtic (September 14)

UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 2:

Real Sociedad 2 - 1 Omonia (September 15)

UEFA Europa Conference group stage, matchday 2:

RFS 0 - 2 Hearts (September 15)

Gent 3 - 0 Shamrock Rovers (September 15)

Scottish wins in Europe so far this season:

2022/8/4        Dundee United 1 - 0 AZ

2022/8/9        Rangers 3 - 0 Union Saint-Gilloise

2022/8/24      PSV 0 - 1 Rangers

2022/9/15      RFS 0 - 2 Hearts

Historical matches:

September 14, 1966    Morton 3 - 1 Aberdeen

This was the first leg of the League Cup quarter-finals.

September 17, 1966    Morton 4 - 0 East Stirlingshire

This was a league match.

September 14, 1977    Morton 4 - 2 Stirling Albion

Goals by McGhee, Goldthorp and Ritchie (2).

September 17, 1977    Morton 1 - 0 East Fife

Goal by McGhee.

GVP politicians' conjectural favourite Fußball clubs:

Thea Arnold (1882-1966), party founder. Born in Fulda, Hesse. Borussia Fulda.

Hermann Etzel (1882-1978), party founder. Born in Bamberg, Bavaria. 1.FC Bamberg.

Gustav Heinemann (1899-1976), party founder. Born in Schwelm, North Rhine-Westphalia. Mayor of Essen. President of West Germany (1969-1974). FC Schwelm 06.

Robert Scholl (1891-1973), party founder. Born in Mainhardt, Baden-Württemberg. Mayor of Ingersheim, Forchtenberg and Ulm. VfL Mainhardt.

Helene Wessel (1898-1969), party founder. Born in Hörde, a quarter of Dortmund, North Rhine-Westphalia. Hörder SC.

Hans Bodensteiner (1912-1995), party founder. Born in Moosbach, Bavaria. SV Moosbach.

Diether Posser (1922-2010), party founder. Born in Essen. Rot-Weiss Essen.

Erhard Eppler (1926-2019), born in Ulm. SSV Ulm 1846.

Johannes Rau (1931-2006). Mayor of Wuppertal, North Rhine-Westphalia, President of Germany (1999-2006). Wuppertaler SV.

Jürgen Schmude, born in 1936 in Insterburg, East Prussia, he represented Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia. PSV Wesel-Lackhausen 1928.

Port Glasgow Athletic 1884-85:

1885/6/6        Morton 2 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic (abandoned)    G&DCCup final

1885/5/30      Morton 0 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic    G&DCCup final

1885/5/26      Port Glasgow Athletic W - L Southern    G&DCCup SF

1885/5/9        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Hibs

1885/5/2        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Greenock Northern

1885/4/25      Northern 1 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    Played at Hyde Park.

1885/4/18      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 3 Thornliebank

1885/4/11      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 0 Harp (Dundee)

1885/3/28      Third Lanark 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/3/21      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Morton    RCup final

1885/3/14      Port Glasgow Athletic 9 - 1 Airdrieonians

1885/3/7        Hearts 3 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/2/28      Port Glasgow Athletic 7 - 3 Southern (Greenock)

1885/2/21      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 0 Paisley Olympic    RCup SF replay

1885/2/14      Paisley Olympic 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup SF

1885/2/7        Thistle 7 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1885/1/31      Port Glasgow Athletic 8 - 1 Pilgrims (Glasgow)

1885/1/24      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 3 Dumbarton

1885/1/17      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Renfrew

1885/1/10      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 3 2nd Partick Thistle

1885/1/3        Port Glasgow Athletic W - L Tyne

1884/12/27    Port Glasgow Athletic 10 - 3 Neilston    RCup R3

1884/12/20    Northern (Greenock) 3 - 5 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/12/13    Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    2nd XI Cup R3 replay

1884/12/13    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 2 Thistle (Glasgow)

1884/12/6      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 3 Airdrieonians

1884/11/29    Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 0 Clyde

1884/11/22    Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Kilmarnock    2nd XI Cup R3

1884/11/22    Mearns Athletic 0 - 12 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R2

1884/11/15    Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 6 Queen's Park

1884/11/1      Johnstone 2 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic    RCup R1

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

1884/10/25    Thornliebank 2 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    SCup R2 replay

1884/10/18    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Thornliebank    SCup R2 replay

1884/10/11    Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 3 Abercorn

1884/10/4      Thornliebank 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic (protested)    SCup R2

1884/9/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Partick Thistle

1884/9/20      Clyde 3 - 0 Port Glasgow 3rd XI

1884/9/20      Pollokshields Athletic 2 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/9/13      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 1 1st Renfrewshire RV    SCup R1

1884/9/6        2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 4 2nd Abercorn

1884/9/6        Abercorn 0 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/8/30      2nd Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 4 2nd Kilmacolm*

1884/8/30      Kilmarnock 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1884/8/23      Port Glasgow Athletic 1 - 1 Hearts

*Likely Kilmarnock.

G&DCCup = Greenock and District Charity Cup

RCup = Renfrewshire Cup

SCup = Scottish Cup

(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; Glasgow Herald for friendlies.)

Fort George

Fort George was built to control the sea approaches to Inverness. It has been garrisoned since the 18th Century but is due to be decommissioned in 2032, because the Highland rebellions are over. Source.

Morton (7th) visit Inverness Caledonian Thistle (6th). Both teams have 5 points and identical records of 1 win, 2 draws and 1 loss. Both have a 0 goal difference. ICT have scored 6 and allowed 6. Morton have scored 3 and allowed 3, which makes the Ton the best defensive squad in the Championship and joint-worst at scoring.

Last season ICT won three out of four league matches against Morton, but the Ton knocked them out of the Scottish Cup.

ICT are managed by Billy Dodds who has been in the job since June 2021.

Dougie Imrie has signed a contract extension.

The Championship has had four different clubs in first place so far this season: Cove Rangers, Partick Thistle, Dundee and Ayr United.

For the first time this season Morton can finish the day neither top nor bottom of the table.

Celtic and Dumbarton are the only SPFL clubs with 12 points after four games. It’s the Sons’ best start since 1959. (But Rangers B beat them 7 - 0 in the Challenge Cup on Tuesday.)

Gozie Ugwu has signed with Jeddah Club of the Saudi Arabian second tier.

[Morton win 0 - 1. Goal by Gillespie.]

Other Championship matches:

Ayr United (1st) 3 - 1 Dundee (3rd) (last night)    Amazing.

Hamilton Accies (8th) [1 - 0] Arbroath (10th)

Queen's Park (4th) [2 - 1] Cove Rangers (9th)

Partick Thistle (2nd) [2 - 1] Raith Rovers (5th)*

*This is a Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup Round Two match.

It’s the Scottish Cup preliminary round. 48 clubs play today, including several that have never been in it before. The total number of clubs in this year’s cup is 126, the most since 1890-91. In a break with tradition this will be the only round in this year’s cup in which draws are decided by replays. Let’s look at:

Auchinleck Talbot [7 - 0] Coldstream

Burntisland Shipyard [1 - 5] Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale

Clydebank [4 - 1] Bonnyton Thistle

Haddington Athletic [1 - 3] Darvel

Irvine Meadow [1 - 1] Hill of Beath Hawthorn

Penicuik [0 - 1] Musselburgh

Pollok [6 - 0] Girvan

Rutherglen Glencairn [2 - 2] Kilwinning Rangers

Tower Hearts [scr/wo] Cumnock Juniors

Scottish Amateur Cup winners in the Scottish Cup:

2016/8/13      PR1    Edusport Academy 2 - 2 Colville Park

2016/8/20      PR1    Colville Park 1 - 0 Edusport Academy

2016/9/3        PR2    Colville Park 0 - 1 Girvan

2017/8/12      PR1    Burntisland Shipyard 0 - 7 Colville Park

2017/9/2        PR2    Colville Park 5 - 0 Preston Athletic

2017/9/23      R1      Colville Park 2 - 1 Cumbernauld Colts

2017/10/14    R2      Peterhead 9 - 0 Colville Park

2018/8/12      PR1    Tynecastle 0 - 2 Shortlees

2018/9/1        PR2    Bonnyrigg Rose 3 - 0 Shortlees

2019/8/18      PR1    Colville Park 0 - 4 Whitehill Welfare

2022/8/27      PR      Tower Hearts [scr/wo] Cumnock Juniors

Scottish Junior Cup, Round One:

Let's follow the WoSFL Premier Division teams, plus Greenock Juniors. Clubs that are also in the Scottish Cup get a bye to the second round.

Arthurlie [10 - 1] Harthill Royal

Coupar Angus [0 - 8] Beith

Craigmark Burtonians [2 - 2] Largs Thistle [Burtonians win on PK.]

East Craigie [2 - 1] Cambuslang Rangers

Glenafton Athletic [8 - 1] East Kilbride Thistle

Greenock Juniors [7 - 2] Saltcoats Victoria

Petershill [4 - 0] Nairn St Ninian

Troon [4 - 1] Androssan Winton Rovers

Other matches:

Broomhill [5 - 1] Gala Fairydean Rovers

Brora Rangers vs Forres Mechanics (midweek) (postponed)

Forres Mechanics [1 - 2] Keith (today)

Morton Women [1 - 3] Hutchison Vale (tomorrow)

Vale of Leithen, who finished dead last in the 2021-22 Lowland League and were relegated are presently last in the East of Scotland League Premier Division.

Padiham 0 - 1 FC Isle of Man (August 23)

Congleton Town [5 - 1] FC Isle of Man

PEC Zwolle 4 - 2 Jong PSV (yesterday)

Winterthur [1 - 5] Young Boys (tomorrow)

Oleksandriya [2 - 1] Minaj (Monday)

Mito HollyHock [0 - 0] Ryukyu

Edmonton [3 - 2] HFX Wanderers (tomorrow)

[Halifax goal by Salter, plus an own goal.]

This is the final meeting of the season between these two as the Eddies cannot make the playoffs.

The Canadian Premier League has hired an American to be its new commissioner.

PLSQ: Royal-Sélect de Beauport [1 - 4] CS Mont-Royal Outremont (tomorrow)

CSL final: Continentals [2 - 1] Scarborough

The winner of this game does not advance to the Canadian Championship because the CSL is not recognized by FIFA.

Waseda University [1 - 0] Kwansei Gakuin University

This is the annual Hayaseki game, which gets played whether these two in the same league or not.

Concacaf League, Round of 16, second leg (August 23):

Herediano 0 - 1 Pacific FC    (Herediano win on PK.)

Pacific are out.

UEFA Champions League, playoff round, second leg (August 24):

PSV Eindhoven 0 - 1 Rangers

Rangers advance.

UEFA Europa League, playoff round, second leg (August 25):

Omonia 2 - 0 Gent

Hearts 0 - 1 Zurich

Shamrock Rovers 1 - 0 Ferencvárosi

Omonia advance. Hearts and Shamrock Rovers drop to the Europa Conference.

UEFA Europa Conference, playoff round, second leg (August 25):

Linfield 1 - 1 RFS    (RFS win on PK.)

Linfield are out.

Historical matches:

August 24, 1966    Stenhousemuir 1 - 4 Morton

This was the first game of the 1966-67 SFL Division Two schedule, played on a Wednesday.

August 27, 1966    East Fife 0 - 1 Morton

The second half of the League Cup group stage begins.

August 27, 1977    Montrose 0 - 1 Morton

Goal by McGhee.

Port Glasgow Athletic in 1881-82:

1882/5/13      Kilbirnie 8 - 2 Port Glasgow

1882/4/29      Abercorn (Blackstoun XI) 3 - 0 Port Glasgow

1882/4/8        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 3 Morton              G&D Cup SF

1882/3/11      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 0 Victoria              G&D Cup R3

1882/3/4        Northern 0 - 6 Port Glasgow Athletic          G&D Cup R2 replay

1882/2/25      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 4 Northern            G&D Cup R2

1882/1/28      Arthurlie 6 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic           Renfrewshire Cup R3

1882/1/14      Ladyburn 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic*        G&D Cup R1 replay

1882/1/7        Port Glasgow Athletic [a draw] Ladyburn      G&D Cup R1

1881/12/31    Port Glasgow Athletic 2nd XI 3 - 12 Morton 2nd XI    G&D Cup R1

1881/12/3      Port Glasgow Athletic 0 - 4 Queen's Park [2nd XI?]

1881/11/19    Glenkilloch 2 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic       Renfrewshire Cup R2

1881/11/12    Ladyburn 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1881/10/22    Victoria (Greenock) 5 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1881/10/22    Port Glasgow Athletic 0 - 0 Rangers Shields

1881/10/8      Port Glasgow Athletic 6 - 2 Walworth          Renfrewshire Cup R1

1881/9/17      Paisley Athletic 6 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic    Scottish Cup R1

*I don't know why Port Glasgow Athletic advanced after that score.

(Sources: The Beautiful Dribbling Game for the Scottish Cup; Scottish Football Historical Archive for the Renfrewshire Cup and Greenock and District Cup; Glasgow Herald for friendlies

Port Glasgow football in 1880-81:

Broadfield (Port Glasgow) 1880-81

Nothing found.

Crescent (Port Glasgow) 1880-81

1881/3/26      Grafton 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Crescent

Parklea (Port Glasgow) 1880-81

1880/10/2      Victoria (Greenock) 1 - 1 Parklea (Port Glasgow)

(Source: Glasgow Herald.)

Ayrshire Football Annual, 4th edition, 1880.

    AYRSHIRE FOOTBALL ANNUAL -- The Ayrshire Football Annual for the current year has just been issued. The book, which has now reached the fourth year of publication, is an annual replete with every conceivable item of information relating to the popular [game] in Ayrshire. The number of clubs in the County Association is now, we learn, 54, with a membership of 2862. [This] book, which we commend to all players, is published by [John] Wallace, hon. secretary of the association, who has also taken charge of the [competition/compilation].

Glasgow Herald, September 27, 1880, p. 7.

2021-22 Scottish Cup Final

Two of this week's three finalists. Source.

The Europa League final took place Wednesday in Seville:

Eintracht Frankfurt 1 - 1 Rangers    (Eintracht won on PK)

Today it's the Scottish Cup final at Hampden Park:

Rangers [2 - 0] Hearts

Previous Rangers/Hearts finals:

1903/4/25      Rangers 2 - 0 Hearts (second replay)

1976/5/1        Rangers 3 - 1 Hearts

1996/5/18      Rangers 5 - 1 Hearts

1998/5/16      Hearts 2 - 1 Rangers

The last time Hearts won the cup was May 19, 2012. The last time Rangers won it was May 30, 2009. The last time there was a Glasgow versus Edinburgh final was two years ago. The last time there was a Celtic versus Rangers final was May 4th, 2002.

When else have Rangers played cup finals in such close proximity?

2008/5/14 (UEFA Cup), 2008/5/24 (Scottish Cup) = 10 days

1982/5/13 (Glasgow Cup), 1982/5/22 (Scottish Cup) = 9 days

1979/5/12 (Scottish Cup, draw score), 1979/5/17 (Glasgow Cup) = 5 days

1979/5/16 (Scottish Cup 1st replay), 1979/5/17 (Glasgow Cup) = 1 day

Rangers in Europe in May:

2008/5/1      Fiorentina 0 - 0 Rangers (Rangers won on PK)   UEFA Cup SF leg 2

1967/5/3      Rangers 1 - 0 Slavia Sofia    Cup Winners' Cup SF, leg 2

1960/5/5      Rangers 3 - 6 Eintracht Frankfurt    European Cup SF, leg 2

2022/5/5      Rangers 3 - 1 RB Leipzig    Europa League SF, leg 2

1969/5/14    Rangers 0 - 0 Newcastle United    Inter-Cities Fairs Cup SF, leg 1

2008/5/14    Zenit Saint Petersburg 2 - 0 Rangers    UEFA Cup final

1961/5/17    Rangers 0 - 2 Fiorentina    Cup Winners' Cup final, leg 1

2022/5/18    Eintracht Frankfurt 1 - 1 Rangers (Eintracht won on PK)   Europa League final

1969/5/21    Newcastle United 2 - 0 Rangers    Inter-Cities Fairs Cup SF, leg 2

1972/5/24    Rangers 3 - 2 Dynamo Moscow    Cup Winners' Cup final

1961/5/27    Fiorentina 2 - 1 Rangers    Cup Winners' Cup final, leg 2

1967/5/31    Bayern Munich 1 - 0 Rangers    Cup Winners' Cup final

The South Challenge Cup final takes place tomorrow:

Auchinleck Talbot [3 - 1] Bonnyrigg Rose Athletic

Premiership playoff final, first leg (May 20):

Inverness CT 2 - 2 St Johnstone

Second leg (May 23):

St Johnstone [4 - 0] Inverness CT    [ICT remain in the Championship.]

That concludes the 2021-22 SPFL. The first games of the 2022-23 League Cup group stage will be played July 9th, in a month and a half.

Lowland League playoff, match one (tomorrow):

Tranent Juniors [7 - 0] St Cuthbert Wanderers

Mortonalia

Morton have signed defender Jack Baird, who had a previous spell with the club in 2019-20 and has been with Ayr United since.

Manager Dougie Imrie has signalled his intention not to go after the vacant Hamilton job.

Majority owner MCT wants to reduce its shareholdings from 75% to 50.1% to attract investment. There are 4,017,816 shares out there. Source.

Dunfermline has been granted city status as part of the Queen's platinum jubilee, and Greenock has not.

Other matches:

HFX Wanderers 0 - 4 Forge FC (yesterday)

Kriens [0 - 5] Winterthur

[Three teams finish with 65 points, but Winterthur have the best goal difference, and so they end their long run in the Challenge League. We'll follow them next season in the Swiss Super League.]

UCD 0 - 3 Shamrock Rovers (May 19)

Mito HollyHock [3 - 0] Grulla Morioka

Kirkintilloch Rob Roy [1 - 2] Largs Thistle

This ends the 2021-22 season for Largs Thistle.

League1 Ontario: Pickering FC 1 - 0 North Mississauga (May 18)

Pickering FC is a founding member of League1 Ontario. They were formerly known as Durham United.

Darby FC [0 - 2] North Mississauga (yesterday)

Darby FC are from Whitby.

PLSQ: AS Laval [1 - 0] Royal-Sélect de Beauport

Don't confuse AS Laval with FC Laval.

Since we're following L1O and PLSQ it's only fair to look at League1 British Columbia, which embarks on its inaugural season this weekend. There are eight teams playing a double round robin from now until the end of July, in a very short schedule. Let's follow Victoria Highlanders.

The Highlanders have been around since 2009 and have played all but three seasons in the semi-professional Premier Development League, aka USL League Two. They were in the Pacific Coast Soccer League in 2015 and for the past two years the Vancouver Island Soccer League. Cory Bent and Peter Schaale both played for them.

Whitecaps Academy [2 - 2] Victoria Highlanders (tomorrow)

How did each 21st century Scottish Cup holder fare in the next Scottish Cup?

Winning Year                         Next Year

2020-21    St Johnstone        eliminated in Round Four (final 32)

2019-10    Celtic                    eliminated in Round Four (final 16)

2018-19    Celtic                    won the Cup again

2017-18    Celtic                    won the Cup again

2016-17    Celtic                    won the Cup again

2015-16    Hibs                      eliminated in the semi-finals

2014-15    Inverness CT        eliminated in the quarter-finals

2013-14    St Johnstone        eliminated in Round Five (final 16)

2012-13    Celtic                    eliminated in Round Five (final 16)

2011-12    Hearts                  eliminated in Round Four (final 32)

2010-11    Celtic                    eliminated in the semi-finals

2009-10    Dundee United     eliminated in the quarter-finals

2008-09    Rangers               eliminated in the quarter-finals

2007-08    Rangers               won the Cup again

2006-07   Celtic                    eliminated in the quarter-finals

2005-06    Hearts                  eliminated in Round Four (final 16)

2004-05    Celtic                    eliminated in Round Three (final 32)

2003-04    Celtic                    won the Cup again

2002-03    Rangers                eliminated in the quarter-finals

2001-02    Rangers                won the Cup again

2000-01    Celtic                    eliminated in the final

1999-00    Rangers                eliminated in the quarter-finals

Sort the Championship clubs by number of scoreless draws this season:

8        Arbroath    (6 league matches + 1 playoff game + 1 playoff game decided on PK)

7        Raith Rovers    (4 league matches + 3 cup ties decided on PK)

6        Partick Thistle    (6 league matches)

6        Dunfermline    (5 league matches + 1 playoff game)

6        Morton    (4 league matches + 2 cup ties decided on PK)

6        Inverness CT    (3 league matches + 1 cup tie decided on PK + 1 playoff game + 1 playoff game decided on PK)

3        Queen of the South    (3 league matches)

2        Hamilton    (2 league matches)

2        Kilmarnock    (2 league matches)

2        Ayr United    (1 league match + 1 cup tie decided on PK)

Kincaid's

Women build tubing condensers at Kincaid's Arthur Street shop during World War One. Source.

Morton host Hamilton Academical. Morton are sixth with 40 points, Hamilton seventh with 39. In three previous meetings each side has earned a win, a draw and a loss. Morton's league record in 2022 is 7W 5D 2L, Hamilton's 4W 7D 3L. If Morton win by 2 goals, and Raith lose by 2, Morton will take over fifth place.

Hamilton's top scorer is Andy Ryan with 11 goals in league play. Gozie Ugwu has 8.

After last weekend's games Morton cannot finish in tenth place. Depending on today's results Morton, Hamilton and Raith Rovers can have booked a place in next season's Championship by the final whistle. And Cove Rangers can win League One, which would earn them promotion to the 2022-23 Championship.

When was the last time Morton and Hamilton met in the top division? January 15th, 1966. Morton won 3 - 0 at Cappielow.

Yesterday was the hundredth anniversary of Morton's first and to date only Scottish Cup final win, 'a poor game' in the opinion of the Glasgow Herald.

[Morton 0 - 1 Hamilton.]

The other Championship matches:

Inverness CT (3rd) 2 - 1 Kilmarnock (1st) (last night)

Arbroath (2nd) [5 - 1] Queen of the South (10th)

Partick Thistle (4th) [0 - 1] Raith Rovers (5th)

If Dunfermline beat Ayr they will be equal at 35 points and then anything can happen because the final two matches for each of them are against the same two teams, Partick Thistle and Queen of the South.

Dunfermline Athletic (9th) [2 - 1] Ayr United (8th)

It's the Scottish Cup semi-finals:

Hearts [2 - 1] Hibs

Celtic [1 - 2] Rangers (tomorrow)

When was the last time Rangers, Celtic, Hibs and Hearts made up the four semi-finalists? Well I'll tell you: it has never happened before.

Four finals can come out of this weekend's semis. When did each last occur?

2020    Celtic/Hearts

2016    Hibs/Rangers

2013    Celtic/Hibs

1998    Hearts/Rangers

It's also the Scottish Junior Cup semi-finals:

Auchinleck Talbot [2 - 1] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy

Petershill [1 - 2] Yoker Athletic

Cowdenbeath watch:

Cowdenbeath [0 - 0] Edinburgh City

Stirling Albion [0 - 2] Elgin City

[Cowdenbeath are Team 42.]

The Highland League championship will be decided today. Coming into today's games Fraserburgh lead Buckie Thistle by 3 points. To win the league Buckie must beat Clach by 2 goals while Fraserburgh lose to Forres Mechanics. But in their first meeting, back in November, Fraserburgh beat Forres 7 - 0.

Fraserburgh [5 - 0] Forres Mechanics

Clachnacuddin [1 - 3] Buckie Thistle

[Fraserburgh win the Highland League.]

Tier VI watch: Coming into today's play four teams can win the West of Scotland League: Auchinleck Talbot, Pollok, Darvel and Clydebank. Four teams can win the East of Scotland League: Tranent, Penicuik, Linlithgow Rose and Jeanfield Swifts. Either St Cuthbert Wanderers or Threave Rovers will win the South of Scotland League.

Other matches:

UCD 0 - 2 Drogheda United (yesterday)

Waseda University [2 - 3] Takushoku University

WOSFL Cup, Round 2:

St Roch's [2 - 2] Largs Thistle    [St Roch's win on PK.]

NWCFL Division 1 playoff final: FC Isle of Man [4 - 2] New Mills

[FC Isle of Man are promoted.]

East Kilbride [0 - 1] Bonnyrigg Rose

Winterthur (1st) [4 - 2] Vaduz (3rd)

Kaiserslautern [3 - 1] 1.FC Saarbrücken (tomorrow)

Mito HollyHock [1 - 1] Tokushima Vortis (tomorrow)

SWF Championship South: Morton 4 - 1 Ayr United (April 13)

Morton vs Renfrew (tomorrow) (postponed due to Covid)

WE League: Elfen Saitama [1 - 0] Tokyo Verdy Beleza (tomorrow)    [Upset!]

75th Aomori Prefecture Soccer Championship, Round Three (tomorrow):

Match No. 6: Hachinohe Gakuin University [2 - 3] Blancdieu Hirosaki

Canadian Premier League:

Atlético Ottawa [1 - 0] HFX Wanderers

Which players have been with HFX Wanderers from the start? Akeem Garcia and Andre Rampersad, both part of the Trinidadian quartet recruited by Stephen Hart in 2019, and goalie Christian Oxner. Peter Schalle also counts if you ignore the fact that he took the end of 2019 off to finish his university degree.

The CPL's new Vancouver-area club will have their home field in Langley BC, which is not to be confused with Langford BC where Pacific FC play.

Concacaf Champions League semi-finals, second leg:

Cruz Azul 0 - 0 UNAM (April 12)

NYCFC 1 - 1 Seattle Sounders (April 13)

UNAM and Seattle advance.

Europa League quarter-finals, second leg (April 14):

Rangers 3 - 1 Braga

Rangers advance.

1999-2000

April 15, 2000.    Morton lost to Ayr United 1 - 2 at Cappielow. Stephen Whalen was the Morton goalscorer, ending a team four-game scoring drought. Clydebank were in Dunfermline where they were thumped 6 - 0.

Clubs that played to four draws in one league season:

(League matches only: no friendlies, cup games, League Cup group stage matches or playoffs.)

2018-19    new Airdrieonians / Dumbarton    League One

2011-12    Dunfermline / Inverness CT          Premier League

2008-09    Queen's Park / Stranraer             Second Division

2007-08    Dundee United / Hibs                   Premier League

2006-07    Hamilton / Queen of the South     First Division

2005-06    Brechin / Queen of the South       First Division

2004-05    Clyde / St Mirren (four 0 - 0 draws)    First Division

2003-04    Montrose / Queen's Park             Third Division

1999-00    Arbroath / Hamilton                      Second Division

1998-99    Aberdeen / Motherwell                 Premier League

1997-98    Dundee United / Dunfermline       Premier Division

1996-97    Aberdeen / Motherwell                 Premier Division

1996-97    Arbroath / Forfar                           Third Division

1995-96    Clyde / Stranraer                          Second Division

1994-95    old Airdrieonians / Dunfermline    First Division

1994-95    Berwick / Stenhousemuir             Second Division

1993-94    Aberdeen / Motherwell                 Premier Division

1991-92    Hibs / Motherwell                         Premier Division

1991-92    Montrose / Morton                        Division 1

1988-89    Dundee United / Hearts (four 0 - 0 draws)    Premier Division

1987-88    Hibs / St Mirren                            Premier Division

2021-22 Plenty of Nothing Championship Consolation Cup:

2021/12/11    R1    Dunfermline 3 - 3 Queen of the South (QoS advance on the corner kicks rule.)

2021/12/26    R1    Ayr United 2 - 0 Raith Rovers

2022/1/14      R1    Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Kilmarnock (Kilmarnock advance on the yellow card rule.)

2022/2/19      R1    Hamilton Academical 1 - 0 Morton

2022/3/11      SF    Ayr United 1 - 3 Kilmarnock

2022/3/26      SF    Hamilton 1 - 0 Queen of the South

Now that Hamilton have missed the playoffs there is no possibility of another Killie/Accies match. Therefore the 2021-22 Consolation Cup ends with no winner.

A Poor Game

SCOTTISH CUP FINAL

MORTON'S FIRST VICTORY

A Poor Game

    Morton defeated Rangers on Saturday by 1 goal to 0 in the forty-fourth final tie of the Scottish Cup competition, played at Hampden Park, the first-named club thereby gaining possession of the Cup for the first time in their career. The superiority of Rangers throughout the season in the League competition pointed to their success at Hampden Park, and it was known that the Ibrox club were particularly anxious to secure the Scottish Cup in this their jubilee year. The success of the Glasgow club was generally expected, and when Morton took the field without their noted centre-forward, French, popular opinion in that respect was strengthened. Rangers' ultimate failure was accordingly a genuine surprise, and the manner in which it was brought about added to an already prevalent conviction that a sort of fatality attaches to the Ibrox club's quest of the National Cup, which they have not won for 19 years. A strong wind was a disturbing factor on Saturday, but neither that nor a somewhat slippery turf was responsible for one of the poorest and least creditable displays of football ever seen in a Scottish Cup final. The opening play favoured Rangers, though they faced the wind, and they ought to have gone ahead after five minutes, when their outside left shot hard against the goalpost -- the first of a series of lucky escapes that Morton profited by during the game. Morton got the first goal, however, twelve minutes after play had started, a somewhat easily earned point, which, as events proved, settled the destination of the Cup for the season.

Rangers' Defence at Fault

    Rangers' defence were grievously at fault in the downfall of their goal, the backs both making for the ball in hesitating manner, and M'Candless finally and foolishly attempting to pass back to his goalkeeper, who in a scrambling sort of way succeeded in grasping the ball, but was penalized for over-carrying. The free kick from 27 yards out was admirably taken by Gourlay, Morton's right half-back, whose fast and unerring shot got into the net close under the crossbar. A period of vigorous play followed, and Morton's goal was the more frequently in danger, and the only disturbing factor to Rangers' wellwishers was the obvious want of understanding between the backs, who were repeatedly at a loss how to meet the rushing tactics of their opponents. Archibald and Morton on the extreme wings were outstanding for Rangers, but the destructive methods of Morton's defenders when the ball reached the goal area negatived all the scheming of the Ibrox attack. At the end of half an hour Cunningham, Rangers' captain, left the field with a fractured jaw, and did not return, Rangers playing to the end with ten men. Play, never attractive, naturally deteriorated, and the game was little better than a scramble till the interval. For a short period after the resumption matters took a turn for the better, and Morton showed more method in attack than they had done previously. Their inside forwards were clever and enterprising, and twice Robb, the Rangers goalkeeper, only saved his charge by rushing out and tackling opposing forwards. Rangers gradually wore down their opponents, however, and initiated a long period of pressure that yielded only barren corners and numerous free kicks. Three times Morton's goal escaped marvelously. Edwards, after saving with fine skill shots at close range from Archibald and Morton, failed to reach a ball from Meiklejohn that passed over his head, but M'Intyre got into the vacant goal to head clear. Again Cairns and Henderson got past the Morton goalkeeper, but were hustled aside in the goalmouth by frantic defenders, and then followed a point blank shot from Rangers' outside left -- Morton -- that accidentally rebounded from a defender standing on the goal line.

Morton's Stars

    Occasional rushes by the Morton centre and extreme wingers kept matters exciting, but the almost constant interruptions of play for infringements, and on account of accidents to players, were discreditable. Rangers worked with desperation to save the game, and were extraordinarily unlucky in failing to do so. As a display of football the game will rank as one of the poorest on record, also as one of the roughest. The loss of their captain was undoubtedly a tremendous handicap to Rangers, and in all probability cost them the Cup. Their four forwards played with admirable courage and with praiseworthy restraint under trying circumstances, and it was only in the closing ten minutes that they gave way to desperation and descended to methods that were neither profitable nor dignified. Edwards, the Morton goalkeeper, had most credit in his side's victory, as, notwithstanding the occasions referred to, when his charge survived by mere chance, the custodian saved brilliantly at times. Gourlay came next in order of merit for the winners, as, apart from his cleverly taken goal, his ripe experience and judgment were of inestimable value to colleagues inclined to lose their heads. Morton's victory was largely attributable to the daring and strenuous work of their defence, whose unconventional methods of tackling, however, did not commend itself to the majority of the spectators, and necessitated the interference of the referee to an extent that spoiled the game.

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GREENOCK MORTON, 1; RANGERS, 0

    At Hampden Park, Glasgow. Estimated attendance, 75,000. Drawings at gate (inclusive of tax), £3400. Teams:--

    Rangers -- Robb; Manderson and M'Candless; Meiklejohn, Dixon, and Muirhead; Archibald and Cunningham; Henderson; Cairns and Morton.

    Morton -- Edwards; M'Intyre and R. Brown; Gourlay, Wright and M'Gregor; M'Nab and M'Kay; Buchanan; A. Brown and M'Minn.

    Referee -- T. Dougray (Bellshill).

    Greenock on winning the toss for choice of ends elected to book the assistance of a strong blustering wind. Despite this advantage the Renfrewshire team had to fall back in the first half-minute when Archibald, Henderson, and Morton broke through. The Rangers' centre forward cleverly side-slipped to A. L. Morton, who played a fast shot on to the upright, low down. Greenock then made ground on the right, and, from a corner kick, Robb was brought out to save, after which play travelled rapidly to the other end. Wright held off Cairns, but Cunningham followed up to attempt a surprise shot, which Edwards saved during a brisk melee. Play deviated in interesting fashion, and both goals were assailed in turn. The shooting, however, was never first class, probably owing to the keenness of the tackling. The Morton half backs were a strong destructive force, and Gourlay kept A. L. Morton from indulging in any of his noted crosses. When twelve minutes had gone a free kick to the Cappielow team was taken by Gourlay a foot outside the eighteen yards line. Rangers' defence was lined up in front of the goal, but the right half-back succeeded in scoring with a fast angular drive which rose and landed the ball high up at the corner of the net behind Robb, who never attempted to hold the shot, such was its velocity. Following this, Cunningham of Rangers was injured in a tackle, and the Ibrox side were deprived of their skipper's assistance for the rest of the game. Handicapped thus in their attack, Rangers never evolved a successful front attack, and, although the quartette got close in on Edwards on several occasions, the absence of a studied shot was evident.

    In the second half, and with the wind now against them, Greenock's inside forwards kept playing up to Rangers' defence, and once M'Kay came close to adding another goal when he flicked the ball on to the post from a pass by M'Nab. A raceaway by Archibald and a long speedy drive by the Rangers' right winger forced Edwards to dive at the ball, which was just held on the line. The goalkeeper was slightly injured in the following charge from Cairns, and Rangers were turned from the free kick awarded. From now until the end Rangers forced a succession of corners, but, continuing to anticipate most of the crosses in Edwards' direction, M'Intyre and R. Brown prevented the Ibrox attack from securing a steadily aimed shot.

Glasgow Herald, April 17, 1922, page 4.