Plenty of Nothing

2023 Canadian Premier League Final

Forge and Cavalry opened their league campaigns against each other on April 15th. Source.

Forge host Cavalry in the 2023 Canadian Premier League playoff final. Cavalry won the regular season title, but they have never won the playoffs, whereas Forge have won them three times. In terms of qualifying for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup this is a meaningless game. Cavalry have already qualified as regular season champion and if they also win the playoffs today then the other CanPL berth in the Champions Cup will devolve to the regular season runner-up, Forge.

The Champions Cup begins in February.

Three out of the ten Player of the Year nominees are HFX Wanderers: Callegari, Ferrin and Nimick.

The CanPL's Saskatchewan expansion franchise is on 'indefinite hold'.

Forge versus Cavalry so far this year:

2023/4/15      Forge 2 - 2 Cavalry

2023/6/3        Cavalry 1 - 1 Forge

2023/8/4        Cavalry 3 - 0 Forge

2023/9/9        Forge 0 - 0 Cavalry

2023/10/14    Cavalry 1 - 2 Forge

[Forge 2 -  1 Cavalry.]

The Scottish Championship:

Morton visit Ayr United. Ayr are sixth with 12 points, Morton tenth with 5. But Morton won their first meeting 3 - 1 back on August 5th.

Morton are seven league matches without a win. This is their longest winless streak under Dougie Imrie and their worst since they went ten matches without a win from August to October 2021 under Gus McPherson. Morton have been Team Ten for the past three weeks. Still, between a cup win, a draw and a postponement, Morton have not lost in October.

After eight league matches Morton have scored 8 goals and allowed 16, a ratio of 1:2, but they have not actually lost a match by the score of 1 - 2.

Grant Gillespie played for Ayr in 2020 as did Jack Baird from 2020 to 2022. Ayr's Andy Murdoch played for Morton from 2016 to 2018 and Sean McGinty played for Morton in 2021-22.

Last week's postponed match has been rescheduled to December 12.

Once-upon-a-time Morton forward Nacho Novo has left his managerial job at Lexington SC after losing five straight.

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

Queen's Park (8th) 2 - 2 Partick Thistle (3rd) (last night)

Dundee United (1st) 6 - 0 Arbroath (5th) (last night)

Inverness CT (9th) [1 - 0] Airdrieonians (4th)

Raith Rovers (2nd) [1 - 0] Dunfermline Athletic (7th)

It's the Scottish Cup, Round Two. There are ten teams from League Two (L2), eleven from the Highland League (HL), eight from the Lowland League (LL), five from the East of Scotland League Premier Division (ELP), four from the West of Scotland League Premier Division (WLP), one from the East of Scotland League First Division (EL1) and one from the West of Scotland League First Division (WL1).

Civil Service Strollers (LL) [0 - 3] Stranraer (L2)

Albion Rovers (LL) [2 - 1] St Andrew's United (EL1)

Stenhousemuir (L2) [0 - 2] Brora Rangers (HL)    Upset

Cumnock Juniors (WLP) [2 - 1] Turriff United (HL)    Upset

Kilwinning Rangers (WL1) [0 - 1] Cowdenbeath (LL)

Peterhead (L2) [3 - 1] Clachnacuddin (HL)

Deveronvale (HL) [0 - 1] Broxburn Athletic (ELP)    Upset

Forres Mechanics (HL) [0 - 1] Buckie Thistle (HL)

Dumbarton (L2) [3 - 2] Banks o' Dee (HL)

Dunbar United (ELP) [1 - 0] East Fife (L2)    Upset

Fraserburgh (HL) [1 - 2] Bonnyrigg Rose (L2)

Tranent (LL) [7 - 0] East Kilbride (LL)

Formartine United (HL) [3 - 2] Clydebank (WLP)

Beith Juniors (WLP) [1 - 3] Broomhill (LL)

Brechin City (HL) [1 - 2] The Spartans (L2)

Jeanfield Swifts (ELP) [6 - 0] Elgin City (L2)    Upset!

Luncarty (ELP) vs Bo'ness United (LL) [postponed to November 4]

Huntly (HL) [1 - 4] Forfar (L2)

Pollok (WLP) [5 - 2] Gala Fairydean Rovers (LL)    Upset

Musselburgh Athletic (ELP) [2 - 3] Clyde (L2) (Monday)

Alex Jack Cup, semi-finals;

Arniston Rangers vs Bo'ness Athletic [postponed]

Heriot Watt University [1 - 1] Rosyth [Heriot Watt win on PK]

Other matches:

Shelbourne 3 - 2 UCD (yesterday)

East Craigie [2 - 1] Forfar West End

Largs Thistle [1 - 0] Benburb

St Peter's [3 - 1] Carluke Rovers

Wythenshawe [1 - 2] FC Isle of Man

Pontypridd [1 - 3] Cardiff Metropolitan University

Carrick Rangers [1 - 3] Glenavon

Fujieda MYFC [1 - 0] Mito HollyHock

Kochi United [1 - 1] Honda FC (tomorrow)

Morton Women [0 - 5] Renfrew (tomorrow)

KÍ have won the Faroe Islands league for the 21st time.

2023-24 UEFA Champions League group stage, matchday 3 (October 25):

Celtic 2 - 2 Atlético Madrid

2023-24 UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 3 (October 26):

Sparta Praha 0 - 0 Rangers

2023-24 UEFA Conference group stage, matchday 3 (October 26):

Aberdeen 2 - 3 PAOK

2023-24 AFC Champions League group stage, matchday 3 (October 24-25):

Group G: Yokohama F. Marinos 3 - 0 Kaya-Iloilo

Group H: Zhejiang 2 - 0 Ventforet Kofu

Group I: BG Pathum United 2 - 4 Kawasaki Frontale

Group J: Urawa Red Diamonds 0 - 2 Pohang Steelers

59th Shakaijin:

    QF (October 23):

J-Lease 1 - 3 Joyful Honda Tsukuba

FC Kariya 5 - 0 KMG Holdings FC

Veroskronos Tsuno 0 - 1 Arterivo Wakayama

FC Tokushima 2 - 1 FC Nobeoka Agata

    SF (October 24):

Joyful Honda Tsukuba 2 - 2 FC Kariya (Kariya won on PK.)

Arterivo Wakayama 3 - 1 FC Tokushima

    Final (October 25):

FC Kariya 1 - 1 Arterivo Wakayama (Kariya won on PK)

    3rd place (October 25):

Joyful Honda Tsukuba 1 - 2 FC Tokushima

African Football League QF, second leg (October 26):

Wydad AC 3 - 0 Enyimba

SF, first leg (tomorrow):

Wydad AC [1 - 0] ES Tunis

Historical matches:

1882/10/28    Johnstone 2 - 1 Morton (Scottish Cup R3)

1944/10/28    Morton 2 - 3 Clyde

1967/10/28    Morton 0 - 2 St Johnstone

Morton are seventh in Division One.

1995/10/28    Dumbarton 0 - 2 Morton

Two for Warren Hawke. Morton are in third place.

Fandom

The crowd at East End Park for a Dunfermline versus Celtic match. Source.

Dunfermline Athletic host Greenock Morton. The Pars are sixth in the division with 8 points. Morton are eighth (ninth after last night) with 4 points.

Since 1994 Dunfermline have played eleven seasons in tier I, fifteen in tier II and four in tier III. Like Morton their most recent sojourn in tier III lasted only one year.

The Pars swept Morton in the 2009-10 season. Morton swept Dunfermline in 2014-15.

Robbie Muirhead played for the Pars in 2018-19. Nobody on the Dunfermline squad has played for Morton.

Muirhead has scored four of Morton's seven league goals. He also has the most recent Morton goal against nine SPFL clubs: Dundee United, Partick Thistle, Cove Rangers, Dundee, Motherwell, Clyde, Airdrieonians, East Fife and Annan.

The last Morton player to score on Dunfermline was Iain Wilson on March 18th, 2022. He's now with Queen of the South.

You can call Dunfermline Athletic Dumfermline and everyone will know who you mean but there actually was a club called Dunfermline FC from 1874 to 1891. They wore blue and white hoops like Morton, and their claim to fame rests on having won the first two editions of the Fife Cup, in 1882-83 and 1883-84.

[Dunfermline Athletic 3 - 1 Morton. Goal by Crawford.]

The other Championship matches:

Queen's Park (5th) 2 - 5 Ayr United (9th) (last night)

Inverness CT (10th) [0 - 1] Dundee United (2nd)

Caley Thistle manager Billy Dodds was sacked following last week's loss.

Partick Thistle (3rd) [0 - 3] Arbroath (4th)

Airdrieonians (7th) [1 - 0] Raith Rovers (1st)*

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

It's the Scottish Cup, Round One:

Cowdenbeath (LL) [2 - 1] Linlithgow Rose (LL)

Clachnacuddin (HL) [1 - 0] Inverurie Loco Works (HL)

Dalkeith Thistle (EL2) [0 - 7] Clydebank (WLP)

Formartine United (HL) [3 - 2] Threave Rovers (WL3)

Dunipace (EL1) [1 - 3] Cumnock (WLP)

Gala Fairydean Rovers (LL) [8 - 2] Strathspey Thistle (HL)

Wick Academy (HL) [1 - 3] Jeanfield Swifts (ELP)

Lossiemouth (HL) [0 - 4] Beith Juniors (WLP)

Edinburgh University (LL) [2 - 3] Dunbar United (ELP)

Caledonian Braves (LL) [1 - 2] Fraserburgh (HL)

Banks o' Dee (HL) [6 - 0] Dalbeattie Star (SL)

Bo'ness United (LL) [3 - 0] Darvel (WLP)

Turriff United (HL) [2 - 1] Sauchie Juniors (ELP)

Golspie Sutherland (NC) [1 - 1] Forres Mechanics (HL) [Forres win on PK]

Culter (NRP) [3 - 4] Deveronvale (HL)

Tayport (ML) [0 - 4] Buckie Thistle (HL)

Camelon Juniors (EL1) [1 - 2] Civil Service Strollers (LL)

Brechin City (HL) [4 - 0] Rothes (HL)

East Stirlingshire (LL) [0 -1] Huntly (HL)

Penicuik Athletic (ELP) [0 - 6] Pollok (WLP)

Musselburgh Athletic (ELP) [1 - 1] Gretna 2008 (LL) [Musselburgh win on PK]

East Kilbride (LL) [8 - 0] Whitehill Welfare (EL1)

Keith (HL) [2 - 5] Luncarty (ELP)

Broxburn Athletic (ELP) [2 - 1] Nairn County (HL)

Dundonald Bluebell (ELP) [2 - 3] Kilwinning Rangers (WL1)

Brora Rangers (HL) [5 - 1] Berwick Rangers (LL)

Tranent (LL) [4 - 1] Hutchison Vale (ELP)

St Andrews United (EL1) [1 - 0] Auchinleck Talbot (WLP)

Broomhill (LL) [3 - 1] Cumbernauld Colts (LL) (tomorrow)

University of Stirling (LL) [1 - 3] Albion Rovers (LL) (Monday)

ELP = East of Scotland League Premier Division (tier 6); EL1 = East of Scotland League First Division (7); EL2 = East of Scotland League Second Division (8); HL = Highland League (5); LL = Lowland League (5); ML = Midlands League (6); NC = North Caledonian League (6); NRP = North Region Premier League (6); SL = South of Scotland League (6); WLP = West of Scotland League Premier Division (6); WL1 = West of Scotland League Division 1 (7); WL3 = West of Scotland League Division 3 (9)

Alex Jack Cup, quarter-finals:

Bo'ness Athletic 7 - 2 Newburgh (yesterday)

Heriot-Watt University [5 - 0] Harthill Royal

Rosyth [2 - 1] Kirkcaldy & Dysart

Whitburn Juniors [0 - 2] Arniston Rangers

Other matches:

UCD 0 - 0 Shamrock Rovers (yesterday)

Despite this good result UCD are relegated with five games left to play.

Cardiff Metropolitan University 1 - 5 The New Saints (yesterday)

Larne 4 - 1 Carrick Rangers (yesterday)

Largs Thistle [3 - 1] Hurlford United

Lugar Boswell Thistle [2 - 2] Carluke Rovers

Irlam vs FC Isle of Man (September 19) (postponed)

AFC Liverpool vs FC Isle of Man [abandoned]

Blaublitz Akita [1 - 1] Montedio Yamagata

Mito HollyHock [0 - 1] Oita Trinita

Minebea Mitsumi [1 - 3] Honda FC

Sendai University [9 - 1] Morioka Zebra (tomorrow)

Wyvern [5 - 1] Fujieda City Hall

Vancouver FC [2 - 1] HFX Wanderers

[Goal by Ferrin.]

Vancouver are already out of the playoffs. 

SWF Championship & League One Cup, R2 (tomorrow):

Westdyke [6 - 2] Morton Women

2023-24 UEFA Champions League, group stage, matchday 1 (September 19):

Feyenoord 2 - 0 Celtic

2023-24 UEFA Europa League, group stage, matchday 1 (September 21):

Rangers 1 - 0 Real Betis

2023-24 UEFA Conference, group stage, matchday 1 (September 21):

Eintracht Frankfurt 2 - 1 Aberdeen

2023-24 AFC Champions League, group stage, matchday 1 (September 19-20):

Group G: Yokohama F. Marinos 2 - 4 Incheon United

Group H: Melbourne City 0 - 0 Ventforet Kofu

Group I: Johor Darul Ta'zim 0 - 1 Kawasaki Frontale

Group J: Wuhan Three Towns 2 - 2 Urawa Red Diamonds

Historical matches:

1882/9/23      Paisley Athletic 5 - 1 Morton (friendly)

1944/9/23      Motherwell 4 - 2 Morton

1967/9/23      Partick Thistle 0 - 1 Morton

1995/9/23      Morton 2 - 0 Dunfermline

Goals by Warren Hawke and Derek McInnes.

Banks o' Dee FC in the Scottish Cup:

2008/9/27      R1    Banks o' Dee 10 - 0 Fort William

2008/10/25    R2    Inverurie Loco Works 5 - 1 Banks o' Dee

2009/9/26      R1    Rothes 1 - 5 Banks o' Dee

2009/10/24    R2    Banks o' Dee 0 - 3 Montrose

2014/9/13      R1    Rothes 0 - 4 Banks o' Dee

2014/10/4      R2    Brora Rangers 5 - 0 Banks o' Dee

2015/9/26      R1    Banks o' Dee 2 - 3 Cove Rangers

2016/9/3       PR2   Banks o' Dee 4 - 0 Golspie Sutherland

2016/9/24      R1    Keith 0 - 1 Banks o' Dee

2016/10/22    R2    Banks o' Dee 2 - 2 Formartine United

2016/10/29    R2    Formartine United 7 - 2 Banks o' Dee

2017/9/2       PR2   Banks o' Dee 2 - 1 Linlithgow Rose

2017/9/23      R1    Banks o' Dee 4 - 0 Huntly

2017/10/14    R2    Banks o' Dee 2 - 0 Selkirk

2017/11/18    R3    Banks o' Dee 2 - 6 Ayr United

2018/8/11     PR1   Auchinleck Talbot 3 - 1 Banks o' Dee

2019/8/10     PR1   Banks o' Dee 5 - 0 Glasgow University

2019/8/31     PR2   Banks o' Dee 2 - 0 Golspie Sutherland

2019/9/21      R1    Forres Mechanics 1 - 4 Banks o' Dee

2019/10/18    R2    Edinburgh City 3 - 1 Banks o' Dee

2020/12/12   PR2   Banks o' Dee 6 - 1 Vale of Leithen

2020/12/26    R1    LTHV 0 - 3 Banks o' Dee

2021/1/9        R2    Fraserburgh 2 - 1 Banks o' Dee

2021/8/28      PR    Linlithgow Rose 1 - 2 Banks o' Dee

2021/9/18      R1    Banks o' Dee 1 - 0 Turriff United

2021/10/23    R2    Banks o' Dee 5 - 0 Nairn County

2021/11/27    R3    Banks o' Dee 2 - 1 East Fife

2022/1/22      R4    Banks o' Dee 0 - 3 Raith Rovers

2022/9/17      R1    Banks o' Dee 4 - 0 Turriff United (voided)

Copper Mine, Gourock

Gourock had a copper mine in the 19th century. Source.

Morton host Partick Thistle. Partick are fifth with 4 points, Morton seventh with 3.

Since 1994 Morton and Partick have spent 14 years in the same division, 13 in tier II and one in tier III. The tier III year was 2005-06, when Morton had the edge with 2 wins and a draw and finished in second overall in the division. Partick finished fourth but earned promotion via the newfangled playoffs, leaping over Morton into tier II.

Last season Partick took 2 wins to Morton's 1, and there was a scoreless draw.

Robbie Muirhead played for Partick in 2015-16, Jai Quitongo in 2018, and Robbie Crawford in 2022. No one on Partick Thistle has played for Morton, except manager Kris Doolan who made one appearance in 2020. 

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

[Morton 1 - 4 Partick Thistle. Goal by Robbie Muirhead. Morton were in tenth place for a few minutes there.]

The other Championship matches:

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

Dundee United (2nd) [2 - 0] Airdrieonians (4th)

Inverness CT (10th) [1 - 1] Dunfermline (6th)

Raith Rovers (3rd) [3 - 2] Queen's Park (1st)

Scottish Cup, Preliminary Round Two:

Beith [5 - 1] Bonnyton Thistle

Broxburn Athletic [3 - 0] Lochee United

Camelon [0 - 0] Newtongrange Star [Camelon win on PK]

Carluke Rovers [2 - 3] Dalbeattie Star

Creetown [1 - 3] Whitehill Welfare

Culter [3 - 2] Blackburn United

Cumnock [1 - 0] Girvan

Dunbar United [4 - 2] Vale of Leithen

Easthouses Lily [1 - 3] Threave Rovers

Fort William [1 - 10] Clydebank

Glenafton Athletic [0 - 3] Darvel

Hawick Royal Albert [1 - 2] Golspie Sutherland

Hill of Beath Hawthorn [0 - 1] Tayport

Irvine Meadow [1 - 2] Dunipace

Jeanfield Swifts [3 - 0] Cupar Hearts

Kilwinning Rangers [4 - 0] Glasgow University

Musselburgh Athletic [6 - 0] Coldstream

Newton Stewart [1 - 4] Luncarty

Penicuik Athletic [4 - 2] Rutherglen Glencairn

Pollok [2 - 2] Benburb [Pollok win on PK]

Preston Athletic [0 - 0] Dundonald Bluebell [Dundonald win on PK]

St Andrews United [1 - 0] Haddington Athletic

St Cuthbert Wanderers [0 - 5] Dalkeith Thistle

Sauchie [4 - 0] Burntisland Shipyard

Tynecastle [0 - 1] Hutchison Vale

Wigtown & Bladnoch [0 - 12] Auchinleck Talbot

Scottish Junior Cup, R1 (selected matches):

Blairgowrie [0 - 3] Troon

Gartcairn [2 - 2] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy [Gartcairn win on PK]

Hurlford [3 - 2] Sunnybank

Islavale [2 - 2] Greenock Juniors [Greenock win on PK]

Johnstone Burgh [3 - 0] East Craigie

Kilbirnie Ladeside [1 - 1] Ashfield [Ashfield win on PK]

Kilsyth Rangers [0 - 4] Arthurlie

Largs Thistle [5 - 0] Lugar Boswell Thistle

Petershill [7 - 0] Cambuslang Rangers

Yoker [0 - 3] Broughty Athletic

Alex Jack Cup, round 2:

Whitburn Juniors [3 - 2] Peebles Rovers

Other matches:

Penybont 0 - 0 Cardiff Metropolitan University (August 29)

Newtown 2 - 1 Cardiff Metropolitan University (yesterday)

Hearts B 2 - 2 Linlithgow Rose (yesterday)

Drogheda 3 - 0 UCD (yesterday)

Carrick Rangers 2 - 1 Dungannon (yesterday)

Banks o' Dee [1 - 1] Lossiemouth

Berwick Rangers [0 - 2] Cowdenbeath

FC Isle of Man vs Charnock Richard

[Wythenshawe Town 0 - 0 FC Isle of Man]

Tokyo Musashino United [0 - 1] Honda FC

Elfen Saitama [2 - 0] Ardija Omiya Ventus

Morton Women [8 - 0] Hutchison Vale (tomorrow)

Renofa Yamaguchi [1 - 2] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

Nankatsu SC [2 - 2] Tokyo 23 FC (tomorrow)

Fujieda City Hall [1 - 6] Wyvern (tomorrow)

HFX Wanderers [1 - 2] York United (Monday)

[Goal by Perruzza.]

The CanPL season is three-quarters done and HFX Wanderers have more points than they earned all last season.

HFX Wanderers versus the opposition, 2023, after 21 games:

vs Valour           3    2    1    0      5      0    +5      7

vs Forge            3    1    2    0      4      3    +1      5

vs Vancouver    3    1    1    1      5      3    +2      4

vs Cavalry         3    1    1    1      5      4    +1      4

vs Pacific           3    1    1    1      4      4      0      4

vs York United   3    1    1    1      4      5     -1      4

vs Ottawa          3    1    1    1      2      3     -1      4

total                 21    8    8    5    29    22    +7    32

League1 Ontario playoff final:

Scrosoppi [2 - 4] Simcoe County Rovers

2023-24 UEFA Champions League, play-off round, second leg (August 30):

PSV Eindhoven 5 - 1 Rangers

Rangers drop down to the Europa League.

2023-24 UEFA Europa League, play-off round, second leg (August 31):

Aberdeen 1 - 3 Häcken

Aberdeen drop down to the Europa Conference League.

023-24 UEFA Europa Conference League, play-off round, second leg (August 31):

Aston Villa 3 - 0 Hibs

PAOK 4 - 0 Hearts

Hibs and Hearts are out.

Video: Threave Rovers' Five Year Plan

Historical matches:

1882/9/2        Kilbarchan 5 - 1 Morton (friendly)

1944/9/2        Morton 4 - 2 Falkirk

1967/8/30      Raith Rovers 2 - 3 Morton

1967/9/2        Dumbarton 1 - 3 Morton

This ends the League Cup group stage. Morton win Group 7 with six wins in six games. Add the last two matches of 1966-67 and they have won eight in a row.

1995/9/2        St Johnstone 0 - 2 Morton

Two goals for Derek Lilley.

Princes Pier Demolition

Greenock marked Morton's 1967 promotion to the First Division by demolishing Princes Pier. Source.

Morton visit San Starko for a game against Raith Rovers. Morton are second in the division, Raith sixth. Both clubs finished second in their League Cup groups with 9 points and both progress to Round Two. (See A below.)

With this match "Raith away" becomes Morton's most frequently played fixture of the four-division era. (See B below.)

Since 1994 Raith Rovers have spent two seasons in tier I, twenty in tier II and eight in tier III.

Grant Gillespie played for Raith Rovers in 2018-19. No one on the current Raith roster has ever played for Morton, though Andrew Barrowman (Morton 2014-15) is now Raith CEO. Raith have a Polish goalkeeper, Kevin Dąbrowski, who has been playing in Scotland since 2017.

Championship clubs with a proper 2023-24 article on Wikipedia: Arbroath, Ayr United, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic, Queen's Park and Raith Rovers. Those without: Airdrieonians, Inverness CT, Morton, Partick Thistle. Raith Rovers have the most old-school website in the Championship.

[Raith Rovers 3 - 2 Morton. Goals by Muirhead and Crawford.]

Other Championship matches:

Airdrieonians [2 - 1] Partick Thistle

Ayr United [1 - 0] Inverness CT

Dundee United [1 - 1] Dunfermline

Queen's Park [2 - 1] Arbroath

It's the 2023-24 Scottish Cup First Preliminary Round. This extra round was added due to the increase in clubs with SFA membership. For the first time there will be no replays in any round of this cup. This is the 150th anniversary of the Scottish Cup, though this is only the 139th time it has been played.

Last year Darvel and Inverness CT each played six rounds in the Scottish Cup. Can Beith go seven?

The matches:

Abbey Vale (South of Scotland League) [0 - 5] Cupar Hearts (Kingdom of Fife Amateur League)

Carnoustie Panmure (Midlands League) [1 - 2] Beith (West of Scotland Premier Division)

Luncarty (East of Scotland Premier Division) [3 - 1] Loch Ness (North Caledonian League)

Other matches:

Rothes [2 - 2] Banks o' Dee

Linlithgow Rose [2 - 4] Cumbernauld Colts

East Stirlingshire [1 - 2] Berwick Rangers

I'm going to keep track of the Lowland League's four former SPFL clubs' matches against one another and make a table out of the results at season's end, and call it SPFL Division X.

Largs Thistle [0 - 2] Clydebank

East Craigie [2 - 2] Lochee United (August 9)

East Craigie [4 - 0] Coupar Angus

Carluke Rovers [3 - 5] Newmains United

FC Isle of Man [2 - 1] Padiham

The Cymru Premier League begins. Let's follow Cardiff Metropolitan University:

Aberystwyth Town [0 - 1] Cardiff Metropolitan University

The Northern Ireland Football League Premiership is also under way. Let's follow Carrick Rangers:

Carrick Rangers [0 - 2] Newry City

NPL2 Vic: Eastern Lions 2 - 1 Preston Lions

Cork City 1 - 1 UCD (yesterday)

Mito HollyHock [3 - 3] V-Varen Nagasaki

HFX Wanderers [3 - 0] Vancouver FC

[Goals by Morelli (twice) and Ferrin.]

HFX Wanderers have signed forward Jordan Perruzza on loan from Toronto FC.

BVB IA Waterloo 0 - 5 Scrosoppi (August 9)

There's a League1 Alberta in the works, due to begin next season. So far the men's and women's sections have five teams each: two in Edmonton, two in Calgary, and one in St Albert.

Morton Women 2 - 6 Glasgow City U18 (friendly) (August 8)

Morton Women 7 - 2 Stenhousemuir (friendly) (August 10)

Bonnyrigg Rose vs Morton Women (tomorrow) [abandoned]

Alex Jack Cup, round 1:

Inverkeithing Hillfield Swifts [2 - 3] Peebles Rovers

East of Scotland Centenary Cup, semi-final one (August 8):

The EoS Centenary Cup features the winners of last year's Premier (Linlithgow Rose), First (Dunbar United), Second (Whitburn) and Third (Bo'ness Athletic) Divisions, and is in celebration of the league's 100th anniversary.

Linlithgow Rose 5 - 3 Bo'ness Athletic

2023-24 UEFA Champions League, 3QR, first leg (August 9):

Rangers 2 - 1 Servette

2023-24 UEFA Europa League, 3QR, first leg:

None of our teams are in this round.

2023-24 UEFA Europa Conference League, 3QR, first leg (August 10):

Rosenborg 2 - 1 Hearts

Hibs 3 - 1 Luzern

Tobol 1 - 0 Derry City

49th All Japan Municipal Officials Football Tournament:

QF: Fujieda City Hall 6 - 1 Suginami Ward Office (August 7)

SF: Fujieda City Hall 5 - 1 Ota City Hall (August 8)

Final: Fujieda City Hall 6 - 0 Gifu City Hall (August 9)

2023 Women's World Cup, QF (yesterday):

Japan 1 - 2 Sweden

A) Sort the 2023-24 Championship clubs by points earned in the League Cup group stage:

12        Airdrieonians (+5)

11        Ayr United (+8)

  9        Morton (+7)

  9        Raith Rovers (+3)

  9        Partick Thistle (+2)

  8        Dunfermline (+5)

  6        Dundee United (+2)

  5        Arbroath (-3)

  4        Queen's Park (+4)

  3        Inverness CT (-2)

bold = advanced to Round Two

B) Morton's most frequently-played fixtures of the four-division era, prior to 2023-24:

35 times    Queen of the South vs Morton

35 times    Raith Rovers vs Morton

34 times    Morton vs Queen of the South

33 times    Ayr United vs Morton

33 times    Morton vs Ayr United

31 times    Morton vs Raith Rovers

29 times    Dunfermline vs Morton

29 times    Morton vs Partick Thistle

28 times    Morton vs Dunfermline

28 times    Morton vs Falkirk

27 times    Partick Thistle vs Morton

26 times    Dumbarton vs Morton

26 times    Falkirk vs Morton

24 times    Morton vs Dumbarton

Historical matches:

1944/8/12    Third Lanark 2 - 3 Morton

This was the first match of the 1944-45 Southern League. It came 42 days after Morton's last Summer Cup match, making their close season even shorter than it is today.

1967/8/12    Queen of the South 0 - 4 Morton

This was the first match of the League Cup group stage. 

1995/8/12    Dundee United 1 - 1 Morton

First league match of the season. Goal for Alan Mahood.

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.)