Plenty of Nothing

Winter in Greenock

Sledding on Lyle Hill, 1947. Source.

Dundee United visit Cappielow for a Championship fixture postponed from November 30th. Coming into this match United hold first place in the Championship, Morton eighth. The Tangerines have won their last six games. Morton lost to Dunfermline on Saturday. [Morton 1 - 2 Dundee United. Goal by Sutton.]

Also tonight:

Ayr United [1 - 1] Arbroath

Also:

Queen of the South reserves 0 - 1 Morton reserves (yesterday)

Have Morton ever played to four draws in four league matches against a divisional rival? Yes, Morton and Montrose notched four draws in the 1991-92 Division One.

The 2019 season is nearly over in Japan. Here are the promotions and relegations:

Yokohama F. Marinos win the J1 league title, followed by FC Tokyo and Kashima Antlers. All three will play in the 2020 AFC Champions League. F. Marinos will face the winner of the Emperor's Cup in the Super Cup in February.

Júbilo Iwata and Matsumoto Yamaga are relegated to J2.

Kashiwa Reysol and Yokohama FC are promoted from J2 to J1.

Shonen Bellmare and Tokushima Vortis have a playoff game the day after tomorrow to determine which one will be in J1 next year.

Kagoshima United and FC Gifu are relegated from J2 to J3.

Giravanz Kitakyushu and Thespakusatsu Gumna are promoted from J3 to J2.

No one is relegated from J3.

FC Imabari are promoted from the JFL to J3.

Iwaki FC are promoted from the Tohoku league to the JFL. Kochi United are promoted from the Shikoku league to the JFL.

Ryutsu Keizai Dragons are relegated from the JFL to the Kanto league.

Nara Club have been caught inflating their attendance numbers. This has led the J League to call on the JFL to manage its clubs more closely. And Nara Club's 100-Year-Plan status will now go under review.

Clubs groundsharing while playing in the same division:

2008-09        3rd Div        Stenny and E. Stirlingshire        Ochilview

2007-08        Premier        Motherwell and Gretna             Fir Park

2004-05        Premier        Aberdeen and Inverness CT    Pittodrie

2001-02        2nd Div        Morton and Clydebank            Cappielow

2000-01        3rd Div        Albion Rovers and Dumbarton    Cliftonhill

1999-00        1st Div         Morton and Clydebank            Cappielow

1999-00        2nd Div        Partick and Hamilton                Firhill

1993-94        Div 1            Hamilton and Clyde                 Douglas Park

1990-91        Div 1            Partick and Clyde                     Firhill    

1989-90        Div 1            Partick and Clyde                     Firhill

1988-89        Div 1            Partick and Clyde                     Firhill

1987-88        Div 1            Partick and Clyde                     Firhill

1986-87        Div 1            Partick and Clyde                     Firhill

The matches:

2009/3/7        Stenhousemuir 1 - 4 East Stirlingshire

2009/1/3        East Stirlingshire 0 - 3 Stenhousemuir

2008/11/22    Stenhousemuir 1 - 1 East Stirlingshire

2008/9/13      East Stirlingshire 0 - 2 Stenhousemuir

2008/2/16      Gretna 1 - 3 Motherwell

2007/12/1      Motherwell 3 - 0 Gretna

2007/2/25      Gretna 1 - 2 Motherwell

2005/4/2        Inverness CT 0 - 1 Aberdeen

2005/2/5        Aberdeen 2 - 1 Inverness CT (Scottish Cup)

2004/12/27    Aberdeen 0 - 0 Inverness CT

2004/10/16    Inverness CT 1 - 3 Aberdeen

2002/3/9        Morton 3 - 1 Clydebank

2002/1/8        Clydebank 1 - 2 Morton

2001/10/27    Morton 0 - 2 Clydebank

2001/9/8        Clydebank 3 - 2 Morton

2000/8/26      Albion Rovers 0 - 1 Dumbarton

2000/10/28    Dumbarton 0 - 1 Albion Rovers

2000/4/29      Clydebank 0 - 3 Morton

2000/3/18      Hamilton 0 - 1 Partick

2000/2/26      Morton 1 - 0 Clydebank

2000/1/3        Partick 2 - 2 Hamilton

1999/11/6      Hamilton 0 - 0 Partick

1999/10/16    Clydebank 1 - 3 Morton

1999/9/18      Partick 0 - 1 Hamilton

1999/8/14      Morton 0 - 0 Clydebank

1994/4/2        Hamilton 2 - 1 Clyde

1994/2/5        Clyde 0 - 2 Hamilton

1993/10/23    Hamilton 2 - 0 Clyde

1993/9/11      Clyde 2 - 0 Hamilton

1991/4/16      Partick 2 - 0 Clyde

1991/4/13      Clyde 2 - 1 Partick

1990/10/13    Clyde 2 - 4 Partick

1990/3/3        Partick 0 - 3 Clyde

1990/1/2        Clyde 3 - 3 Partick

1989/8/26      Partick 2 - 2 Clyde

1989/5/15      Partick 2 - 0 Clyde (Glasgow Cup)

1989/3/28      Clyde 0 - 0 Partick

1989/1/3        Partick 0 - 0 Clyde

1988/8/27      Clyde 1 - 0 Partick

1988/4/6        Clyde 0 - 1 Partick (Glasgow Cup)

1988/3/26      Partick 1 - 0 Clyde

1988/1/1        Clyde 1 - 2 Partick

1987/11/7      Partick 1 - 4 Clyde

1987/8/29      Clyde 4 - 1 Partick

1987/3/28      Clyde 1 - 1 Partick

1987/3/17      Partick 0 - 2 Clyde

1986/11/8      Clyde 3 - 3 Partick

Landlords 24 wins, Tenants 12 wins, 10 draws.

Robert the Brass

The tomb of Robert the Bruce, Dunfermline Abbey. Source.

Morton visit East End Park for a game against Dunfermline Athletic. Both teams played on Tuesday: Morton beat Brora in the Scottish Cup, and Dunfermline beat Ayr in a rearranged Championship match. The Pars are fourth in the Championship with 22 points. Morton are eighth with 16. When Morton and Dunfermline met in the first quarter of the season they played to a 1 - 1 draw.

Current undefeated streaks, league + cup:

5        Dundee United

3        Inverness CT

3        Arbroath

3        Morton

2        Dunfermline

1        Queen of the South

0        Ayr United

0        Dundee

0        Alloa

0        Partick

The other Championship matches:

Arbroath [1 - 1] Dundee*

[Arbroath advance in the Championship League Cup by receiving two yellow cards to Dundee's three.]

Dundee United [2 - 1] Alloa*

Inverness CT [2 - 0] Ayr United

Queen of the South [1 - 2] Partick Thistle

(*Championship League Cup, Round Two.)

[Dunfermline 3 - 1 Morton. Goal by Lyon.]

League One:

Clyde [0 - 0] Forfar

Dumbarton [0 - 2] Montrose

East Fife [0 - 0] Falkirk

Peterhead [3 - 0] Stranraer

Raith Rovers [1 - 0] Airdrieonians

It's the final of the 2019-20 Scottish League Cup tomorrow.

Rangers [0 - 1] Celtic, at Hampden

Previous Old Firm finals:

1957/10/19    Celtic 7 - 1 Rangers

1964/10/24    Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

1965/10/23    Rangers 1 - 2 Celtic

1966/10/29    Rangers 0 - 1 Celtic

1970/10/24    Rangers 1 - 0 Celtic

1975/10/25    Rangers 1 - 0 Celtic

1978/3/18      Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

1982/12/4      Celtic 2 - 1 Rangers

1984/3/25      Rangers 3 - 2 Celtic

1986/10/26    Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

1990/10/28    Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

2003/3/16      Celtic 1 - 2 Rangers

2009/3/15      Celtic 2 - 0 Rangers

2011/3/20      Rangers 2 - 1 Celtic

Rangers 9, Celtic 5.

2019-20 Scottish Junior Cup, Round Four replays and rearranged fixtures:

Rossvale 1 - 2 Auchinleck Talbot (Nov 30)

Glenafton [1 - 1] Irvine Meadow [Meadow win on PK.]

Rutherglan Glencairn [0 - 4] Petershill

Dundee North End [0 - 2] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy

(Just the West Premiership clubs.)

Sort the 2019-20 Championship clubs by most recent cup final, why don't you?

2017-18 Challenge Cup final        Inverness CT

2016-17 Challenge Cup final        Dundee United

2014-15 Challenge Cup final        Alloa

2013-14 Challenge Cup final        Partick Thistle

2012-13 Challenge Cup final        Queen of the South

2009-10 Challenge Cup final        Dundee FC

2007-08 Challenge Cup final        Dunfermline

2001-02 League Cup final            Ayr United

1992-93 Challenge Cup final        Morton

none                                             Arbroath

1907-08: Morton were away to Airdrieonians' park where they lost 3 - 0. The Ton had now lost seven in a row, including two to Airdrieonians. They were in 15th place.

1963-64: Morton were at home to Albion Rovers and won 3 - 1.

Games in which Morton surrendered five or more goals in the 2010s:

2019/9/28      Dundee United 6 - 0 Morton

2019/8/30      Inverness CT 5 - 0 Morton

2018/10/27    Ross County 5 - 0 Morton

2018/9/29      Morton 1 - 5 Ayr United

(Say what you like about Jim Duffy, he never let the other side score a manita on Morton.)

2014/5/3        Hamilton 10 - 2 Morton

2013/11/23    Morton 1 - 5 Livingston

2013/10/19    Cowdenbeath 5 - 1 Morton

2013/2/3        Dundee 5 - 1 Morton

2012/3/3        Raith Rovers 5 - 0 Morton

2012/2/4        Motherwell 6 - 0 Morton

2011/9/30      Partick Thistle 5 - 0 Morton

2011/2/5        Inverness CT 5 - 1 Morton

(Jan 1 2010 to Dec 31 2019. League and cup only.)

Port Glasgow Athletic versus St Mirren. In sixteen Scottish League meetings St Mirren took eleven wins, Port Glasgow four wins, with one draw.

Scottish Cup:

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

1907/2/9          St Mirren 4 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic         R2

Renfrewshire Cup:

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

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

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

1891/2/14        Port Glasgow Athletic 0 - 4 St Mirren

1894/2/24        St Mirren 2 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic (protested)

1894/3/17        St Mirren 5 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic

1896/2/29        St Mirren 0 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic (cup-winning game)

1897/4/10        Port Glasgow Athletic 0 - 1 St Mirren (abandoned)

1897/4/17        St Mirren (W) 1 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1898/4/23        St Mirren (W) 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1904/4/2          St Mirren 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic (abandoned)

1904/4/9          St Mirren 4 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1909/8/24        St Mirren 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

Renfrewshire Coronation Cup:

1902/6/25        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 0 St Mirren (cup-winning game)

(Sources: Scottish Football Historical Archive, Wikipedia.)

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [1 - 2] Lausanne-Ouchy (tomorrow)

Chrisnovic N'sa has signed on for another year with HFX Wanderers. Wanderers have also signed forward Ibrahima Sanoh from the Holland College Hurricanes. He played as an Atlantic Select in the 2018 friendly against Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Luca Gasparotto and Wataru Murofushi have re-signed with York9.

The University of Ottawa Gee-Gees won the FISU Women's University World Cup in Jinjiang, China last Saturday, beating Paulista Univerisity of São Paulo 1 - 0. Goal by Mikayla Morton. Story.

Tomorrow it's the quarter-finals of the 40th Empress's Cup:

Match No. 41: Nippon TV Beleza (N1) [5 - 0] Nippon Sport Science University Fields Yokohama (N1)

Match No. 42: Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (N2) [3 - 2] Orca Kamogawa (N2)

Match No. 43: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (N1) [1 - 0] Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies (N1)

Match No. 44: INAC Kobe Leonessa (N1) [1 - 0] Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara (N1)

J1 ends today. J3 ends tomorrow.

The board of the JFL met Thursday and formally admitted Iwaki FC and Kochi United. Iwaki FC have already filed for 100-Year-Plan status, a prerequisite for advancement to J3.

Iwaki FC finish the year with a training match against Sendai University.

Elfen Saitama. Source. The technology is available for any club to take a starting-XI photo for every game they play, yet some clubs *CoughGreenockMorton* still don't do it.

Close-Knit Greenock

 

The Fleming Reid Mill on Drumfrochar Road operated from 1840 to 1981. Source.

Morton host Dundee United.

Morton arrive at the park in 8th place with 16 points, level with Dunfermline and Queen of the South on points but well behind them on goal difference. At this rate the Ton will finish the season with 41 points, good enough for 7th place in last year's Championship.

Every point Morton has gained this season has come at Cappielow, where they have amassed 5 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss.

Q: Which Morton player has played every minute of every game so far this season? A: None of them.

United are top of the league with 33 points. They have held first place every week this season, sometimes only by goal difference, but now they're running away with it. If they keep up the current pace they will finish the season with 85 points. Former Morton man Lawrence Shankland leads not just the Championship but the whole SPFL in scoring with 17 goals in league action, as opposed to 19 for Morton collectively. The Tangerines handed Morton a 6 - 0 loss at Tannadice on Sept 28th and are presently on a five-game winning streak.

[Game off. The pitch is frozen.]

The other Championship matches:

Partick Thistle 1 - 1 Alloa (Nov 26)

Alloa [0 - 2] Inverness CT

Ayr United vs Arbroath [postponed]

Dundee [1 - 2] Queen of the South

Dunfermline [5 - 1] Partick Thistle

League One:

East Fife 0 - 0 Clyde (Nov 26)

Raith Rovers 0 - 0 Forfar (Nov 26)

Airdrieonians [4 - 0] East Fife

Clyde [1 - 2] Dumbarton

Falkirk [3 - 0] Stranraer

Forfar [2 - 1] Peterhead

Montrose [0 - 1] Raith Rovers

Scottish Cup Round Three replay (Nov 27):

Arbroath 3 - 0 Auchinleck Talbot

1907-08: Morton travelled to Glasgow where Hibs beat them 3 - 0.

1963-64: Morton visited Alloa and beat them 0 - 3.

Port Glasgow Athletic versus Kilmarnock. Prior to joining the SFL, these two played together in the 1891-92 Scottish Alliance. The scores were:

1891/8/22      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 6 Kilmarnock

1891/10/10    Kilmarnock 0 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

These two met twenty-four times in Scottish League play. Killie won eleven games, Port Glasgow won nine, plus four draws. It took them four games to get through the 1905-06 Scottish Cup Round Two: three draws and a 1 - 0 win by Kilmarnock. Plus they were involved in a tie-breaking playoff in May 1906, which Kilmarnock won handily. Altogether Port Glasgow and Kilmarnock met seven times in 1905-06 in the days when two matches were considered plenty.

SPFL Reserve League: St Mirren 3 - 2 Morton (Nov 25)

Swiss Challenge League: Aarau 2 - 2 Winterthur

UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 5 (Nov 28):

Celtic 3 - 1 Rennes

Feyenoord 2 - 2 Rangers

Malmö 4 - 3 Dynamo Kyiv

Concacaf League finals, second leg (Nov 26):

Motagua 0 - 0 Saprissa

Saprissa win on aggregate and advance to the Concacaf Champions League.

HFX Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart has been awarded five million Trinidad and Tobago dollars after he won a wrongful dismissal case against the TTFA. He managed the T&T national team from 2013 to 2016. $5m in T&T money is just a bit less than $1m Canadian.

Wanderers have signed midfielders Omar Kreim and Aboubacar Sissoko, both from the University of Montreal Carabins.

Cappielow's biggest gates of the 2010s:

10191        2010/1/19        Celtic              Scottish Cup

  7392        2015/9/27        Rangers          league

  6024        2015/5/12        Peterhead       league

  5778        2016/1/25        Rangers          league

  5647        2013/2/16        Partick             league

  5343        2015/8/21        St Mirren         league

  4959        2011/8/23        St Mirren         League Cup

  4736        2016/1/2          St Mirren         league

  4661        2017/8/12        St Mirren         league

  4626        2011/4/30        Dunfermline     league

  4609        2017/4/11        St Mirren         league

  4229        2017/4/8          Hibs                league

  4126        2018/1/2          St Mirren         league

  3771        2010/5/1          Ayr United       league

  3722        2012/7/21        St Mirren         Renf. Cup

  3445        2012/10/6        Partick             league

  3422        2010/7/27        St Mirren         Renf. Cup

  3378        2016/11/1        St Mirren         league

  3306        2017/5/19        Dundee Utd    playoffs

  3076        2012/12/29      Dunfermline    league

The Japan Football League ends tomorrow.

Tomorrow it's Round Three of the 40th Empress's Cup.

Match No. 33: Nippon TV Beleza (N1) [5 - 1] Nippatsu Yokohama FC Seagulls (N2) (Dec 4)

Match No. 34: AC Nagano Parceiro Ladies (N1) [1 - 2] Nippon Sport Science University Fields Yokohama (N1)

Match No. 35: Albirex Niigata Ladies (N1) [2 - 2] Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (N2) [Elfen won on PK.]

Match No. 36: Okayamaken Sakuyo High School [0 - 2] Orca Kamogawa FC (N2)

Match No. 37: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (N1) [3 - 0] Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita (N2)

Match No. 38: Iga FC Kunoichi (N1) [1 - 2] Mynavi Vegalta Sendai Ladies (N1)

Match No. 39: INAC Kobe Leonessa (N1) [4 - 0] Cerezo Osaka Sakai Ladies (N2)

Match No. 40: Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara (N1) [3 - 0] Ehime FC Ladies (N2)

Japan's 2019 women's national team broken down by club affiliation:

11        Nippon TV Beleza

  5        Urawa Red Diamonds

  5        INAC Kobe Leonessa

  1        Elfen Saitama

  1        Nojima Stella

  1        Lyon

  1        Freiburg

Embroidered Greenock

A cushion embroidered by Betty MacDougall at Greenock in 1959, from the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Source.

It's the 2019-20 Scottish Cup, Round Three.

It's a cornucopia of matches between league and non-league clubs.

Morton host Brora Rangers of the Highland League. These two clubs have never played a competitive match before, but they did play a friendly in Brora on July 11th, 2015, which Morton won 0 - 1.

Brora Rangers are currently top of the Highland League with 12 wins and 2 losses.

BBC Scotland has published its Championship broadcast schedule for January to March and Morton are the only club not included.

Reports are that groundskeeper Mark Farrell has left Morton.

[ Morton 1 - 1 Brora. Goal by McHugh.]

Brora Rangers versus the 2019-20 Championship clubs:

2015/10/24    Brora 1 - 2 Arbroath      Scottish Cup

2015/7/25      Brora 0 - 1 Alloa            Challenge Cup

2014/11/29    QoS 4 - 1 Brora             Scottish Cup

1983/1/29      Dundee 2 - 1 Brora       Scottish Cup

1956/9/22      Arbroath 6 - 1 Brora      Scottish Cup

Other matches:

Linlithgow Rose 1 - 4 Falkirk (last night)

Falkirk sacked manager Ray McKinnon following last weekend's game. Tuesday they appointed Lee Miller and David McCracken as interim managers.

Queen of the South [1 - 2] Queen's Park [Upset]

These two met in the 1995-96 Scottish Cup and Queen's Park won.

Partick Thistle [1 - 0] Penicuik

Partick Thistle have been taken over by supporter Colin Weir, using lottery money he won in 2011. He plans to give control over to the fans before the end of this season. Story.

Penicuik is pronounced Penny Cook.

Elgin [1 - 3] Alloa

This is the first Scottish Cup match between these two.

Auchinleck Talbot [1 - 1] Arbroath

This is the first Scottish Cup match between these two.

Stranraer [1 - 0] Dunfermline [Upset]

Stranraer won the last time these two met in this cup.

Bonnyrigg Rose [2 - 1] Montrose [Upset]

First match ever between these two.

Inverurie Loco Works [0 - 1] Broxburn [Upset]

East Fife [3 - 4] BSC Glasgow [Upset]

First match ever between these two.

Stirling Albion [0 - 2] Clyde

These two met in 1981-82 and 2016-17 and both times Clyde advanced.

Edinburgh City [4 - 3] Annan

League Two.

Formartine [0 - 4] East Kilbride

Highland League versus Lowland League.

Raith Rovers [1 - 0] Peterhead

These two are both in League One and they also met in the League Cup group stage.

Dumbarton [3 - 1] Forfar

These old campaigners met in 1925-26, 1969-70 and 2007-08. Dumbarton are ahead two to one.

Albion Rovers [1 - 4] Airdrieonians

This is the first Scottish Cup game between Albion Rovers and New Airdrieonians.

Greenock Morton in the Scottish Cup Round Three this century:

2000/1/30      Morton 1 - 1 Brechin

2000/2/8        Brechin 0 - 0 Morton (Morton won on PK.)

2001/1/27      Peterhead 4 - 1 Morton

Morton did not make it to Round Three in 2001-02.

2003/1/25      Ross County 1 - 2 Morton

2004/1/10      Morton 0 - 3 Partick Thistle

2005/1/11      Livingston 2 - 1 Morton

Morton did not make it to Round Three in 2005-06.

2007/1/6        Morton 3 - 1 Kilmarnock

2007/11/24    Morton 3 - 2 Buckie Thistle

2008/11/29    Peterhead 2 - 1 Morton

2009/11/28    Morton 0 - 0 Dumbarton

2009/12/5      Dumbarton 0 - 1 Morton

2010/11/20    Dumbarton 1 - 2 Morton

2011/11/19    Morton 5 - 1 Deveronvale

2012/11/3      Albion Rovers 1 - 1 Morton

2012/11/13    Morton 3 - 0 Albion Rovers

Morton had a bye into Round Four in 2013-14.

2014/11/1      Morton 0 - 0 Airdrieonians

2014/11/11    Airdrieonians 0 - 2 Morton

2015/11/28    Albion Rovers 0 - 2 Morton

2016/12/3      Beith 0 - 6 Morton

Morton had a bye into Round Four in 2017-18.

2018/11/24    Morton 1 - 1 Peterhead

2018/11/27    Peterhead 0 - 3 Morton

Championship:

Inverness CT (4th) [1 - 0] Dundee (3rd)

This match was postponed from last weekend due to ICT's involvement in the Wafer Cup. Both ICT and Dundee have a bye into Round Four of the Scottish Cup.

Raith Rovers and Partick Thistle have been drawn together for the Challenge Cup semi-finals. Potentially they could play each other five times between now and the end of the season: once in the Challenge Cup, twice in the Scottish Cup, and twice in the playoffs.

1907-08: Morton visited Motherwell and lost 4 - 0.

1963-64: Morton visited Arbroath and beat them 1 - 2.

Lowland League: East Stirlingshire [3 - 1] Berwick Rangers

Who will get back to the SPFL first: East Stirlingshire, Berwick, Gretna, or Clydebank?

Scottish Junior Cup, Fourth Round:

Rossvale vs Auchinleck Talbot (postponed to Nov 30)

No other club has had so many Scottish Junior Cup games postponed because of the Scottish Cup as Auchinleck Talbot.

Aberdeen East End [1 - 4] Beith

Hurlford [3 - 0] Benburb

Irvine Meadow [0 - 0] Glenafton

Dundee North End vs Kirkintilloch Rob Roy [postponed]

Pollok [2 - 1] Troon

Petershill [2 - 2] Rutherglen Glencairn

Again, these are only the matches with West Premiership clubs in them.

HFX Wanderers have signed Scott Firth and Alex De Carolis for another year.

AFC Champions League final, second leg (Nov 24):

Urawa Red Diamonds [0 - 2] Al-Hilal

[Al-Hilal are Asian champions and will go on to the Club World Cup.]

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [0 - 2] Kriens (tomorrow)

It's the final round of the 2019 Regional Champions League. The matches are:

Nov. 20: Iwaki FC 3 - 0 Kochi United

Nov. 20: Ococias Kyoto 2 - 0 Fukui United

Nov. 22: Iwaki FC 1 - 0 Ococias Kyoto

Nov. 22: Kochi United 3 - 1 Fukui United

Nov. 24: Iwaki FC [1 - 1] Fukui United

Nov. 24: Kochi United [3 - 1] Ococias Kyoto

This round is to determine the pecking order for promotion to the Japan Football League. [It is: Iwaki FC, Kochi United, Ococias Kyoto, Fukui United.]

J2 ends tomorrow. The top two clubs will go up J1. Teams 3 to 6 go into a playoff for a chance at promotion. Our guys Mito HollyHock enter this weekend in 8th place, with a shot at a playoff spot. If they can beat Fagiano Okayama in their final game, and Ventforet Kofu and Kyoto Sanga both lose, they're in.

Mito HollyHock (8th) [1 - 0] Fagiano Okayama (9th)

Ventforet Kofu (6th) [2 - 0] FC Ryukyu (14th)

Kashiwa Reysol (1st) [13 - 1] Kyoto Sanga (7th) [Oof.]

[Mito finish seventh.]

Tomorrow it's Round Two of the 40th Empress's Cup. Here the N1 clubs and the rest of N2 join in. Let's continue with the university teams that won in the first round.

Match No. 18: Nippatsu Yokohama FC Seagulls (N2) [2 - 1] Teikyo Heisei University

Match No. 20: Nippon Sport Science University Fields Yokohama (N1) [1 - 0] Waseda University

Match No. 26: Sfida Setagaya FC (N2) [0 - 1] Shizuoka Sangyo University Iwata Bonita

Match No. 27: Iga FC Kunoichi (N2) [7 - 0] Niigata University of Health and Welfare

Source.

Thomas Baxter

Panini sticker of Thomas Baxter, Provost of Greenock 1922-24. Source.

Morton host Arbroath.

After 13 league matches Arbroath hold fifth place with 20 points. Morton are ninth with 13 points. Arbroath have allowed 14 goals in league play, Morton 29.

Arbroath won their first-quarter meeting with Morton 1 - 0.

Morton are on their second three-game losing streak of the season. They did not lose three in a row at all last season.

Morton lost five in row from April to July 2018. The last time they lost more than three in a row within a single season was September/October 2015 when they lost four. Their longest losing streak of the decade was eight losses and ran from November 2013 to January 2014.

The postponement of Partick vs Alloa means that Morton cannot fall into the cellar today, even if they lose. With a win they can move up to eighth place.

I figure if I say lose, losing and lost often enough we'll win.

[And we do! Morton win 1 - 0. Goal by Lyon.]

The other Championship matches:

Dundee United [3 - 0] Queen of the South

Inverness CT vs Dundee (postponed to Nov 23)

Partick Thistle vs Alloa (postponed to Nov 26)

Ayr United vs Dunfermline (postponed to Dec 3 due to international call-ups)

League One:

Dumbarton [1 - 1] Falkirk

East Fife vs Clyde (postponed to Nov 26)

Peterhead [0 - 0] Montrose

Raith Rovers vs Forfar (postponed to Nov 26)

Stranraer [0 - 2] Airdrieonians

[Airdrieonians take over first place.]

Manageria: Stuart Malcolm has left East Kilbride for the Forfar job. Jack Ross is the new manager at Hibs. He previously managed Alloa, St Mirren and Sunderland.

It's the quarterfinals of the Scottish Challenge Cup. The matches are:

Raith Rovers 3 - 2 Elgin (last night)

These two met in this cup in 2005 and Raith won.

Inverness CT [0 - 0] Clyde [ICT win on PK.]

These two have never met in this cup before.

Rangers colts [2 - 0] Wrexham

Wrexham are expected to bring at least 500 supporters to Ibrox.

Stenhousemuir [1 - 4] Partick

These two met in this cup in 2011 and Partick won.

Queen's Park FC have voted to go professional after 152 years of simon pure amateurism.

1907-08: Morton travelled to Paisley where they lost 2 - 1 to St Mirren.

1963-64: Morton hosted Queen's Park and won 4 - 0.

Port Glasgow Athletic versus Hamilton Academical. These two played seventeen Scottish league matches. Port won nine, Accies five, with three draws. How did they wind up playing an odd number of games? Renton dropped out of the league after four games in 1897, and were replaced by Hamilton who played the rest of their schedule. Port Glasgow have one game against Renton and one against Hamilton that season.

SPFL Reserve League: Morton 1 - 4 Ross County (Nov 12)

The Canadian Premier League university draft took place Monday. HFX Wanderers selected Cory Bent of Cape Breton and Jake Ruby of Trinity Western.

Andre Rampersad has signed up for another year.

Ottawa Fury have suspended operations, blaming Concacaf.

Years that Arbroath finished higher than Morton:

1927-28        Arbroath (10th, Div 2), Morton (18th, Div 2)

1933-34        Arbroath (3rd, Div 2), Morton (5th, Div 2)

1934-35        Arbroath (2nd, Div 2), Morton (6th, Div 2)

1935-36        Arbroath (11th, Div 1), Morton (3rd, Div 2)

1936-37        Arbroath (14th, Div 1), Morton (2nd, Div 2)

1937-38        Arbroath (11th, Div 1), Morton (20th, Div 1)

1938-39        Arbroath (17th, Div 1), Morton (12th, Div 2)

1939-40        Arbroath (14th, Div 1), Morton (15th, Div 2)

1957-58        Arbroath (3rd, Div 2), Morton (13th, Div 2)

1958-59        Arbroath (2nd, Div 2), Morton (11th, Div 2)

1959-60        Arbroath (18th, Div 1), Morton (14th, Div 2)

1960-61        Arbroath (12th, Div 2), Morton (19th, Div 2)

1973-74        Arbroath (13th, Div 1), Morton (14th, Div 1)

1975-76        Arbroath (5th, Div 1), Morton (11th, Div 1)

2001-02        Arbroath (7th, 1st Div), Morton (10th, 2nd Div)

2002-03        Arbroath (10th, 1st Div), Morton (1st, 3rd Div)

Ian McCall

Ian McCall, the last time he managed Partick.

Morton visit Firhill for a match against Partick Thistle. Morton are eighth with 13 points, Partick tenth with 8 points. The side that loses today wants to be relegated.

Partick Thistle's gaffer Ian McCall managed Greenock Morton at the tail end of the 1999-2000 season, earning 4 wins, a draw, and 8 losses in league play, and his squad knocked Brechin out of the Scottish Cup before losing 0 - 1 to Rangers at Cappielow. He managed Partick from 2007 to 2011, and Ayr United from 2015 to September of this year, when he returned to Partick. Ayr United have done fine without him and presently hold second place.

Despite their woeful league record Partick have made it to this year's League Cup quarter-finals and they are still alive in the Challenge Cup.

The league season is one-third complete. Morton have 13 points, which puts them on track for 39. Morton currently have the worst goal difference (-11), the worst road record (0 points), and the most goals allowed (27).

Partick have the worst home record (0 points). You feel that if both teams could come away with 0 points today, they would.

The other Championship matches:

Dundee (3rd) 0 - 2 Dundee United (1st) (last night)

Alloa (9th) [2 - 1] Dunfermline (6th)

Arbroath (5th) [3 - 0] Inverness CT (4th)

Queen of the South (7th) [3 - 1] Ayr United (2nd)

[Partick 2 - 1 Morton. Ton goal by Baird.]

Most recent scoreless draw in league play*:

2019/8/24      Dundee 0 - 0 Inverness CT

2019/8/3        Arbroath 0 - 0 Queen of the South

2019/4/13      Ross County 0 - 0 Partick Thistle

2019/2/16      Morton 0 - 0 Ayr United

2019/1/26      Morton 0 - 0 Dunfermline

2018/10/27    Alloa 0 - 0 Inverness CT

2018/1/13      Dunfermline 0 - 0 Dundee United

*Excludes cup and playoff games, which are sometimes decided by penalty shots, sometimes not.

League One:

Clyde (6th) [1 - 2] Peterhead (8th)

Dumbarton (5th) [2 - 4] East Fife (3rd)

Falkirk (1st) [1 - 2] Airdrieonians (4th)

Montrose (7th) [3 - 0] Forfar (10th)

Raith Rovers (2nd) [3 - 1] Stranraer (9th)

1907-08: Falkirk FC came to Greenock and won 2 - 0.

1963-64: Morton beat Hamilton Academical 8 - 0 at Cappielow on November 4th. It was their most one-sided victory of a high-scoring season, and remains their biggest win over the Accies to this day. November 9th, Morton beat Sirling Albion 5 - 1 at home.

Port Glasgow Athletic versus Albion Rovers. These two were both members of the SFL Division Two during Port Glasgow's final season, 1910-11. Port won both matches.

Manageria: Tim Weir has resigned as Forfar manager. Hibs have sacked Paul Heckingbottom.

SPFL Reserve League: Hearts 1 - 2 Morton (Nov 5)

First and last place teams week by week (1 of 3):

Week 1        Dundee United        Inverness CT

Week 2        Dundee United        Alloa

Week 3        Dundee United        Alloa

Week 4        Dundee United        Partick Thistle

Week 5        Dundee United        Dunfermline

Week 6        Dundee United        Partick Thistle

Week 7        Dundee United        Alloa

Week 8        Dundee United        Partick Thistle

Week 9        Dundee United        Partick Thistle

Week 10      Dundee United        Partick Thistle

Week 11      Dundee United        Partick Thistle

Week 12      Dundee United        Partick Thistle

It's the South Region Challenge Cup, Round Four:

Camelon [2 - 1] Linlithgow Rose

Kelty Hearts [2 - 0] University of Stirling

Dunipace [1 - 0] Bonnyrigg Rose

BSC Glasgow [6 - 1] Preston

East Kilbride [1 - 0] East Stirlingshire

Hill of Beath [1 - 1] Cumbernauld Colts [Hill of Beath win on PK.]

Broxburn [2 - 4] Tranent

Caledonian Braves [3 - 0] Bonnyton Thistle

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [1 - 1] Grasshoppers

It's the first annual Champions Cup in Ireland, which pits the winner of the 2018-19 NIFL Premiership (Linfield) against the 2019 League of Ireland Premier Division champion (Dundalk). It's a two-legged affair:

Nov. 8: Linfield [1 - 1] Dundalk

Nov. 11: Dundalk [6 - 0] Linfield

[Dundalk win the cup.]

UEFA Europa League, group stage, matchday 4 (Nov 7):

Lazio 1 - 2 Celtic

Rangers 2 - 0 Porto

Lugano 0 - 0 Malmö

Celtic are through to the knockout rounds.

AFC Champions League finals, leg one (today):

Al-Hilal [1 - 0] Urawa Red Diamonds

Concacaf League finals, first leg (Nov 7):

Saprissa 1 - 0 Motagua

The 2019 Canadian Premier League season is over. Forge FC are the champions, even though they finished second in both the Spring and the Fall.

How many competitive matches did each Canadian Premier League club play this season?

Cavalry FC            38 = 30 + 8

Forge FC               36 = 30 + 2 + 4

HFX Wanderers     34 = 28 + 6

York 9                    34 = 28 + 6

Edmonton              30 = 28 + 2

Valour                    30 = 28 + 2

Pacific                    30 = 28 + 2

(total = CPL + Voyageur Cup + Concacaf League)

The 2019 HFX Wanderers squad is starting to break up. Tomasz Skublak, Ndzemdzela Langwa and Elliot Simmons aren't returning. This tweet from Kodai Iida certainly suggests that he's gone too.

Confirmed to return: goalie Christian Oxner, top scorer Akeem Garcia.

Peter Schaale, who returned to Cape Breton University midseason, has been named MVP of the Atlantic university league.

York9 will hold tryouts in Leon, Mexico at the end of the month.

Luca Gasparotto was the only player in the league to play every minute of every game.

Transfer windows open when?

Canada        Feb 13

USA             Feb 12

Trinidad        Jan 25

Sweden        Jan 11

Peru             Jan 7

Japan           Jan 4

Scotland       Dec 12

It's the 2019 National Regional Soccer Champions League, in which the winners of Japan's nine regional tier V leagues, plus three other teams, compete to decide the pecking order for promotion to the JFL. The teams are Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth (Hokkaido), Iwaki FC (Tohoku), Vonds Ichihara (Kanto), Fukui United (Hokushinetsu), FC Kariya (Tokai), SRC Hiroshima (Chogoku), Kochi United (Shikoku), Okinawa SV (Kyushu), plus Blancdieu Hirosaki, FC Tokushima and Tiamo Hirakata.

In the first round the twelve teams are divided into three groups. Our guys Iwaki FC are in Group B with Vonds Ichihara, Tiamo Hirakata, and Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth. The Group B matches are:

Nov. 8:  Vonds 0 - 1 Tiamo

Nov. 8:  Iwaki 3 - 1 Tokachi Sky Earth

Nov. 9:  Vonds [0 - 0] Iwaki

Nov. 9:  Tiamo [2 - 1] Tokachi Sky Earth

Nov. 10: Vonds [2 - 0] Tokachi Sky Earth

Nov. 10: Tiamo [2 - 4] Iwaki

The three group winners plus the best second-place team will advance.

Tiamo appeared in this competition in 2017 and finished third in Group B.

Vonds were also in the 2017 tournament, won Group A, and finished third in the final group behind Cobaltore Onagawa and Tegevagaro Miyazaki.

Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth are often in this competition as Hokkaido champions, but they tend not to do well.

[Iwaki win their group and advance to the final round.]

Ian McCall's managerial record against Morton:

1997/9/3        Morton 1 - 0 Clydebank      Challenge Cup

1998/8/29      Morton 2 - 2 Clydebank      league

1998/10/27    Clydebank 2 - 1 Morton     league

1998/12/26    Morton 1 - 1 Clydebank      league

1999/4/21      Clydebank 1 - 2 Morton      league

1999/8/14      Morton 0 - 0 Clydebank      league

1999/10/16    Clydebank 1 - 3 Morton      league

2001/9/11      Airdrieonians 3 - 0 Morton   League Cup

2003/9/23      Dundee Utd 3 - 1 Morton   League Cup

2007/10/6      Morton 4 - 2 Partick            league

2007/12/22    Partick 1 - 1 Morton            league

2008/3/15      Morton 0 - 0 Partick            league

2008/4/26      Partick 0 - 3 Morton            league

2008/9/20      Partick 2 - 1 Morton           league

2008/12/30    Morton 2 - 0 Partick            league

2009/2/21      Partick 1 - 0 Morton           league

2009/4/18      Morton 0 - 1 Partick           league

2009/8/29      Partick 5 - 0 Morton           league

2009/11/7      Morton 0 - 2 Partick           league

2010/1/4        Partick 1 - 0 Morton           league

2010/3/20      Morton 1 - 0 Partick            league

2010/8/21      Morton 2 - 0 Partick            league

2010/11/13    Partick 0 - 0 Morton            league

2011/2/22      Morton 1 - 0 Partick            league

2015/1/17      Ayr Utd 1 - 1 Morton           league

2015/3/21      Morton 2 - 1 Ayr Utd           league

2016/9/10      Ayr Utd 2 - 1 Morton          league

2016/10/29    Morton 2 - 1 Ayr Utd           league

2017/1/28      Ayr Utd 1 - 4 Morton           league

2017/4/22      Morton 1 - 1 Ayr Utd           league

2018/7/14      Ayr Utd 3 - 1 Morton          League Cup

2018/9/29      Morton 1 - 5 Ayr Utd          league

2018/11/17    Ayr Utd 0 - 0 Morton           league

2019/2/16      Morton 0 - 0 Ayr Utd           league

2019/4/2        Ayr Utd 1 - 1 Morton           league

2019/8/3        Ayr Utd 4 - 2 Morton          league

13 wins, 11 draws, 12 losses.

Billy Steel

Billy Steel (1923-1982) led Dundee to consecutive League Cups in 1951-52 and 1952-53. He was signed to Morton from 1942 to 1947 but spent much of that time with the British Army of the Rhine. Jude Law would play him in the movie. Source.

Morton visit Dens Park for a match against Dundee FC. This was Morton's fourth televised match of the season. Before BBC Scotland came along the Ton were lucky to get on television once a year in Gaelic.

Dundee are 4th in the division with 18 points. Morton are 8th with 13 points.

In their first meeting at Cappielow on September 21st Morton won 1 - 0.

Marcus Haber, who played for Pacific FC this season, made 38 appearances for Dundee from 2016 to 2019.

[Dundee 2 - 1 Morton. Ton goal by Salkeld.]

The other Championship matches (all tomorrow):

Arbroath (5th) [2 - 1] Alloa (9th)

Ayr United (2nd) [4 - 1] Partick Thistle (10th)

Dunfermline (6th) [2 - 0] Queen of the South (7th)

Inverness CT (3rd) [0 - 3] Dundee United (1st)

League One (all tomorrow):

Airdrieonians (4th) [3 - 1] Dumbarton (5th)

East Fife (2nd) [0 - 1] Montrose (7th)

Forfar (8th) [0 - 2] Falkirk (3rd)

Peterhead (9th) [2 - 0] Raith Rovers (1st)

Stranraer (10th) [3 - 0] Clyde (6th)

It's the League Cup semi-finals.

While it might seem that the set of Celtic, Rangers, Hibs and Hearts must show up as League Cup semi-finalists all the time, maybe every four or five years, in fact it has never happened before.

The games are:

Hibs [2- 5] Celtic (tomorrow)

Rangers [3 - 0] Hearts (Sunday)

Hearts sacked their manager Craig Levein Thursday.

What was the last Championship side to make it to the League Cup semi-finals? Greenock Morton.

Scottish Junior Cup, Round Three, replays and rearranged fixtures:

Glenafton [2 - 1] Banks O'Dee

Hurlford [3 - 1] Shotts Bon Accord

(I'm still just listing the matches involving West Region Premiership clubs.)

1907-08: Airdrieonians came to Cappielow and won 2 - 0.

1963-64: Morton were away to Forfar where they won 4 - 6.

Port Glasgow Athletic versus Clyde. These two played fourteen SFL matches, eight in Division One and six in Division Two. They each won six, with two draws. Clyde had the edge in scoring, 29 to 26.

Canadian Premier League Championship, second leg:

Cavalry [0 - 1] Forge

Forge win the title.

Concacaf League SF, second leg:

Saprissa 4 - 1 Olimpia

Motagua 3 - 0 Alianza

Saprissa and Motagua advance.

Swiss Challenge League: Schaffhausen vs Winterthur (postponed)

Swiss Cup, Round of 16: Winterthur [1 - 0] Thun

The Swedish Allsvenskan finishes this weekend. The title will go to Djurgården, Malmö or Hammarby. Östersund are safe from relegation, just. [Djurgården finish top.]

Tomorrow and the next day it's Round One of the 41st Empress's Cup. This round has 36 teams, 28 of them from regional qualifiers and 4 from the N2 League. Let's follow the university clubs and see how far they get:

Match No. 1: Yamato Sylphide [3 - 1] Tokuyama University

Match No. 2: Teikyo Heisei University [2 - 1] Daisho Gakuen High School

Match No. 4: Waseda University [3 - 1] Kibi International University Charme Okayama Takahashi

Match No. 5: Sendai University [0 - 2] Hokkaido Bunkyo University Meisei High School

Match No. 9: Tokiwagi Gakuen High School [2 - 1] Toyo University

Match No. 10: Shizuoka Sangya University Iwata Bonita [1 - 1] FC Imabari Ladies [Bonita won on PK.]

Match No. 11: Hinomoto Gakuen Senior High School [1 - 2] Niigata University of Health and Welfare

Match No. 15: Bunnys Kyoto SC [2 - 2] Yamanashi Gakuin University [Bunnys win on PK.]

The Dredger Greenock

The Greenock was an iron steam dredger launched in 1876. It worked deepening the Clyde shipping channel until 1902, when it was struck and sunk by SS Ape a little south of the Cloch Lighthouse. Source. Ape was renamed Fetlar in 1918, and ran aground at St. Malo the following year. Source.

Morton host Ayr United. Ayr are second in the division with 18 points, Morton seventh with 13 points.

Morton have not lost at Cappielow since April 9th, but they have not beaten Ayr since Jan 28th, 2017.

The game begins at 19:45 GMT. Sundown was at 16:46. This is the week of the year when Scotland is only three hours ahead of Nova Scotia.

This match doubles as a fixture in the Championship League Cup, Round Two.

The other Championship matches:

Alloa (9th) [0 - 3] Dundee (4th)

Dundee United (1st) [1 - 0] Partick Thistle (10th)

Dunfermline (8th) [2 - 0] Arbroath (5th)

Queen of the South (6th) [0 - 2] Inverness CT (3rd)

[Morton 2 - 3 Ayr. Morton goals by Baird and McHugh.]

League One are not in action tonight.

Scottish Challenge Cup:

Solihull Moors [3 - 3] Rangers colts [Rangers colts win on PK.]

Port Glasgow Athletic versus Ayr United. These two played together in the SFL Division Two in 1910-11, which was Ayr United's first season and Port's last. They each took one win.

Port Glasgow had played 10 Division Two matches against Ayr United's forerunner Ayr FC. Port took six wins, Ayr FC three wins, with one draw. They also met in round three of the 1887-88 Scottish Cup; Ayr FC advanced.

Port Glasgow met Ayr Parkhouse (Ayr United's other parent) in round one of the 1907-08 Scottish Cup and won handily, 7 - 2.

Which teams have got through a (more or less) complete Scottish League season with 0 draws?

1893-94    Partick Thistle (18 games)

1894-95    Clyde (18), Renton (17)

1895-96    Celtic, Hearts, Dumbarton (18)

1896-97    St Bernard's, Clyde (18)

1898-99    Rangers (18)

1899-00    Clyde, Morton, Port Glasgow (18)

1900-01    Port Glasgow, Ayr (18)

1907-08    Ayr Parkhouse (22)

1925-26    Peebles Rovers (26)

1944-45    Clyde (30)

Davie Irons' managerial record against Morton:

1997/4/26      Clydebank 0 - 1 Morton      league

2008/1/12      Morton 2 - 2 Gretna            Scottish Cup

2008/1/28      Gretna 0 - 3 Morton            Scottish Cup

Alasdair Gray's Third Lanark

Art from Alasdair Gray's Lanark: Book Three. Source.

Inverness CT visit Cappielow.

ICT are in third place with 17 points, just 1 point behind Dundee United and Ayr. Morton hold eighth place, only 2 points out of tenth. If Morton lose today, and Partick and Alloa win, Morton will be in last place.

Coming into this weekend only 10 points separated the first- and last-place clubs in the Championship.

The season is one-quarter over. Morton have 3 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses for 10 points, which puts them on track for 40 at the end of the schedule.

How many points has Morton had at the 1/4 mark each year this decade?

2010          8        2W 2D 5L

2011        14        4W 2D 3L

2012        18        5W 3D 1L

2013          6        1W 3D 5L

2014        15        5W 0D 4L

2015        10        2W 4D 3L

2016        12        3W 3D 3L

2017        14        4W 2D 3L

2018        13        3W 4D 2L

2019        10        3W 1D 5L

If you sort these figures into a league table, this year's team is tied for seventh place.

Current winless streaks (league + cup):

0        Queen of the South

0        Dunfermline

0        Arbroath

0        Partick Thistle

1        Inverness CT

1        Dundee

2        Dundee United

2        Ayr United

2        Alloa

3        Morton

The other Championship matches:

Ayr United (2nd) 1 - 2 Dundee (5th) (last night)

Ayr have signed Mark Kerr as manager. He has played for half the teams in the Championship, but not Morton.

Alloa (9th) [2 - 2] Queen of the South (4th)

Dundee United (1st) [2 - 0] Dunfermline (7th)

Partick Thistle (10th) [1 - 3] Arbroath (6th)

[Morton win 2 - 1. Both Morton goals are by McHugh.]

League One:

Dumbarton (4th) [1 - 0] Peterhead (9th)

Falkirk (3rd) [0 - 1] Clyde (6th)

Forfar (7th) [1 - 4] Airdrieonians (5th)

Montrose (8th) [2 - 1] Stranraer (10th)

Raith Rovers (1st) [1 - 1] East Fife (2nd)

Match of the day.

1907-08: Morton visited Third Lanark and lost 2 - 0.

1963-64: Morton met Rangers in the League Cup final. Rangers won 5 - 0. It was the Ton's first defeat of the season and came in their 21st match. To date it's Morton's only League Cup final.

Scottish Cup, Round Two replays and rearranged matches:

Penicuik [3 - 0] Stenny

Brechin [0 - 2] Annan

Broxburn [3 - 0] Cowdenbeath

Fort William [0 - 5] Albion Rovers

Gala Fairydean Rovers [1 - 2] Formartine

BSC Glasgow [2 - 1] Lochee United (tomorrow)

Scottish Junior Cup, Round Three:

Auchinleck Talbot [3 - 0] Forfar West End

Beith [7 - 2] Whitletts Victoria

Benburb [2 - 1] Dyce

Petershill [1 - 0] Clydebank

Schotts Bon Accord [2 - 2] Hurlford

Bathgate Thistle [1 - 3] Irvine Meadow

Gartcairn [1 - 0] Kilbirnie Ladeside

Burghead Thistle [0 - 2] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy

Kirriemuir Thistle [3 - 1] Largs Thistle

This'll be a good one.

Linlithgow Rose Community [0 - 2] Pollok

Culter [0 - 1] Rossvale

Islavale [3 - 4] Rutherglen Glencairn

Troon [5 - 4] Kilsyth Rangers

Again, these are only the matches that involve West Region Premiership clubs.

The League of Ireland Premier Division finishes off this weekend. Dundalk have won the league handily, and UCD have finished last by a wide margin.

SPFL Reserve Cup: Morton 0 - 1 Dundee (Oct 21)

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [2 - 1] Chiasso

UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 3 (Oct 24):

Celtic 2 - 1 Lazio

Porto 1 - 1 Rangers

Malmö 2 - 1 Lugano

AFC Champions League semifinals, second leg (Oct 23):

Guangzhou Evergrande 0 - 1 Urawa Red Diamonds

Reds advance.

CONCACAF League semifinals, first leg (Oct 24):

Alianza 1 - 1 Motagua

Olimpia 2 - 0 Saprissa

Canadian Premier League Championship, first leg (today):

Forge [1 - 0] Cavalry

Like the Canadian Premier League, the fourth-tier Japan Football League used an apertura/clausura system for five years this decade. How did that work out?

             apertura             clausura

2014    Honda FC          SP Kyoto FC

2015    Vanraure            Sony Sendai

2016    Ryutsu Keizai     Honda FC

2017    Honda FC          Honda FC

2018    Honda FC          Honda FC

Teams in bold won a two-legged championship. There was no championship held in 2017 or 2018; Honda was simply declared the winner.

About statistical Third Lanark:

Third Lanark were a Glasgow senior football club that operated from 1872 to 1967. They won the Scottish League title in 1903-04, and the Scottish Cup in 1888-89 and 1904-05.

Since 1994 they have haunted the league's second tier as a ghost team, collecting the discarded third point from matches that end in a draw and insinuating themselves into the division table in very faint print.

How have statistical Third Lanark fared year by year?

                      Pts    Position

1994-95         52        5.5th

1995-96         41        6.5th

1996-97         49        5.5th

1997-98         50        4.5th

1998-99         37        7.5th

1999-00         40        6.5th

2000-01         52        4.5th

2001-02         50        4.5th

2002-03         40        6.5th

2003-04         53        5.5th

2004-05         49        5.5th

2005-06         61        2.5th

2006-07         48        4.5th

2007-08         52        4.5th

2008-09         50        4.5th

2009-10         45        6.5th

2010-11         48        4.5th

2011-12         54        2.5th

2012-13         43        6.5th

2013-14         38        9.5th

2014-15         38        6.5th

2015-16         41        7.5th

2016-17         59        2.5th

2017-18         44        8.5th

2018-19         49        4.5th

Soccertastic

The Canadian Premier League's two Japanese players Wataru Murofushi and Kodai Iida met in Halifax in May.

Morton visit Arbroath.

Today's match is the first meeting between these clubs since 2005 when they were both members of the Second Division. 2019-20 is the first season to see them together in tier II since 1977-78, in the old three-division days. They missed each other in 2001-02 and 2002-03 when Arbroath were up in tier II and Morton were down in tiers III and IV.

This is Morton's first match against Derek Gaston, who tended their goalmouth from 2012 to 2019.

What was Arbroath's greatest moment? On September 12th, 1885, Arbroath beat Bon Accord 36 - 0 in a Scottish Cup match. That scoreline still stands as the world record for a football drubbing.

Second greatest moment: Arbroath made it to the semi-finals of the 1946-47 Scottish Cup, losing to Aberdeen 0 - 2 in front of 22,000 spectators at Dens Park on April 12th, 1947.

What was Arbroath's biggest win against Morton? January 9th, 1993, Arbroath knocked Morton out of the Scottish Cup by a 3 - 0 score.

Morton are currently fifth in the Championship with 10 points. Arbroath are seventh with 8 points.

Arbroath are better than expected. They were supposed to monopolize tenth place but have not been down there even once, which is more than Inverness, Alloa, Dunfermline or Partick can say. And they knocked Dundee United out of the Challenge Cup. However, they're now on a four-game losing streak.

Morton's last win was on September 21st.

Arbroath have the oldest squad in the Championship, with seven players aged 30 or more. The eldest is Gavin Swankie, aged 35.

Most recent league match against Arbroath prior to 2019-20:

2018/3/31      Alloa

2018/3/14      Ayr United

2014/4/26      Dunfermline

2013/3/16      Queen of the South

2005/3/5        Morton

2003/3/15      Inverness CT

2002/3/2        Partick Thistle

1979/5/6        Dundee

1975/3/19      Dundee United

The other Championship matches:

Dundee (4th) [1 - 3] Partick Thistle (10th)

Dunfermline (9th) [3 - 2] Ayr United (2nd)

Inverness CT (3rd) [2 - 2] Alloa (8th)

Queen of the South (6th) [4 - 0] Dundee United (1st)

Lawrence Shankland scored in Scotland's 6 - 0 win over San Marino last Sunday.

[Arbroath 1 - 0 Morton.]

League One:

Airdrieonians (4th) [1 - 3] Montrose (9th)

Clyde (6th) [2 - 2] Raith Rovers (1st)

East Fife (2nd) [1 - 0] Forfar (7th)

Falkirk (3rd) [4 - 0] Peterhead (8th)

Stranraer (10th) [0 - 0] Dumbarton (5th)

1907-08: Morton hosted Motherwell. They played to a 1 - 1 draw. At this point Morton were 9th out of 18, with 3 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses, 17 gf and 21 ga, for 10 points.

1963-64: On October 14th Morton met Hibs in their League Cup semi-final replay and won 1 - 0. On the 19th they were home to Berwick Rangers and won 7 - 1.

Port Glasgow versus Cowdenbeath. These two played in the 1910-11 Division Two. They each won one game, and they each scored 5 goals on aggregate. Cowdenbeath win on the away goal rule.

It's the 2019-20 Scottish Cup, Round Two. This is where the League Two clubs join in. Games involving survivors from the preliminary rounds are:

Penicuik vs Stenny [postponed]

Cowdenbeath [1 - 1] Broxburn

Edinburgh City 3 - 1 Banks O'Dee (last night)

Lochee United [1 - 1] BSC Glasgow

Auchinleck Talbot [1 - 0] Cove Rangers

Stirling University [0 - 2] Linlithgow Rose (tomorrow)

Other games:

Bonnyrigg Rose 2 - 0 Buckie Thistle (last night)

Top of the Lowland League versus top of the Highland League and a possible advance viewing of next spring's pyramid playoff.

Stirling Albion [2 - 0] Strathspey Thistle

Strathspey Thistle [were] on a streak.

Albion Rovers [1 - 1] Fort William

Clachnacuddin [0 - 7] Brora

Rothes [1 - 3] Inverurie Loco Works

Spartans [0 - 2] Queen's Park

Elgin [3 - 1] Berwick

Formartine [2 - 2] Gala Fairydean Rovers

Annan [2 - 2] Brechin

East Kilbride [3 - 1] Gretna 2008

East Kilbride in the Scottish, League and Challenge Cups:

2014/9/13      Lothian Thistle HV 0 - 1 East Kilbride    SC R1

2014/10/4      Spartans 3 - 3 East Kilbride    SC R2

2014/10/11    East Kilbride 1 - 5 Spartans    SC R2

2015/10/24    East Kilbride 1 - 1 Forres Mechanics    SC R2

2015/10/31    Forres Mechanics 2 - 3 East Kilbride    SC R2

2015/11/28    Stenhousemuir 2 - 2 East Kilbride    SC R3

2015/12/5      East Kilbride 2 - 1 Stenhousemuir    SC R3

2016/1/20      East Kilbride 2 - 0 Lothian Thistle HV    SC R4

2016/2/7        East Kilbride 0 - 2 Celtic    SC R5

2016/9/24      East Kilbride 9 - 1 Vale of Leithen    SC R1

2016/10/22    Cowdenbeath 0 - 1 East Kilbride    SC R2

2016/12/3      Stranraer 2 - 1 East Kilbride    SC R3

2017/7/15      East Kilbride 1 - 3 Hamilton    LC GS

2017/7/18      QoS 0 - 0 East Kilbride    (EK won PK.)    LC GS

2017/7/22      East Kilbride 2 - 5 Albion Rovers    LC GS

2017/7/25      Stenhousemuir 1 - 2 East Kilbride    LC GS

2017/8/15      St Mirren 2 - 1 East Kilbride    Ch R1

2017/10/14    Cowdenbeath 0 - 1 East Kilbride    SC R2

2017/11/18    East Kilbride 3 - 4 Albion Rovers    SC R3

2018/8/15      East Kilbride 1 - 1 Spartans    (EK won PK.)    Ch R1

2018/9/8        East Kilbride 2 - 3 Edinburgh City    Ch R2

2018/10/20    East Kilbride 3 - 1 Spartans    SC R2

2018/11/24    East Kilbride 1 - 0 Gala Fairydean Rovers    SC R3

2019/1/19      Inverness CT 4 - 0 East Kilbride    SC R4

2019/7/13      East Kilbride 0 - 1 Albion Rovers    LC GS

2019/7/20      East Kilbride 0 - 0 St Mirren    (EK won PK.)    LC GS

2019/7/23      Edinburgh City 0 - 1 East Kilbride    LS GS

2019/7/27      Dunfermline 4 - 0 East Kilbride    LC GS

2019/8/6        St Mirren U21s 1 - 0 East Kilbride    Ch R1

2019/10/19    East Kilbride [3 - 1] Gretna 2008   SC R2

Swiss Challenge League: Winterthur [1 - 0] Vaduz

There is still one place to be decided in the 2019 Regional Champions League in Japan's tier V, because the Chugoku Soccer League title hasn't been won yet. These two games will settle it tomorrow:

Fuji Xerox Hiroshima (6th) [0 - 4] Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima (1st)

SRC (2nd) [7 - 0] JXTG (5th)

Mitsubishi and SRC enter the weekend equal in points and 1 goal apart in goal difference.

[SRC win the league.]

Canadian Premier League:

Forge 1 - 0 Cavalry (Oct 16)

Valour 0 - 4 York9 (Oct 16)

Edmonton 3 - 1 Pacific (Oct 16)

Cavalry [3 - 1] Edmonton (today)

Pacific [2 - 0] Valour (today)

Prior to this game Pacific FC fired its head coach.

York9 [0 - 2] HFX Wanderers (today) [Goals by Gutiérrez and Kodai Iida.]

This ends the Fall Season. Cavalry and Forge will now compete in the CPL Championship for the league title and a place in the 2020 CONCACAF League.

How did HFX Wanderers fare against the opposition?

League:

York9 FC                     2 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss. 6 gf, 7 ga, -1 gd. 8 points.

Valour FC                    2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses. 3 gf, 3 ga, 0 gd. 7 points.

Forge FC                    1 win, 2 draws, 1 loss. 5 gf, 6 ga, -1 gd. 5 points.

Pacific FC                   1 win, 2 draws, 2 losses. 5 gf, 7 ga, -2 gd. 5 points.

Edmonton FC             2 draws, 2 losses. 1 gf, 5 ga, -4 gd. 2 points.

Cavalry FC                 1 draw, 4 losses. 1 gf, 7 ga, -6 gd. 1 point.

Cup:

Valour FC                   2 wins. 4 gf, 1 ga, +3 gd.

Vaughan Azzurri        1 win, 1 loss. 3 gf, 3 ga, 0 gd.

Ottawa Fury               1 draw, 1 loss. 4 gf, 5 ga, -1 gd.

Some other 2019 HFX Wanderers stats:

Longest winning streak (league and cup): 3

Longest winless streak (league and cup): 10

Longest string of draw scores: 6

Home record (league): 5W 7D 2L

Away record (league): 1W 3D 10L