Plenty of Nothing

Tobacco-Stained Greenock

The Tobacco Warehouse, opposite the container port on Clarence Street. Source.

Morton (9th) host Dunfermline (5th). In their first meeting these two played to a 1 - 1 draw. Dunfermline won the second match 3 - 1.

Coming into today's play the fifth-, sixth- and seventh-place teams each have 25 points, and the eighth- and ninth-place teams have 22. Morton are seven points behind fourth-place Dundee and four points ahead of tenth-place Alloa. This is the first weekend this season that neither first place nor tenth place can change.

With Partick Thistle facing the division leaders Dundee United, Morton have an excellent chance to move into eighth place. If Partick lose, a win or a draw will do it. If Morton beat Dunfermline they and the Pars will be even in points, but Morton must win by 7 goals to move above them on goal difference.

If the playoffs were beginning today, it would be Morton versus Montrose in the first round.

If next year's League Cup sticks with the recent format, Morton's Pot 1 opponent should be one of Kilmarnock, St Mirren, Hamilton or Livingston. I personally am sick of Motherwell.

Having gotten into a fight with the Greenock Telegraph earlier this season, Morton is now blocking the club's Twitter followers. This club really needs a professional media officer.

Small steps were taken this week toward fan ownership of Greenock Morton. But the fans are throwing around a six-figure sum, and you have to think that Crawford Rae is looking for seven.

Jack Baird's loan agreement has been extended to the end of the season. He has only played for St Mirren and Morton, and is popular in both places, further evidence that Falkirk have replaced St Mirren as Morton's mortal enemy.

Morton's position on this date each year since promotion:

2016        6th        24 pts

2017        3rd        31 pts

2018        6th        28 pts

2019        4th        28 pts

The other Championship matches:

Alloa (10th) vs Arbroath (7th) [postponed]

Dundee (4th) vs Ayr United (3rd) [postponed]

ICT (2nd) vs QoS (6th) (postponed)

Partick (8th) [1 - 4] Dundee United (1st)

[Morton win 3 - 2. Goals by Jacobs (2) and McAllister.]

League One:

Dumbarton (6th) vs Clyde (8th) [postponed]

East Fife (5th) [2 - 2] Airdrieonians (2nd)

Forfar (9th) [1 - 1] Raith Rovers (1st)

Peterhead (7th) [1 - 3] Falkirk (3rd)

Stranraer (10th) vs Montrose (4th) [postponed]

1907-08. Morton were at home to Hibs, who won 0 - 3.

1963-64. Morton were at home to Cowdenbeath for Round One of the Scottish Cup. It ended 0 - 0.

Which divisions have the 2019-20 League One clubs played in since 1994?

Falkirk              AABBBB    BBBBBAAAAA     BBBBBBBBBC

Raith Rovers    BAABBB    BBCBBCCCCB    BBBBBBBCCC

Clyde               CCCCCC    BBBBBBBBBC    DDDDDDDDDC

Dumbarton      CBCDDD    DDCCCDDDC     CCBBBBBBCC

Airdrieonians                           CCBBBCBB    CCBCCCCCCC

Stranraer         BCCCCC   CCCDCBCDCD    DDCCCCCCCC

East Fife         CCBCCD    DDDCDDDDCC    CCCCDDCCCC

Forfar              DCDCCD   CCCCCCCDDD    CCCCCCDCCC

Peterhead       EEEEEE    DDDDDCCCCC    CDDDCCCDDC

Montrose        DCDDDD    DDDDDDDDDD    DDDDDDDDCC

(A = Premier League or Premiership; B = First Division or Championship; C = Second Division or League One; D = Third Division or League Two; E = Highland League)

Jim McInally versus Ray McKinnon, the record:

2013/7/27      Peterhead 2 - 1 Brechin          Challenge Cup

2014/8/19      Brechin 0 - 2 Peterhead          Challenge Cup

2014/8/30      Brechin 1 - 1 Peterhead           League One

2014/11/22    Peterhead 1 - 1 Brechin           League One

2015/3/14      Peterhead 3 - 0 Brechin          League One

2015/3/24      Brechin 2 - 2 Peterhead           League One

2016/9/3        Dundee Utd 3 - 2 Peterhead    Challenge Cup

2019/8/3        Peterhead 0 - 0 Falkirk             league

2019/10/19    Falkirk 4 - 0 Peterhead            league

(McInally = Peterhead; McKinnon = Brechin, Dundee Utd, Falkirk)

Attendances at Cappielow 1987-88:

14714    87/8/8        Celtic

  1899    87/8/19      Clyde

  3847    87/8/22      Hibs

  4000    87/9/5        Hearts

  3000    87/9/12      Dundee

  2000    87/10/3      Motherwell

  2312    87/10/7      Falkirk

  3500    87/10/17    St Mirren

  2000    87/10/31    Dunfermline

  3000    87/11/7      Aberdeen

  2000    87/11/21    Dundee Utd

16500    87/11/24    Rangers

12552    87/12/5      Celtic

  3821    87/12/16    Dundee

  4000    87/12/26    Hearts

  3000    88/1/16      Motherwell

  3397    88/1/23      Hibs

  2412    88/2/16      Falkirk

  3000    88/3/19      St Mirren

  2500    88/3/23      Dunfermline

12000    88/4/9        Rangers

  3200    88/4/16      Aberdeen

  2000    88/4/30      Dundee Utd

Cappielow had four gates in excess of 10000 that year, but only one gate in excess of 10000 in the entire decade of the 2010s.

HFX Wanderers have signed Jamaican left winger Alex Marshall. They have also signed midfielder Louis Béland-Goyette who played for Valour last year. He becomes the first Wanderers player to come over from another CPL club.

Luis Perea has signed with FC Carlos Stein who have just been promoted to Liga 1, the top Peruvian league.

Why are there so few East German clubs in the Bundesliga? "It was pretty unfair."

Gayfield

Gayfield Park is the reason it's called the Seaside League.

Morton visit Arbroath. Arbroath are seventh in the division with 25 points. Morton are ninth with 19.

Each club has a 1 - 0 win at home against the other so far this season. If Arbroath win today or get a draw, and Alloa beat Partick, Morton will take over last place. If Morton win and Partick lose, Morton will move into eighth place.

This is the start of the second half of the season for Morton. If they keep up their current pace they will finish 2019-20 with 38 points. Last season both Falkirk and Queen of the South finished with 38. Falkirk were relegated, and QoS were obliged to win two playoff rounds to stay up.

At this point it's fifty-fifty whether Morton will be in the Championship next year. Whichever way it goes, there's a decent chance Morton will be up against an Edinburgh club next season, either Hearts in the Championship, or Edinburgh City in League One.

Billy King has left the club.

Canadian international Fraser Aird was released by Cove Rangers after he was spotted giving Celtic fans the finger at the recent Old Firm match. Maybe we'll see him in the CPL in the coming season.

The other Championship matches:

Alloa (10th) [1 - 1] Partick (8th)

Dundee (3rd) [0 - 2] ICT (2nd)

Dunfermline (5th) [0 - 1] Ayr United (4th)

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

Three SPFL division leaders (Celtic, Raith Rovers, Cove Rangers) lead their division by 2 points. Dundee United lead the Championship by 14 points.

[Morton win 1 - 2. Goals by Sutton and Colville.] [Arbroath manager Dick Campbell was absent, and the rumour is that he was on vacation in Dubai.]

League One:

Airdrieonians (2nd) [1 - 0] Forfar (9th)

Clyde (8th) [3 - 3] Stranraer (10th)

Falkirk (3rd) [3 - 0] Dumbarton (6th)

It's only two years since these two were playing each other in the Championship.

Montrose (5th) [1 - 0] East Fife (4th)

Raith Rovers (1st) [2 - 1] Peterhead (7th)

The Premiership is on break until January 22.

The job of manager at Queen's Park opened up on Wednesday and by Thursday Ray McKinnon was signed.

1907-08. They knew what Hogmanay was for back then. On Dec 31st Morton were at home to Partick Thistle and won 2 - 0. New Year's Day they travelled to Falkirk and lost 4 - 1. Jan 4th they were at Douglas Park where Hamilton Academical beat them 1 - 0.

1963-64. On New Year's Day Morton visited Ayr United and won 1 - 3. The next day they were at home to Stenny and won 7 - 2.

Lowland League: University of Stirling [1 - 1] Edinburgh University

How did Morton fare in the first match of each decade?

1900/1/13      Rangers 4 - 2 Morton

1910/1/1        Port Glasgow 1 - 1 Morton

1920/1/1        Morton 2 - 0 Clyde

1930/1/1        St Johnstone 1 - 1 Morton

1940/1/1        Dumbarton 3 - 2 Morton

1950/1/2        Hamilton 0 - 2 Morton

1960/1/1        Berwick Rangers 4 - 3 Morton

1970/1/1        Morton 1 - 0 Ayr United

1980/1/1        St Mirren 2 - 2 Morton

1990/1/3        Morton 2 - 2 Clydebank

2000/1/3        St Mirren 1 - 1 Morton

2010/1/4        Partick Thistle 1 - 0 Morton

3 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses.

What clubs are in the 2019-20 League One division, when did they join, and was it from above or below?

2019    Falkirk (above)

2019    Peterhead (below)

2019    Clyde (below)

2018    Dumbarton (above)

2018    Montrose (below)

2017    Raith Rovers (above)

2017    Forfar (below)

2016    East Fife (below)

2013    Airdrieonians (above)

2012    Stranraer (below)

1. FC Saarbrücken in the Intertoto Cup:

1964-65    GS    Saarbrücken 0 - 1 RFC Liège

                          Saarbrücken 2 - 2 Breda

                          Saarbrücken 2 - 2 Young Boys

                          RFC Liège 3 - 0 Saarbrücken

                          Breda 3 - 0 Saarbrücken

                          Young Boys 3 - 2 Saarbrücken

1969         GS    Saarbrücken 0 - 4 Jednota Trenčín

                          Saarbrücken 1 - 0 Austria Vienna

                          Saarbrücken 2 - 3 KB

                          Jednota Trenčín 1 - 0 Saarbrücken

                          Austria Vienna 0 - 0 Saarbrücken

                          KB 3 - 4 Saarbrücken

1986         GS    Saarbrücken 0 - 2 Carl Zeiss Jena

                          Saarbrücken 2 - 1 Örgryte

                          Saarbrücken 2 - 3 RH Cheb

                          Carl Zeiss Jena 3 - 1 Saarbrücken

                          Örgryte 3 - 1 Saarbrücken

                          RH Cheb 6 - 2 Saarbrücken

1991         GS    Saarbrücken 1 - 2 Örebro

                          Saarbrücken 5 - 1 Maccabi Haifa

                          Saarbrücken 7 - 3 Hapoel Petach Tikwa

                          Örebro 2 - 2 Saarbrücken

                          Maccabi Haifa 0 - 6 Saarbrücken

                          Hapoel Petach Tikwa 2 - 2 Saarbrücken

1992         GS    Saarbrücken 0 - 2 Aalborg

                          Saarbrücken 3 - 1 Hammarby

                          Saarbrücken 1 - 1 SVV/Dordrecht'90

                          Aalborg 2 - 1 Saarbrücken

                          Hammarby 3 - 0 Saarbrücken

                          SVV/Dordrecht'90 1 - 1 Saarbrücken

1993         GS    Saarbrücken 3 - 2 Rapid Bucharest

                          Saarbrücken 3 - 0 PAS Korinthos

                          Trelleborg 2 - 0 Saarbrücken

                          Lyngby 1 - 4 Saarbrücken

Away strips of the 2019-20 Scottish Championship. Top row, left to right: Alloa, Arbroath, Ayr United, Dundee FC, Dundee United. Bottom row, left to right: Dunfermline, Inverness CT, Morton, Partick, Queen of the South. (From their Wikipedia pages.)

41st Empress's Cup Final

Kiko Seike, #11 of Urawa Reds. Source.

It's Nippon Television Beleza versus Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies in the Empress's Cup final.

Beleza have won the cup nine times previously. Urawa never have, though they have been finalists three times before today.

Both clubs play in Division 1 of the Nadeshiko League. They met each other twice in league play this season. The results were:

Beleza 2 - 3 Urawa

Urawa 1 - 3 Beleza

Beleza finished in first place, Urawa second.

This is the first Empress's Cup for the Empress Masako.

[Beleza 1 - 0 Reds]

Azusa Iwashimizu, #22 of NTV Beleza. Source.

Stromboli, Kathleen and Ardbeg

On December 31st, 1904, the steamers Stromboli and Kathleen collided in the shipping lane off Greenock. The sunken vessels became an instant hazard and before they could be removed the Ardbeg ran aground on them. Source.

Morton host Partick Thistle. Morton are eighth with 19 points, Partick ninth with 18. This is their third meeting of the season. Morton won the first match 3 - 2 at Cappielow and Partick won the second 2 - 1 at Firhill.

Morton are advertising for a new kit man.

The other Championship matches:

Dundee United (1st) 1 - 1 Dundee (4th) (last night)

Ayr United (3rd) [1 - 2] Queen of the South (6th)

Dunfermline (5th) [1 - 3] Alloa (10th)

Inverness CT (2nd) [0 - 1] Arbroath (7th)

[Morton 1 - 2 Partick. Morton goal by Jacobs.]

League One:

East Fife (2nd) [3 - 5] Raith Rovers (1st)

Airdrieonians (3rd) [1 - 1] Falkirk (4th)

Raith, East Fife and Airdrieonians each have 32 points, and Falkirk have 31.

Dumbarton (5th) [1 - 1] Stranraer (10th)

Forfar (9th) [2 - 3] Montrose (6th)

Peterhead (8th) [2 - 0] Clyde (7th)

1907-08: Morton were home to Aberdeen and won 2 - 0. Following this result Morton were in 12th place (out of 18) with 5 wins, 5 draws and 11 losses.

1963-64: Morton beat Stranraer 4 - 0 at Cappielow. Morton were first in Division Two with 20 wins, 0 draws and 0 losses, 87 goals for and 20 against. Can you believe it?!

Morton's Christmas Day matches.

SPFL Reserve League: Queen of the South vs Morton (Dec 23). [I think this is the match that was played Dec 9th.]

At midseason Brora Rangers lead the Highland League, and Kelty Hearts the Lowland. Bo'ness United are atop the East of Scotland League, and Threave Rovers the South of Scotland.

Update the chart showing Morton's plus and minus goal difference seasons, why don't you?

1890s                               --    --    --    --    +    --    +

1900s            0    --    --    --    --    --    --    --    --    --

1910s            --    0    --    +    +    +     +    +    +    +

1920s            +    +    --    --    --    --    --    --    +    --

1930s            --    --    --    +    +    +    +    --    --    +

1940s            +    +    +     +    +    +    +    +    --    +

1950s            --    --    +    +    --    +    +    --    --    --

1960s            --    +    +    +     0    --    +    +    --    0

1970s            0    --    --    --    --    --    +    +    --    +

1980s            --    --    --    +    --    --    +    --    0    --

1990s            --    +    +    --    +    +     +    --    +    --

2000s            --    --    +    +    +    +     +    --    0    --

2010s            --    --    +    --    +    --    +    +    --   [--]

An earlier version of this was posted April 8, 2017.

Morton's high points of the decade:

2013/7/20        St Mirren 2 - 4 Morton       Renfrewshire Cup final

Morton's only Renfrewshire Cup of the decade.

2013/9/24        Celtic 0 - 1 Morton            League Cup R3

Giantkillers.

2015/5/2          Morton 3 - 1 Peterhead     league

Promotion.

2015/12/12      Rangers 2 - 2 Morton        league

Morton's first point off Rangers since 1988.

2016/11/1        Morton 3 - 1 St Mirren

Morton's first league win against the Skunks since 1999.

2018/11/3        Morton 5 - 1 Partick           league

Morton's biggest win against the Jags since 1990.

Morton's low points of the decade:

2014/5/3          Hamilton 10 - 2 Morton      league

Worst result since 1933. Commenters in the Pie and Bovril forums now refer to Morton as Morten.

2014/11/29      Spartans 2 - 1 Morton        Scottish Cup R4

The Spartans play in the Lowland League.

How many matches did each opponent play against Morton this decade?

34        (31 + 3)      Queen of the South

33        (32 + 1)      Falkirk

29        (28 + 1)      Dunfermline

27        (26 + 1)      Raith Rovers

26        (20 + 6)      Dumbarton

23        (21 + 2)      Partick Thistle

22        (21 + 1)      Ayr United

22        (20 + 2)      Livingston

17        (14 + 1 + 2)    Dundee United

16        (15 + 1)      Dundee

16        (14 + 2)      Alloa Athletic

15        (14 + 1)      Ross County

15        (12 + 3)      Inverness CT

14        (12 + 2)      Hamilton

14        (10 + 4)      new Airdrieonians

13        (12 + 1)      St Mirren

12        (12 + 0)      Cowdenbeath

  9        (8 + 1)        Hibs

  8        (8 + 0)        Brechin

  8        (8 + 0)        Stirling Albion

  6        (4 + 2)        Peterhead

  6        (4 + 2)        Stranraer

  6        (0 + 6)        Albion Rovers

  5        (4 + 1)        Forfar

  5        (4 + 1)        Rangers

  5        (4 + 1)        Stenhousemuir

  4        (0 + 4)        Celtic

  4        (0 + 4)        Berwick

  4        (0 + 4)        Annan Athletic

  4        (0 + 4)        Motherwell

  3        (0 + 3)        St Johnstone

  2        (2 + 0)        Arbroath

  2        (0 + 2)        Aberdeen

  2        (0 + 2)        East Fife

  2        (0 + 2)        Queen's Park

  2        (0 + 2)        Spartans

  2        (0 + 2)        Turriff United

  2        (0 + 2)        Brora Rangers

  1        (0 + 1)        Clyde

  1        (0 + 1)        Beith

  1        (0 + 1)        East Stirlingshire

  1        (0 + 1)        Edinburgh City

  1        (0 + 1)        Elgin City

  1        (0 + 1)        Kilmarnock

  1        (0 + 1)        Montrose

(All league + cup + playoff games from 1 Jan 2010 to 31 Dec 2019.)

HFX Wanderers' assistant coach Derek King has been appointed to the Trinidad and Tobago national team. Wanderers have signed goalkeeper Yann-Alexandre Fillion, who will be loaned to Ekenäs IF of the Finnish tier-II Ykkönen.

The political crisis in Bolivia caused the soccer league there to lose a month of fixtures from mid-October to mid-November. The teams have been playing two matches per week to get the 2019 Clausura done before the 2020 Apertura begins. Today is the last day of the revised schedule.

It has just sunk in on me that clavicle sponsor is a thing. See, there's room for an ad just above the club crest and kit-maker's logo on the front of the jersey. The J League is onto it.

99th Emperor's Cup Semifinals

"And in other scores: Cowdenbeath one, Albion Rovers nil ...."

This weekend it's the semi-finals of the Emperor's Cup.

Vissel Kobe 3 - 1 Shimizu S-Pulse

These two have met four times before in the Emperor's Cup, and each side has won twice.

Kashima Antlers 3 - 2 V-Varen Nagasaki

V-Varen have never been to the semi-finals before.

It's also the semi-finals of the Empress's Cup.

Match No. 45: Nippon TV Beleza (N1) [2 - 1] Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (N2)

Match No. 46: Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies (N1) [3 - 2] INAC Kobe Leonessa (N1)

It's also the final of the 68th All Japan University Football Tournament. 24 university teams have been playing off since December 11th for the title of men's university champions. The bracket is here. The final is today:

Match No. 23: Meiji University [3 - 1] Toin Yokohama University

V-Varen Nagasaki in the Emperor's Cup:

76回    R1        Ueda Gentian 1 - 2 Kunimi SC

            R2        Tokyo Gas 8 - 0 Kunimi SC

V-Varen Nagasaki was formed in 2005 through a merger of Ariake SC and Kunimi SC.

86回    R1        V-Varen Nagasaki 1 - 2 Banditonce Kobe

87回    R1        Viancone Fukushima 0 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki

            R2        V-Varen Nagasaki 5 - 0 Hachinohe University

            R3        Shonan Bellmare 3 - 0 V-Varen Nagasaki

89回    R1        Fukuyama University 0 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki

            R2        V-Varen Nagasaki 0 - 4 Yokohama F. Marinos

90回    R1        V-Varen Nagasaki 4 - 0 International Pacific University

            R2        Yokohama F. Marinos 3 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki

91回    R1        Okinawa Kaiho Bank SC 0 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki

            R2        Tokyo Verdy 7 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki

92回    R1        Ozu High School 0 - 2 V-Varen Nagasaki

            R2        JEF United Ichihara Chiba 1 - 0 V-Varen Nagasaki

93回    R2        Tokyo Verdy 3 - 2 V-Varen Nagasaki

94回    R2        V-Varen Nagasaki 3 - 1 FC Gifu

            R3        Albirex Niigata 1 - 2 V-Varen Nagasaki

            R4        V-Varen Nagasaki 1 - 2 JEF United Chiba

95回    R1        V-Varen Nagasaki 7 - 0 Mitsubishi Heavy Industry Nagasaki

            R2        Oita Trinita 3 - 0 V-Varen Nagasaki

96回    R1        V-Varen Nagasaki 2 - 1 Kochi United

            R2        V-Varen Nagasaki 1 - 2 Yokohama FC

97回    R2        Montedio Yamagata 1 - 0 V-Varen Nagasaki

98回    R2        V-Varen Nagasaki 2 - 1 Matsue City

            R3        Shonan Bellmare 1 - 1 V-Varen Nagasaki (Bellmare won on PK.)

99回    R2        V-Varen Nagasaki 2 - 1 Kochi United

            R3        Veertien Mie 2 - 2 V-Varen Nagasaki (V-Varen won on PK.)

            R4        V-Varen Nagasaki 2 - 1 Vegalta Sendai

            QF        V-Varen Nagasaki vs Ventforet Kofu

Cliftonhill

Cliftonhill, 1934. Source. Christmas Day will the 100th anniversary of the opening of Albion Rovers' stadium.

Morton visit Indodrill Stadium for a game against Alloa Athletic. Morton hold ninth place, Alloa tenth. If Alloa win Morton will take over last place.

So far this season Morton have not earned a point away from Cappielow. How does that compare to their other drought years?

First away point:

                Match #    Date            score

1987-88        19        Nov 18        Hibs 0 - 0 Morton

(2019-20       17        today's game)

1893-94        16        April 28       Northern 2 - 7 Morton

1921-22*       15        Nov 5          Hamilton 1 - 1 Morton

*Morton did not earn an away point until November, but in April they won the Scottish Cup.

How does this compare to Brechin City 2017-18? Brechin did not earn their first league point away until match 23, a 1 - 2 win at Dumbarton, on Feb 3.

Morton's 0 - 0 - 8 away record is nearly the mirror image of Dundee United's 8 - 0 - 0 home record. United have 26 goals for and only 5 goals against at home. Morton have 5 goals for and 24 goals against away.

The other Championship matches:

Dundee United (1st) [4 - 0] Ayr United (3rd)

Inverness CT (2nd) [2 - 0] Dunfermline (4th)

Partick Thistle (8th) [0 - 1] Dundee (5th)

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

These two were both in the Second Division in 2012-13.

[Morton win 0 - 2, their first away points of the season. Goals by Cadden and Baird.]

League One:

Clyde (8th) [3 - 1] Airdrieonians (2nd)

Montrose (5th) [2 - 3] Falkirk (4th)

Peterhead (7th) [1 - 2] East Fife (3rd)

Raith Rovers (1st) [0 - 2] Dumbarton (6th)

These two were in the Championship in 2016-17.

Stranraer (10th) [2 - 4] Forfar (9th)

1907-08: Morton visited Port Glasgow and won 2 - 4. Attendance 4000.

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

SPFL Reserve League: Morton 6 - 1 Dunfermline (Dec 17)

FIFA Club World Cup:

Semi-finals (Dec 17 - 18):

Monterrey 1 - 2 Liverpool

Flamengo 3 - 1 Al-Hilal

Final:

Liverpool [1 - 0] Flamengo

[Liverpool FC are champions of the world.]

A definitive list of players who are not returning to HFX Wanderers for 2020 is out: Elton John, Matthew Arnone, Andre Bona, Juan Diego Gutierrrez, Chakib Hocine, Kodai Iida, Mohamed Kououma, Vincent Lamy, Ndzemdzela Langwa, Duran Lee, Kouame Ouattara, Luis Alberto Perea, Elliot Simmons, Tomasz Skublak, Zachary Sukunda, Abd-El-Aziz Yousef.

HFX Wanderers have signed forward Alessandro Riggi, previously of the USL Championship club Phoenix Rising.

Iida Kodai has signed with Oklahoma City Energy FC of the USL Championship.

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

2019/7/16      Morton 6 - 1 Dumbarton

2018/11/3      Morton 5 - 1 Partick Thistle

2018/7/28      Morton 5 - 0 Albion Rovers

2017/7/29      Morton 5 - 0 Edinburgh City

2016/12/3      Beith 0 - 6 Morton

2016/10/15    Queen of the South 0 - 5 Morton

2015/8/1        Morton 5 - 0 Elgin City

2014/8/19      Morton 5 - 2 Berwick Rangers

2013/8/3        East Fife 2 - 6 Morton

2013/4/6        Morton 5 - 2 Airdrie United

2012/12/17    Morton 6 - 0 Turriff United

2012/11/17    Dumbarton 1 - 5 Morton

2012/8/5        East Stirlingshire 1 - 5 Morton

2011/11/19    Morton 5 - 1 Deveronvale

2011/8/9        Forfar 0 - 5 Morton

2011/7/23      Stranraer 0 - 8 Morton

2011/1/25      Airdrie United 2 - 5 Morton

2010/7/31      Stranraer 1 - 7 Morton

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

Port Glasgow Athletic versus Morton.

Leagues:

1891-92 Scottish Alliance:

1891/9/19      Port Glasgow Athletic 5 - 5 Morton

1891/11/7      Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

Both clubs joined the Scottish Football League in 1893, and until Port Glasgow dropped out in 1911 the two clubs played all but three years in the same division (seven years in Div 2, eight in Div 1), for a total of thirty league matches. Port Glasgow won fourteen matches, Morton won thirteen, and there were three draws.

Both were members of the supplementary Glasgow and West of Scotland Football League from 1898-98 till 1905-06. Their matches:

1898/11/12    Morton 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1899/5/15      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 1 Morton

1899/12/30    Morton 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

(1899-1900)   another match

1901/4/15      Morton 2 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1901/5/15      Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Morton

1901/12/21    Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Morton

1902/1/1        Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1903/1/24      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Morton

1903/5/11      Morton 0 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1904/2/27      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Morton

1904/5/11      Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1905/2/25      Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Morton

1905/5/6        Morton 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1906/4/9        Morton 1 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

Cups:

They met only once in the Scottish Cup:

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

The Renfrewshire Cup:

1885/3/21        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 1 Morton (cup-winning game)

1894/10/6        Morton 2 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1895/12/14      Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Morton

1897/3/27        Morton 2 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic

1898/2/12        Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic (abandoned)

1898/2/19        Morton 3 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic (abandoned)

1898/2/26        Morton 1 - 4 Port Glasgow Athletic (in Paisley)

1899/4/8          Morton 4 - 3 Port Glasgow Athletic

1900/4/21        Port Glasgow Athletic 3 - 2 Morton

1900/4/28        Morton 1 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic (cup-winning game)

1907/8/21        Port Glasgow Athletic 2 - 2 Morton

1907/8/28        Morton 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1909/4/21        Morton 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

1909/4/26        Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 2 Morton

1909/4/30        Morton 1 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic (cup-winning game)

1910/8/15        Morton 3 - 1 Port Glasgow Athletic

1912/1/3          Morton 2 - 0 Port Glasgow Athletic

The Renfrewshire Coronation Cup:

1902/5/24        Morton 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1902/6/3          Morton 2 - 2 Port Glasgow Athletic

1902/6/9          Port Glasgow Athletic 4 - 0 Morton (in Paisley)

Almost all of these scores come out of the Scottish Football Historical Archive.

About Peebles Rovers

You can get soaked at the Peebles Hydro. Source.

Morton host Queen of the South. Morton are eighth in the division with 16 points, QoS seventh with 19.

Morton are only two points out of last place. If Partick win or draw and Alloa win today, and Morton lose, Morton will take over last place.

Morton's next two games after this one are against Alloa and Partick. Morton urgently need to come up with a winning streak. If you can't beat the bottom teams you are the bottom team.

[Match postponed. Waterlogged pitch.]

The other Championship matches:

Arbroath (5th) [0 - 1] Dundee United (1st)

Ayr United (4th) [2 - 1] Alloa (10th)

Dundee (6th) [4 - 3] Dunfermline (3rd)

Partick Thistle (9th) [3 - 1] Inverness CT (2nd)*

(*Championship League Cup, Round Two.)

League One:

Airdrieonians (2nd) [2 - 1] Peterhead (7th)

Falkirk (3rd) [1 - 1] Raith Rovers (1st)

Forfar (9th) [3 - 4] Dumbarton (6th)

Montrose (5th) [4 - 0] Clyde (8th)

Stranraer (10th) [0 - 2] East Fife (4th)

1907-08: Morton were home to Dundee FC who played them to a 2 - 2 draw.

1963-64: Morton hosted Cowdenbeath and won 2 - 0.

HFX Wanderers goaltender Jan-Michael Williams has retired, but he'll return to the club in 2020 as a goalie coach. Peter Schaale has re-signed.

Ottawa Fury have sold their USL membership to Miami FC.

Swiss Challenge League: Wil [4 - 0] Winterthur (tomorrow)

The Challenge League season is half done. The league now takes a break until January 24th.

[After 18 games Winterthur have 6 wins, 6 draws and 6 losses, and occupy 6th place.]

UEFA Europa League group stage, matchday 6 (Dec 12):

Cluj 2 - 0 Celtic

Rangers 1 - 1 Young Boys

Copenhagen 0 - 1 Malmö

Celtic, Rangers and Malmö all advance to the knockout phase.

FIFA Club World Cup:

Round One (Dec 11):

Al-Sadd 3 - 1 Hienghène Sport

Round Two (today):

Monterrey [3 - 2] Al-Sadd

Al-Hilal [1 - 0] Espérance Sportive de Tunis

The Club World Cup will continue in the present seven-club format next year, and then expand to 24 clubs in 2021. Source.

Championship League Cup*, Round Two results:

2019/10/29    Morton 2 - 3 Ayr United

2019/12/7      Arbroath 1 - 1 Dundee (Arbroath advanced on the yellow card rule.)

2019/12/7      Dundee United 2 - 1 Alloa

2019/12/14    Partick Thistle [3 - 1] Inverness CT

*The Championship League Cup uses actual match results to simulate a tier-II knockout tournament. It is as yet unsponsored.

About Peebles Rovers:

Peebles is a picturesque market and spa town in the watershed of the Tweed, rather closer to Edinburgh than to England.

Peebles Rovers FC was founded in 1893. The club's home ground is Whitestone Park.

The club played in the Border League in 1893-94, 1896-97, 1897-98, 1902 till 1908, 1911-12 and 1912-13, 1919-20, 1920-21 and 1921-22. They were members of the Scottish Football Union in 1909-10 (finishing 3rd), 1910-11 (1st), 1911-12 (7th) and 1914-15 (an unfinished season). They also participated in the Eastern League in 1912-13 and 1913-14, and a different Eastern League in 1921-22.

They joined the Western League for 1922-23, and then followed the other clubs into the SFL as the new Third Division. In three seasons in the Scottish League Third Division they finishing 14th, 8th and 14th.

After the Third Division was dissolved the club played the 1926-27 season as members of the Scottish Alliance. They entered the Midlothian Junior League in 1927-28.

They joined the East of Scotland League in the 1928-29 season, and won the league championship five times before the war, and again in 1945-46. They played in the EoSFL until 1966 when they went junior and then amateur. They rejoined the EoSFL in 1979 and have been there ever since, generally in the lower division. Perhaps remembering their experience of the 1920s they opted to stay where they were when most of the top division went off to form the Lowland League in 2015.

Peebles Rovers versus Queen of the South in the SFL:

1923/11/17    Peebles Rovers 1 - 1 Queen of the South

1924/3/22      Queen of the South 4 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1924/11/8      Peebles Rovers 0 - 1 Queen of the South

1925/1/31      Queen of the South 6 - 0 Peebles Rovers

Peebles Rovers versus Montrose in the SFL:

1923/9/8        Peebles Rovers 3 - 1 Montrose

1924/3/15      Montrose 1 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1924/11/22    Montrose 2 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1924/12/20    Peebles Rovers 4 - 3 Montrose

1925/9/26      Montrose 5 - 3 Peebles Rovers

Peebles Rovers versus Brechin City in the SFL:

1923/12/1      Brechin City 1 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1924/2/16      Peebles Rovers 2 - 0 Brechin City

1924/12/6      Peebles Rovers 3 - 1 Brechin City

1925/2/21      Brechin City 4 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1925/10/24    Peebles Rovers 3 - 0 Brechin City

Peebles Rovers versus Forfar Athletic in the SFL:

1926/1/30      Forfar Athletic 5 - 2 Peebles Rovers

1926/4/10      Peebles Rovers 2 - 1 Forfar Athletic

Peebles Rovers in the Scottish Cup:

1907-08    R1    Celtic 4 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1912-13    R2    Aberdeen University 0 - 3 Peebles Rovers

                 R3    Peebles Rovers 0 - 3 Celtic

1913-14    R2    Forres Mechanics 0 - 4 Peebles Rovers

                 R3    Stevenston United 3 - 2 Peebles Rovers

1922-23    R1    Moorpark 0 - 4 Peebles Rovers

                 R2    Hibs 0 - 0 Peebles Rovers

                          Hibs 3 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1924-25    R1    St Cuthbert Wanderers 0 - 0 Peebles Rovers

                          Peebles Rovers 5 - 0 St Cuthbert Wanderers

                 R2    Dykehead 3 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1925-26    R1    Peebles Rovers 7 - 3 Keith

                 R2    Albion Rovers 1 - 1 Peebles Rovers

                          Peebles Rovers 0 - 4 Albion Rovers

1926-27    R1    Kilmarnock 3 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1930-31    R1    Peebles Rovers 0 - 4 Falkirk

1934-35    R1    St Mirren 3 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1935-36    R1    Peebles Rovers 3 - 3 Dalbeattie Star

                          Dalbeattie Star 1 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1936-37    R1    Falkirk 6 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1951-52    R1    Berwick Rangers 7 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1953-54    R1    Montrose 0 - 1 Peebles Rovers

                 R2    Peebles Rovers 1 - 1 Buckie Thistle

                          Buckie Thistle 7 - 2 Peebles Rovers

1954-55    R1    Ross County 2 - 2 Peebles Rovers

                          Peebles Rovers 5 - 1 Ross County

                 R2    Peebles Rovers 4 - 3 Girvan Amateurs

                 R3    Peebles Rovers 5 - 2 St Cuthbert Wanderers

                 R4    Peebles Rovers 0 - 2 Forres Mechanics

1955-56    R1    Newton Stewart 3 - 5 Peebles Rovers

                 R2    Peebles Rovers 4 - 3 Eyemouth United

                 R3    Inverness Thistle 1 - 1 Peebles Rovers

                          Peebles Rovers 2 - 1 Inverness Thistle

                 R4    Brechin City 1 - 1 Peebles Rovers

                          Peebles Rovers 4 - 4 Brechin City

                          Peebles Rovers 0 - 0 Brechin City

                          Brechin City 6 - 2 Peebles Rovers

1956-57    R1    Peebles Rovers 4 - 2 Murrayfield Amateurs

                 R2    Peebles Rovers 2 - 2 Albion Rovers

                          Albion Rovers 6 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1957-58    R1    Raith Rovers 4 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1958-59    R1    Peebles Rovers 2 - 0 Ross County

                 R2    St Mirren 10 - 0 Peebles Rovers

1959-60    R2    Peebles Rovers 1 - 6 Ayr United

1960-61    R1    Peebles Rovers 4 - 2 Gala Fairydean

                 R2    Hibs 15 - 1 Peebles Rovers

1964-65   PR1   Peebles Rovers 1 - 4 Stirling Albion

1965-66   PR1   Dumbarton 2 - 2 Peebles Rovers

                          Peebles Rovers 2 - 3 Dumbarton

Sources: English, Danish, German Wikipedia; Fitbastats; Scottish Football Historical Archive; Historical Football Kits.

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 [Dec 14] to determine which one will be in J1 next year. [Bellmare stay up.]

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 41st 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. [Iwaki 6 - 0 Sendaidai.]

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 41st 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