Plenty of Nothing

The New Season

2021-22 marks the centenary of Morton's first Scottish Cup. Source.

The 2021-22 Championship begins. This year is going to be fantastic because supporters are back in the parks, Kilmarnock are in the division so there's the Ayrshire derby, Partick and the world's best mascot Kingsley return, Hamilton Academical, that somewhat more successful version of Greenock Morton, are back, and Morton are still in the division despite being so very very awful all last season.

Today Morton host Dunfermline Athletic. Morton have been cleared to admit 1500 home fans to Cappielow. Can they round up that many?

Dunfermline have not won a game at Cappielow since March 25th, 2017. However, they won three of four games in the League Cup group stage, and will meet Rangers in Round Two. They scored 13 goals, against Morton's 3.

Gozie Ugwu played for Dunfermline in 2014. Robbie Muirhead did likewise in 2018-19. None of the Pars have played for Morton.

Dunfermline Athletic is owned by a German consortium called DAFC Fussball GmbH.

Morton have signed fewer players than any other Championship club this summer.

Today's starting lineup is: [Hamilton, Ledger, Strapp, Jacobs, Oliver, Blues, Muirhead, Ugwu, Hynes, McGregor, Lithgow.]

Compare last year: McAdams, Fjortoft, McLean, McGinty, Muirhead, Jacobs, McAlister, Salkeld, McPake, Nesbitt, Orsi.

Willie Collum is referee.

[Morton 2 - 2 Dunfermline. Morton goals by Oliver and McGrattan.]

The other Championship matches:

Arbroath [0 - 1] Inverness CT

Partick Thistle [3 - 2] Queen of the South

Raith Rovers [4 - 4] Hamilton Accies

[That's the first time these two have played each other to a 4 - 4 draw.]

Kilmarnock vs Ayr United (August 2)

This is the first Ayrshire derby in four years.

The 2021-22 Championship has five 10,000+ spectator stadiums: Rugby Park (17,889), Cappielow (11,589), East End Park (11,480), Somerset Park (10,185) and Firhill (10,102).

Developments:

St Mirren FC is now fan-owned.

Fort William's ground Claggan Park has been ruled unfit for use by the Highland League, and as a consequence all of Fort William's league and cup games this season will be played at the opponent's ground.

Dalbeattie Star are top of the Lowland League.

Video:

Eleanor Morton.

Plenty of Nothing's objectives for Morton in 2021-22:

1)    Beat Kilmarnock.

2)    Finish higher than Ayr United.

3)    Finish higher than Queen of the South.

4)    Score on Raith.

5)    Score on Arbroath.

6)    Score on Aberdeen.

7)    Play Cove Rangers.

8)    Play Kelty Hearts.

9)    Reach the semi-finals of any cup.

10)    Set a club record for scoreless draws.

Which clubs are in the 2021-22 Championship, and when did they know for sure?

April 23        Queen of the South

April 23        Inverness Caledonian Thistle

April 29        Partick Thistle

April 30        Arbroath

April 30        Ayr United

May 8          Dunfermline Athletic

May 15        Raith Rovers

May 16        Hamilton Academical

May 21        Greenock Morton

May 24        Kilmarnock

When did they last join the division and was it from above or below?

2021    Kilmarnock (above)

2021    Hamilton Academical (above)

2021    Partick Thistle (below)

2020    Raith Rovers (below)

2019    Arbroath (below)

2018    Ayr United (below)

2017    Inverness CT (above)

2016    Dunfermline (below)

2015    Morton (below)

2013    QoS (below)

In which divisions have the 2021-22 Championship clubs played since 1994?

Kilmarnock        AAAAAA     AAAAAAAAAA    AAAAAAAAAA   AB

Inverness CT    DDDCCB    BBBBAAAAAB   AAAAAAABBB    BB

Dunfermline      BBAAAB    AAAAAAABBB    BABCCCBBBB    BB

Hamilton           BBCBBC    DCCCBBBBAA    ABBBAAAAAA    AB

Partick              AABBCC    CBAABCBBBB    BBBAAAAABB    CB

Raith Rovers    BAABBB    BBCBBCCCCB    BBBBBBBCCC    BB

Morton             CBBBBB    BCDCCCCBBB    BBBBCBBBBB    BB

QoS                 CCCCCC    CCBBBBBBBB    BBCBBBBBBB    BB

Ayr Utd            BCCBBB    BBBBCCCCCB    CBCCCCBCBB    BB

Arbroath          DDDDCC    CBBCCDDDCC   DCCCDDDCCB   BB

(A = tier I; B = tier II; etc.)

The big clubs continue to rotate through the Championship:

2014-15        Hearts, Hibs, Rangers

2015-16        Rangers, Hibs

2016-17        Hibs, Dundee United

2017-18        Dundee United

2018-19        Dundee United

2019-20        Dundee United

2020-21        Hearts

2021-22        Kilmarnock

How many goals must a team score on opening day to start the season in first place?

2020/10/17    6    Hearts

2019/8/3        4    Dundee United

2018/8/4        2    Ayr United

2017/8/5        4    Queen of the South

2016/8/6        2    Raith Rovers

2015/8/8        3    Raith Rovers

Recent years that Morton finished Day One in first place:

2013    Morton were alone in first place.

2003    Morton were alone in first place.

1983    Morton were alone in first place.

Recent years that Morton finished Day One in last place:

2014    Morton and Airdrie were tied for last place with a -1 gd.

2009    Morton and Dunfermline were tied for last place with a -1 gd.

2000    Morton and Airdrie were tied for last place with a -2 gd.

1990    Morton and Brechin were tied for last place with a -4 gd.

1989    Morton and Livi were tied for last place with a -2 gd.

1988    Morton were alone in last place.

1987    Morton were alone in last place.

Other matches:

Kelty Hearts [2 - 0] Cowdenbeath

Thomas O'Ware (Morton 2011-18) has signed with Kelty.

Cork City 1 - 1 UCD (last night)

Faroes: B36 3 - 0 TB (July 28)

Daegu vs Pohang Steelers (tomorrow)

Tohoku Div 1: Dogizaka vs Primeiro Fukushima (tomorrow) (September 26)

TPS 2 - 2 MP MIkkeli (yesterday)

Cumbernauld United 0 - 4 Largs Thistle (July 28)

Largs Thistle [1 - 2] Cumnock Juniors

East Kilbride 1 - 1 Caledonian Braves (July 27)

The man of the match receives a bottle of whisky. Photo.

East Kilbride [0 - 1] Civil Service Strollers

Celtic B vs Rangers B (postponed)

Clachnacuddin [2 - 5] Huntly

Winterthur 3 - 1 Wil (yesterday)

1.FC Saarbrücken [1 - 2] VfL Osnabrück

Aurora [0 - 1] The Strongest

FC Isle of Man play in the tenth-tier North West Counties League Division One South, which starts today. Let's follow them:

Maine Road [1 - 1] FC Isle of Man

There's a border between England and the Isle of Man, so Covid restrictions could interfere with the schedule.

They're going to complete the 2019-20 South Challenge Cup. One semifinal was played December 27, 201920. The other is today:

Hill of Beath Hawthorn [2 - 4] Dunipace

2021-22 UEFA Champions League 2QR, second leg (July 28):

Midtjylland 2 - 1 Celtic

Celtic drop down to the Europa League.

2021-22 UEFA Europa Conference 2QR, second leg (July 29):

Hacken 2 - 0 Aberdeen

San Coloma 1 - 2 Hibs

Budućnost Podgorica 0 - 2 HB (July 27)

Borac Banja Luca 0 - 0 Linfield

Connah's Quay Nomads 4 - 2 Prishtina

Bodø/Glimt 3 - 0 Valur

FCI Levadia 1 - 2 Dundalk

The New Saints 5 - 1 Kauno Žalgiris

AGF 1 - 1 Larne

Bohemians 3 - 0 F91 Dudelange

Breiðablik 2 - 1 Austria Wien

Rosenborg 4 - 1 FH

Our guys Aberdeen, Hibs, Dundalk, Bohemians, Linfield, Larne, The New Saints and Breiðablik advance. FH and Connah's Quay Nomads are out.

Olympic Women's Soccer, group stage:

Chile 0 - 1 Japan (July 27)    Goal by Mina Tanaka.

Canada 1 - 1 Great Britain (July 27)    Canadian goal by Adriana Leon.

Quarter-finals:

Sweden 3 - 1 Japan (July 30 in Saitama)    Mina Tanaka scores for Japan.

Brazil 0 - 0 Canada (July 30 at Sony Sendai's stadium)    Canada win on PK and progress to the semis.

The first round of the 2021-22 North of Scotland Cup was (sort of) played Wednesday:

Forres Mechanics vs Rothes (postponed)

Nairn County 2 - 4 Lossiemouth

Strathspey Thistle wo/scr Golspie Sutherland

The 2020-21 Aberdeenshire Cup final was played Wednesday:

Formartine United 1 - 3 Fraserburgh

Canadian Premier League

With the conclusion of the Kickoff each team has played 8 games, and each has at least 2 wins and 2 losses. Halifax are in seventh place with 2 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses, 4 goals scored (the league lowest) and 8 goals allowed. Akeem Garcia is goalless. The Wanderers' next game is Monday at the Wanderers Grounds.

Members of four teams were threatened with fines by the league after they posed in Professional Footballers Association shirts in Winnipeg. The league has yet to recognize the players' union, and should immediately.

1999-2000

July 31, 1999.    It was Round One of the League Cup. Morton had a bye into Round Two by virtue of having finished sixth in the division in 1998-99. Clydebank had finished seventh. Clydebank met East Stirlingshire at Cappielow and lost 1 - 2. David Stewart scored for Clydebank. 69 people attended this match.

The Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup:

This is the third year of the tournament. The previous results were:

2019-20        No winner

2020-21        No winner

The 2019-20 final was preempted by Covid, after which the two finalists went off to different leagues and did not meet again the next season. The 2020-21 cup successfully finished a 20-game group stage only to run aground on a postponed semi-final game that was not completed until after the final it was supposed to set up, triggering the "no temporal anomalies" rule.

This year's teams are seeded in this order:

  1    Kilmarnock

  2    Hamilton Academical

  3    Raith Rovers

  4    Dunfermline Athletic

  5    Inverness Caledonian Thistle

  6    Queen of the South

  7    Arbroath

  8    Ayr United

  9    Morton

10    Partick Thistle

Round One involves clubs 7, 8, 9 and 10. 7 will play 10, 8 will play 9. The higher club is not guaranteed home field advantage.

New rule: The next round will begin as soon as a fixture becomes available, whether league or cup.

Tie-breakers are: 1) the side with fewer red cards wins, or then 2) the side with fewer yellow cards wins, or then 3) the side with more corner kicks wins, or finally 4) the visitor gets the win. These tie-breakers take precedence over other tie-breakers.

The Round One matches are:

2021/8/21      Arbroath vs Partick

2021/9/25      Ayr United vs Morton

Golfing Greenock

The view from Greenock Golf Club, c. 1935.

Clyde visit Cappielow for their League Cup group stage match against Morton.

At this point Morton cannot win the group. Even if they beat Clyde and finish with six points, either Stranraer or Kilmarnock must finish with at least seven. As for the three second place slots, Groups B, C and D will each produce a second-place team with more than six points. So no League Cup for Morton this year.

Morton and Clyde have played one competitive match in the past decade. Contrast the 1910s when they played 20, the 1960s when they played 21 and, in what proves to be the heyday of their rivalry, the 1940s when they met 27 times.

One reason for that was that they were both members of the wartime Southern League, from which there was neither promotion nor relegation. Another was the Summer Cup, which added fixtures to what normally would have been the close season. They met five times in that competition during the war:

1941/6/7        Morton 1 - 2 Clyde

1941/6/14      Clyde 3 - 1 Morton

1943/5/29      Clyde 1 - 1 Morton

1943/6/5        Morton 8 - 3 Clyde

1944/7/1        Clyde 3 - 3 Morton (This was a semi-final. Clyde advanced, possibly after a coin toss.)

Clyde have made it to the League Cup semi-finals three times, in 1956, 1957 and 1968, but never the final. Morton made the semi-finals in 1963, 1964, 1967, 1979 and 2016, and the final in 1963.

Clyde defender Jonathan Page played for Morton in 2013-14, as did Adam Livingstone in 2019-20. Alan Lithgow played for Clyde from 2008 to 2011.

Morton hosted Clyde in the 2016-17 group stage and won 1 - 0.

John Sutton is back as Morton development team coach.

Falkirk forfeited their Wednesday match against Edinburgh City and also today's match against Ayr United, ensuring the Honest Men a place in Round Two. Six group stage matches have been awarded due to Covid, plus one for a suspended player.

[Morton win 2 - 1, on two goals by Muirhead.]

The other match:

Kilmarnock [2 - 1] Stranraer

East Kilbride are on Lowland League duty. (See below.)

Group G final table:

Kilmarnock      4    2    1    0    1    5    6   -1    8

Stranraer         4    2    0    0    2    5    3  +2    6

Morton             4    1    1    1    1    3    5   -2    6

East Kilbride    4    1    0    2    1    5    3  +2    5

Clyde               4    1    1    0    2    5    6   -1    5

What was the last time Kilmarnock played a league match against the other 2021-22 Championship clubs?

2021/5/16      Hamilton Academical

2018/4/7        Partick Thistle

2017/5/13      Inverness CT

2012/5/12      Dunfermline

1997/3/5        Raith Rovers

1993/3/20      Ayr United

1993/3/9        Morton

1990/4/21      Queen of the South

1990/2/17      Arbroath

Canadian Premier League:

HFX Wanderers [1 - 0] Valour FC

[Goal by Pierre Lamothe.]

Valour are the surprise team of 2021, leading the league from the first day. You'll recall that they finished 2019 in 7th place and 2020 in 6th.

The Kickoff is over. Wanderers proceed to the next phase, in which they get to play the three eastern teams at the Wanderers Grounds. There has not been a CPL game in Halifax since October 9, 2019.

The schedule for the 2021 Canadian Championship is out. HFX play AS Blainville first, and if they win, CF Montreal.

Winnipeg Fury versus Nova Scotia Clippers in the Canadian Soccer League:

1991/5/28      Nova Scotia Clippers 2 - 0 Winnipeg Fury

1991/6/23      Winnipeg Fury 2 - 2 Nova Scotia Clippers

1991/7/24      Winnipeg Fury 1 - 1 Nova Scotia Clippers

1991/8/30      Nova Scotia Clippers 1 - 2 Winnipeg Fury

Source.

Other games:

JFL: Suzuka Point Getters [2 - 1] FC Kariya (tomorrow)

Jeonbuk vs Pohang Steelers (July 21) (postponed)

Pohang Steelers [0 - 1] FC Seoul

Tohoku Div 1: Ganju Iwate [2 - 0] Dogizaka (tomorrow)

Jaro [0 - 2] TPS

Largs Thistle [4 - 2] Rossvale

Celtic B [1 - 1] East Kilbride

Rangers [2 - 1] Real Madrid (friendly) (tomorrow)

3.Liga begins: TSV Halelse [0 - 1] 1.FC Saarbrücken

FAI Cup, Round One (yesterday): UCD 2 - 0 Shelbourne

The Strongest [3 - 1] Bolivar (tomorrow)

2021-22 UEFA Europa Conference 2QR, first leg (July 20 - 22):

Aberdeen 5 - 1 Hacken

Hibs 3 - 0 Santa Coloma

HB 4 - 0 Budućnost Podgorica (Montenegro)

Linfield 4 - 0 Borac Banja Luca (Bosnia)

Prishtina 4 - 1 Connah's Quay Nomads

Valur 0 - 3 Bodø/Glimt (Norway)

Dundalk 2 - 2 FCI Levadia (Estonia)

Kauno Žalgiris (Lithuania) 0 - 5 The New Saints

Larne 2 - 1 AGF (Denmark)

F91 Dudelange 0 - 1 Bohemians

Austria Wien 1 - 1 Breiðablik

FH 0 - 2 Rosenborg

The Highland League starts today. Let's follow Clachnacuddin, as we tried to do last year:

Inverurie Loco Works [5 - 0] Clachnacuddin

The Swiss Challenge League begins. Missing are Grasshoppers (promoted) and Chiasso (relegated). New this year are Vaduz (relegated) and Yverdon-Sport (promoted).

Lausanne-Ouchy 1 - 1 Winterthur (yesterday)

Olympic Women's Soccer, group stage:

Chile [1 - 2] Canada (July 24) [2 goals by Beckie.]

Japan [0 - 1] Great Britain (July 24)

Coupe de France, Round Two:

AS Saint Pierraise [2 - 1] AS Miquelonaisse

Other developments:

The Scottish Cup draw is about due.

The 2021-22 Scottish Women's Championship South fixtures are out, partly.

1999-2000

In the summer of 1999 homeless Clydebank FC moved out of Boghead Park, where they had been groundsharing with Dumbarton FC, and moved in with Greenock Morton at Cappielow. The Bankies would play there for three seasons, after which they were purchased and relocated to Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie to operate under the name Airdrie United. In 1999-2000 both Morton and Clydebank were members of the First Division and took turns being 'visitor' whenever they met in league play, though they were both home.

The 1999-2000 calendar mostly lines up with 2021-22's. 2000 was a leap year, so the games from March to May 2000 will be one day off. Let's follow Morton and Clydebank through 1999-2000 as they channel Oscar and Felix at Cappielow.

A note about sources. Fitbastats covers most events. Clydebank have a 1999-2000 season article on Wikipedia for further detail, but Morton have not. Even better for Clydebank statistics is The Bankies Archive. Online access to the Greenock Telegraphs of the day would be ideal, but isn't available. The Glasgow Herald archive at Google Books only goes up to about 1990, and accessing BBC Football reports from 1999 is a hit and miss process.

July 24, 1999.    (Friendly)    Clydebank visited Gala Fairydean of the East of Scotland League at Netherdale and beat them 5 - 0.

Apparently Morton were scheduled to play a friendly at Clyde, but Clyde do not list it on their website, and I haven't found the score. It was a rainy day, so maybe the match was abandoned. But there's this:

Source.

Sir James Shaw

Downtown Kilmarnock, sometime between 1848 and 1929. Sir James Shaw is the bloke on the plinth. Source.

Kilmarnock host Greenock Morton.

Coming into today's games, Stranraer, Clyde and Kilmarnock can still earn 9 points, Morton 8, and East Kilbride 7. Do Morton still have a path to Round Two? Yes. If they take 3 points from Killie today and 3 points from Clyde on Saturday, while Killie beat Stranraer, then they will finish top of the group.

Getting drawn together in this League Cup group means that Morton and Killie will meet five times this season, Covid permitting. The record is six matches (four league and two cup) in 1992-93.

Morton's captain Kyle Jacobs played for Kilmarnock in 2013-14. Robbie Muirhead was with Killie from 2013 to 2015. Killie's Stephen McGinn played 8 games for Morton earlier this year, and Jason Naismith played 4 for Morton in 2012.

Judging by their Wikipedia pages Kilmarnock have twice as many players under contract as Morton have.

In the 2016-17 League Cup Kilmarnock were the top seed in Morton's group. Morton came to Rugby Park and beat them 0 - 2, with goals by Oliver and Quitongo. Morton went on to beat Hamilton and Dundee United before losing to Aberdeen in the semi-finals.

[Kilmarnock 1 - 1 Morton. Young McGregor scores for Morton. Killie wins on PK. Lithgow, Oliver and Ugwu scored in the shootout.]

The other match:

East Kilbride [2 - 2] Clyde [Clyde win on PK.]

Stranraer are off.

Group G standings after these games:

Stranraer         3    2    0    0    1    4    1   +3    6

East Kilbride    4    1    0    2    1    5    3   +2    5

Clyde               3    1    1    0    1    4    4     0    5

Kilmarnock      3    1    1    0    1    3    5    -2    5

Morton             3    0    1    1    1    1    4    -3    3

Elsewhere:

FC Edmonton [1 - 0] HFX Wanderers (tomorrow)

The Kickoff has highlighted a new problem for Canadian soccer -- summer temperatures. The season is already crammed into six or seven months because Canadian winter is too cold for soccer. But with daytime temperatures averaging 30 degrees as they have done through much of The Kickoff, when the games have been forced into the evenings, it looks like in parts of the country summer is too hot for soccer.

Beith Juniors [5 - 0] Largs Thistle (tomorrow)

Blooming [2 - 0] The Strongest (tomorrow)

UEFA Champions League 2QR first leg:

Celtic [1 - 1] Midtjylland

Olympic Women's Soccer, group stage:

Great Britain [2 - 0] Chile (July 21)

Japan [1 - 1] Canada (July 21)

[Scorers: Christine Sinclair (Canada), Mana Iwabuchi (Japan).]

Developments:

Serie A is banning green jerseys because they're hard to distinguish from the pitch on TV. It would never happen in Scotland.

Which clubs are in 2021-22 League One, and when did they know for sure?

April 17        Alloa Athletic

April 20        Queen's Park

April 23        East Fife

April 29        Peterhead

May 4          Falkirk

May 6          Clyde

May 11        Cove Rangers

May 11        Montrose

May 20        Dumbarton

May 21        Airdrieonians

When did they last join the division and was it from above or below?

2021    Alloa (above)

2021    Queen's Park (below)

2020    Cove Rangers (below)

2019    Falkirk (above)

2019    Peterhead (below)

2019    Clyde (below)

2018    Dumbarton (above)

2018    Montrose (below)

2016    East Fife (below)

2013    Airdrieonians (above)

In which divisions have the 2021-22 League One clubs played since 1994?

Falkirk                AABBBB      BBBBBAAAAA     BBBBBBBBBC     CC

Clyde                CCCCCC     BBBBBBBBBC     DDDDDDDDDC    CC

Alloa                  DDDDCC    BCBCCCCCCC    CDCBBBCCBB     BC

Dumbarton         CBCDDD    DDCCCCDDDC    CCBBBBBBCC    CC

Airdrieonians                               CCBBBCBB    CCBCCCCCCC    CC

East Fife            CCBCCD    DDDCDDDDCC    CCCCDDCCCC    CC

Peterhead         HHHHHH    DDDDDCCCCC    CDDDCCCDDC    CC

Queen's Park    DDDDDD    CDDDDDDCCD    DDDDDDCCDD    DC

Montrose           DCDDDD    DDDDDDDDDD    DDDDDDDDCC    CC

Cove Rangers   HHHHHH    HHHHHHHHHH    HHHHHHHHHD    CC

(A = tier I; B = tier II; C = tier III; D = tier IV; H = Highland League)

Brutalist Cumbernauld

Cumbernauld Town Centre, 1968. Source.

It's matchday three in the League Cup group stage. Morton are off, which is just as well, given their Covid situation.

On Thursday a SPFL disciplinary tribunal threw out Kilmarnock's 2 - 0 July 10th win against East Kilbride, and instead awarded EK a 3 - 0 win, and handed Killie a £5,000 fine. This for fielding a suspended player in the 72nd minute of that game. So now two of the four Group G matches have been decided by the league. The other was Morton's Covid game. Kilmarnock enter today's match in last place, and East Kilbride are first. David Goodwillie of Clyde leads all Group G scorers, with one goal.

Coming into today's games Clyde are in the driver's seat. They are the only Group G club that can finish with 12 points. East Kilbride can finish with 10. Stranraer and Kilmarnock can only earn 9 max. The best Morton can do is 8.

The record for winning a group with the fewest points is shared by Peterhead and Ayr United: 8.

Ross County have forfeited a second match.

The games:

Clyde [1 - 2] Kilmarnock

Stranraer [1 - 0] East Kilbride

Group standings after these games:

Stranraer         3    2    0    0    1    4    1   +3    6

East Kilbride    3    1    0    1    1    3    1   +2    4

Clyde               2    1    0    0    1    2    2     0    3

Kilmarnock      2    1    0    0    1    2    4    -2    3

Morton             2    0    1    0    1    0    3    -3    2

2021-22 UEFA Europa Conference 1QR, second leg (July 15):

Coleraine 1 - 2 Velež Mostar

Sligo Rovers 1 - 2 FH

KÍ 2 - 4 Rīgas

Larne 1 - 0 Bala Town

Bohemians 3 - 0  Stjarnan

The New Saints 2 - 0 Glentoran

Newtown 0 - 1 Dundalk

Breiðablik 2 - 0 Racing Luxembourg

NSÍ 1 - 3 Honka

Coleraine, Glentoran, Sligo, Bala Town, New Town, Stjarnan, Racing, KÍ and NSÍ are out.

Other matches:

Treaty United 2 - 1 UCD (last night)

J2: Matsumoto Yamaga [0 - 1] Mito HollyHock

JFL: FC Kariya [1 - 3] ReinMeer Aomori (tomorrow)

Pohang Steelers vs Gwangju (tomorrow) (postponed)

Tohoku Div 1: Dogizaka vs Sendai University (tomorrow) (postponed)

Tohoku Div 1 N: Gonohe [0 - 4] Lascivo Aomori (tomorrow) (July 4)

[This Tohoku league schedule is very haphazard.]

TPS 0 - 0 KPV (yesterday)

HFX Wanderers [1 - 2] Cavalry FC

[Halifax goal by Samuel Salter. They named Salter Street after that guy.]

The Lowland, East, South and West of Scotland Leagues start today.

Largs Thistle [0 - 2] Rutherglen Glencairn

The Strongest [2 - 1] Guabira (tomorrow)

Winterthur [0 - 4] Real Betis (friendly)

Real Betis finished sixth in La Liga last season.

Karlsruher  [1 - 0]  1.FC Saarbrücken (friendly)

Karlsruher SC play in 2.Bundesliga.

Developments:

The Old Firm's latest proposal to put reserve teams in the SPFL has been rejected.

About la ligue de football de Saint-Pierre-et-Miquelon:

This league has been around since 1976 and brings together the three clubs of the archipelago. They are:

Association Sportive Saint-Pierraise (abbreviated ASSP)    Founded in 1903, they play at Stade Léonce Claireaux on the north side of Saint-Pierre town. League champions 13 times, cup winners 8 times. Green.

Association Sportive Miquelonnaise (ASM)    Founded 1949. Their ground is Stade de l'Avenir in Miquelon-Langlade at the north of the archipelago. League champions 4 times, including last year. Cup winners 8 times. Blue. Orange.

Association Sportive Ilienne Amateur (ASIA)    This is the youngest club, started in 1953, but by far the most successful. Their park is Stade John Girardin, in the west end of the town of Saint-Pierre. League champions 28 times, cup winners 25 times. Yellow.

It's a summer league, playing from May to September. Each team plays 16 league matches. To make it more interesting the schedule is divided into four cups. The first cup ends in June, the second July, third August and fourth September. The combined standings determine the year's league champion.

At the end of the season the first- and second-placed teams play for the Coupe de l'Archipel.

The Football Federation of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon is part of the French Football Federation. Since 2018 the three clubs have participated in the Coupe de France. They play against each other in Rounds One and Two, and the winner flies to France for Round Three. In September 2018 Saint Pierraise lost 2 - 1 to ALC Longvic. In 2019 FC Lyon beat Ilienne Amateur 5 - 1. Saint Pierraise were to play La Roche VF in 2020 but it was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic.

The clubs play friendlies against teams in Newfoundland, and sometimes participate in cup competitions there. Saint Pierre and Miquelon is seeking membership in Concacaf.

Gold Medal Morton

George Mitchell was awarded this medal for his part in Morton's winning the 1949-50 SFL Division B. It recently sold at auction for £400. You can see some of his other medals here.

It's Morton versus East Kilbride.

East Kilbride FC was founded in 2010 and played as an amateur club before becoming a founding member of the Lowland League in 2013. They've won that league twice, the Lowland League Cup twice, and the South Challenge Cup three times. They've appeared in the Scottish Cup seven times, the Scottish Challenge Cup three times, and this is their third time in the Scottish League Cup. (See below.)

Morton and EK have never met in a competitive match before.

EK have Morton veterans Chris Millar (2003-08; 2018-21) and Jamie Stevenson (2006-09), as well as striker Lee Miller, who last season was co-manager of Falkirk. None of them will see 35 again.

East Kilbride is 43.4 km from West Kilbride, as the oystercatcher flies.

Saturday's forfeiture puts Morton in faint hope territory with this cup. They must win all three remaining games to have a chance of advancing. So 2021-22 becomes the third season to be wrecked by Covid-19.

[It's game on, which did not look likely yesterday. There are no spectators. Morton's starting XI are Hamilton, Ledger, Lithgow, Jacobs, Oliver, Muirhead, Ugwu, Stafford, Garrity, McGregor, King. Substitutes are Taylor, McLeod, Aitken, Cooper. McGregor is 17 years old, and King is 16. Team members not in the line-up are: McLean, Russell, Strapp, Lyon, Blues, Easdale, Hynes, McGrattan, Wylie.]

[0 - 0 after 90 minutes. Morton win 5 - 4 on penalty kicks. Shootout scorers are: Ugwu, Muirhead, Garrity, Oliver and Lithgow.]

The other match:

Clyde [1 - 0] Stranraer

Kilmarnock are off.

[Killie fielded a suspended player in their game against East Kilbride Saturday. Daniel Armstrong had only served half of a two-game suspension at the end of last season.]

Group table after today's games:

Stranraer         2    1    0    0    1    3    1   +2    3

Kilmarnock      1    1    0    0    0    2    0   +2    3

Clyde               1    1    0    0    0    1    0   +1    3

Morton             2    0    1    0    1    0    3    -3    2

East Kilbride    2    0    0    1    1    0    2    -2    1

2021-22 UEFA Champions League QR1, second leg:

Shamrock Rovers [2 - 1] Slovan Bratislava

Alashkert [1 - 0] Connah's Quay Nomads (tomorrow)

Linfield [1 - 2] Žalgiris

Valur [0 - 2] Dinamo Zagreb

Canadian Premier League

The Kickoff is half over. Every team has played four games, and each has at least one win and one loss.

HFX Wanderers [0 - 0] Pacific FC

I walked along Summer Street today and they're fixing up the Wanderers Grounds.

HFX Wanderers' scoreless draws:

2019/6/22      York9 0 - 0 Wanderers           league

2019/8/10      Wanderers 0 - 0 Cavalry        league

2019/9/2        Wanderers 0 - 0 Edmonton    league

2019/9/21      Wanderers 0 - 0 Valour          league

2021/7/3        Cavalry 0 - 0 Wanderers        league

Lee Miller's goals against Morton:

2015/10/17    91'    Falkirk 1 - 0 Morton

2016/11/5      93'    Falkirk 1 - 1 Morton

East Kilbride in the Scottish Cup:

2014/9/13      R1    Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 0 - 1 East Kilbride

2014/10/4      R2    Spartans 3 - 3 East KIlbride

2014/10/11             East Kilbride 1 - 5 Spartans

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

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

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

2015/12/5              East Kilbride 2 - 1 Stenhousemuir

2016/1/20      R4    East Kilbride 2 - 0 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2019/11/23    R3    Formartine United 0 - 4 East Kilbride

2020/1/18      R4    East Kilbride 1 - 3 BSC Glasgow

2020/12/12   PR2   Spartans 2 - 1 East Kilbride

East Kilbride in the League Cup:

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

2017/7/18      GS    Queen of the South 0 - 0 East Kilbride (East Kilbride won on PK.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

2021/7/10      GS    East Kilbride 0 - 2 Kilmarnock

East Kilbride in the Challenge Cup:

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

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

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

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

To Stranraer by Flying Boat

This is a 1/72 scale model of the Supermarine Stranraer, a flying boat that could have flown from the Clyde to Stranraer in the days of RAF Greenock and RAF Wig Bay. Source.

It's the 2021-22 League Cup group stage, matchday one. Morton are in Group G with Kilmarnock, Clyde, Stranraer and East Kilbride.

This year the eight group winners plus the three best second-place teams will advance to Round Two. If Morton do not win their group, what will it take to be one of the top three second-place teams? Here's what worked in past years:

                pts    gd

2016-17      9    +4

2017-18    10    +6

2018-19      9    +6

2019-20      8    +6

2020-21      9    +5

That team that snuck in with 8 points was Morton. But, to be on the safe side this year, they should try to get 3 points from each of Clyde, Stranraer and East Kilbride, and take Kilmarnock to a shootout. Also, they want to be at the high end of a 5 - 0 score, because goal difference will likely be the deciding factor.

Today Morton visit Stranraer.

Ten years ago a cup game at Stranraer was just the way Morton liked to start a season.

2010/7/31      Stranraer 1 - 7 Morton    League Cup R1

2011/7/23      Stranraer 0 - 8 Morton    Challenge Cup R1

Morton and Stranraer were both members of League One in 2014-15. Morton took three wins to one win for the Blues, the total goals scored being 8 goals to 2 in Morton's favour.

Stranraer FC is older than Greenock Morton, having been founded in 1870. The club joined Division C in 1949 and Division B in 1955. They made it up to tier II in 1993, 1998 and 2004 but lasted only one year there each time.

Former Morton man Ruaridh Langan plays for Stranraer.

Stranraer played three Championship clubs in the preseason, losing to Raith Rovers, Ayr United and Queen of the South. It was a much more ambitious series of friendlies than Morton's.

[Morton test positive for Covid and forfeit the match. Stranraer are awarded a 3 - 0 win. Ross County also forfeit their match against Forfar, and Dumbarton their match against St Mirren.]

The other match:

East Kilbride [0 - 2] Kilmarnock

These two will meet again in the Challenge Cup Round Two if EK can beat Falkirk in Round One.

Clyde are off.

Group G have no televised games. Group A (with Hearts) and Group F (with Motherwell) have two each.

[Group G standings after today's matches are:

Stranraer         1    1    0    0    0    3    0    3

Kilmarnock      1    1    0    0    0    2    0    3

Clyde               0    0    0    0    0    0    0    0

East Kilbride    1    0    0    0    1    0    2    0

Morton             1    0    0    0    1    0    3    0    ]

Mortonalia:

Morton played a friendly against Cumbernauld Colts on July 6th and won 0 - 2 on goals by Michael Garrity and Cameron Blues.

Morton are advertising for a part-time general manager, which looks to be a backroom position not concerned with managing the football squad or drumming up sponsorship money. It's here if you want to apply.

Morton signed goalkeeper Jack Hamilton on Tuesday. He made 18 appearances for Dundee last season.

Bobby Barr (Morton 2015-16) has signed with Cowdenbeath.

Canadian Premier League:

HFX Wanderers [2 - 1] FC Edmonton

[Two goals for Morelli.]

The Eddies are the oldest club in the Canadian league, having played seven seasons in the NASL from 2011 to 2017 before the CPL was ever thought of. Their park is Clarke Stadium, which stands in the shadow of Commonwealth Stadium, like Lesser Hampden beside Hampden.

Edmonton professional outdoor men's soccer teams:

1979-82    Edmonton Drillers    North American Soccer League (1)

1983         Edmonton Eagles    Canadian Professional Soccer League

1987-90    Edmonton Brick Men    Canadian Soccer League

2004         Edmonton Aviators    USL A-League

2011-17    FC Edmonton    North American Soccer League (II)

2019-        FC Edmonton    Canadian Premier League

Wanderers' record against the Eddies is 1 win, 2 draws, 2 losses, 4 goals for and 6 goals against. Edmonton finished eighth in the Island Games.

Head coach Stephen Hart is out until the end of the month.

Developments:

Auchinleck Talbot and Irvine Meadow have become SFA members this summer.

J1 League side Gamba Osaka missed the whole month of March due to Covid and will have to play through the Olympic break to catch up. They're about six games behind the rest of the league. This will be complicated by success in the AFC Champions League and the Emperor's Cup.

Five of the top ten Covid-infected areas in Europe are in Scotland. Tayside currently has the highest infection rate in Europe.

Lowland League side BSC Glasgow have changed their name to Broomhill FC.

The Challenge Cup schedule is out and it's set up in the form of a bracket, a rare bird in Scottish football.

2021-22 UEFA Champions League 1QR, first leg:

Slovan Bratislava 2 - 0 Shamrock Rovers (July 7)

Connah's Quay Nomads 2 - 0 Alashkert (July 7)

Žalgiris 3 - 1 Linfield (July 6)

Dinamo Zagreb 3 - 2 Valur (July 7)

2021-22 UEFA Europa Conference 1QR, first leg (July 8):

Velež Mostar 2 - 1 Coleraine

FH 1 - 0 Sligo Rovers

Rīgas 2 - 3 KÍ

Bala Town 0 - 1 Larne

Stjarnan 1 - 1 Bohemians

Glentoran 1 - 1 The New Saints

Dundalk 4 - 0 Newtown

Racing Luxembourg 2 - 3 Breiðablik

Honka 0 - 0 NSÍ

Other matches:

J2: Machida Zelvia [2 - 1] Mito HollyHock (tomorrow)

JFL: FC Kariya [2 - 4] Tokyo Musashino United (tomorrow)

[This was Tokyo Musashino United's first win this season.]

[Fuji Club 1 - 1 Dogizaka (July 11)]

UCD 2 - 1 Wexford (yesterday)

Suwon FC vs Pohang Steelers (postponed)

Ulsan vs Pohang Steelers (postponed)

Gnistan 0 - 0 TPS (July 5)

VPS vs TPS (postponed)

Largs Thistle 4 - 0 Irvine Victoria (July 7) (friendly)

Largs Thistle [3 - 0] Bonnyton Thistle (friendly)

Dundee 3 - 0 Leyton Orient (July 6)

Dundee 2 - 2 West Ham United (yesterday)

Lugano 0 - 0 Winterthur (July 8) (friendly)

Coupe de France, Round One (July 7):

AS Saint Pierraise 2 - 1 AS Ilienne Amateur

Real Potosi [1 - 3] The Strongest

1.FC Saarbrücken friendlies to date:

SpVgg Quierschied  0 - 6  1.FC Saarbrücken (June 26)

Quierschied play in the Saarlandliga.

Fola Esch  2 - 1  1.FC Saarbrücken (June 30)

Eupen  1 - 1  1.FC Saarbrücken (July 3)

SC Freiburg [2 - 1] 1.FC Saarbrücken (today)

Freiberg play in the Bundesliga.

AFC Champions League group stage:

Group F

Ulsan Hyundai 2 - 1 Kaya (July 5)

Ulsan Hyundai 3 - 0 Viettel (July 8)

BG Pathum United [0 - 2] Ulsan Hyundai (tomorrow)

Group G

Pohang Steelers 1 - 1 Nagoya Grampus (July 7)

Group H

Gamba Osaka 8 - 1 Tampines Rovers (July 7)

Chiangrai United 1 - 3 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (July 7)

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors [2 - 1] Gamba Osaka (July 10)

Group I

United City 0 - 2 Kawasaki Frontale (July 5)

Beijing Guoan 0 - 3 Daegu FC (July 5)

Daegu FC 1 - 3 Kawasaki Frontale (July 8)

United City [0 - 4] Daegu FC (tomorrow)

Kawasaki Frontale [4 - 0] Beijing Guoan (tomorrow)

Group J

Cerezo Osaka 5 - 0 Guangzhou Evergrande (July 6)

Kitchee 0 - 0 Cerezo Osaka (July 9)

[The four South Korean teams advance: Ulsan Hyundai, Pohang Steelers, Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors and Daegu FC. Three Japanese teams advance: Nagoya Grampus, Kawasaki Frontale and Cerezo Osaka. Gamba Osaka are out. BG Pathum United of Thailand also advance.]

The People Shield

In its day the People Shield was the emblem of soccer supremacy in Canada. Source.

Canadian Premier League:

Valour FC 2 - 0 HFX Wanderers (June 30)

Alex Marshall scored one in the first half, but the ref didn't see it. Video.

Cavalry FC [0 - 0] HFX Wanderers

Halifax have a miserable record against Cavalry: 1 win, 1 draw, and 5 losses, and 4 goals to 10 for Cavalry. But Halifax beat Cavalry  2 - 1 in the Island Games group stage when it counted.

[Mert managed this game. The temperature was 32°C at the final whistle.]

Cavalry midfielder Elliot Simmons played for Halifax in 2019.

Spruce Meadows has installed floodlights in anticipation of home games.

Oxner, Firth, Rampersad and Garcia are the only players who have appeared in all three Wanderer seasons.

Akeem Garcia's goals for HFX Wanderers:

2019/5/4        30'    Wanderers Grounds    Forge          Henry    league

2019/5/19      39'    North Maple    Vaughan Azzurri    George    Cdn Champ

2019/6/1        51'    Wanderers Grounds    Pacific         Village    league

2019/6/26      85'    Wanderers Grounds    Valour         Farago    league

2019/7/6        55'    Wanderers Grounds    York9          Ingham    league

2019/9/15      48'    Tim Hortons Field    Forge               Henry    league

2019/9/18      43'    Wanderers Grounds    Forge           Henry    league

2019/10/2      80'    Westhills    Pacific                             Wirth    league

2020/8/19      47'    Alumni Field    Forge                       Henry    league

2020/8/23      93'    Alumni Field    Cavalry       Giantsopoulos    league

2020/8/26      35'    Alumni Field    Edmonton               James    league

2020/9/6        15'    Alumni Field    Atletico                     Zabal    league

2020/9/9          2'    Alumni Field    Forge                       Henry    league GS

2020/9/12      12'    Alumni Field    Cavalry                Carducci    league GS

Elsewhere:

J2: Mito HollyHock [0 - 0] Renofa Yamaguchi

JFL: Kochi United [1 - 4] FC Kariya

Tohoku Div 1: Primeiro Fukushima vs Dogizaka (tomorrow)

UCD 0 - 2 Galway United (last night)

Incheon vs Pohang Steelers (postponed)

Pohang Steelers vs Seongnam (postponed)

TPS 0 - 1 Klubi 4 (July 1)

Largs Thistle 3 - 1 Port Glasgow (June 30) (friendly)

Largs Thistle [1 - 2] Arthurlie (friendly)

East Kilbride [1 - 2] Partick Thistle (friendly)

Winterthur [1 - 3] Luzern (friendly)

The Strongest [0 - 1] Palmaflor (preparation match) (July 4) [at the half?]

Mortonalia

Dumbarton 0 - 0 Morton (friendly) (June 29) Report.

Today: Alloa [0 - 0] Morton (closed door friendly)

Morton have signed Gozie Ugwu, an English forward who has played for Dunfermline and Raith Rovers.

Development squad players John Gallagher, Christopher Stafford, and Aidan Duffy have extended their contracts, and go out on loan to Kilbirnie Ladeside, Cumnock, and Gretna 2008.

James Wallace, who was on loan to Dumbarton last year, has signed with Brora Rangers. Rabin Omar has signed with Stirling Albion. Josh McPake, who played part of last season for Morton on loan from Rangers, has extended his contract with that Old Firm club.

[Botti Biabi, a trialist with Morton this pre-season, has signed with Kelty Hearts.]

The new kits are out. This is the first time since 2002 that a Golden Casket product isn't advertised on front.

"Postponed due to unforeseen circumstances"

Clydebank and Glasgow University had a friendly scheduled for Tuesday, but it was "postponed due to unforeseen circumstances," the same expression used to explain the cancellation of the Largs/Morton friendly. Is this code for Covid?

About forty friendlies involving teams in the Scottish pyramid were postponed last Saturday, or about one third of those scheduled. Source.

Other developments:

The Challenge Cup draw is past due.

The Lowland League's development league has been permitted to field 22-year-olds this season, so that the players who were 21 during the cancelled season don't miss out on development.

AFC Champions League group stage:

Group F

Ulsan Hyundai 2 - 0 BG Pathum United (Thailand) (June 29)

Kaya FC 0 - 3 Ulsan Hyundai (July 2)

Group G

Ratchaburi Mitr Phol 0 - 4 Nagoya Grampus (June 28)

Pohang Steelers 4 - 1 Johor Darul Ta'zim (June 28)

Johor Darul Ta'zim 0 - 2 Pohang Steelers (July 1)

Nagoya Grampus 3 - 0 Ratchaburi Mitr Phol (July 1)

Ratchaburi Mitr Phol [0 - 0] Pohang Steelers (tomorrow)

Nagoya Grampus [2 - 1] Johor Darul Ta'zim (tomorrow)

Group H

Gamba Osaka 2 - 2 Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (June 28)

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 9 - 0 Tampines Rovers (July 1)

Chiangrai United 1 - 1 Gamba Osaka (July 1)

Tampines Rovers [0 - 4] Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (tomorrow)

Gamba Osaka [1 - 1] Chiangrai United (tomorrow)

Group I

Daegu FC 7 - 0 United City (Philippines) (June 29)

Beijing Guoan 0 - 7 Kawasaki Frontale (June 29)

Kawasaki Frontale 8 - 0 United City (July 2)

Daegu FC 5 - 0 Beijing Guoan (July 2)

Group J

Cerezo Osaka 1 - 1 Port (Thailand) (June 30)

Port [0 - 3] Cerezo Osaka (today)

How do promotion and relegation work in the JFL?

The JFL is the fourth tier of Japanese football, and the highest one outside of the J League. It's a mixture of clubs that are seeking promotion to the J League, and clubs (read Honda FC) that are not seeking promotion.

At present there is no relegation from J3, nor is there likely to be until J3 reaches full size. J3 2021 has 15 teams. Full size would be something like 20.

To qualify for promotion to J3 a JFL club must have the necessary licences and finish in the top four. At the moment Iwaki and Tiamo appear poised to go up.

Right now the JFL has 17 clubs, but 16 is considered the norm, and this year's relegation rules are designed to bring that about. If two JFL clubs go up to J3, then the top regional club will come up to the JFL automatically, and the 17th JFL club will play off against the second regional club. If one JFL club goes up, then the 17th JFL club will play off against the top regional club, and the 16th JFL club will play off against the second regional club. If no JFL club goes up, then the 17th JFL club will be automatically relegated, the 16th JFL club will play off against the top regional club and the 15th JFL club will play off against the second regional club. Depending on the outcome of these playoffs either one, two, three, or zero JFL clubs will be relegated.

The pecking order of regional clubs will be decided in the Regional Champions League in November.

Source.

The Purple and the Teal

Pacific and Wanderers in 2019. Source.

It's the start of the 2021 Canadian Premier League. The eight clubs are sequestered in Winnipeg where they will play a total of 32 matches in a hotel + bus + stadium bubble like last year's Island Games. They call it "The Kickoff presented by Volkswagen" for brand-washing purposes.

The CPL follows a policy of insisting that member clubs have purpose-built soccer stadiums -- except when they don't. Winnipeg, Hamilton and newest member Ottawa all groundshare with CFL clubs. However, the Winnipeg Blue Bombers won't need the place until August.

Each team will play four opponents twice, and every game will be between an eastern team and a western team. So no Atletico Ottawa, York United or Forge for Halifax until the next phase of the schedule. The plan is that by the end of July the pandemic will have run down enough for the teams to travel to each other's grounds as they did in the before times.

Today's game is Pacific FC versus HFX Wanderers. These two also met in their 2019 and 2020 season openers, so it's now a tradition. Pacific won the 2019 opener 1 - 0, and in 2020 there was a 2 - 2 tie. I can say tie instead of draw because this is North America.

Pacific wear purple and teal. You're supposed to be able to see a Douglas Fir and Vancouver Island in their crest, but all I get is a metronome.

Halifax have played Pacific seven times altogether, with 1 win, 3 ties and 3 losses. Pacific have outscored them 14 to 7. Their last meeting was at the end of the Island Games group stage, when Hart rested his best players and Pacific won 5 - 0.

Both teams include a Polisi brother: Pacific have Matteo and Wanderers have Marcello.

[Pacific 2 - 0 Wanderers. The game was delayed by lightning, and then Stephen Hart was taken to hospital. Assistant coach Mesut Mert managed the team for most of the game.]

Elsewhere:

J2: Albirex Niigata [0 - 0] Mito HollyHock

[Iwaki FC 1 - 5 Mito HollyHock (practice match) (June 27)]

JFL: FC Kariya [1 - 0] Honda Lock (tomorrow)

[This is Kariya's first win of the seaon.]

Cabinteely 1 - 2 UCD (yesterday)

Faroes: B36 0 - 0 Klaksvik (yesterday)

Pohang Steelers vs Gangwon (postponed)

Tohoku Div 1: Dogizaka [0 - 1] Shichigahama

Winterthur 6 - 0 YF Juventus (friendly) (June 22)

Winterthur 2 - 5 Vaduz (friendly)

TPS 1 - 1 EIF (June 22)

TPS are midtable with 2 wins, 4 draws and 2 losses and a 0 goal difference.

Largs Thistle vs Greenock Morton XI (June 23) (postponed due to Covid in the Morton camp)

Glrvan Glenafton [2 - 4] Largs Thistle (friendly)

Johnstone Burgh vs Largs Thistle (Monday) (friendly)

Largs are having difficulty having a preseason.

2020 UEFA Euro: Croatia 3 - 1 Scotland (June 22)

Scotland are out.

The 2021 Copa America has been going on in Brazil. Bolivia is in the South Zone group. Their games are:

June 14    Paraguay 3 - 1 Bolivia

June 18    Chile 1 - 0 Bolivia

June 24    Bolivia 0 - 2 Uruguay

June 28    Bolivia [1 - 4] Argentina

Four Club The Strongest players are on the national squad: José Sagredo (DF), Diego Wayar (MF), Ramiro Vaca (MF) and Jeyson Chura (FW). Bolivar have seven national team members, Always Ready four, Jorge Wilstermann two, Blooming two, Aurora one, and Oriente Petrolero one.

[The Strongest played two preparation games against Nueva Santa Cruz today and won both 2 - 0.]

2021-21 UEFA Champions League preliminary round:

Semi-finals (June 22):

Folgore (San Marino) 0 - 2 Prishtina (Kosovo)

HB 0 - 1 Inter Club d'Escaldes (Andorra)

Final (yesterday): Prishtina 2 - 0 Inter Club d'Escaldes

This is the first season in the epoch of three UEFA leagues: Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League. The Conference starts July 8th, and the new leaner Europa League August 5th.

AFC Champions League

The AFC Champions League East group stage is under way, two months after the West finished up. The matches are being played in Thailand or Uzbekistan. Let's follow the Japanese and South Korean clubs.

Group F

Viettel (Vietnam) [0 - 1] Ulsan Hyundai

Group G

Pohang Steelers 2 - 0 Ratchaburi Mitr Phol (Thailand) (June 22)

Johor Darul Ta'zim (Malaysia) 0 - 1 Nagoya Grampus (June 22)

Nagoya Grampus 3 - 0 Pohang Steelers (June 25)

Group H

Tampines Rovers (Singapore) 0 - 2 Gamba Osaka (June 25)

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2 - 1 Chiangrai United (Thailand) (June 25)

Group I

Kawasaki Frontale [3 - 2] Daegu FC

Group J

Guangzhou Evergrande 0 - 2 Cerezo Osaka (June 24)

Cerezo Osaka [2 - 1] Kitchee (HK) (tomorrow)

Developments:

The Lowland League schedule is out. Celtic B will groundshare Airdrieonians' stadium and Rangers B will play at Dumbarton's. As East Kilbride are in Morton's League Cup group, let's follow them through the season.

Scottish stadia will be allowed to admit 2000 spectators from July 19th.

UEFA has discarded the away goal rule. From now on it's extra time and penalty kicks.

Mortonalia:

Aidan McAdams has signed with Ayr United. Ayr finished higher than Morton last season, yet they're poaching the entire Greenock Morton organization.

Stefan McCluskey (Morton 2014-16) has signed with Forfar.

Midfielder Mark Russell is back with the club. He played for Morton from 2013 to 2018, followed by stints with Falkirk and Finn Harps.

About the All Japan Business Team Soccer Championship (1948 to 1964):

The J League, launched in 1992, was Japan's first national professional soccer league. It was preceded by the Japan Soccer League (1965 to 1992) which was national but amateur; that is, the teams in the JSL were all soccer departments of major Japanese corporations. So, when asking what preceded the JSL it makes sense to look at the All Japan Business Team Soccer Championship, which ran from 1948 to 1964.

The All Japan Business Team Soccer Championship was an annual knockout tournament sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun newspaper. Non-business clubs were not admitted. Originally eight and eventually twenty teams participated.

The winners were:

1948        Yuasa Battery

1949        Sankyo

1950        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1951        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1952        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1953        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1954        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1955        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1956        Toyo Kogyo (later known as Sanfrecce Hiroshima)

1957        Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma

1958        Hitachi Head Office (later known as Kashiwa Reysol)

1959        Furukawa Electric (later known as JEF United Chiba)

1960        Hitachi Head Office

1961        Furukawa Electric

1962        Toyo Kogyo and Furukawa Electric

1963        Nippon Steel Yawata

1964        Nippon Steel Yawata

Source.

About Elfen Saitama

Rei Azami has played for Elfen since 2007. Source.

Matches:

WE League pre-season: Elfen Saitama [1 - 2] AC Nagano Parceiro

J2: Mito HollyHock [0 - 1] Montedio Yamagata (tomorrow)

JFL: Veertien Mie [1 - 1] FC Kariya (tomorrow)

Tohoku Div 1: Omiya SC [1 - 2] Dogizaka (tomorrow)

This Omiya is from Morioka, not Saitama.

Bray Wanderers 4 - 0 UCD (last night)

Faroes: Streymur [0 - 4] B36

Suwon Bluewings vs Pohang Steelers [postponed]

Greenock Juniors 3 - 3 Largs Thistle (June 17) (friendly)

UEFA Euro 2020: England 0 - 0 Scotland (June 18)

Mortonalia:

Michael Ledger has signed for another year. Aidan McAdams has left the club.

Ben Armour (Morton 2017-19) has signed with Alloa.

Fouad Bachirou is available for hire.

Developments:

The 2021-22 SPFL schedule came out Tuesday.

The first phase of the 2021-22 WoSFL schedule came out yesterday. It was dependent on the SPFL fixtures as University of Glasgow groundshare with Airdrieonians.

The Lowland League has admitted Rangers and Celtic colt teams, but where will they play? Rangers approached Ayr United about a groundshare but were rebuffed. In recent years Celtic's colts played out of Cappielow, but 17 Celtic home games would put a strain on the already battered pitch. If you ask me, the Old Firm should pool their considerable resources and rehabilitate Cathkin Park, which they could then share.

Forge FC have signed a couple of Central American players: Omar Browne from Independiente de la Chorrera in Panama and Joshua Navarro from AD Municipal Pérez Zeledón in Costa Rica.

The CFL will start August 5th.

AUS soccer starts September 10th.

About Elfen Saitama:

Chifure AS Elfen Saitama play in the new professional WE League, having finished second in the Nadeshiko League Division 2 last year. Chifure is the name of their sponsor, a cosmetics company. AS stands for Azeria Sayama, from the original club name Sayama City Sports Boy Scouts Azeria FC, of which they were the girls' team. Elfen combines the German word for eleven with the English elf. Saitama is their home prefecture. They play home games in three different places: Sayama, Hanno and Hidaka. The club is in association with Omiya Ardija of the J League.

Saitama is the prefecture immediately north of Tokyo.

Seasons of Elfen Saitama:

2020    18    11    3      4    33    13    +20    36    2nd, N2

2019    18      9    7      2    28    15    +13    34    3rd, N2

              8      6    1      1    18      6    +12    19    1st, Group 2A, League Cup

            N2 League Cup final: Elfen Saitama 1 - 2 Cerezo Osaka

2018    18      8    6      4    27    21      +6    30    3rd, N2

              8      3    1      4      9    11       -2    10    4th, Group 2A, League Cup

2017    18      4    2    12    13    40     -27    14    9th, N1

              8      2    1      5      6    15       -9      7    4th, Group 1B, League Cup

2016    18    12    5      1    39      9    +30    41    2nd, N2

              8      3    3      2    12    12        0    12     3rd, Group 2B, League Cup

2015    18      2    2    14      8    36     -28      8   10th, N1

2014    18      5    2    11    30    47     -17    17     8th, N1

2013    22    19    2      1    96    13    +83    59    2nd, N2

2012    18      3    2    13    19    50     -31    11     9th, N1

              4      1    0      3      5    11       -6      3     4th, Group B, League Cup

2011    16      3    1    12    21    53     -32    10     8th, N1

2010    18      2    1    15     9     56     -47      7     9th, N1

              4      0    0      4     1     12     -11      0     5th, Group B, League Cup

2009    21    17    1      3    92    23    +69    52     1st, N2

2008    16    10    2      4    55    14    +41    32     3rd, N2

2007    21    10    3      8    63    45    +18    33     5th, N2

              3      0    1      2      4    16     -12      1     4th, Group A, League Cup

2006    21      9    3      9    34    51     -17    30     5th, N2 

2005    18      8    2      8    35    34      +1    26     4th, N2

2004    15      8    1      6    35    24    +11    25     3rd, N2

2003    12      4    1      7    22    29      -7    13      4th, L. League East 1st stage

              6      2    0      4    10    16      -6      6    10th, position playoff

              3      1    0      2      4      7      -3      3      4th, relegation playoff

2002      5      1    1      3      7    16      -9      4      4th, L. League East 1st stage

              6      2    1      3    14    12     +2      7      8th, position playoff

2001                                                                     2nd, Kanto

2000                                                                     Kanto

1999                                                                     1st, Saitama

1998                                                                     2nd, Saitama

1997                                                                     1st, Saitama

1996                                                                     1st, Saitama

1995                                                                     2nd, Saitama

1994                                                                     2nd, Saitama

1993                                                                     2nd, Saitama

Source: Japanese and English Wikipedia Nadeshiko, L League and League Cup season pages.

Elfen Saitama in the Empress's Cup:

2020    R1    Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 1 - 0 Nippon Sport Science University Fields Yokohama

            R2    Cerezo Osaka 3 - 0 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

2019    R2    Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 3 - 0 NGU Loveledge Nagoya

            R3    Albirex Niigata 2 - 2 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (Elfen won on PK.)

            QF    Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 3 - 2 Orca Kamogawa FC

            SF    Nippon TV Verdy Bereza 2 - 1 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

2018    R1    JFA Academy Fukushima LFC 1 - 0 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

2017    R1    Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 1 - 0 Aichi Toho University

            R2    Nojima Stella Kanagawa Sagamihara 0 - 0 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama (Nojima won on PK.)

2016    R2    Chifure AS Elfen Saitama 3 - 1 Hinomoto Gakuen High School

            R3    Albirex Niigata 1 - 0 Chifure AS Elfen Saitama

2015    R2    AS Elfen Saitama 2 - 0 Kibi International University

            R3    Okayama Yunono Belle 2 - 6 AS Elfen Saitama

            QF    AS Elfen Saitama 0 - 2 INAC Kobe Leonessa

2014    R3    Iga FC Kunoichi 3 - 1 AS Elfen Saitama

2013    R1    AC Nagano Parceiro 0 - 5 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R2    AS Elfen Sayama FC 2 - 0 Shizuoka Sangyo University

            R3    Okayama Yunogo Belle 4 - 3 AS Elfen Sayama FC

2012    R2    Japan Soccer College 0 - 1 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R3    AS Elfen Sayama FC 2 - 1 Sperenza FC Takatsuki

            QF    INAC Kobe Leonessa 4 - 0 AS Elfen Sayama FC

2011    R2    Kanto Gakuen University 0 - 3 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R3    AS Elfen Sayama FC 1 - 0 Fukuoka J. Anclas

            QF    INAC Kobe Leonessa 2 - 0 AS Elfen Sayama FC  

2010    R2    Fujieda Junshin 1 - 1 AS Elfen Sayama FC (Fujieda won on PK.)

2009    R1    AS Elfen Sayama FC 11 - 0 Oita Trinita

            R2    Nippon TV Menina 0 - 1 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R3    Speranza FC Takatsuki 1 - 3 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            QF    AS Elfen Sayama FC 0 - 2 INAC Kobe Leonessa

2008    R2    AS Elfen Sayama FC 2 - 3 Waseda University

2007    R2    Hoo High School 0 - 1 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R3    AS Elfen Sayama FC 1 - 2 Ohara Gakuen JaSRA

2006    R2    Kamimura Gakuen High School 0 - 2 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R3    AS Elfen Sayama FC 1 - 2 Okayama Yunogo Belle

2005    R1    Iga FC Fraulein 0 - 3 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R2    Urawa Reds 5 - 0 AS Elfen Sayama FC

2004    R1    AS Elfen Sayama FC 1 - 6 Kanagawa University

2003    R1    Bucchigiri FC 0 - 8 AS Elfen Sayama FC

            R2    YKK Tohoku LSC Flappers 4 - 0 AS Elfen Sayama FC

2002    R2    JEF United Ichihara 3 - 1 AS Elfen Sayama FC

2001    R2    AS Elfen FC 0 - 3 Shimizudaihachi SC

1997    R2    Tasaki Perule FC 9 - 0 AS Elfen FC

Source: English and Japanese Wikipedia articles on the Empress's Cup seasons.

Dogizaka

Dogizaka FC wear red, black and white. Source.

UCD 1 - 2 Cobh Ramblers (June 11)

Faroes: Toftir [1 - 3] B36

RoPS [0 - 1] TPS

[TPS are midtable.]

Largs Thistle 2 - 1 Androssan Winton Rovers (friendly) (yesterday)

Euro 2020: Scotland [0 - 2] Czech Republic at Hampden (tomorrow)

J2: Mito HollyHock [2 - 0] Sagamihara

JFL: FC Kariya 1 - 4 FC Tiamo Hirakata (yesterday)

Tohoku Div 1: Dogizaka [2 - 2] Morioka Zebra

Tohoku Div 2 N: Gonohe vs Tono Club [postponed]

Watch a video about the seven prefectures that don't have a J League team.

Mortonalia:

Cameron Blues and Robbie Muirhead have signed on for another year.

Stephen McGinn, who played eight games for Morton this spring, has signed with Killie.

Michael Doyle (Morton 2016-18) is League Two Player of the Year.

Chris Millar has signed with East Kilbride. He'll be up against Morton July 13th in the League Cup group stage.

Kalvin Orsi has signed with Dumbarton. Gregor Buchanan and Sam Ramsbottom have signed again. Dumbarton and Ayr United are in competition to see who can build the best Morton squad.

Craig McGuffie has signed with Falkirk.

Canadian League:

The schedule for The Kickoff Presented by Volkswagen came out Wednesday.

The league unveiled its 2021 home kits Monday. The 2020 Barrett's Privateers shirt is now a collector's item but surely it must come around again as a retro design.

Wanderers have signed Stefan Karajovanovic, Kareem Sow and Marcello Polisi.

Honda FC versus Sony Sendai in the JFL:

Honda and Sony Sendai are the two biggest corporation soccer department teams left in Japan. Honda have won the JFL ten times, Sony once. How have they fared against each other?

2020/8/19      Sony Sendai 0 - 4 Honda FC       

2019/9/14      Honda FC 2 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2019/6/15      Sony Sendai 1 - 4 Honda FC       

2018/9/9        Sony Sendai 1 - 3 Honda FC       

2018/4/7        Honda FC 2 - 2 Sony Sendai       

2017/7/22      Honda FC 2 - 1 Sony Sendai       

2017/5/21      Sony Sendai 3 - 2 Honda FC      

2016/9/18      Honda FC 1 - 2 Sony Sendai      

2016/5/29      Sony Sendai 1 - 2 Honda FC       

2015/10/24    Sony Sendai 1 - 1 Honda FC       

2015/5/24      Honda FC 2 - 1 Sony Sendai       

2014/10/5      Honda FC 2 - 3 Sony Sendai      

2014/5/31      Sony Sendai 3 - 5 Honda FC       

2013              Honda FC 0 - 1 Sony Sendai      

2013              Sony Sendai 3 - 1 Honda FC      

2012              Honda FC 2 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2012              Sony Sendai 0 - 1 Honda FC       

2011              Honda FC 0 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2011              Sony Sendai 1 - 1 Honda FC       

2010              Honda FC 0 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2010              Sony Sendai 0 - 3 Honda FC       

2009              Honda FC 1 - 1 Sony Sendai       

2009              Sony Sendai 2 - 2 Honda FC       

2008              Honda FC 1 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2008              Sony Sendai 0 - 2 Honda FC       

2007              Honda FC 2 - 2 Sony Sendai       

2007              Sony Sendai 1 - 0 Honda FC      

2006              Honda FC 0 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2006              Sony Sendai 2 - 3 Honda FC       

2005              Honda FC 1 - 1 Sony Sendai       

2005              Sony Sendai 0 - 1 Honda FC       

2004              Honda FC 3 - 1 Sony Sendai       

2004              Sony Sendai 1 - 1 Honda FC       

2003              Honda FC 2 - 0 Sony Sendai       

2003              Sony Sendai 0 - 4 Honda FC       

2002              Sony Sendai 0 - 3 Honda FC       

2001              Honda Motors 3 - 0 Sony Sendai   

2001              Sony Sendai 1 - 1 Honda Motors   

2000              Honda Motors 5 - 1 Sony Sendai   

2000              Sony Sendai 2 - 3 Honda Motors   

1999              Honda Motors 1 - 2 Sony Sendai  

1999              Honda Motors 4 - 1 Sony Sendai   

1999              Sony Sendai 0 - 1 Honda Motors   

1998              Honda Motors 3 - 4 Sony Sendai  

1998              Sony Sendai 2 - 1 Honda Motors