Plenty of Nothing

John Betjeman at St Pancras Station

Source.

Marion Angus

Scottish poet Marion Angus was born on this date in 1865. The 21st century has seen a revival of interest in her poetry. Source.

Les Bas-Bleus

"... dussent-ils me maudire ..." A rising poet delivers her manifesto in Honoré Daumier's series of female caricatures, Les Bas-Bleus, on display at the Fleming Museum in Burlington, Vermont, until May 20th.

Bashō Sets Out

"It was early in the morning of March the twenty seventh that I took to the road."

From The Narrow Road to the Deep North (translated by Nobuyuki Yuasa). Image from the Oku no Hosomichi Handscroll by Buson. Source.

At the end of the first day he was at the village of Soka in what is now Saitama Prefecture. They've put up a statue of him in Fudaba-gashi Park.

Source.

W. S. Graham

Poet W. S. Graham (1918-1986) was born at 1 Hope Street, Greenock, a short hike uphill from Well Park. He pronounced the word "poem" poyyem. Source. Wikipedia. Greenockian. Poetry Foundation. A reading.

Morton host Brechin City.

It's the moment of reckoning for Brechin. They have to win today, and in every remaining game until the end of the season, and Dumbarton must lose all of theirs, otherwise Brechin are relegated.

Brechin have accumulated only 4 points all season, which they earned in draws with Livi, Falkirk, Dundee United and Morton. At this rate they'll finish with 5, easily the record for futility in the 3-point-win era, or at any time since Clyde's 4 points in 1899-00, if you don't count the teams that had their records expunged.

The last time Morton relegated a divisional rival was the final weekend of the 2009-10 schedule when they beat Ayr United and sent them down to the Second Division.

For their part Morton need to take advantage of this opportunity to win an easy one, and to fill the goalmouth while they're at it, as they are one of four teams chasing two playoff spots, and Dunfermline have the better goal difference. A manita today would be timely.

Have Brechin allowed five goals in a league match this season? No. How many have they allowed and how often?

4 goals    5 times

3 goals    7 times

2 goals    6 times

1 goal    10 times

none       0 times

Brechin did lose 5 - 0 to Celtic in the Scottish Cup.

Have Morton scored five in a league match this season? No. But they did beat Edinburgh City 5 - 0 in the League Cup.

[Morton win 2 - 0. Both goals by John Baird. Morton move into third place.]

This will probably be the last meeting between Morton and Brechin for a while, as Brechin will be in League One as well as the northern half of the League Cup. What was the longest stretch between competitive matches involving these two clubs? April 17, 1967 to August 10, 1983, or sixteen complete seasons.

Other match of the day: Dundee United [1 - 1] Dunfermline.

1978-79. On this date Morton hosted Dundee United and won 3 - 1. Goals by Anderson, McNeil and Tolmie.

1933-34. On this date in 1934 Morton were at home to Brechin City. Morton won 4 - 2.

1944-45. On this date in 1945 Morton were home to Hamilton Academical and won 1 - 0.

The Costa Rican national team practiced at Cappielow on Wednesday.

Morton's best goal differences:

+98        1963-64        Division Two (2 of 2)

+93        1966-67        Division Two (2 of 2)

+68        1936-37        Division Two (2 of 2)

+57        1935-36        Division Two (2 of 2)

+51        1915-16        Division One (1 of 2)

+51        1962-63        Division Two (2 of 2)

+44        1949-50        Division B (2 of 2)

+44        2006-07        2nd Division (3 of 4)

+43        1977-78        Division One (2 of 3)

+41        1899-00        Division Two (2 of 2)

Morton's last ten league games this decade:

2017-18    LDD [WDLWLLL        7 points]

2016-17    WLDLDLLDLD           7 points

2015-16    DLWWLDWLDL       12 points

2014-15    WLLWWLWWWW    21 points

2013-14    LLLWWLWDL           10 points

2012-13    WWWLWLLWLL       15 points

2011-12    DLWDDWLDDL        11 points

2010-11    DWLDWWLLLL        11 points

Since 1994, which clubs have played the most seasons in tier III with Morton?

6        Forfar

5        Stirling Albion

          Alloa

4        Stenhousemuir

          Ayr United

          Brechin

          Stranraer

          Dumbarton

          Berwick

It's the final of the 2017-18 Scottish Challenge Cup: Dumbarton vs Inverness CT at McDiarmid Park in Perth. ICT won the cup in 2003-04, and were runners-up two other times. This is Dumbarton's first trip to the final. In fact it's Dumbarton's first trip to any final in a national cup since the St Mungo Quaich of 1951, and before that the Scottish Cup of 1896-97.

In league play this season each side has one win. Dumbarton and ICT have never met in the Challenge Cup before, though they have met twice in the League Cup, Inverness winning both times.

Has any club won the Challenge Cup right after relegation from the Premiership?

Yes. Dundee, 1990-91. Falkirk, 1993-94. Dundee United, 2016-17.

Has any club won the cup just before relegation to tier III?

Yes. Ross County, 2006-07.

Has any club won the cup right before liquidation?

Yes. Airdrieonians, 2001-02.

Which SPFL club was the first one eliminated from all three domestic cups this year?

Edinburgh City, Annan, Stirling Albion, Cowdenbeath were all knocked out of Round Two of the Scottish Cup, having been previously eliminated from the League Cup and the Challenge Cup, but Edinburgh City's game was scheduled a day earlier, so they were the first out of all three cups.

Which parks have hosted the Challenge Cup final and how often?

McDiarmid Park, Perth                      10 times, including today

Fir Park, Motherwell                            5 times

Broadwood Stadium, Cumbernauld    4 times

Excelsior Stadium, Airdrie                   twice

Almondvale Stadium, Livingston         twice

Love Street, Paisley                            once

Dens Park, Dundee                             once

Easter Road, Glasgow                        once

Hampden Park, Glasgow                    once

[Inverness win 1 - 0.]

Abruzzo:

Francavilla [1 - 1] Pineto

L'Aquila [1 - 1] Avezzano

Regionalliga Südwest: 1. FC Saarbrücken [0 - 1] Koblenz

League Of Ireland, First Division: UCD [3 - 1] Cabinteely

SWFL Division 1 South: Queen's Park [3 - 0] Morton

J2: Oita Trinita 3 - 1 Mito HollyHock (March 21st)

Mito HollyHock [0 - 0] Yokohama FC (March 25th)

Mito joined the J League in the year 2000 and have played every season in J2. They have never finished above seventh place or with a goal difference in positive numbers. They have averaged more than 1 goal per game in only half their seasons; by far their best was 1.37 in 2009 (70 goals in 51 games, but they allowed 79).

Ancient Celtic Lit

    I gather that the Celtics face danger more boldly than other races. Certainly they make heroic death in war the subject of their poems. In battle they wear garlands on their heads and they put up victory monuments; they take pride in their achievements and leave behind them memorials of their bravery, in Greek style. To run away is held to be so shameful that they often will not even escape if a house collapses and falls on them, nor if the house is on fire and they are caught by the flames. Many of them stand firm as the sea washes over them. Some pick up weapons, rush into the waves, and feel their impact, brandishing naked swords and spears, as if these could frighten or wound them.

    Aelian, Historical Miscellany 12.23 (trans. Wilson).

Hugh MacDiarmid

Poet Hugh MacDiarmid died on this day in 1978. His was the largest brain in Albion.

Morton host Dunfermline Athletic.

Dunfermline are top of the division. The Pars had an unpromising preseason, being outscored 11 to 2 in games against Partick, Hibs and Raith. But they won their League Cup group and made it to Round Two, where Rangers beat them 6 - 0. In the Challenge Cup they have advanced to Round Three.

Morton and Dunfermline are familiar foes. They have played in the same division 33 times, been paired up in the Scottish Cup four times, the League Cup three times (for five games), and the Challenge Cup once. Overall the Pars have the superior record. Last year Dunfermline took three wins, Morton one.

So far this season Morton have are so-so in goalscoring, but quite good at preventing goals. (See below.) Dunfermline are tops in both categories.

Declan McManus plays for Dunfermline now, his third Championship club in as many years. Morton and Raith were the other two. He scored 24 goals for the Ton over two seasons.

Lawrence Shankland, who scored four for Morton last season, has just signed with Ayr United.

[Morton win 3 - 2 after being down 0 - 2 at the half! Goals by Thomson, Harkins and Quitongo. Match report.]

Other match of the day: Brechin vs Falkirk. These two can cement their hold on ninth and tenth place by playing to a draw today. [1 - 1.]

On this date in 1978-79 Morton travelled to Tannadice and enjoyed their first league win of the season, beating Dundee United 2 - 1. Rooney and Russell scored for Morton. The Tangerines wore orange tops, black shorts and orange socks, all with the triple Adidas stripe. The win lifted Morton to eighth place ahead of Motherwell and Hearts.

Morton visited Dundee United on this date in 1933 as well and beat them 0 - 2.

1944-45. Morton visited St Mirren and played to a 2 - 2 draw.

Gary Oliver's goals for Morton:

date              park              opponent       goalkeeper          competition

2016/7/23     Rugby           Kilmarnock   Jamie MacDonald   League Cup

2016/9/18     Cappielow     Dunfermline    David Hutton       league

2016/10/15   Palmerston    QoS                Lee Robinson       league

2016/10/29   Cappielow     Ayr Utd            Greg Fleming       league

2016/11/1     Cappielow     St Mirren         Jamie Langfield     league

2016/12/17   Cappielow     Hibs                Ross Laidlaw         league

2017/1/28     Somerset       Ayr Utd           Greg Fleming        league

2017/1/28     Somerset       Ayr Utd           Greg Fleming        league

Rank the Championship clubs by goals scored in the first four weeks:

13        Dunfermline

10        Queen of the South

10        St Mirren

  6        Inverness CT

  5        Morton

  5        Livingston

  4        Dundee United

  4        Falkirk

  4        Brechin

  1        Dumbarton

Now rank them by goals allowed:

  3        Dunfermline

  3        Morton

  4        Queen of the South

  4        Dundee Utd

  6        St Mirren

  6        Livingston

  6        Dumbarton

  7        Inverness CT

11        Falkirk

11        Brechin

SWFL Div 2 West: Stranraer [0 - 9] Morton

Morton Women are at the top of their division. Read about them here.

SJFA West First Division: Larkhall [0 - 1] Largs

North of Scotland Cup, Round Two:

Fort William vs Forres Mechanics -- Fort William are disqualified for bringing a trialist.

Lossiemouth 0 - 0 Strathspey Thistle -- Lossiemouth win on penalties.

Invergordon 1 - 1 Golspie Sutherland -- Golspie win on penalties.

Nairn County 0 - 4 Brora

Invergordon and Golspie Sutherland both play in the North Caledonian League.

Scottish clubs versus Swiss clubs, part three, Hearts:

Sept 25, 1963               Lausanne-Sport 2 - 2 Hearts

Oct 9, 1963                   Hearts 4 - 4 Lausanne-Sport

Oct 15, 1963                 Lausanne-Sport 3 - 2 Hearts

Nov 25, 2004                Basle 1 - 2 Hearts

Totals: 1 win Hearts, 1 win Swiss clubs, 2 draws.

Japan:

Veertien MIE [1 - 2] Vanraure Hachinohe

ReinMeer Aomori [2 - 1] Briobecca Urayasu

Ganju Iwate [0 - 6] Blancdieu Hirosaki

Nippon Steel Kamaishi [3 - 1] Morioka Zebra

Germany:

1. FC Saarbrücken [3 - 0] FSV Frankfurt

Japanese Poetry

Japanese poetry has the human heart as seed and myriads of words as leaves. It comes into being when men use the seen and the heard to give voice to feelings aroused by the innumerable events in their lives. The song of the warbler among the blossoms, the voice of the frog dwelling in the water -- these teach us that every living creature sings. It is song that moves heaven and earth without effort, stirs the emotions in the invisible spirits and gods, brings harmony to the relations between men and women, and calms the hearts of fierce warriors.

Preface to Kokin Wakasū, trans. Helen Craig McCullough.

Matisse Mallarmé Skira

An etching by Henri Matisse from an edition of "Poésies" by Stéphane Mallarmé, published by Albert Skira in 1932. Source.

"The day looks gash, toot aff your horn"

Statue of poet Robert Fergusson, outside Canongate Kirk, Edinburgh. Source. Read some of his verses here.

Morton visit Easter Road to play the match rescheduled from January 30th. This is a Wednesday game instead of the usual Tuesday because Hibs played Sunday.

Morton enter today's game with 24 matches played. They have 28 points, putting them on track for 42 at season's end, which would have been good enough for 5.5th place in last year's Championship. If Morton lose today they cannot win the division.

This is the first of five away games in a row for Morton. The Ton are a liitle bit stronger away from home, but still there might not be a lot of points on this peregrination.

[Morton have signed Paul McMullan on loan from Celtic.]

Morton visited Hibs on this date in 1979 and played to a 1 - 1 draw.

Hibs have played five cup matches against Premiership clubs this season and earned four wins and a draw. Dundee United, who play in the Premiership, but not for long, have four wins in Premiership play, plus four draws, and a cup win over Partick Thistle.

The AFC Champions League group stage started yesterday, with four Japanese clubs participating:

Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 2 - 1 FC Tokyo

Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 - 2 Shandong Luneng Taishan

Suwon Samsung Bluewings [0 - 0] Gamba Osaka

Urawa Red Diamonds [2 - 0] Sydney FC

[Morton win 0 - 3. Goals by O'Ware, Johnstone, and Forbes. Morton move into fifth place. This is their first victory against Hibs since 2008. Match report.]