Emirate of Fraxinetum
Month: August 2026
Smiley and Karla
Newmilns
Newmilns is a village in East Ayrshire historically known for its lacemaking. Newmilns FC was a founding member of the Ayrshire Football League in 1891 (see below). When lace manufacturers Johnstone Shields & Co. set up a branch in Göteborg the company brought in Newmilns lacemakers, who introduced football to the Swedish city and brought about the founding of the clubs Örgryte and IFK Göteborg. Those two teams play each other tomorrow. Source.
Morton journey to Ayrshire to play west coast rivals Ayr United. Ayr are fifth in the Championship with 4 points, Morton ninth with 0.
Ayr’s captain Reece Lyon played for Morton from 2018 to 2023. Jackson Longridge played for Ayr from 2012 to 2014. Grant Gillespie played for them in 2020.
Ayr United’s manager is Gary Naysmith who has previously managed East Fife, Queen of the South, Edinburgh City and Stenhousemuir. His record against Morton is 5 wins, 3 draws and 6 losses.
The last Morton player to score against Ayr was Aaron Comrie, March 21st.
Morton have signed 18-year-old defender Christopher Cupps on loan from the Chicago Fire. And 20-year-old winger Sahil Bashir formerly of Bradford, Brighton, Huddersfield and Al-Markhiya.
[Ayr United 1 – 1 Morton. Goal by Eamonn Brophy.]
The other Championship matches:
Dunfermline Athletic (8th) 1 – 0 Raith Rovers (2nd) (yesterday)
This was a Championship League Cup R2 match.
Arbroath (6th) [1 – 0] Livingston (4th)
Partick Thistle (3rd) [0 – 0] Queen’s Park (10th)
Stenhousemuir (1st) [3 – 1] Inverness CT (7th)
Stenny have never been this high in Scottish football before.
Other matches:
Sauchie Juniors 2 – 1 St Andrews United (EoSL Premier Div) (August 25)
Mito HollyHock (7th) [1 – 1] Machida Zelvia (1st) (J1)
Annan Athletic (8th) [2 – 0] Dumbarton (9th) (League 2)
Banks o’ Dee (10th) [6 – 3] Invergordon (13th) (Highland League)
Largs Thistle (6th) [3 – 2] Gretna 2008 (13th) (Lowland League West)
Renfrew (15th) [1 – 5] Clydebank (7th) (Lowland League West)
Ardeer Thistle (9th) [1 – 2] Port Glasgow (4th) (WoSL 2nd Div)
Greenock Juniors (3rd) [0 – 0] Glasgow University (1st) (WoSL 2nd Div)
St Mungo AFC vs Greenock HSFP (Caledonian AFL Premier Div)
Irvine Victoria (15th) [0 – 1] Carluke Rovers (6th) (WoSL 3rd Div)
St Andrews United (10th) [1 – 2] Preston Athletic (16th) (EoSL Premier Div)
Montreal Roses (2nd) [1 – 0] Halifax Tides (5th) (NSL)
Ti-Cats (3rd East) [23 – 28] Stampeders (5th West) (CFL)
Elfen Saitama (11th) [2 – 1] Kobe Leonessa (1st) (WE League) (tomorrow)
Hokushukai Iwamizawa (6th) [0 – 9] Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth (1st) (Hokkaido League) (tomorrow)
IFK Göteborg (12th) [1 – 0] Örgryte (15th) (Allsvenskan) (tomorrow)
St Pauli (13th) [1 – 2] 1.FC Kaiserslauten (14th) (2.Bundesliga) (tomorrow)
Pacific [4 – 3] HFX Wanderers (CanPL) (tomorrow)
Scrosoppi FC have won the Ontario Premier League and will appear in next year’s Canadian Championship.
The Japan Football League, Japan’s fourth tier, begins:
Grulla Morioka [0 – 0] ReinMeer Aomori
Challenge Cup league phase matchday 2 (August 25):
Dumbarton (28th) 2 – 2 Celtic B (13th)
Kelty Hearts (16th) 2 – 4 Clydebank (4th)
UEFA Champions League, playoff round, leg 2 (August 25):
LASK 5 – 1 Celtic
Celtic drop to the Europa League league phase.
UEFA Conference League, playoff round, leg 2 (mostly August 27):
Rapid Wien 2 – 2 Hearts (August 26) Hearts win on PK and advance.
Jablonec 1 – 0 Rangers Rangers are out.
Freiburg 4 – 1 Motherwell Motherwell are out.
Hibs 2 – 3 Gent Hibs are out.
KuPS 1 – 0 Shamrock Rovers Shamrock Rovers are out.
Larne 0 – 3 Lincoln Red Imps Larne are out.
Historical matches:
Scottish Alliance, August 29, 1891:
Airdrieonians 4 – 3 St Bernard’s
Ayr 5 – 5 Linthouse
East Stirlingshire 3 – 4 Kilmarnock
King’s Park 3 – 4 Thistle
Morton 4 – 3 Northern
Scottish Federation, August 29, 1891:
Albion Rovers 2 – 0 Pollokshaws
Arthurlie 9 – 1 Kilmarnock Athletic
Glasgow Wanderers 2 – 2 Clydebank
Hurlford 6 – 3 Wishaw Thistle
Motherwell 2 – 2 Burnbank Swifts
Royal Albert 4 – 2 Falkirk
Ayrshire League, August 29, 1891:
Beith 6 – 4 Annbank
Saltcoats Victoria 2 – 6 Ayr Parkhouse
Stevenston Thistle 4 – 1 Newmilns
Tanaka Yū
Hampton Park Path
106th Emperor’s Cup, Round Two
It’s the Emperor’s Cup, Round Two, where the twenty-four Round One winners come up against the harsh reality of J1 teams playing at home. The matches are:
Match No. 25: Kashima Antlers (J1) [3 – 0] Atletico Suzuka (Tokai 1)
Match No. 26: Consadole Sapporo (J2) [1 – 3] Ventforet Kofu (J2)
Match No. 27: Nagoya Grampus (J1) [1 – 3] Gainare Tottori (J3) Upset
Match No. 28: Tokyo Verdy (J1) [4 – 1] Thespa Gunma (J3)
Match No. 29: Kawasaki Frontale (J1) [3 – 1] Tochigi SC (J3)
Match No. 30: Júbilo Iwata (J2) [0 – 1] Tegevajaro Miyazaki (J2)
Match No. 31: Gamba Osaka (J1) [2 – 0] Reilac Shiga (J3)
Match No. 32: Tokushima Vortis (J2) [3 – 0] FC Tokushima (Shikoku)
Match No. 33: Sanfrecce Hiroshima (J1) [4 – 1] Okinawa SV (JFL)
Match No. 34: Iwaki FC (J2) [2 – 0] Oita Trinita (J2)
Match No. 35: Fagiano Okayama (J1) [3 – 0] Belugarosso Iwami (Chugoku)
Match No. 36: JEF United Chiba (J1) [1 – 1] Azul Claro Numazu (JFL) [JEF win on PK]
Match No. 37: Vissel Kobe (J1) [2 – 1] Veroskronos Tsuno (Kyushu)
Match No. 38: Sagan Tosu (J2) [4 – 0] Kataller Toyama (J2)
Match No. 39: Avispa Fukuoka (J1) [0 – 0] Verspah Oita (JFL) [Avispa win on PK]
Match No. 40: Yokohama FC (J2) [3 – 1] Criacao Shinjuku (JFL)
Match No. 41: Kashiwa Reysol (J1) [2 – 1] Senshu University (Kanto Univ. 2)
Match No. 42: FC Imabari (J2) [4 – 1] Blaublitz Akita (J2)
Match No. 43: Yokohama F Marinos (J1) [1 – 0] Fukushima United (J3)
Match No. 44: Mito HollyHock (J1) [0 – 2] Kyoto Sangyo University (Kansai Univ. 1) Upset
Match No. 45: Urawa Red Diamonds (J1) [3 – 0] Yamanashi Gakuin University (Kanto Univ. 3)
Match No. 46: Red Bull Omiya Ardija (J2) [2 – 0] Vanraure Hachinohe (J2)
Match No. 47: Cerezo Osaka (J1) [3 – 1] FC Gifu (J3)
Match No. 48: Albirex Niigata (J2) [0 – 4] Kagoshima United (J3) Upset
Match No. 49: Kyoto Sanga (J1) [1 – 0] Maruyasu Okazaki (JFL)
Match No. 50: Montedio Yamagata (J2) [3 – 5] Fujieda MYFC (J2)
Match No. 51: Shimizu S-Pulse (J1) [2 – 1] FC Osaka (J3)
Match No. 52: V-Varen Nagasaki (J1) [3 – 2] Ehime FC (J3)
Match No. 53: Machida Zelvia (J1) [3 – 0] Grulla Morioka (JFL)
Match No. 54: Vegalta Sendai (J2) [1 – 2] Tochigi City (J2)
Match No. 55: FC Tokyo (J1) [6 – 0] Nagano Parceiro (J3)
Match No. 56: Shonan Bellmare (J2) [1 – 0] ReinMeer Aomori (JFL)
Hommage aan Van Gogh
Dutch painter Isaac Israels (1865-1934) got hold of Van Gogh’s Sunflowers and made it the backdrop of a series of paintings, he liked it so much. See here.
Middle-earth or Chūgoku?
All these places are in the middle:
中国 is China.
中つ国 is Middle-earth.
中国地方 is Chūgoku Region.
中東 is the Middle East.
ミドルセックス is Middlesex.
ミドルトン is Middleton.
Flowerpot Parasol
Tenth Place
Morton host Arbroath. Morton are bottom of the Championship with 0 points, a -3 goal difference and no goals scored. Arbroath are eighth.
Morton have gone six matches without a goal in 2026-27. That’s a club record for scorelessness from the start of a season, but not a club record for consecutive scoreless games. The Ton also went six matches without a goal in March/April of 1910. But the record for futility lies in the 1987-88 season, Morton’s last time in the Premiership. They went eight straight games without a goal in November/December 1987 and nine in February/March/April of 1988.
But did Bob Cochrane lose his job in 1910? No. Did Allan McGraw lose his job in 1988? No.
It’s different nowadays. Last season Rhys McCabe lost his job on August 15th, when Airdrieonians were eighth with 1 point. Don Cowie lost his job on August 24th when Ross County were tenth with 1 point. Despite those changes both clubs went on to be relegated.
At this point in 2013-14, Morton’s most recent relegation year, the team had 3 wins and 3 losses in all competitions.
Ian Murray’s record as Morton manager to date, league and cup, is: 4 wins, 4 draws, 15 losses, 18 goals for, 41 goals against.
The last Morton player to score against Arbroath was Curtis Main, on March 28th.
Greenock wants immigrants. Story.
[Morton 1 – 2 Arbroath. Dean Black scores for Morton.]
The other Championship matches:
Inverness CT (7th) 1 – 1 Partick Thistle (1st) (yesterday)
Livingston (5th) [2 – 0] Dunfermline Athletic (6th)
Queen’s Park (9th) [0 – 2] Stenhousemuir (3rd)
Raith Rovers (4th) [2 – 0] Ayr United (2nd)
Other matches:
Cumnock (11th) 1 – 1 Largs Thistle (1st) (August 18)
Caledonian Braves (6th) 2 – 2 Clydebank (8th) (August 18)
Wick Academy (18th) 1 – 2 Invergordon (12th) (August 19)
Scrosoppi 2 – 0 St Catharines Roma (yesterday)
Kelty Hearts (8th) [3 – 1] Dumbarton (9th)
Kilwinning Rangers (4th) [2 – 0] Largs Thistle (2nd)
Clydebank (7th) [7 – 1] Gretna 2008 (13th)
Invergordon (11th) [0 – 6] Buckie Thistle (4th)
Ti-Cats [20 – 39] Argos
HFX Wanderers [1 – 0] Vancouver FC [Goal by Bahamboula]
Nojima Stella [1 – 0] Elfen Saitama
Kyoto Sanga (14th) [1 – 3] Mito HollyHock (15th)
Göteborg [1 – 1] Elfsborg (tomorrow)
Stirling University [3 – 2] Morton Women (tomorrow)
Halifax Tides [0 – 2] AFC Toronto (tomorrow)
Marymass Trophy (yesterday):
Irvine Meadow XI 2 – 0 Irvine Victoria
This is for the football supremacy of Irvine, and is held in conjunction with Irvine’s annual Marymass Festival, which takes place around about the feast of the Assumption of Mary, August 15th.
Scottish Cup, PR2:
St Cadocs 3 – 0 Burntisland Shipyard (yesterday)
Benburb [2 – 1] Newtongrange Star
Blackburn United [10 – 1] St Cuthbert Wanderers
Bonnyton Thistle [4 – 2] Tweedmouth Rangers
Broughty Athletic [0 – 4] Threave Rovers
Camelon [3 – 0] Whitletts Victoria
Coldstream [1 – 4] Dunbar United
Creetown [0 – 2] Stonehaven
Dalkeith Thistle [1 – 2] Haddington Athletic
Easthouses Lily [1 – 5] Preston Athletic
Edinburgh University [3 – 3] Irvine Meadow XI [Meadow win on PK]
Glasgow University [1 – 0] Darvel
Penicuik Athletic [9 – 2] Golspie Sutherland
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy [4 – 0] Tynecastle
Rutherglen Glencairn [2 – 0] Dundonald Bluebell
Dundee North End [9 – 0] Wigtown & Bladnoch
St Andrews United [6 – 1] Hutchison Vale
Tayport [2 – 0] Carluke Rovers
Vale of Leithen [0 – 4] Drumchapel United
Whitehall Welfare [2 – 1] Girvan
Scottish Communities Cup, R1 (one match of many):
Glasgow Perthshire [6 – 2] Greenock Juniors
Caribbean Cup, group stage, week 2:
Mount Pleasant (Jamaica) 1 – 2 Cibao (Dominican) (August 18)
Cavalier (Jamaica) 0 – 0 Salcedo (Dominican) (August 20)
DFB Pokal, R1 (selected matches):
Saarbrücken [1 – 1] Hertha [Hertha win on PK]
Berlin Duisberg [1 – 3] Elversberg
Rot-Weiss Essen [2 – 0] St Pauli (tomorrow)
Fortuna Düsseldorf [1 – 5] Freiburg (tomorrow)
2026-27 UEFA Champions League, playoff round, leg 1 (August 19):
Celtic 3 – 0 LASK (Austria)
2026-27 UEFA Conference League, playoff round, leg 1 (August 20):
Hearts 2 – 2 Rapid Wien (Austria)
Rangers 1 – 0 Jablonec (Czechia)
Motherwell 1 – 3 SC Freiburg (Germany)
Gent (Belgium) 0 – 0 Hibs
Shamrock Rovers 1 – 1 KuPS (Finland)
Lincoln Red Imps (Gibraltar) 0 – 2 Larne
Historical matches:
Scottish Alliance, August 22, 1891:
Linthouse 6 – 4 King’s Park
Northern 5 – 3 Airdrieonians
Partick Thistle 1 – 2 Morton
Port Glasgow Athletic 3 – 6 Kilmarnock
St Bernard’s 4 – 1 East Stirlingshire
Thistle 7 – 4 Ayr
Scottish Federation, August 22, 1891:
Burnbank Swifts 0 – 2 Glasgow Wanderers
Falkirk 9 – 1 Clydebank
Hurlford 2 – 2 Kilmarnock Athletic
Pollokshaws 5 – 2 Motherwell
Royal Albert 4 – 2 Arthurlie
Wishaw Thistle 2 – 5 Albion Rovers
Ayrshire League, August 22, 1891:
Ayr Parkhouse 7 – 1 Beith
Mauchline 3 – 1 Stevenston Thistle
Newmilns 2 – 3 Annbank
Saltcoats Victoria 2 – 2 Galston
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