Category: Current Football

Newmilns

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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

106th Emperor’s Cup, Round Two

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Screenshot

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)

Tenth Place

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“Whit are the Morton tae dae, Isobel?” “A dinna ken, Mary, A semply dinna ken.” — photos by Robert Anderson.

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

106th Emperor’s Cup, Round One

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From Supporto! Kisarazu Joshi Support Diary.

It’s the Emperor’s Cup, Round One. This round includes 47 prefectural champions and 1 amateur seed. There are teams from J3, the JFL, regional and university leagues. The 24 winners will encounter teams from J1 or J2 in the next round.

Match No. 1: Atletico Suzuka (Tokai 1) [1 – 1] Basara Hyogo (Kansai 1) [Suzuka win on PK]
Match No. 2: Gainare Tottori (J3) [2 – 2] Roasso Kumamoto (J3) [Gainare win on PK]
Match No. 3: Tohoku Gakuin University (Tohoku Univ. 1) [1 – 3] Thespa Gunma (J3)
Match No. 4: Tochigi SC (J3) [2 – 0] Briobecca Urayasu (JFL)
Match No. 5: Reilac Shiga (J3) [2 – 1] Japan Soccer College (Hokushin’etsu 1)
Match No. 6: FC Tokushima (Shikoku) [1 – 0] Kawazoe Club (Kyushu)
Match No. 7: Giravanz Kitakyushu (J3) [1 – 2] Okinawa SV (JFL) Upset
Match No. 8: Belugarosso Iwami (Chugoku) [2 – 0] Nagasaki International University (Kysushu Univ. 2)
Match No. 9: Arterivo Wakayama (Kansai 1) [0 – 6] Azul Claro Numazu (JFL)
Match No. 10: Veroskronos Tsuno (Kyushu) [3 – 1] Kamatamare Sanuki (J3) Upset
Match No. 11: Verspah Oita (JFL) [3 – 0] Kochi United (J3) Upset
Match No. 12: Ryutsu Keizai University (Kanto 2) [1 – 2] Criacao Shinjuku (JFL)
Match No. 13: Senshu University (Kanto Univ. 2) [2 – 1] University of Tsukuba (Kanto Univ. 1) Upset
Match No. 14: Fukushima United (J3) [7 – 0] Oyama SC (Tohoku 1)
Match No. 15: Kanazawa Seiryo University (Hokushin’etsu Univ. 1) [1 – 4] Kyoto Sangyo University (Kansai Univ. 1)
Match No. 16: Yamanashi Gakuin University (Kanto Univ. 3) [1 – 0] Tokyo International University (Kanto 2) Upset
Match No. 17: FC Gifu (J3) [3 – 1] Toyama Shinjo (Hokushin’etsu 1)
Match No. 18: Kagoshima United (J3) [2 – 1] Renofa Yamaguchi (J3)
Match No. 19: SRC Hiroshima (Chugoku) [1 – 6] Maruyasu Okazaki (JFL)
Match No. 20: Nara Club (J3) [1 – 4] FC Osaka (J3)
Match No. 21: Ehime FC (J3) [2 – 1] International Pacific University (Chugoku Univ. 1)
Match No. 22: Grulla Morioka (JFL) [1 – 0] Sapporo University (Hokkaido Univ.)
Match No. 23: Nagano Parceiro (J3) [2 – 1] Fukui United (Hokushin’etsu 1)
Match No. 24: ReinMeer Aomori (JFL) [15 – 0] Akita University (Tohoku Univ. 2)

Also: Yokohama Football Film Festival

2026-27 League Cup, Round Two

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Dundee United versus Celtic earlier this year. Source.

It’s the Scottish League Cup, Round Two.

Kilmarnock 3 – 2 Ayr United (yesterday)
These two Ayrshire clubs met in Round 2 in 2014 and Ayr won.
Dundee United [0 – 4] Celtic
Dundee United have not beaten Celtic in the League Cup since 1988.
Dunfermline Athletic [1 – 2] Ross County Upset
These two have met in the League Cup only once before, in the 2022-23 group stage. The Staggies won.
Aberdeen [3 – 0] Dundee
The last time Dundee beat Aberdeen in this cup was in 2009.
Hibs [1 – 0] Partick Thistle (tomorrow)
These two last met in the League Cup in 1993 and Hibs won.
Hearts [6 – 2] Inverness CT (tomorrow)
ICT beat Hearts in the semi-finals in 2014.
Stenhousemuir [1 – 0] Motherwell (tomorrow) Upset
Stenny have not yet lost a match in 2026-27, league or cup. [And they still haven’t.]
Rangers [5 – 1] St Mirren (tomorrow)
St Mirren knocked Rangers out of the cup in 2020.

Other matches:
Mito HollyHock (14th) [1 – 1] Gamba Osaka (3rd)
Holstein Kiel (7th) 2 – 2 St Pauli (9th) (yesterday)
Dumbarton (8th) [0 – 3] Edinburgh City (10th)
Largs Thistle (5th) [3 – 0] Auchinleck Talbot (2nd) [This win puts Largs in 1st place in the Lowland League West.]
Easterhouse (14th) [1 – 3] Greenock Juniors (5th)
Invergordon (10th) [1 – 2] Formartine United (13th)
Greenock HSFP [3 – 3] Drumchapel Amateurs
Scrosoppi [13 – 0] Simcoe County Rovers
Saskatchewan Roughriders [19 – 26] Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Vancouver Rise [2 – 1] Halifax Tides [Halifax goal by Rhodes.]
Degerfors [3 – 0] Göteborg (tomorrow)
Forfar Farmington [2 – 1] Morton Women (tomorrow)
Inter Toronto [4 – 3] HFX Wanderers (tomorrow) [HFX goals by Arilla, Rampersad and Johnston.]

South Challenge Cup, R1 (selected matches):
Stoneyburn [1 – 3] Clydebank
Port Glasgow [0 – 4] Kilwinning Rangers
St Andrews United [4 – 1] Thorn Athletic
Neilston [3 – 2] Carluke Rovers

Mortonalia: East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has offered to sponsor one or more Morton players.

Historical matches:

Scottish Alliance, August 15, 1891:
Airdrieonians 1 – 1 Port Glasgow Athletic
Ayr 6 – 2 St Bernard’s
East Stirlingshire 1 – 2 Partick Thistle
Kilmarnock 5 – 1 Thistle
King’s Park 3 – 8 Northern

Scottish Federation, August 15, 1891:
Albion Rovers 7 – 2 Glasgow Wanderers
Clydebank 3 – 3 Burnbank Swifts
Hurlford 3 – 2 Royal Albert
Motherwell 1 – 3 Falkirk
Wishaw Thistle 6 – 0 Kilmarnock Athletic

Ayrshire League, August 15, 1891:
Annbank 4 – 0 Galston
Newmilns 4 – 2 Beith

Solar Eclipse Soccer

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The solar eclipse of July 11, 1991, and birds, photographed by Antonio Turok in Chiapas, Mexico. Source.

There’s a solar eclipse today in the North Atlantic. Greenland, Iceland, Portugal and Spain will experience total eclipse. The UK will get 91% of the shadow, which should cause football grounds to turn on their lights.

Midweek matches:

Scottish Challenge Cup league phase, matchday 1 (selected matches) (yesterday):
Clydebank 4 – 0 Hibs B
Dumbarton 1 – 3 Airdrieonians

Canadian Championship QF, leg 2 (yesterday):
Atlético Ottawa 3 – 3 Supra
Supra advance.

[W Canadian Championship QF:
Montreal Roses [0 – 1] Simcoe County Rovers Upset

2026 Leagues Cup league phase (yesterday):
Tigres UANL 1 – 1 Vancouver Whitecaps (Tigres win on PK)

AFC Champions League Elite, preliminary stage (yesterday):
Gangwon 0 – 1 Gamba Osaka

UEFA Europa League QR3, leg 2:
Iberia 1999 2 – 1 Larne (yesterday)
Egnatia [5 – 1] Shamrock Rovers (tomorrow)
Rangers [1 – 1] Jagiellonia Białystok (tomorrow)
Hearts [1 – 1] Benfica (tomorrow)
Hearts, Larne, Rangers and Shamrock Rovers all drop to the Conference League.

UEFA Conference League QR3, leg 2 (tomorrow):
Shelbourne [2 – 2] Ajax
Motherwell [2 – 0] HJK
Shkëndija [0 – 0] Hibs
Gent [1 – 1] Göteborg
Midtjylland [3 – 2] Bohemians
Hibs and Motherwell advance. Bohemians, Göteborg and Shelbourne are out.

Other matches:
Carluke Rovers 1 – 2 Newmains United (yesterday)
Blackburn United 2 – 4 St Andrews United (yesterday)
Greenock HSFP 2 – 2 St Patricks FP (yesterday)
Scrosoppi 4 – 2 Vaughan Azzurri (yesterday)
Port Glasgow [3 – 1] Knightswood
Glasgow United [0 – 0] Greenock Juniors
Greenock HSFP [4 – 3] Port Glasgow Athletic (tomorrow)

Mortonalia: I had August 9th circled on the calendar as Ian Murray’s probable termination date, but he’s still in the job. Niall McGilp writes about Morton’s friendlies against English clubs here. Saturday’s loss marked the first time since 1959 that Stenhousemuir have defeated Morton twice in the same calendar year.

Crescents seen on West Street, Halifax, N.S., at 3:00 pm local time.

Gregor Buchanan

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Stenhousemuir’s captain Gregor Buchanan has played for Bathgate, Armadale, Airdrie, Dumbarton, St Mirren, Livingston, Morton (2018-19), Falkirk, Queen of the South, Dumbarton again and since 2023 Stenhousemuir, where he has been part of two promotions. Source.

Morton visit Ochilview Park, home to Stenhousemuir FC since 1890. That ground has also served as temporary lodgings for Stirling Albion, Falkirk, East Stirlingshire and Queen’s Park at various times.

Morton are eighth in the division, Stenny joint fourth. Morton have gone five games without a goal. The last time they did that was in 2022, if you put together the end of 2021-22 and the beginning of 2022-23.

Stenny’s manager is Marvin Bartley, who has been in the job since June, replacing Gary Naysmith who took off to Ayr United as soon as last season ended.

Morton have signed MacKenzie Carse, formerly of Queen’s Park, Coleraine and Stirling Albion.

[Stenhousemuir 2 – 0 Morton.]

Other Championship matches:
Partick Thistle 2 – 0 Livingston (yesterday)
Arbroath [0 – 0] Inverness CT
Dunfermline Athletic [1 – 1] Ayr United
Queen’s Park [1 – 2] Raith Rovers

Lowland League West:
Clydebank [3 – 2] Troon
Largs Thistle [1 – 0] Dalbeattie Star
So far in the 21st Century Dalbeattie Star have played in the South of Scotland League, the East of Scotland League, the South of Scotland League again, the Lowland League, the South of Scotland League a third time, and now the Lowland League West.

Other matches:
Clachnacuddin 1 – 0 Invergordon (August 5)
University of Stirling 4 – 2 St Andrews United (EoS Qualifying Cup R2) (August 5)
Scrosoppi 2 – 0 Burlington (yesterday)
Montreal Roses 0 – 1 Halifax Tides (yesterday) Goal by Benati.
Dumbarton [1 – 0] Clyde
Invergordon [3 – 0] Deveronvale
Greenock Juniors [3 – 2] Dalry Thistle
Saltcoats Victoria [2 – 6] Carluke Rovers
St Andrews United [1 – 4] Edinburgh University
Giffnock North [3 – 2] Greenock HSFP
Atlético Ottawa [2 – 1] HFX Wanderers [HFX goal by Arilla.]
Ti-Cats [24 -27] BC Lions
Göteborg [3 – 2] Kalmar (tomorrow)
St Pauli [1 – 1] Greuther Fürth (tomorrow)
Morton Women [2 – 1] Elgin City (tomorrow)

The J League begins:
Kashiwa Reysol [2 – 1] Mito HollyHock

2026-27 W Canadian Championship, QF:
Halifax Tides 2 – 3 Ottawa Rapid (August 3) Two goals for Rhodes.
Calgary Wild 4 – 0 CS Mont-Royal Outremont (August 5)

2026 Leagues Cup league phase:
Vancouver Whitecaps 0 – 1 Atlante (August 4)
Vancouver Whitecaps 1 – 3 Juárez (yesterday)

UEFA Champions League, 3QR, leg 1:
There’s no club from Scotland, Wales or any part of Ireland in this round.

UEFA Europa League, 3QR, leg 1:
Jagiellonia Białystok (Poland) 2 – 1 Rangers (August 6)
Larne 0 – 0 Iberia 1999 (Georgia) (August 4)
Shamrock Rovers 3 – 1 Egnatia (Albania) (August 4)
Benfica (Portugal) 6 – 1 Hearts (August 6)

UEFA Conference League, 3QR, leg 1 (August 6):
Hibs 2 – 1 Shkëndija (North Macedonia)
HJK (Finland) 1 – 1 Motherwell
Bohemians 0 – 2 Midtjylland (Denmark)
Ajax (Netherlands) 3 – 1 Shelbourne
Göteborg 0 – 1 Gent (Belgium)

The Concacaf Caribbean Cup group stage began this week. Let’s follow Group B, made up of three Jamaican teams and two from the Dominican Republic. Week 1:
Portmore United (Jamaica) 1 – 2 Salseco (Dominican) (August 4)
Cibao (Dominican) 0 – 0 Cavalier (Jamaica) (August 5)

Historical matches:

The Scottish League was founded in 1890. By 1891 there were so many clubs eager to get in on league action that two other national circuits were formed. Let’s follow the Scottish Alliance and the Scottish Federation through the 1891-92 season.

Scottish Alliance, August 8, 1891:
Northern 1 – 4 Linthouse
Partick Thistle 3 – 2 Ayr
St Bernard’s 2 – 4 King’s Park
Thistle 0 – 2 Airdrieonians

Scottish Federation, August 8, 1891:
Burnbank Swifts 7 – 1 Kilmarnock Athletic
Clydebank 1 – 1 Motherwell
Pollokshaws 5 – 4 Hurlford
Royal Albert 6 – 0 Glasgow Wanderers
Wishaw Thistle 6 – 2 Arthurlie

The Ayrshire League also began in 1891. Let’s follow them an aw:

Ayrshire League, August 8, 1891:
Galston 4 – 3 Mauchline

2026 Prefectural Championships

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SRC Hiroshima and supporters. Source.

This year Round One of the Emperor’s Cup has been shifted from May to August. Some prefectural associations have followed suit, moving their championships to late July or early August, but most kept to the traditional spring schedule.

April 19th:
36th Akita Prefecture General Soccer Championship Final:
North Asia University 1 – 3 Akita University
31st Shimane Prefecture Football Championship Final:
Bergarosso Iwami 4 – 0 Forza Hikawa
MIKASACUP All Hiroshima Football Championship Final Tournament – Final:
Fukuyama City FC 1-1 SRC Hiroshima (SRC won on PK)
46th Okayama Prefecture Football Championship Final:
Okayama University 0-2 International Pacific University

April 26th:
31st Annual Saitama Cup Final:
Josai University 1-3 Tokyo International University FC
30th Yamagata Prefecture Football Championship Final:
Oyama Soccer Club 7-0 Tohoku University of Community Service and Science
79th Aomori Prefecture Football Championship Final:
ReinMeer Aomori 4-0 Hachinohe Gakuin University

May 9th:
31st Chiba Prefecture Football Championship
Briobecca Urayasu Ichikawa 4-1 FC Grasion Tokatsu
31st Tokyo Football Tournament
Yokogawa Musashino FC 0-1 Criacão Shinjuku
AIFA 31st Aichi Prefecture Football Championship
FC Maruyasu Okazaki 1-1 FC Kariya (Maruyasu win on PK)
Kyoto FA Cup 2026 31st Kyoto Football Championship
Kyoto Sangyo University 2-1 Doshisha University
2026 (29th) Hyogo Prefecture Football Championship
FC Basara Hyogo 2-1 Kwansei Gakuin University

May 10th:
2026 HKFA 8th Hokkaido Football Championship
BTOP Hokkaido 0 – 1 Sapporo University Goal Plunderers
76th Iwate Prefecture Football Championship
Iwate Grulla Morioka 2-0 FC Ganju Iwate Kahoku Cup
30th Miyagi Prefecture Football Championship
Sendai University 0 – 1 Tohoku Gakuin University
29th Ibaraki Prefecture Football Championship
University of Tsukuba 1-2 Ryutsu Keizai University
31st Yamanashi Prefecture Amateur Football Championship Spring Tournament
Yamanashi Gakuin University 1-0 Yamanashi Gakuin University Pegasus
2026 Niigata Nippo Cup / Kyodo News Cup 31st Niigata Prefecture Football Championship
Niigata University of Health and Welfare 2-2 Japan Soccer College (Japan Soccer College win on PK)
31st Toyama Prefecture Football Championship
Toyama Shinjo Club 4-0 N-Style
2026 Fukui Prefecture Football Championship
Fukui United FC 2-1 Sakai Phoenix
2026 Shizuoka Prefecture Football Championship
Azul Claro Numazu 0-0 Honda FC (Azul Claro win on PK)
2026 Mie Prefecture Football Championship, 31st Edition
Veertien Mie 0-1 Atletico Suzuka
Nakata Foods Cup 31st Wakayama Prefecture Football Championship
FC Azul Wakayama 1-9 Arterivo Wakayama
2026 31st Tokushima Prefecture Football Championship
Yellow Monkeys 0-9 FC Tokushima
SFA 31st Saga Prefecture Football Championship
Brew Saga 0-1 Kawazoe Club
37th Nagasaki Prefecture Football Championship
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki SC 1-2 Nagasaki International University
2026 Oita Prefecture Football Championship
Verspah Oita 3-0 J-Lease FC
MFA 30th Miyazaki Nichinichi Shimbun Flag MRT Cup Miyazaki Prefecture Football Championship
Veloskronos Tsuno 1-0 FC Nobeoka Agata

July 25th:
Fukushima Minpo Cup/NHK Cup 31st Fukushima Prefecture Football Championship
Fukushima United 7 – 0 Furukawa FC (including a goal by 59-year-old Kazuyoshi Miura. Story.)
41st Kagoshima Football Championship
Kagoshima United 1 – 0 NIFS Kanoya

July 26th:
69th Tottori Prefecture Football Championship
Gainare Tottori 2 – 0 Yonago Genki SC
31st Kagawa Prefecture Football Championship
Kamatamare Sanuki 4 – 0 Sonio Takamatsu
31st Kochi Prefecture Football Championship
Kochi United 4 – 0 Kochi University

July 29th:
55th Ishikawa Prefecture Football Championship
Zweigen Kanazawa 0 – 1 Kanazawa Seiryo University

August 1st:
NEZAS Cup 31st Tochigi Prefecture Football Championship
Tochigi SC 4 – 1 Tochigi City U-25
Reiwa 8 (2026) Gunma Prefecture Football Association President’s Cup
Thespa Gunma 2 – 0 Tonan Maebashi
31st Kanagawa Prefecture Football Championship
SC Sagamihara 0 – 1 Senshu University
31st Gifu Prefecture Football Championship
FC Gifu 11 – 0 FC Bombonera
31st Shiga Prefecture Football Championship
Reilac Shiga 1 – 0 Moriyama Samurai 2000
31st Nara Prefecture Football Championship
Nara Club 1 – 0 Ikoma FC Nara
Reiwa 8th Year Yamaguchi Prefecture Football Championship
Renofa Yamaguchi 6 – 1 Baleine Shimonoseki
2026 Ehime Prefecture Football Championship
Ehime FC 2 – 0 Revenirosso
2026 Fukuoka Prefecture Football Championship, 30th Edition
Giravanz Kitakyushu 3 – 2 Fukuoka University

August 2nd:
31st Nagano Prefecture Football Championship
Nagano Parceiro [2 – 0] Matsumoto Yamaga
2026 Osaka Football Championship, 31st Edition
FC Osaka [3 – 1] Tiamo Hirakata
The Times Cup OFA 31st Okinawa Prefecture Football Championship
Okinawa SV [3 – 0] FC Ryukyu
The Emperor’s Cup JFA 106th All Japan Football Championship Kumamoto Prefecture Representative Selection Match was cancelled following the July 28th Kumamoto earthquake and Roasso Kumamoto have been designated the Kumamoto representative.

Source.

PS Caledonia

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The life of a Clyde paddle steamer is nowhere near as tough as the life of a Greenock pedestrian underpass beautification scheme. Read about it.

The 2026-27 SPFL Championship begins. Morton embark on their twelfth consecutive season in this division. Since 1994 Morton has been the Championship’s most frequent member. (See below.)

There are three new teams this year: St Johnstone, Airdrie and Ross County are out; Livingston, Inverness CT and Stenhousemuir are in. Stenny have never played in the Championship before. The last time Inverness and Livingston were in the Championship together (2017-18) Dumbarton and Brechin were also in it. Dumbarton are now in League 2 and Brechin are in the Lowland League East.

Morton tend to do well in seasons ending in 6 and 7. They won promotion in 2006-07, 1986-87, 1966-67 and 1936-37. They finished second in the SFL in 1916-17, behind only Celtic. The last time they made the promotion playoffs was in 2016-17.

However, they finished dead last among Championship clubs in the League Cup group stage.

Morton are scoreless in their first four competitive matches of the season, a club record. The next worse start is 1998-99 when they went without a goal in their first three matches.

Today Morton host Partick Thistle. The last time Morton opened the league season with a match against Partick Thistle at Cappielow was August 10th, 1991. Morton won 2 – 1.

Partick’s manager is Mark Wilson, who has been in the job since February 2025. His record against Morton is 3 wins, 2 draws and 0 losses.

Partick Thistle’s Alex Samuel played for Morton in 2015-16, as did Robbie Crawford from 2022 to 2024. Goalkeeper Lewis Budinaukas made four appearances for Morton in 2024. Cale Loughrey is a former HFX Wanderer. Nobody on the present Morton squad has played for Partick.

Morton have signed 20-year-old goalkeeper Elyh Harrison on loan from Manchester United.

[Morton 0 – 1 Partick Thistle]

The other Championship matches:
Ayr United [2 – 0] Arbroath
Inverness CT [0 – 0] Dunfermline Athletic
Livingston [2 – 0] Queen’s Park
Raith Rovers [1 – 1] Stenhousemuir

Other matches:
Celtic B 6 – 1 Clydebank (July 28)
Carluke Rovers 2 – 2 East Kilbride YM (July 28)
Greenock High School Former Pupils AFC 4 – 2 Houston AFC (July 28)
Port Glasgow 3 – 0 Kilsyth Athletic (July 29)
Scrosoppi 7 – 2 North Toronto (yesterday)
St Pauli [2 – 2] Deportivo de A Coruña (friendly)
Stirling Albion [2 – 0] Dumbarton
Albion Rovers [0 – 2] Largs Thistle
Invergordon [1 – 2] Lossiemouth
Ashfield [0 – 3] Port Glasgow
Greenock Juniors [1 – 3] Yoker Athletic
Greenock HSFP [5 – 2] Plains AFC
Kello Rovers [1 – 4] Carluke Rovers
Calgary Stampeders [44 – 20] Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth [4 – 0] Norbritz Hokkaido (tomorrow)
Göteborg [2 – 0] Degerfors (tomorrow) [Halfway through the season Göteborg are 13th out of 16.]
East Fife [6 – 0] Morton Women (tomorrow)
HFX Wanderers [0 – 0] Forge (tomorrow)

Video: Footy Adventures visits Largs Thistle.

Scottish Cup, preliminary round 1:
St Andrews United [1 – 0] Jeanfield Swifts
Whitletts Victoria [1 – 0] Sauchie Juniors
Hawick Royal Albert [1 – 2] Penicuik Athletic
Glenafton Athletic [0 – 0] Stonehaven [Stonehaven win on PK]
Shortlees Amateurs [2 – 3] Dundee North End
Shortlees are here as Scottish Amateur Cup holder, Dundee North End as Midlands League champion, Stonehaven as North of Scotland League champion. The rest are SFA members.

UEFA Champions League QR2, leg 2:
Hearts 0 – 2 Sturm Graz (July 28)
Red Star Belgrade 5 – 0 Larne (July 29)
Shamrock Rovers 2 – 1 Ararat-Armenia (July 28)
Hearts, Larne and Shamrock Rovers all drop to the Europa League.

UEFA Conference League QR2, leg 2 (all July 30):
HB 0 – 3 Motherwell
Hibs 4 – 1 Maleshiva
Kalju 2 – 1 Shelbourne
Coleraine 0 – 3 HJK
The New Saints 1 – 0 Flora
Ballkani 3 – 2 Bohemians
Derry City 0 – 1 Rijeka
Levadia 1 – 3 Göteborg
Bohemians, Göteborg, Hibs, Motherwell and Shelbourne advance. Coleraine, Derry City and The New Saints are out.

UEFA has voted to boycott the World Cup if FIFA proceeds with its plan to privatize the tournament.

Years in tiers since 1994:

That Was the Group Stage That Was

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Morton defeated Hibs to make it into the 1963-64 League Cup final. Source.

The League Cup group stage comes to a conclusion today.

Matchday Four was Tuesday. Morton were off that day, so I didn’t make a post about it. The scores were:
East Fife 3 – 1 Linlithgow Rose
Inverness CT 1 – 0 St Johnstone

Group F standings after Day Four:

Today Morton host Inverness Caledonian Thistle. ICT enter today’s game with 8 points, Morton with 0. No Championship side has ever finished the modern group stage with 0 points. Brechin finished with 2 points in 2017-18. Dumbarton finished with 2 in 2016-17 and with 1 in 2017-18.

ICT’s head coach is Scott Kellacher who has been in the role since October 2024. No one on the ICT squad has played for Morton. No one on the Morton squad has played for ICT. The last Morton player to score against ICT was Kirk Broadfoot, May 3rd, 2024.

ICT are newly promoted to the Championship, so today’s match will give Morton an idea of what they’re in for this coming season.

Last weekend 15-year-old Calan Burgess became the youngest-ever Morton first-team player when he subbed on at 78′.

This is an A Ton of Snow Championship League Cup Round One match.

Morton [0 – 1] Inverness CT
St Johnstone [1 – 1] East Fife [East Fife win on PK]

Group F final standings:

The Lowland League begins today, or rather the Lowland Leagues. There are now two parallel leagues, East with 16 teams and West with 17. The Lowland League East is made up of eleven of last season’s Lowland League clubs, plus Brechin City from the Highland League, Lochee United from the Midlands League, and Hill of Beath Hawthorn, Musselburgh Athletic and Dunipace from the East of Scotland League. The Lowland League West has only six of last season’s Lowland League clubs, plus Dalbeattie Star and Newton Stewart from the South of Scotland League, and nine West of Scotland League clubs. Let’s follow Clydebank and Largs Thistle, both of the Lowland League West.

Clydebank [4 – 2] Newton Stewart
Largs Thistle [2 – 0] Cumbernauld Colts
Now that they’re in the Lowland League Largs have had to give up their 2:00 pm starts, but they’ve managed to keep them in the South Challenge Cup and Scottish Communities Cup.

Other matches:
Unionville Milliken 1 – 2 Scrosoppi (July 22)
St Pauli 1 – 4 AFC Bournemouth (friendly) (yesterday)
Raith Rovers 0 – 1 Hearts (friendly) (yesterday)
HFX Wanderers 2 – 3 Supra (yesterday) HFX goals by Kachwele and Linder.
HFX Wanderers U21 1 – 2 Nottingham Forest Academy at Charlottetown (yesterday)
HFX Wanderers have acquired forward Adonijah Reid (formerly of Pacific FC and York United) from SC Jacksonville in exchange for Marcus Godinho.
Dumbarton [2 – 0] Cove Rangers
Fraserburgh [0 – 0] Invergordon
Greenock Juniors [3 – 0] Girvan
St Andrews United [6 – 1] Edinburgh South
St Patrick’s FP vs Greenock HS FPs AFC
Larkhall Thistle [2 – 1] Port Glasgow Juniors
Royal Albert [1 – 1] Carluke Rovers
Vancouver Rise [0 – 1] Halifax Tides [Goal by de Filippo.]
Sabas [0 – 5] Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth (tomorrow)
Sirius [4 – 1] Göteborg (tomorrow)
Scrosoppi [2 – 1] International FC (tomorrow)
Ti-Cats [18 – 31] Alouettes (tomorrow)

Daizen Maeda is headed for Ipswich Town.

2026-27 UEFA Champions League, 2QR, leg 1 (July 21):
Sturm Graz 4 – 0 Hearts
Larne 0 – 4 Red Star Belgrade
Ararat-Armenia 2 – 0 Shamrock Rovers

2026-27 UEFA Europa League, 2QR, leg 1 (July 23):
There’s no club from Scotland, Wales or either Ireland in this round.

2026-27 UEFA Conference League, 2QR, leg 1 (mostly July 23):
Motherwell 2 – 0 HB (Faroes)
Maleshiva (Kosovo) 2 – 0 Hibs
Shelbourne 5 – 2 Kalju (Estonia)
HJK (Finland) 5 – 0 Coleraine
Flora (Estonia) 1 – 0 The New Saints
Bohemians 2 – 1 Ballkani (Kosovo) (July 22)
Rijeka (Croatia) 1 – 0 Derry City
Göteborg 1 – 2 Levadia (Estonia)