The Robert Burns National Monument

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The Burns Memorial at Mauchline, Ayrshire exudes a baronial self-satisfaction pretty far removed from the spirit of Burns’ poetry. Sunday is Robert Burns Day.

Morton visit Arbroath. This is a Friday-nighter for BBC Scotland. Arbroath are third in the Championship with 36 points. Morton are seventh with 22. Last weekend Arbroath were put out of the Scottish Cup by Airdrie, and Morton were blown out by Stenhousemuir.

Morton have not won a match since December 12th. But so far this season they have a win and a draw against Arbroath.

Josh McPake (Morton 2020-21) has signed a pre-contact with Hearts, which means he’ll remain with St Johnstone ’til the end of this season. He’s currently the Championship’s leading scorer.

[Morton have signed defender Fergus Owens, formerly of Hamilton Academical, Clydebank, Bo’ness Athletic, Blackburn United and Kelty Hearts.]

[Arbroath 1 – 1 Morton. Morton goal by Garrity.]

The other Championship matches (tomorrow):
Aidrieonians (8th) [0 – 1] Ross County (10th)
Airdrie are the only Championship side still alive in both the Scottish Cup and Challenge Cup. [Although it looks like Queen’s Park might get reinstated in the Challenge Cup.]
Raith Rovers (6th) [4 – 1] Queen’s Park (9th)
St Johnstone (1st) [0 – 1] Dunfermline Athletic (5th)
Partick Thistle (2nd) [2 – 1] Ayr United (4th)
This is a Plenty of Nothing Championship League Cup semi-final.

Other matches (mostly tomorrow):
Hannover 96 [2 – 1] Fortuna Düsseldorf
Clydebank [1 – 3] Cumbernauld Colts
Turriff United vs Wick Academy [postponed]
Largs Thistle [6 – 0] St Cadoc’s
Greenock [4 – 1] Larkhall Thistle
Easterhouse [2 – 3] Port Glasgow
Edinburgh College [0 – 5] Coldstream
Clachnacuddin “A” [0 – 2] Golspie Sutherland
Morton Women [2 – 3] Stenhousemuir (Sunday)

2025-26 UEFA Europa League, league phase, matchday 7 (January 22):
Bologna 2 – 2 Celtic
Rangers 1 – 0 Ludogorets Razgrad

Scottish Cup, R4 (January 20):
Stranraer 1 – 1 Queen’s Park (Stranraer win on PK)

Scottish Junior Cup, R4:
Fraserburgh United [2 – 0] Lochee United

West of Scotland Cup, R2:
Auchinleck Talbot (WP) [3 – 1] Thorniewood United (W1)

West of Scotland Cup, R3:
Benburb (W1) [2 – 1] Cambuslang Rangers (W2)
Petershill (W1) [0 – 3] Drumchapel United (WP)

West of Scotland Cup, R4:
Neilston (W1) [2 – 2] Hurlford United (WP) [Hurlford win on PK]
St Roch’s (W1) [1 – 2] Johnstone Burgh (WP)
Thorn Athletic (W2) [4 – 1] Lesmahagow (W2)

HFX Wanderers have drawn Forge FC in the first round of the Canadian Championship, again. Wanderers have signed Spaniard Miguel Arilla. Tiago Coimbra is to transfer to IFK Göteborg. [Also signed is Sven Zitman formerly of PEC Zwolle and TOP Oss.]

Historical matches:
1891/1/24 Morton 1 – 1 Clyde
1931/1/21 Raith Rovers 1 – 1 Morton (Sc Cup R1 replay)
1931/1/24 Morton 2 – 4 Hearts
1953/1/24 Morton 3 – 1 Dunfermline Athletic (Sc Cup R1)
1981/1/24 Morton 0 – 0 Hearts (ScCup R3)

SFL results 1890-91:
1891/1/24 Vale of Leven 3 – 1 Celtic
1891/1/24 Dumbarton 5 – 0 Cambuslang
1891/1/24 Hearts 0 – 1 Rangers
1891/1/24 Abercorn 5 – 1 St Mirren
1891/1/24 Queen’s Park 1 – 4 Third Lanark (Sc Cup R6 2nd replay)

Senators at Bruins, January 20, 1931

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Too many Bruins on the ice. Source.

Ottawa visited Boston at the Boston Garden on this date in 1931. At this point in the season Boston were first in the American Division with 35 points, Ottawa last in the Canadian with 12.

The Bruins were the NHL’s first US club, joining in 1924. They won the Stanley Cup in 1929.

The 1930-31 Bruins included five future Hockey Hall of Fame members: Marty Barry, Dit Clapper, Harry Oliver, Eddie Shore and Tiny Thompson.

Dit Clapper, who joined the Bruins in 1927, went on to play twenty seasons with the club. Johnny Bucyk and Ray Bourque each played 21 years.

None of the Bruins played junior hockey in Boston. Dit Clapper and Paul Runge played for the minor Can-Am League Boston Cubs and/or Boston Tigers. George Owen came up through the college ranks and had four seasons with Harvard Crimson hockey, baseball and football. But as a rule the Bruins came from elsewhere.

Several Bruins were connected to Ottawa. Lionel Hitchman played for New Edinburgh in the OCHL and was three seasons a Senator. Bill Hutton was a Senator in 1929-30. Harold Darragh grew up in Ottawa and played for the OCHL Gunners and New Edinburgh, but was never a Senator. Cooney Weiland, Dutch Gainor and Percy Galbraith were future Senators.

The Senators’ Art Gagne, Harry Connor and Eric Pettinger had been Boston Bruins. Bill Touhey, Joe Lamb and Alex Smith would become Bruins in future years.

Previous results:
1930/11/27 Boston 2 – 1 Ottawa
1931/1/8 Boston 3 – 1 Ottawa

First period: goals by Shore (Boston), Touhey (Ottawa) and Weiland (Boston).

Second period: goals by Finnigan (Ottawa) and Darragh (Boston).

Third period: goal by Weiland.

Final score: Boston 4, Ottawa 2.

Montreal Senior Group:
Game 21, January 12: Canadiens 1 – 2 Victorias
Game 22, January 12: Montreal AAA 1 – 1 McGill
Game 23, January 19: Victorias 1 – 3 Montreal AAA
Game 24, January 19: Columbus 1 – 1 McGill

2025-26 Scottish Cup, Round Four

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Cove versus Kelty. Source.

It’s the Scottish Cup, Round Four, when the Premiership clubs join in. Morton visit Stenhousemuir. These two met in the League Cup group stage in July and Morton won 3 – 0.

Stenny’s best Scottish Cup run came in 1902-03 when they reached the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by Rangers. Morton reached the semi-finals in 1896-97, 1903-04, 1919-20, 1921-22 (when they won the cup), 1936-37, 1947-48 (when they lost the final to Rangers), 1967-68, and 1980-81.

In this century Morton reached the quarter-finals in 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2023-24.

Stenny reached the Challenge Cup quarter-finals this midweek. Morton went out in the second round.

Stenny’s manager Gary Naismith has been in the job for three years, putting him sixth in the SPFL’s managerial seniority list.

Tomi Adeloye has left the club. And alt-manager Billy Davies has too.

[Stenny 4 – 0 Morton] Upset

The other Scottish Cup Round Four matches:
Rangers (Pr) 5 – 0 Annan Athletic (L2) (yesterday)
Dunfermline Athletic (Ch) [1 – 0] Hibs (Pr) Upset
Kilmarnock (Pr) [1 – 2] Dundee (Pr)
Airdrieonians (Ch) [3 – 3] Arbroath (Ch) [Airdrie win on PK]
Stranraer (L2) vs Queen’s Park (Ch) [postponed]
Kelty Hearts (L1) [1 – 1] Cove Rangers (L1) [Kelty win on PK]
Camelon (EP) [1 – 3] Elgin (L2)
The Spartans (L2) [0 – 0] Inverness CT (L1) [Spartans win on PK] Upset
Partick Thistle (Ch) [3 – 1] Montrose (L1)
Livingston (Pr) [1 – 1] St Mirren (Pr) [St Mirren win on PK]
Dundee United (Pr) [2 – 0] Ayr United (Ch)
Motherwell (Pr) [1 – 0] Ross County (Ch)
Hearts (Pr) [1 – 1] Falkirk (Pr) [Falkirk win on PK]
Aberdeen (Pr) [1 – 0] Raith Rovers (Ch) (tomorrow)
Auchinleck Talbot (WP) [0 – 2] Celtic (Pr) (tomorrow at Rugby Park)

Scottish Challenge Cup, R3 (January 13):
Queen’s Park (Ch) 2 – 0 Forfar Athletic (L2)
Stirling Albion (L2) 1 – 2 Stenhousemuir (L1)
Partick Thistle (Ch) 3 – 3 Inverness CT (L1) (ICT win on PK) Upset
Ayr United (Ch) 4 – 1 Stranraer (L2)
Arbroath (Ch) 3 – 0 East Fife (L1)
St Johnstone (Ch) 2 – 0 Ross County (Ch)

Other matches:
Wick Academy [0 – 0] Inverurie Loco Works
Fortuna Düsseldorf 1 – 0 Arminia Bielefeld (yesterday)
Cowdenbeath vs Clydebank [postponed]
Largs Thistle [1 – 2] Cumnock
Port Glasgow [3 – 2] Dalry Thistle
Orkney [1 – 4] Golspie Sutherland
Morton Women [11 – 1] Glasgow GWFC (tomorrow)

Scottish Junior Cup, R5:
Armadale Thistle [1 – 2] Kirkintilloch Rob Roy
Dundee Violet vs Johnstone Burgh [postponed]
Pollok [3 – 2] Knightswood

South Challenge Cup, R5:
Greenock (W2) [2 – 2] Glenafton Athletic (WP) [Greenock win on PK] Upset
Tranent (LL) [2 – 2] St Roch’s (W1) [Tranent win on PK]

King Cup, R2:
Edinburgh University [6 – 3] Coldstream

Lowland League Cup, R1:
Broxburn Athletic [4 – 2] University of Stirling

There’s a piece about HFX Wanderers‘ Tiago Coimbra in the Guardian. (Not the Charlottetown Guardian.) The Wanderers have signed Finn Linder from Vancouver Whitecaps, and Lucas Olguin of the Canadian U21 squad.

Video: Gasworks Park.

Historical matches:
1891/1/17 Northern 3 – 1 Morton
1931/1/17 Morton 1 – 1 Raith Rovers (Sc Cup R1)
1953/1/17 Dumbarton 4 – 2 Morton

SFL results 1890-91:
1891/1/17 Vale of Leven 1 – 3 Rangers
1891/1/17 Cambuslang 4 – 0 Cowlairs
1891/1/17 Arthurlie 1 – 3 St Mirren (Renfrewshire Cup SF)
1891/1/17 Queen’s Park 2 – 2 Third Lanark (Sc Cup R6 replay)
1891/1/17 Dumbarton 3 – 1 Abercorn (Sc Cup SF)