The oldest surviving Icelandic text, Reykholtsmáldagi, is not a saga but an 11th-century catulary from the ecclesiastical centre of Reykholt. Read about it here and here.
Inhospitable
Gregor Buchanan
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
MS Prince Baudouin
Poster by Mark Fernand Severin. Source.
Hokusai Manga Complete
Bathtubs
Diefendollar
L’université Paris-VIII
Je me suis inscrite à l’université Paris 8 pour étudier le post-structuralisme, mais tous les cours se déroulaient dans des bâtiments. Source.
2026 Prefectural Championships
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.
PS Caledonia
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:
atonofsnow.com 