HibeeJibee

I cannot find thread but I've a feeling this point arose years ago and Dunfermline + Hearts in 1965-66 was the only occasion 2 non-OF clubs got each other in a draw. Might be mistaken though.

What's particularly sad is the FA think these secret negotiations produced a good deal because R5 returns to a weekend plus they get some pennies (in EPL terms); and anyway they "had" to help EPL clubs in Europe as there simply aren't enough dates. Yet somehow those same EPL clubs have found enough dates to start the season 1 week later than previously, and spread R4 out over a weekend and adjacent midweek. You can also bet that in a few years they'll want to take the weekend part of R4 out and just play it in midweek. Meanwhile the FA Cup Final is no longer the last game of the season - nor even has the weekend to itself; and replays have inexplicably also been abolished in R1 & R2 even though EFL1&2 clubs wouldn't want that. They've been completely outmanoeuvred by EPL.

Scottish Premiership Championship Group not to be confused with the Scottish Championship Scottish Premiership Relegation Group contesting relegation to the Scottish Championship Scottish Championship not to be confused with the Scottish Premiership Championship Group Scottish Premiership Playoffs contesting promotion & relegation between Premiership & Championship... 2/3 of which only involve Championship clubs

Why can't it be another midweek at Dens? Plus won't many ticketholders need turned away - Dens holds more than McDiarmid and have to be unallocated seating?

There were 9x Dundee derbies in 1987-88: Forfarshire Cup Final on Christmas holiday Monday. Including local cups when still big I recall there are OF or Edinburgh examples in double figures.

If people think Hampden has bad sightlines consider the view most spectators got of that FA Cup Final in the old Crystal Palace ground: Note also the hoarding promoting: among varied fare:

Iran state TV saying a "first wave" of ballistic missiles have now also been fired - their version of Scud seemingly. Remarkable to have reached a situation where Iran's openly and directly bombarding Israel.

Ukraine-Russia has its throwback to WWI with the remorseless reliance on artillery barrages... now Israel-Iran has its own to WWII with in essence sophisticated V bombs, or the Blitz without pilots.

Broxburn continue erratically; but still looks very unlikely anybody can catch them. Down the bottom is clearly now a 4 cornered fight with Inverkeithing, Glenrothes, Luncarty and Crossgates. Updated state of play across southerly tier 6: South of Scotland League (22 games) West of Scotland League (30 games)

Dunipace may be promoted imminently and are now favourites for title; behind them all take turns at stuttering. Down the bottom Oakley, who've only beaten Vale all campaign, in big trouble. Run-in:

Armadale had a scare but ultimately won. Thornton look to reel-in Bo'ness Athletic.. Edinburgh South to reel-in Armadale... down the bottom Ormiston to reel-in Tweedmouth... but Newburgh are teetering. Run-in:

Hawick's form has badly collapsed since February... unless they or Pumpherston can finish in rampant style, it looks like the top 3 are fairly secure, with West Calder in driving seat for the title. Plenty head-to-heads to shake-up the placings certainly. Stoneyburn have now reached double figures of home postponements (plus 7 more away)... thusfar 44% of their home games have been off. Run-in:

Days later: 2026 European Athletics Championships - Wikipedia Scotstoun + temporary ends/'exclusive ticketing'?

With some caveats for TV - or Clyde and Hamilton clashing (plus Peterhead sometimes play home on Wednesdays not Tuesdays?) - playoff dates will presumably be: Premiership/Championship: QF 1st leg Tuesday 7th May QF 2nd leg Friday 10th May SF 1st leg Tuesday 14th May SF 2nd leg Friday 17th May Fin 1st leg Thursday 23rd May unless Aberdeen finish 11th and are in Scottish Cup Final Fin 2nd leg Sunday 26th May unless Aberdeen finish 11th and are in Scottish Cup Final Championship/SPFL1: SF 1st leg Tuesday 7th May SF 2nd leg Saturday 11th May Fin 1st leg Tuesday 14th May (?) Fin 2nd leg Saturday 18th May (?) SPFL1/SPFL2: SF 1st leg Tuesday 7th May SF 2nd leg Saturday 11th May Fin 1st leg Tuesday 14th May Fin 2nd leg Saturday 18th May SPFL2/Lowland/Highland: SF 1st leg Saturday 27th April SF 2nd leg Saturday 4th May Fin 1st leg Saturday 11th May Fin 2nd leg Saturday 18th May East/South/West for Lowland: 1st leg/RR#1 Saturday 18th May RR#2 Tuesday 21st May 2nd leg/RR#3 Friday 24th May Highland/North Caledonian/North Juniors/Tayside Juniors: (no SF/round-robin required) Fin 1st leg no fixed date? maybe Saturday 4th May? Fin 2nd leg no fixed date? maybe Saturday 11th May? (Strathspey end Sat 20th Apr but Lochee Utd not until Wed 1st May and could have North & Tayside Junior Cup Final on Sat 18th May)

Commonwealth Games 2026: Scaled-down Glasgow event option to be proposed - BBC Sport Scotland set to put forward Glasgow as back-up host for 2026 Commonwealth Games Glasgow is among the potential hosts of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. This week the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) said it was "considering multiple proposals" amid continued uncertainty over the event's long-term future. Last week, Singapore joined Malaysia in ruling out a bid, after the Australian state of Victoria withdrew as host in July because of rising costs. Should any of the fresh bids from outside the UK not prove viable, there is a back-up concept which would bring a scaled-back Games to Scotland. Confirmation of Glasgow's offer is expected in the coming days. The event was held in Glasgow in 2014 and facilities from then - such as the Emirates Arena - would be used again. So, too, would existing accommodation options. Instead of the 20 sports in Birmingham in 2022, the event would be limited to between 10 and 13 disciplines. Those efficiencies would mean there would be no public spending, with the £130-150m budget being covered by the CGF and commercial income. A final decision is expected by the end of May.

These special friendlies were staged as the last-ever games at Telford Street and Peterhead Rec': Have any other grounds - or stands - been closed with dedicated farewell matches?

How splits are shaping-up Europe-wide: Austria: Belgium: Bulgaria: Cyprus + tier 2: Czech Republic: Denmark + tier 2: Finland + tier 2: Gibraltar: Greece + tier 2: Iceland: Israel + tier 2: Malta tier 2: Moldova + tier 2: Northern Ireland + tier 2: Romania + tier 2: Scotland: Serbia + tier 2: Slovakia: Switzerland: Ukraine tier 2: Wales:

Rangers manager Clement says they will know by Tuesday at 12:00 BST where Wednesday evening's match will be played. What if weather subsequently deteriorates?

Peebles went junior in 1960s, returned in 1970s, but could not rejoin SFA as ground criteria had long since tightened since they first joined decades earlier. Aberdeen Uni forgot to renew their membership in 1986 apparently. No licence renewal has been refused since scheme began c2010 IIRC... not 'newco' Rangers in 2012, or venue-less Cove in 2016, or Wigtown in 2017 who scratched from cup/mothballed/etc.

Bad week in cups for Bo'ness Athletic: ejected from King Cup for cup-tied player v Leith, then beaten in League Cup at Newtongrange. They'll hope for better in shootout for Scottish Cup place:

Wednesday 10th April R2: Newtongrange 3-1 Bo'ness Athletic Tuesday 16th April R2: Preston v Kinnoull R3: Newtongrange v Crossgates Wednesday 17th April R2: St Andrews v Kirkcaldy & Dysart Saturday 20th April R2: Glenrothes v Harthill Hill of Beath v Thornton Lochore v Camelon R3: Arniston v Kirkcaldy & Dysart* Sauchie v Blackburn Whitburn v Jeanfield Whitehill v Preston/Kinnoull Tuesday 23rd April R3: Broxburn v Glenrothes/Harthill Haddington v Dunbar Lochore/Camelon v Hill of Beath/Thornton Saturday 27th April R3: Arniston v St Andrews* Fourth Round (a) Arniston/St Andrews/Kirkcaldy & Dysart v Broxburn/Glenrothes/Harthill (b) Whitburn/Jeanfield v Whitehill/Preston/Kinnoull (c) Lochore/Camelon/Hill of Beath/Thornton v Sauchie/Blackburn (d) Haddington/Dunbar v Newtongrange/Crossgates Semi-Finals (c) v (a) (b) v (d)

Matchday #33 never finishes simultaneously.

Both within a few weeks of each other in 1967... you recall a preseason friendly, while less than 2 months later they returned for a special game the night the QE2 went down the slip at John Browns: Clydebank 2-2 Chelsea (1967-68 Friendlies) - TheChels.info - The Chelsea Football Club Wiki Clydebank FC 2 - 2 Chelsea | Friday, August 4th, 1967 | Match Details (Bankies Archive) Clydebank 1-4 Chelsea (1967-68 Friendlies) - TheChels.info - The Chelsea Football Club Wiki Clydebank FC 1 - 4 Chelsea | Wednesday, September 20th, 1967 | Match Details (Bankies Archive)

Eddie McCreadie did start at Drumchapel before joining Clydebank then 'Shire... but East Stirlingshire v Chelsea was Monday 28th October 1963. Chelsea visited Birmingham City in the league 2 days before facing Drumchapel, then visited Workington in a League Cup tie 2 days after.