The weekend comes around again after another hectic week at the coalface. Thank goodness for that we say, as we replace the sound of pick shovels against hard rock with that of leather against expensive bespoke football booterie.
There’s a full program in the SPL (split over two days mind) and the First division, while there’s only the three games each in the Second and Third division. Not because of the credit crunch or anything like that. No, it’s because some of the teams in those division are busy with Homecoming Cup (that’s the Scottish Cup by the way) fixtures held over due to frozen pitches, or replays. Brechin, Elgin City, Forfar, Stranraer and Ayr are all in action there. And as if that wasn’t enough football, there’s also a wide and varied program in the Highland League to go along and enjoy.
There’s not much to say about the games in the SPL that you couldn’t possibly read elsewhere, but there are a few fixtures that stick out.
The top game in the SPL takes place on Sunday, when Hibs take on Celtic at Easter Road. There has been speculation linking Gordon Strachan with the vacant position at Sunderland following Roy Kean’s resignation on Wednesday. Strachan cut short a press conference today when asked about the Sunderland job, which you can read any way you like – either he’s been rumbled and he doesn’t want to talk about it, or there genuinely is no link between Strachan and the EPL side.
Elsewhere, Falkirk take on bottom side St. Mirren, Dundee United travel north to Inverness and Jimmy Calderwood marks game 201 with Aberdeen’s trip to far-away Ayrshire and Kilmarnock. Struggling Motherwell take on Hearts, whose players have at last been paid. The Jambos are third in the league and having a good season so far; the distraction and disruption the fuss about their wages has caused will hopefully not affect their on-field performances. Owner Vladimir Romanov has been unusually quiet in all this. The outspoken Lithuanian has been conspicuous by his absence throughout the media storm around Tynecastle. Far be it from us to suggest there are further problems down Gorgie road, but the silence has been deafening. The final game sees Rangers entertain Hamilton at Ibrox. The Accies got themselves off the bottom of the table, but expect another pounding tomorrow as Ranges try to claw back some of the points lost in that defeat at Hearts last week
SPL Predictions
BBC pundit Billy Dodds reckons there’ll be a few draws tomorrow, with Rangers and Celtic both winning, and Kilmarnock stealing the points against Aberdeen; so how do we see it going?
Falkirk v St Mirren (Dodds says: 1-1, we say 1-0)
Inverness CT v Dundee United (Dodds says 1-1, we say 1-2)
Kilmarnock v Aberdeen (Dodds says 2-1, we say 1-1. Not that it matters – game postponed!)
Motherwell v Hearts (Dodds says 1-1, we say 0-3)
Rangers v Hamilton (Dodds says 3-0, we say 3-1)
Hibernian v Celtic (Dodds says 1-2, we say 2-2)
First Division
Livingston get ready to unveil their new manager prior to their game against Dundee tomorrow afternoon. Paul Hegarty gets to open his account at the troubled Almondvale outfit against Dundee. Hegarty, a former player at ‘Dee rivals St. Johnstone and Dundee United becomes the clubs 14th manager in since the club changed it’s name from Meadowbank Thistle to Livingston. He inherits a club with it’s fair share of troubles, not least their slide down the league. The results have not gone the Lion’s way of late with defeats to Clyde and Partick Thistle (as well as elimination from the Scottish Cup at the hands of East Fife) so clearly improvement is called for. The good news is that the opposition tomorrow are below them in the league and are themselves coming to terms with a change in management. Jocky Scott’s arrival (the third coming) has seen a spike in results, not least that draw in front of a record crowd against leaders St. Johnstone the other week.
At the bottom of the First division, Clyde get a chance to put some distance between themselves and the Second division when they take on Challenge Cup winners Airdrie United. Clyde have been poop all season, Airdrie started out reasonably averagely, but have lost their way of late. It’s important to get the results going, otherwise we’ll be adding the name of Kenny Black to the 2008/09 season book of remembrance before too long.
In the other games we have Morton v Partick Thistle, Ross County v Dunfermline (update: postponed due to snow) and St Johnstone take on former Divison leaders Queen of South. All games start at 3pm.
Second Division
Nothing too noteworthy happening in the Second division, except perhaps the mood over in Arbroath. The club are still hanging on for the £14k that they’re due from SPL side Hearts following the sale of Andy Webster to just about everyone from what we can make out. Hearts of course are stalling payments which, given the fact that they’re not paying their own players regularly is not surprising. As the club points out, £14k to Hearts is not much, but to a side like Arbroath it’s a small fortune, enough to keep them in Bovril and half-time oranges until 2019 at least. Arbroath take on the Corinthians of Queens Park at Hampden, East Fife take on Alloa and league leaders Raith travel away to Stirling Albion.
Third Division
Down in the Third, the top four teams are in action. Stenhousemuir will be looking for an easy three points against second-from-bottom Berwick Rangers. Cowdenbeath and Dumbarton, the teams in third and fourth respectively will do battle at Central Park (update: match postponed), while second placed Montrose take on a much improved East Stirling. There’s only one point separating fourth from second, so the pressure is on to keep the results coming. The worst case scenario has lots of boring draws to keep the table stable, but whatever the result, the gap between fifth and tenth (already 13 points) looks set to widen.
The Homecoming Scottish Cup
There are some fixtures in the Scottish Cup this weekend also, a mixture of replays and games postponed from last round.
Edinburgh City v Brechin (Update: postponed)
Elgin v Spartans
Forfar v Stranraer (Update: postponed)
Forres Mechanics v Dalbeattie Star
Inverurie Locos v Vale Of Leithen
Lochee Utd v Ayr ((Update: postponed)
Highland Football League
There’s a range of fixtures in the Highland League, weather depending of course. The game between Fort William and Brora has already fallen foul of the weather, but as it stand at the moment, the remaining games are on.
The top game in the Highland League is up at Kynoch Park, Keith where Deveronvale, league leaders by a single point from Inverurie Locos come to visit. A win for Keith could see them go top, as second placed Inverurie are in Cup action this weekend.
Buckie Thistle v Nairn County
Cove Rangers v Fraserburgh
Keith v Deveronvale
Rothes v Clachnacuddin
Wick Academy v Huntly
Related posts:
- Scottish Fitba Weekender
- The Scottish Football Weekender (13 Feb)
- Scottish Cup Fourth Round (Part 2)
- The Scottish Fitba Weekender (30th January)
- The Scottish Fitba Weekender
Tags: Highland League, Match Day, Scottish Cup, SFL, SPL