Well, here we are for the deciding game of the Betfred Cup section. Hearts need to win to go through to the next round as group winners while a draw would take Dunfermline through as group winners. In the event of Peterhead winning at Elgin they would clinch second in group behind either Hearts or Dunfermline as group winners. Things were not looking good for Hearts as last seasons top-scorner Jamie Walker had been dropped from the squad. Jamie is out of contract at the end of the season and two bids for his services from Rangers have already been turned down by Hearts. Hearts management claim the Rangers interest has lead to “a little drop-off in his performance levels and his focus”. Again the match was played in front of three stands at Tynecastle. I was sitting in Section B Row  9 for the second match in a row. Before the kick-off I met both Pete and Colin, another ex-work colleague, and our optimism was not high after the Peterhead result. The game

Another game at Ainslie Park and again I walked to the ground. £12 for admission, as with the Berwick game, but I did not grudge paying so much as City were playing a Premier League side. Given this was likely to be City’s biggest game since they joined the SPFL I left early and walked to the ground arriving at about 7.20 for the 7.45 kick-off. Met Alex at the ground and we were later joined by Jim and Anton. I have known Alex for over 40 years since he was moved by RBS from Dumfries to the branch I worked at in Edinburgh, Drumsheugh. Alex is a Queen of the South fan but when Queens are not playing he goes to watching any game he can. He is also fanatical about railways and German football and takes rail holidays to watch games in Germany. Jim I have known for about two years and he is a former Meadowbank Thistle fan who now follows Inverness Caley Thistle. He also goes to other games when he cannot watch ICT and also goes to games all over the world.  Jim has written about his trav

At last a game at Tynecastle! With the new stand still under construction Hearts had decided that any early season Bet-Fred Cup or European matches would be played at Tynecastle in front of the three remaining stands. Due the the poor results at the end of last season European games would not be taking place but this was the first of two Bettered cup matches at home. As I have switched my season ticket to the new stand my own seat was not available. However season tickets are only valid for league matches and along with other season ticket holders I had to purchase a ticket for this game. I ended up in Section B, Row 9 of the Wheatfield stand. Row 9 is the bottom row of the top part of the stand and offers a good view of the pitch. The photo below shows the new main stand from where I was sitting. The Hearts team included two further new signings, Michael Smith and Kyle Lafferty, both Northern Ireland internationalists. Assistant head Coach, Austin McPhee, performs the sa

Edinburgh City joined the SPFL for season 2016/17 having come through the recently introduced pyramid system. Having won the Lowland League the previous season they faced play-off matches over two legs against firstly Highland League Champions Cove Rangers and then the SPFLs bottom team East Stirlingshire. Winning both ties gave City East Stirling’s place in the SPFL for the following season. After a nightmare start City found some form and ended the season  in 7th place in the 10 club league. For the new season City were forced to vacate their Meadowbank home which is in the course of being demolished and redeveloped by City of Edinburgh Council. City have entered a ground sharing agreement with Lowland League club, The Spartans and will now place their home matches on Spartans 3G pitch at Ainslie Park for a three year period until the work at Meadowbank is completed. City have signed  number of new players for their second season in the SPFL and are looking to improve their

It may only have been a pre-season friendly but I decided to make the effort to go as Natalie and I are heading to Tenerife next week for a fortnight on holiday and I would be unable to attend any of the other pre-season games. Previously I have gone to games at Livingston by train but given I can now travel free on buses across Scotland I decided to take the bus. It was some journey as after getting on the bus at Haymarket the route involved Ratho Station, Newbridge and Broxburn before a number of stops in Livingston and then the terminus at Almondvale a short walk from the ground. Going through Newbridge reminded me of when I sat my bank exams in the 1970’s. I failed my final exam (Foreign Business) because I did not attend night classes on a Wednesday night due to watching Hearts. The lure of games like Hearts v Locomtiv Lepzig beats the mysteries of ECGD and documentary credits any time.The tutor at these classes was manager of RBS Newbridge and he offered me and