105th and last match of 2019 for me today. Game was kicking off at 14.00 to allow time for Aberdeen fans to have a greater choice of trains home. With Haymarket station closed they would also have to go to Waverley to catch a train and the works at Haymarket may mean some cancellations. I started to watch the Celtic v Rangers match on TV and just as I was leaving Natalie switched the TV from satellite to internet to watch Amazon Prime. I heard the commentary stating Rangers had gone ahead but I never saw the goal as the screen was blank while switching to an internet connection. I left home at 13.10 and walked down to Tynecastle and got there about 13.25. After purchasing a coffee and a sausage roll I took my seat in the Main Stand. Hearts made a number of changes following the defeat by Hibs on Boxing Day Clevid Dikamona, Oliver Bozanic, Andy Irving and Euan Henderson all started. Christophe Berra and Logic Damour dropped to the bench with Aidy White and Jake Mulraney ommitte

I was not sure where to go today with Hearts not playing until tomorrow. My first thought was to go and watch Craigroyston as I have never been to a match at St. Marks Park. This game was called off yesterday as Craigroyston did not have sufficient available players. I then thought about going to Bonnyrigg Rose against Civil Service Strollers. Again the match was postponed, this time due to the home pitch being unplayable. I finally decided to head to Ainslie Park to watch the second and third teams in League Two in action, Edinburgh City v Cowdenbeath. I left home at 13.30 and walked to the ground arriving at 14.25. I paid my £5 entrance fee, discounted by 50% as a Hearts season ticket holder and paid £3 for an excellent programme. After having a coffee to warm up I met the two Johns and we took seat together in the back row of the stand.  City are having another good season and are currently second in the table behind leaders Cove Rangers. They have however hit a bit of an i

After two weeks in Cape Verde this is my first chance to watch Hearts under new manager Daniel Stendel. Stendel was recruited after a long process and was previously with Hanover and Barnsley. He seemed to do well with both sides, however he was relieved of his duties at Barnsley in October as the team struggled after promotion to the English Championship. Press comments said that Stendel was unhappy that the board did not back him to sign new players after promotion to replace stars who had moved elsewhere. After protracted negotiations he has joined Hearts but the side have now lost their first three games under his management and have slumped to the bottom of the SPL. A win today is therefore essential to boost confidence in the side. The match also had an important family connection as one of my grandsons, Harper, was a Hearts mascot today. We had bought him the experience as a joint birthday and Christmas present and, as a Hearts season ticket holder, will be over the moon.

Last match for me until Boxing Day tonight. as we are away on holiday for the next fortnight. This is a must win game for Heats who are in a pack of four clubs at the foot of the league table having recently been defeated at Kilmarnock 3-0 and Rangers 5-0. Interim boss Austin McPhee remains in charge although it looks likely that Daniel Stendel will be appointed shortly. He was previously manager at Barnsley but was 'relieved of his duties' earlier this season. Despite no longer being manager Barnsley are still paying him until the end of the season. The club are now demanding compensation from Hearts to release Stendel from a contract where he is no longer fulfilling his duties. We shall see what transpires there. I left the house at 18.45 and walked down to Tynecastle, arriving around fifteen minutes later to take my seat in the Main Stand to watch the teams arming up. It was a bit concerning to see Aaron Hickey leave the field during the warm-up however as he had been i

At last I am going to get a chance to go to a match at Linlithgow. Saturday's postponed Football Nation cup-tie against Whitehall Welfare has been re-arranged for tonight. I walked down to Haymarket and caught the 18.38 train to Linlithgow arriving at around 18.55. From the station it is around a fifteen minute walk to the ground as the weather was approaching freezing I walked briskly along the High Street and then turned left towards the ground. Paid my £7 entry fee and entered Prestonfield for the first time. Programmes are only issued for Scottish Cup games and there were no team sheets available that I could find. The ground is a tidy non-league venue with concrete standing areas on three sides and a small stand, the David Roy Stand, on the touchline on the far side of the ground as you enter. Toilets and dressing rooms are underneath the stand. The far end of the ground is a high grassy bank and must be a good viewpoint on sunny days. The picture on the left is taken fr