It’s Friday so it must be Ainslie Park. For a change not Edinburgh City but an East of Scotland League Cup tie between LTHV and Preston Athletic. After a meal if spaghetti boligniase I walked to Tollcross to catch a bus to the ground. I had already walked over eight miles so felt I was entitled to be lazy and get a bus. I got a 27 and got off at Morrisons in Ferry Road for the short walk down the hill to the ground. I had bought my £3 entry ticket on Fanbase and showed this for entry. Programmes are normally available for sale at the turnstiles but there were none showing so I assumed that none had been printed for this game. In the ground I met Jim and he told me that programmes had been printed but had not arrived yet although they were expected soon. We stayed at the fence near the turnstiles chatting and the programmes arrived about five minutes before the kickoff. We both bought one and returned to standing at the fence to watch the game. JAH, a former Meadowbank fan who now fol

  Another game for Hearts in their bid to clinch third spot in the SPL. After a couple of scotch pies for lunch I left to head to Tynecastle at just before 14.00. I had. Even out for a long walk in the morning but wanted to increase my daily mileage so I walked along the canal towpath to Ogilvie Terrace then down to Gorgie Road rather than taking the direct route vIa Ardmillan Terrace. I arrived at the stadium around 14.30 and used my season ticket for entry. I was tempted to get another pie and a coffee but decided to head to my seat to watch the teams warming up. Hearts made one change from the team that beat St.Mirren in the Cup last week. Aaron McEneff, the match winning substitute last week, came into the starting eleven to replace Ben Woodburn  who dropped to the bench. Josh Ginnelly and Alex Cochrane also returned to the bench following injury absences last week. Livingston we’re on their usual lines with ex-Hearts midfielder Jason Holt in midfield. Top scorer Bruce Anderson was

Another Friday night game at Ainslie Park with Edinburgh City hosting Stranraer in League Two. After having a chicken curry to keep me warm I walked to High Riggs to catch a 27 bus to Ferry Road. I arrived at around 19.15 and walked the short distance to the ground. after showing my Fanbase electronic ticket for entry I met Alan at the programme sellers stand. We had a quick chat as I purchased my £3 programme and then walked towards the stand. Alan was taking a seat in the stand while I walked to the grassy knoll beyond the stand where I met Jim. The gate money for this game was being donated by City to the Ukrainian Appeal Fund and we both agreed this was a good cause.  This has been a strange week for Edinburgh City with manager Gary Naysmith ‘relieved of his duties’ yesterday despite the club being in a playoff spot in fourth place of League Two. Assistant manager Brown Ferguson has also left due to ‘personal reasons’. I suspect that City have already have someone lined up for the

Second match of the day for me and one I was was really looking forward to as a night tonight would put Hearts into the Scottish Cup semi-finals. After a quick meal I was ready to leave at 19.00 for the 19.45 kick-off. Craig and hisf amilty were also going and parking in our residents car park. I met them and walked the shot distance to Fountainpark with them where they popped in for some food. I arrived at Tynecastle around 19.20 and showed my e-ticket at the turnstiles for entry. They ground was filling up nicely with a noisy St. Mirren support filling three top sections of the Roseburn stand. Unfortunately they had some-one there with a drum. I really think anyone who brings a drum to a football match should be banned for life. The match was live on BBC Scotland and this had the effect of restricting the attendance to 13,899 given Hearts season ticket holders had to pay for their ticket as the season ticket only covers SPL matches. Hearts had several injury problems for this match.

  The Scottish Cup quarter finals are being played today with Hearts meeting St Mirren at Tynecastle. The match is being televised on BBC Scotland and will not lick-off until 19.45 to fit in with the television schedules. Despite the disappointing result last week I decided to head out to Penicuik again for the East ofScotland League Cup match against Peebles Rovers. After an early lunch I left home at 12.30 and walked out to Minto Street where there is a choice of buses out to Penicuik. The 37 was due in three minutes while the 47 which takes a more direct route was not due foe twenty minutes. I decided to take the scenic route and caught the 37 which involved journeys through Loanhead and Roslin before arriving in Penicuik. I got off the bus at Tesco and walked the short distance to the ground from there. At the gate I showed my electronic Fanbase ticket for entry and purchased a £2 programme. I met my old work colleague John and we had a chat about football in general along with the

  I had been to see Hearts at Dundee United earlier this season and disc not fancy going there today again, especially as no loyalty points were being awarded as tickets could only be bought direct from Dundee United. I checked the local fixtures and decided to head to Penicuik to watch their EoS Premier Division clash with Blackburn United. I left home at 12.45 and walked to Newington where I would have a choice of two buses going Penicuik. I got to Newington around 13.15 just as a 37 was due. I should have known better but decided to get the 37 rather then wait ten minutes for a 47. The 47 goes direct out to Penicuik while the 37 diverts through Loanhead and Roslin before heading to Penicuik. As the 37 came out of Loanhead onto the Penicuik Road I checked my phone and saw that the 47 was already ahead of my bus. I arrived in Penicuik around 14.00 and got off at Tesco before walking to the ground arriving around 14.15 for the 14.30 kick-off. I showed my electronic Fanbase ticket for e

Hearts v Aberdeen at Tynecastle tonight in the SPL. I had been childminding and dog-sitting today but Claire’s final appointment cancelled. I was therefore able to head home at 16.00 rather than 17.00. With no time constraints I had a leisurely meal before head to the ground at 19.00. With. Covid passports no longer required there were no queues at the turnstiles and I was in my seat by 19.00 to watch the sides warming up. When the teams came back on for kick-off there was a minutes applause for former Hearts centre half Alan Anderson who died earlier this week aged 82. Anderson was one of my favourite players when I first started watching Hearts and scored a number of goals at a time when defenders were there to prevent, rather than score goals. I do wonder however how he would have favour in todays football where physical contact is frowned upon. I suspect that unless he changed his style he would spend half the season under suspension.  Hearts had won 2-0 against St Mirren in Paisle

Not much choice today for the game of the day in Edinburgh. I decided on Edinburgh University  v Bonnyrigg Rose at East Peffermill. Bonnyrigg need six points to win the Lowland League and gain a place in the playoffs. With the kickoff at 15.00 I decided to walk to Peffermill and left home at 13.30. I arrived at the ground around 14.35 and showed my Fanbase electronic ticket for entry. I also purchased a programme for £2 on entry. The cafe was still closed due to Covid restrictions but there was a catering van offering filled rolls and hot drinks. However there was a long queue so I took a position against the fence to watch the teams warming up.  The University are currently sixteenth on the Lowland League table. They have a fifteen and twenty one point lead over Gretna and Vale of Leithen below them and it would take an extraordinary sequence of results for them to be relegated. Despite their lowly position they have some excellent forwards in Patrick Baird, Innes Lawson and Ben Spelm