I saw a trip to Manchester for the Champions League semi final advertised on Facebook. £149 including ticket, bus travel and overnight b&b accommodation. There was a £15 supplement for a single room which I also paid. Pickup was at Hermiston Gait at 10.45 and I arrived there by tram just as the bus drew early at 10.30. The bus had picked up people in Dunfermline and we then went to Bathgate, Paisley, Glasgow and Hamilton before heading off to Manchester around 12.30. After an hours stop at Southwaite services we finally arrived at the Etihad stadium at 18.00. The bus park in a bus park near the stadium and we walked across a walkway towards the stadium. With the kickoff being at 20.00 there was time to spare and I had a walk round the stadium. There were food outlets, bars, musicians and interviews with players and former players going on and the outside area was buzzing. I decided to enter the ground around 19.00 although everyone entering was being electronically searched. I pass

  A nice sunny Sunday afternoon and what better way to spend it than watching football. I could have stayed home and watched on Sky but decided to head out to Dalkeith to watch Edinburgh South v Newburgh in the East of Scotland League. I walked down to Haymarket and caught a number 3 bus, arriving at around 14.10 ahead of the 14.30 kickoff. South ground-share with Dalkeith Thistle at Kings Park and while I have been there before to watch Thistle this was my first time to watch their tenants. I walked across Kings Park towards the ground to find the gates locked. I met the father of one of the Newburgh players who had walked round the ground and could not find an open entrance. We peered through the fence to see the players warming up and saw an open gate near the dressing rooms. We walked back to the main road and took a walk down a road on the right to find a car park which lead to an entrance to the ground. As I was walking through the car park I met a former work colleague, Martin.

  Today is the first leg of playoff between Lowland League champions Bonnyrigg and Highland League winners Fraserburgh. The playoff winners will meet SPFL bottom club Cowdenbeath with the winners of that tie being in the SPFL next season. I checked my bus app and saw there were buses to Bonnyrigg at 13.21 and 13.30 so walked down to Haymarket to catch the first one. When I got to the stop around 13.15 times showed 16 and 17 minutes before the next bus! I walked along to Princes Street and eventually got on a bus around 13.45. This bus switched places with the other all the way to Bonnyrigg and I finally arrived around 14.30. Jim had arrived before me and bought me a programme. Thankfully being an all-ticket match there was minimal queueing at the gate and I was in the ground by 14.40. I wandered across to the uncovered sunny side of the ground and met Jim ahead of the kick-off.  Bonnyrigg set up in their usual 3-5-2 formation. The biggest issue was up front with top scorer George Hunte

After a difficult weekend now back to a game. On Friday night I went to watch Leith Athletic but they were pkaying on a different Pitch so ended up watching an amateur game where the way side won 4-1. Woke up on Saturday morning all ready to go to the Scottottish  up semi-final with Hearts v Hibs. However was  feeling awful and ended up at home watching the game on TV. A 2-1 win for Hearts cheered me up. However I am all booked up for the Megabus to the final as on Saturday Megabus was fully booked days before the game. After an early meal I left home at 18.15 and walked to High Riggs to catch a 47 out to Penicuik. It arrived at 18,45 and I was in Penicuik by 19.10. Showed my Fanbase ticket at the turnstiles for entry and also bought the £2 double issue program e covering tonight’s match and Saturdays game against Dundonald. Give Oenicuik their due as the issue also included an insert covering Saturdays matches with updated league positions.  Tonight’s match was going to be interesting

  Another visit to Ainslie park tonight for Spartans v Bonnyrigg in the South of  Scotland Calling Cup semi-final. With the lighter night now coming in I was gong to walk to the ground. However after a slighly earlier meal the rain was pouring down outside and I decided it would be better to take a bus. I walked to Tollcross to catch a 27 at 18.45 but soon realised this was a bad move. The bus took around twenty minutes to get from Forrest Road to Hanover Street, a distance I could walk in around ten minutes. With temporary lights, heavy traffic, other buses being diverted onto this route and the road narrow approaching the High Street the journey was a nightmare. I texted Jim and said i was running late and could he get me a programme if there was one being issued. As you can see from the picture he obliged. I arrived a Morrisons at Ferry Road around 19.25 and walked down the hill to Ainslie Park. My season ticket was valid, season ticket holders only have to pay for Scottish Cup tis

The aperitif before the main course. The SPL derby against Hibs at Tynecastle today before the Scottish Cup semi-final between the two clubs at Hampden next Saturday. After a early lunch I left home at 13.30 to go for a walk before heading to Tynecastle via a walk along the canal. I had been out in the morning to Waverley Station to collect my train tickets for Hampden next week but felt zi needed some more exercise. I finally arrived at Tynecastle and used my season ticket for entry. With the easing of Covid restrictions there was no need to show vaccination status prior to entry. I had received the match programme by post this morning. There was an interesting article about Hearts American tour in 1971 where Eric Carruthers, like me an Oxgangs dweller, scored five goals in a friendly against Montreal Olympic. My best goal scoring performance ever was a double. I took my seat in the Main Stand and tried to get into the Futbology app to record my attendance. Both the 4G and Wi-Fi signa

  It’s Friday so it must be Ainslie Park again. Tonight fourth placed Edinburgh City take on newly crowned League Two champions Kelty Hearts. After an early meal I walked  to High Riggs to catch a 37 bus to Ainslie Park. I got to Ferry Road around 19.15 and started the short walk down to the ground. Unfortunately the two Kelty supporters buses has just arrived and their fans were also walking down the hill from Morrisons car park. I was caught up in the crowd but managed to get past them before entry to the ground. I showed my electronic ticket for entry and then bought two programmes as Jim was away to Italy to watch some Italian football. Alex arrived just before kickoff alongside a number of German fans who had to leave their beer cans at the entrance. Alex and I headed to the Pilton end on the grassy bank while the Germans took seats in the stand. City were without Michael Travis and Callum Crane who had both been sent off in their last match at Elgin. In addition Jack Brydon, Dann

  We now have another international break and Hearts are again sending players to play fir their country. Craig Gordon and Craig Halkett are away with the Scotland squad while Nat Atkinson is in the Australian squad. With no Hearts game I eventually decided to go and watch Spartans v Bo’ness United in the Lowland League Cup. I left home at 14.30 for a leisurely walk down the old railway path to Ainslie Park. The weather was great and I arrived at the ground after about an hours walking. I showed my season ticket for entry and purchased a £2 programme before meeeting Jim at the fence towards the cafe end of the ground.  Spartans had Alan Brown back in the side at centre half. Ryan Finnie has left to play in Australia so ‘Hovie’ has come back from injury in central defence. Upfront Cammy Russell was benched with Craig Brown, on loan from Montrose until the end of the season, filling his role on the left up front. Bo’ness are mid-table in the Lowland League but have some excellent players