It’s Sunday and another cup final. Today it is the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup between Linlithgow Rose and Gala Fairydean Rovers at the neutral Penicuik Park. The Qualifying Cup used to provide an opportunity for the finalists to compete for the East of Scotland Shield against  SPFL sides. Previously the shield was contested against Edinburgh City and. Berwick Rangers. With Berwick now in the Lowland League I assume that they will be replaced by SPFL newcomers  Bonnyrigg Rose. I left home at 12.10 to catch the 12.28 bus to Penicuik. However due to the Edinburgh Marathon today bus timetables were out of the window. As I crossed Lothian Road to the bus stop I saw a 47 to Penicuik coming up Lothian Road. I crossed to the bus stop and met Alan there. The 47 arrived after a couple of minutes and we got on for Penicuik. When we got into Lauriston Place we spotted another 47 just ahead of our bus. The two buses played leapfrog all the way to Penicuik and we arrived at the top for the gr

  Very few games locally today but I decided to head to Peffermill to watch Leith Athletic v Haddington Atletic. For a long time rhis looked like an East of Scotland Conference A title decider. However Leith have fallen away over the past few weeks and Haddington have clinched the league and promotion to the Premier Division next season. I left home around 13.30 to walk to Op Peffermill. After walking through Marchmont , Causewayside and Prestonfield I arrived at the ground at 14.35. After paying my £4 entry fee I headed to the perimeter fence opposite the dugouts where I met Alan. There were no programmes on sale today and Alan told me that the programme editor was ill and no programmes had been issued for recent games. Our peace was shattered after the arrival of a crowd of guys from Newmachar  United. With their season finished they had come down from Aberdeen for a weekend away and certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. They had brought a carry-out into the ground and cans wer

  Today is the first day of the playoffs for promotion the the Lowland League so I headed out to Tranent for their game against St. Cuthbert’s Wanderers. The okay-offs are between the winners of the East of Scotland Premier League, Tranent, the South of Scotland League, St Cuthbert Wanderers, and the West of Scotland Oremier League, Darvel. Each team has one gphome and won away match in the three team tournament. In the event of a drawn match penalties will decide the winners with a further point being awarded to the winners of the shoot-out. I walked down to Haymarket to catch the 13.00 104 bus to Tranent. When the bus got to Abbeyhill Alex got on and we were chatting till we got to Tranent. We got off in the High Street around 14.00 and Alex went to a cafe for lunch. I had eaten before I left home so decided to head for the ground where the gates were still shut. It was then I checked on Twitter and found out the kickoff was at 15.00. I decided to go for a walk and returned to the gr

  This is it, the big day, the Scottish Cup Final. The first thing peg I did after the semi-final win over Hibs was to book the Megabus for the final. I am booked on the 10.00 bus to Glasgow and 19.00 back home, in case of extra time and penalties delaying the end of the match. Woke up feeling a bit queasy (cup Final nerves  ?)  and decided to forgo breakfast before walking to the bus station in St Andrew’s Square. I arrived just as the 9.45 bus was leaving and waited until the 10.00 bus started loading at 9.55. I showed my booking confirmation and concession card to the driver and took a seat upstairs next to a window. My return trip cost me £1 in booking fees as the fare was covered by my concession card as it was a scheduled service. The journey out was slow with further pickups at Princes Street, Haymarket and Corstorphine meaning the bus was full by the time we got into the M8 at the Newbridge roundabout. There was one stop, at Harthill, where a few people got off before we hit Gl

  Liverpools game at Southampton is on Sky tonight but I always like to watch a live game where possible. There was a choice of Dalkeith v Craigroyston or Easthouses Lily v Stirling University locally. The two grounds are around a mile apart but I decided to head to the nearer venue for the Dalketh ground as it was likely to have more goals. After any early meal I walked down to Haymarket and caught a 3 bus out to Dalkeith arriving around 19.10 for the 19.30 kick-off. O walked through Kings Park towards the ground where there were a number of groups undertaking rugby training. From a distance it looked as if the main gates were closed and I thought I would have to wander round to the side entrance as had happened when I saw Edinburgh South here recently. However a couple of guys went in through the main gates which were merely ajar rather then closed. I paid my £4 entry charge with a £5 note and used the change for a half-time raffle draw ticket. Dalkeith do not issue programmes  and t

  Another game at Ainslie Park today, my  third-eighth of the season, with East Kilbride(EK) meeting Bo'ness United in the final of the Lowland League Cup. After lunch I left home at 13.30 to walk to the ground. After a pleasant stroll down the old railway path I arrived there around 14.35. No electronic tickets today but both cash and cards accepted at the turnstiles. The match programme was also available to purchase at the turnstiles. the ground was filling up nicely and I met Jim at the fence at the cafe end of the ground nd we stood there chatting until kick-off. As the teams came out to start the game we moved down to our normal viewing area on the embankment at the Pilton end of the ground.  I had seen both sides win against Spartans this thought and thought a close game was in prospect. EK were founder members of the Lowland league in 2013 title twice since them. and have won the the Lowland League Cup twice as well. his season they finished fourth in the final league table

  Last SP match of the season, at home with third playing second in a rehearsal for next weeks Scottish Cup final. With both sides secure in their league positions and Rangers also playing in the Europa League final. before next weeks final I am unsure how seriously both sides will take todays match. With the game being a 12.15 kickoff I was going to have a brunch a brunch before setting off to Tynecastle. The match was originally going to be shown live on Sky but as Celtic have already won the league Sky switched to cover their game. I had been out in the morning delivering James’ birthday card for tomorrow and got home about 11.15. Craig and family arrived at the same time as I did as they wanted to use my wi-fi to download apps to Harmoni’s new phone before heading to Tynecastle. I gave Craig wi-fi password before having a Cornish Pasty for the brunch. I left them with Natalie and Carlos around 11.30 to head to Tynecastle, arriving around 11.45. The ground was filling up but atmosph

  Today is a big day with Bonnyrigg v Cowdenbeath in the SPFL League Two playoff. If Bonnyrigg win over they will take Cowdenbeath place in League Two next season. The match was all-ticket with around 2200 tickets on sale. Jim was going to Bonnyrigg on Monday for his ticket and he also got mine which he gave me at Edinburgh City game on Tuesday. Hearts were playing Celtic at Parkhead today but I hate going there due to the restricted view from seats in a corner off the stadium and also the attitude of the home fans, police and stewards to those who travel to support their team. I watch the first half on Sky and then headed to Haymarket to catch a bus to Bonnyrigg. I met Alan at the bus stop and we boarded a 31 to head out to Bonnyrigg. Surprisingly the bus arrived early at 13.50. We got off and Alan headed to the pub as I went for a walk as I did not want to enter the ground too early. I walked for around fifteen minutes for heading back to the ground. I showed my ticket for entry and

  Off to Ainslie Park tonight for the League Two play-off semi-final between Edinburgh City and Dumbarton. Last time I went to a City match the direct bus journey took ages as due the closure of North Bridge traffic was being diverted onto the Mound and moving at a crawl. I decided tonight to take an alternate route and walked to Haymarket and down Orchard Brae. I could have continued to walk but I saw a bus coming down the Brae and jumped in that to the Crewe To,L roundabout. From there I walked along the old railway path to the ground arriving there at 19.10. There was a fast-track turnstile open for those with Fanbase tickets and I was in the ground in plants time for the 19,45 kick-off. I bought my £3 programme and then texted Jim who had just reached the ground. After he came through the turnstiles we moved to our usual viewing point on the grassy embankment at the Pilton end of the ground. A crowd of young Dumbarton fans with banners and drums arrived soon after. The stewards ini

  Well things had to change after fourteen goals so far in two matches this week. Today it was Hearts v Ross County in the SPL with Hearts having already secured third sport and County looking to move into fourth/fifth and a European place next season. I left home just after 14.00 and strolled down to Tynecastle. I had ordered my cup final ticket online yesterday for collection at Tynecastle but one look at the ticket office queue made me decide to come down again next week to collect it. I was at my seat by 14.30. To watch the teams warming up. For those of you wonerdering who was on the programme cover today was announcer Scott Wilson’s last day in the job. After twenty years. No longer will we hear ‘Come on Tynecastle let’s make some noise’.  Hearts had won at Dundee United last week but with a under strength side and while Andy Halliday and Steven Kingsley returned to the squad they were only considered fit enough for the substitutes bench.still suffering from injury problems.Micha

  Back to normality today after my trip to Manchester earlier this week. Tonight I decided to stay local with Tynecastle playing Hill of Beath Hawthorn (HoBH in the East of Scotland League at Meggetland. I left home at 18.45 for the short walk along the canal to Meggetland, arriving at 19.15. I showed my Fanbase electronic ticket for entry and spottted Jim and John on the tarracing opposite the main stand so walked over to join them. This was the first time I had seen Tynecastle this season. They share Meggetland with Boroughmuir Rugby and as a result the grass is longer than would be normally expected at a solely football stadium. This was a crucial match for both sides as they are still mathematically in danger of relegation the East of Scotland Premier League. HoBH are probably safe but Tynecastle need at least another three points to avoid relegation. The big thing I hate about going to watch Tynecastle the lack of information for fans. There are no programmes, team sheets or socia