Last Saturday at the Bonnyrigg match Jim and I discussed the importance of todays clash between Bonnyrigg Rose and Albion Rovers and decided, despite Scotland playing today, we would go along to watch. Jim was driving and we agreed to meet at Drumbrae for the trip to Coatbridge. I had lunch at 12.00 and then left home at 12.30 to walk to Drumbrae for the 13.30 pickup. The journey to Coatbridge was uneventfull as we chatted, mostly about football, and listened to the build-up to the Scotland match on the radio. The big disappointment for me was that Scotland manager Steve Clarke had picked Angus Gunn of Norwich in goal in preference to Hearts Zander Clark. We arrived in a Coatbridge and there were no parking spaces in the road before the ground, however just after the ground Jim turned up a hill and found a parking space. We walked back to the ground and I paid by my £10 admission. The gatemen told us that the match programme was on sale in the club shop which was ‘up the stairs and t

  Friday night football at Meadowbank with FC Edinburgh at home to Queen of the South(QoS) in a League One fixture. I left home at 18.30 and walked down to Haymarket to catch a bus to the ground. I caught a 44 which seemed to be running early so I got off at Abbeyhill and walked the short distance to the ground arriving around 19.15. I saw there were queues in the FC Edinburgh shop in Dalziel Place and realised why when I arrived at Meadowbank seconds later. There was a queue from the one open turnstile down to the pavement and arching round the front of the stadium. Everyone so often a steward would walk down the queue say that you had to have a ticket to get in and tickets were available in the club shop. Thankfully I had bought my ticket on Fanbase in advance. After wasting five minutes of my life I finally got to the turnstile and had my ticket scanned and bought a £3 programme. My ticket was for a seat in the home stand just over the halfway line. As the weather forecast was for t

  Off to Ainslie Park tonight to watch Spartans play Stoneyburn in the East of Scotland Qualifying Cup. The tie was originally due to be played at Stoneyburn a fortnight ago but was called off as the pitch was waterlogged. The tie was then rescheduled for midweek but the pitch was still unplayable and the tie switched to Ainslie Park. I left home at around quarter past six and headed to Tollcross to catch a bus to Ainslie Park. A 27 arrived which was due to arrive at Ferry Road around nineteen fifteen  giving plenty time before the kick-off at a quarter to eight. Traffic was light and the busy was ahead of scheduled so I got off at Wardie and walked to Ainslie Park arriving around nineteen twenty. As a cup match my season ticket was not valid and I showed my electronic Fanbase ticket for entry. Due to the late change of venue no programmes were available but I picked up a team sheet in the cafe bar were I had a coffee and a pie to help cup out the cold. I went down to the pitch side ab

  Well today was the last day of the East of Scotland Ground-hop. This involves fans travelling to watch, normally six matches, in a three day trip. This year the trip involved games at Tynecastle, Dunbar, Haddington, Tranent, Musselburgh and today Penicuik. I missed out most of this matches havibg gone to Bonnyrigg yesterday but decided to head out to Penicuik today. I left home around 9.45 and walked to Newington where I had the chance of a 37 or a 47 out to Penicuik. Unfortunately the 37,which takes a magical mystery tour, came first. The journey took me through Loanhead and Roslin before I finally got off the bus at Tesco in Penicuik around 11.10. I walked to the ground from there and had a wander through St John’s Park where a Penicuik ladies side were playing a LTHV team on the Astro pitch. I watched for a few minutes before heading back to the ground. There were no concession tickets available today so it cost me £8 for entry and a further £2 for a programme. I in the ground met

Hearts were up at Aberdeen today and I did not fancy the journey so decided to head to Bonnyrigg today . Scotland were playing Italy at Murrayfield today so buses were diverted at Haymarket, I walked from Haymarket to West Maitland Street and caught a 3 to Minto Street. After a short wait the diverted 31 arrived and I took it on to Bonnyrigg. I normally get off the 31 before the traffic lights at Bonnyrigg Toll but d chided to take it on till the next stop which is outside the ground. Bad mistake as it took three attempts for the bus to get through the lights and people who had got off at the previous stop arrived at the grounds before me. I paid my £7 entry and purchased a programme for £2. I saw Jim standing at a barrier on the grassy slope so walked over to join him. He had been at  Tynecastle v Sauchie last night and with two sendings off and five goals it looked like I had missed a good game.  Bonnyrigg started todays game at the foot of League Two equal on points with Albion Rove

  I am heading to Ainslie Park tonight to watch Spartans v Stirling University in the Lowland league. Spartans are second in the league with the Uni fifth. However with Rangers B (first) and Celtic B (third) not eligible for promotion to the SPFL both Spartans and the Uni are in contention for a place in the play-offs, either as champions or highest place non-B team in the Lowland League. I left home at around 18.15 to catch the 18.35 27 bus at Tollcross. The bus arrived on time and was due to arrive near Ainslie Park at 19.15. However it was making good time and looked to arriving around ten minutes early so I got off the bus as Wardie and walked from there arriving at the ground around 19.20. I showed my season ticket for entry and bought a programme and a halftime raffle ticket. I saw Stuart who does the tannoy announcements on the balcony and went up for a chat with him.he gave me a team-sheet and also told me that Kevin Waugh was out of the Spartans team tonight due to injury. As

  Well here we are for the Scottish Cup quarter final tie v Celtic. Hearts lost 3-1 in the SPL to  Celtic on Wednesday but today is a cup-tie and at Tynecastle. Due to the game being live on  iapay, the former Premier Sports the kick was moved to 12.15. This is a ridiculous time to start for those wanting to watch the game live but fits in perfectly for a lunchtime TV audience.  I had an early lunch at 11.00 before leaving for Tynecastle. I left home at 11.20 and walked down to the ground arriving around 11.40. As season tickets were not valid I showed my online ticket for entry before heading up to my  season ticket seat. Hearts made three changes to the starting line-up from the match at Parkhead. Stephen Kingsley, Barrie McKay and Michael Smith, replaced Alan Forrest, Cammy Devlin and Nathaniel Atkinson who all featured on the bench. In addition to long-term absentees Craig Gordon, Craig Halkett, Liam Boyce, Pete Haring and Gary Mackay-Steven Hearts were also missing Lawrence Shankl

At last back at Tynecastle. Not seen a Hearts match since 3rd January and even missed the Scottish Cup win at Easter Road.I gave my ticket to Craig as he was unable to get one and he enjoyed the game. After lunch I left home around 13.50 and walked along the canal towards Ogilvie Terrace before wandering down towards Tynecastle, arriving around 14.25. I could have got there quicker on the direct route via Ardmillan but I thought I needed the exercise. I scanned my season ticket for entry and headed up to my seat in Section Q. I had a chat with a few people before the game kicked off and felt that it was great to be back. Hearts last match was a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Motherwell and Robbie  Wilson made a few changes to the starting line. Kye Rowles replaced Toby Sibbick in central, Jorge Grant, a sub for Cammy Devlin at Motherwell, started while Josh Ginnelly returned from suspension to replace Steve Humphrys. Zander Clark continued in goals against his former club. St Johnstone st

  I had hoped to have been at this match on 18th February. However New Dundas Park was waterlogged and the game was called off in mid-morning. The weather in Edinburgh was fine but with the Hearts B match at Rosewell, a couple of miles from Bonnyrigg, also called off the weather in Midlothian must have been poor. I knew Jim was going to the re-arranged fixture and when I met Alex for coffee last week he also said he was going along. I checked out the bus time tables and decided to aim to get the 18.26 bus from Haymarket. The journey to Bonnyrigg takes just over fifty minutes so I should be there in plenty time for the 19.45 kickoff. I arrived at the Haymarket bus stop where the destination board showed a bus to Ponton Mill, Bonnyrigg due in nine minutes. The board moved on to due and then suddenly the bus disappeared from the board with the next bus not due for another fifteen minutes. Thankfully the earlier bus must have been delayed in traffic and arrived around four minutes late. On