A number of good matches locally today but I finally decided to head to watch Penicuik at Montgomery Park. The ground and the surrounding public park has been renamed in honour of Adam Montgomery a local councillor who was instrumental in the revival of Penicuik Athletic in 2002 after shutting down in the late 1980s due to financial problems. With the match having a 14.30 kickoff I left home just after 12.30 as I wanted to have a walk to get some exercise before heading out to Penicuik. I arrived at the Bernard Terrace bus stop and saw that the next 47 was due in five minutes so I decided to walk to the next stop at Newington to catch it. I was around ten yards from the stop when the 47 passed. However I was lucky as passengers were getting off so I ran the last short distance before boarding the bus. I checked the bus app and saw it was due at the stop nearest the ground at13.38. This was slightly too early for me to enter the ground so I got off at Mauricewood and walked from there a

Off to Meadowbank to watch Edinburgh City v Ross County in the Scottish League Cup. After having a meal I wandered down to Haymarket and caught a 44 bus towards Meadowbank. I was a bit early and got off the bus at Abbeyhill and walked the rest of the way arriving at around 19.10 for the 19.45. The queue at the turnstile stretched from the entrance and then round the corner towards the main public entrance to the sports centre. I read later on Twitter that there was a problem with the turnstiles and the club expected queues before entry. By the time I reached the walkway to the turnstiles a second turnstile had been opened and people walking down towards Meadowbank were joining that queue while earlier arrivals could not even see the turnstiles. AsI was approaching the turnstiles a side gate was opened manned by a steward with a scanner to check electronic tickets as City no longer accept cash for tickets/entry. The steward scanned my Fanbase ticket and waved me through. No paper progra

  I am heading to Christie Gilles Park tonight to watch Civil Service Strollers(CSS) in the Lowland. Both sides recorded victories in their opening matches and I am looking forward to a good game. I had an early meal and left home at around 18.15 to walk to Tollcross to catch a bus to the ground. As I was walking along Lochranza Place I saw a 27 going down Home Street, I had no chance of catching it but when I arrived at Home StreetI I saw a 16 was due in three minutes. The 16 takes a long route to Pennywell and it was around 19.15 when I arrived. I walked down to the ground,  alongside World of Soccer. I showed my Fanbase ticket for entry and purchased on of the last three programmes available for £3. Some people were complaint online that the content did nor merit £3. However I would commend CSS for issuing a programme when so many clubs in higher leagues in the pyramid have no longer print programmes. I hung about near the gates as Grant, another ex-RBS colleague, had said he was go

  A full Lowland League programme today and with Hearts not starting their competitive fixtures I decided to go to Peffermill to watch Edinburgh University at home to Civil Service Strollers. With the weather being fine I decided to walk to the ground and left around 13.40 to give me plenty time. I arrived at the ground around 14.40 and paid my £5 admission charge. The Uni no longer do programmmes by a four page fold over team sheet was available in the cafe.I was tempted to have a coffee and some of the delicious looking cakes available but after walking to the ground for exercise decided that cake and coffee was not a good idea.I took a seat in the stand and then saw Graham and his brother in law outside the stand area. I wandered across to chat to them and they asked about team sheets. They went into the cafe and returned to sit with me in the stand. After twenty three years with Edinburgh University FC Dorian Ogurno left the club at the end of last season. He had been a player, coa

First fixture of the seaonfor Hearts B in the Lowland League tonight. Rangers B have withdrawn from  the Lowland League and intend playing friendlier against English and continental sides in the same age level. While I do not like, in principle, B teams playing in senior leagues it does expose the players to playing against older more experienced opponents. Looking at Hearts last season they started the season purely but as the team became more used to both the higher standard and physicality of their opponents results improved as the season progressed. Hearts played their B matches at Whitehall welfare's Ferguson Park last season but have now reached agreement with Spartans to use Ainslie Park for these matches on a Friday night This means that Hutcheson Vale (previously Lothian Thistle Hutcheson Vale ) now have to share Saturday fixtures wth Spartans. I left home around 18.30 and caught a 22 bus to Cameron Toll and then walked to Ainslie Park arriving about 19.15. Entry to the gr

  After the disappointment of the match at Murrayfield this afternoon I headed home for something to eat. After I had eaten I headed off to  Meadowbank  as I had bought a ticket for tonight’s match between Edinburgh City and Kelty Hearts. I walked down to Princes Street and caught a 44 bus. I got off at Abbeyhill as I thought I was a bit early and then walked to Meadowbank p, arriving at the turnstiles around 17.15 for the 17.45 kickoff. My Fanbase electronic ticket was scanned for entry. No paper programmes were available at the ground as City decided to move to electronic versions, a.copy of the digital cover is attached. However paper versions can be purchased through the Bathgate Programme Shop. I had been in contact with Alex during the week and he had kept me a seat in the stand alongside himself, Jimmy and Graham. It seemed like a good decision for City to play tonight as the crowd was boosted by a number of fans who had travelled to watch Manchester Utd. earlier today. This was

  I must be off my head ! When this friendly match was announced and being held at Murrayfield I bought a ticket. Ticket including booking fees cost £49.10, including booking fees, for a pre-season friendly. I just hoped both sides field decent strength teams. I left home at 12.40 to walk to Murrayfield for the 14.00 kickoff. I am glad I left early as there were queues at the turnstiles when I arrived. Tickets for the match could only be obtained through Ticketmaster and were electronic. For some reason electronic tickets could be downloaded to the wallet in Android phones but not to IPhones. iPhone users had to download the Ticketmaster app to access tickets to scan at the turnstile. On arrival at Murrayfield I and many other users were unable to access tickets through the app. I was sent to the ticket office and after a wait was seen and an assistant set me up to access the app after photoing a scan onto my phone. It was then back into the turnstile queues for my ticket to be scanned

  I was not sure where to go tonight and Bonnyrigg v Dundee seemed to be an interesting game. However after Spartans victory over Dundee. United on Saturday I decided to head to Ainslie Park for their second League Cup tie against Falkirk where a victory could almost guarantee a place for Spartans in the knockout stages. I know the competition is now called the Viaplay Cup after the sponsors but to me it was, and always will be,the Scottish League Cup . With recent changes to bus routes the 22 now goes along the West Approach Road down Orchard Brae to Crewe Toll. I caught a 22 at 18.35 and after a short walk from Crewe Toll arrived at Ainslie Park around 19.25. I showed my electronic Fanbase ticket for entry and did not get a programme as Saturdays issue for the Dundee United game was a double issue also covering tonight’s match. I went to the cafe bar for a coffee and a sausage roll before heading down pitch side to find a seat in the stand. Both Alex and Jim were at other matches ton

  So here it is the first competitive game for season 2023/24 and also Spartans first ever match as an sOFL dive following their playoff win against Albion Rovers last season. Last season I has a Spartans season ticket in addition to my Hearts season but was unsure how many Spartans games I would get to this season. I decided not to get a Spartans season and bought a ticket for today through Fanbase at a cost of £10 against last seasons £7 for the Lowland League.  I left home around 13.35 to walk to Ainslie Park. As the forecast suggested thunderstorms this afternoon I walked down the road rather than the railway path as it would be easier to catch a bus if the predicted rain started. I arrived ar Ainslie Park around 14.40 and showed my electronic Fanbase ticket for entry. None of my friends were at the cafe end and I wandered down to the Pilton end and stood on the grassy mound where Jim and Martin arrived about five minutes later. The new stand which was completed last year was close

  First Hearts game of the season today for me with a friendly away at Dunfermline Athletic. Normally I would take the train to Dunfermline but as Have a free bus pass I thoughtI would use it and save the £7.10 train fare. Every little helps in a cost of living crisis ! I checked the bus times and decided to go for the 12.40 departure from St Andrew Square bus station. I left home around 11.45 to walk to the bus station. I arrived around 12.20 to find there was a delay with the 12.40 departure which final arrived in the bus station around 12.50. There was a quick turnaround with passengers getting off quickly as boarding commenced. The bus out via Princes Street and Queensferry and then out past the Miller and Carter at Cramond and on to the ‘old’ Forth Road bridge. The old bridge is now for buses only with other traffic using the Queen Margaret crossing. After coming off the bridge it was the Inverkeithing Ferry Toll before Rosyth and then into Dunfermline. We arrived just in 14.00 an

  Still pre-season and a number of friendly fixtures today. I could have to watch Spartans v Brora or Penicuik v Arthurlie but decided to be adventurous and headed out to Gorebridge to watch Arniston Rangers v Tynecastle at Newbyres Park. I checked the bus app and found a 29 went to Gorebridge. For the 14.30 kickoff I left home at 12.45 and walked to Newington to catch a.29. The bus was delayed and arrived at around 13.35 and headed toward Gorebridge through Bonnyrigg, Dalkeith, Newtongrange and Arniston before arriving in Gorebridge. I had know idea where the ground was but had seen a picture of Newbyres Park with a church in the background. I saw a church coming up and looked across the road to see the ground. I got off the bus around 14.15 and crossed over to the ground. Entry was through the car-park and then through the gates. Entry was by donation today and I put £4 in the bucket for entry. The ground itself is a compact facility with concrete terracing of about five rows at the

  . I found it difficult today as I headed off to Meadowbank to watch Edinburgh City play a friendly against Hibs. You will note I have said Edinburgh City rather than FC Edinburgh. The new owner John Dickson  has received permission from the SFA for the club to revert to its previous name. I don’t know what has happened to the supposed legal issues with the Edinburgh City social club at Restalrig but I think a number of long-standing City fans are happy with the change. I left home around 13.30 to walk to Meadowbank. Rather than go via Holyrood Park I took the direct route along Princes Street then down to London Road and on to Meadowbank. I arrived just after 14.30 and had to join a queue for entry. Thankfully three turnstiles were open and the queue moved quite quickly. I had my Fanbase ticket scanned and entered the stadium’. There were no programmes available which surprised me but I managed to get a copy of a team-sheet. I was in seat 477 of the 499 seater stand and was unfortuna