Club 64/283 – Neilston

Match: Neilston v Bonnyton Thistle
Date: 24/09/2022
Venue: Brig O’Lea Stadium, Neilston
Competition: WOSFL Division 1
Entry Fee: £6
Travel: £5.10
Miles completed today: 14
Total miles remaining: 34274

I’m writing this at 20 past midnight on Sunday morning after watching Scotland defeat the Irish at Hampden Park. I’d planned a bit of a longer trip for this weekend but panic bought a Scotland ticket when a limited number went back on sale meaning my plans were all up in the air.
I love Hampden under the lights for nostalgic and aesthetic reasons but a later kick off also means you can head to a game beforehand and with Neilston being on the same train line as Hampden Park, we had a winner.
I did some digging and found that a young Dixie Deans played here before banging them in for Motherwell and Celtic – so did Peter Weir before a certain Sir Alex Ferguson took him to St Mirren and more famously, Aberdeen in the 80’s.
The club were part of the mass junior migration over to the WOSFL just a few years ago and they dropped the ‘junior’ part of their name as they became a senior side but this is nothing new for the village. Back in the late 1870/80’s another Neilston FC graced the senior game in scotland and competed in the Scottish Cup. The more things change, the more they stay the same! The current Neilston FC were formed in 1945 and are in no way connected with the team of the 1800’s.
What I did know is that Neilston are a good side. The standard in the West at the moment is ridiculously good and Neilston are one of the better teams of the second tier and that’s good enough for me.
Despite only living about 7 miles away, I’d never been to the village of Neilston! It was a little smaller than I had imagined and I’d liken it to some of the wee places I’ve encountered in the Highlands.

Preview

As I rack up the clubs visited and considering the games I go to that don’t end up on the blog it’s becoming a rarity that I’ve never seen either club play before but that was the case here. Now I’m going to make assumptions based on the opinions of people that know the west better than I do: Neilston are dark horses for the league and Bonnyton are set for a season of struggle.
That’s not my opinion of course, I’m on the fence until I see them play a couple of games but most believe that Neilston are favourites to pick up 3 points and McBookie did too.

Odds:
Neilston 1/4
Draw 6/1
Bonnyton Thistle 9/2

The Ground

Neilston isn’t a big place. It’s easy to find and on the villages main street but this was a rare occasion when google maps won’t actually take you to the ground itself. After getting off the train and walking the wrong way I noticed a red flag with the club badge flying proudly over what must be the ground.
I had a lovely offer from Kevin from the Neilston committee to come along early and get access to the pavillion for a look around and some photos but as my train into Glasgow was cancelled I had to pass on the opportunity as I’d get there with about 10 minutes till kick off and I don’t want to get in anybody’s way.
The Brig O’Lea Stadium is one of the quirkier names in Scottish football and the setup at this level varies so much but I’m happy to report that Neilston have an impressive home. Floodlights and large areas of cover can be a rarity in the Scottish non league but Neilston boast both and their stand especially is one that groundhoppers would queue up for a picture of.
I also noticed something so basic and simple but seldom used and definitely underappreciated – a large whiteboard with the team lineups on it. I’ve seen this only a handful of times on my travels and I find them incredibly handy. I also got a wee surprise when my usual order of a steak pie came in oval shape – lovely it was too.
What pleased me most of all was the amount of Scotland tops present among the healthy crowd. I’ve no idea whether these people come here every week or are local, maybe they do and maybe they are but I’m encouraged to see people taking advantage of the national teams evening kick off and supporting local fitba. It’s only £6 entry but that goes a lot further than most realise for these clubs.

The Game

My expectation of a dominant Neilston performance was a little off the mark as this was one of the most even games of football I’ve ever watched. The pitch here seems pretty tight and neither side were afforded much time on the ball. The aim for these sides seemed to be to get the ball out wide and deliver a quality ball which both did time and time again. Almost every ball that came into the box looked like it could end up in the net at both ends. I don’t understand how both sides could look so dangerous from attacking corners and so frail from defending them when it’s the same players!
Bonnyton had a game plan. They are a team with plenty of height and physicality – they’d be silly not to use it to their advantage.
Neilston on the other hand I would say they’re more of a ‘football team’ and are better on the ball but despite contrasting styles, the chances that both teams created throughout were almost identical.
My first compliment is for Hay in the Neilston goal who made a tremendous point blank save when a loose ball was blasted towards goal from close range after a Bonnyton corner but if this was a warning then Neilston didn’t read the signs. Shortly after Bonnyton took a surprise lead when a cross from the left found Campbell at the back post who volleyed the ball into the net from just a few yards out.
Neilston tried to respond immediately and a cracking ball from Smith on the right was defended well by O’Donnell managing to get down low and head the ball over his own crossbar – honestly this had banana skin written all over it, great defending. The subsequent corner however found its way into the net. Fletcher flicked his header goalwards and was turned into the net by a Bonnyton player. There were a lot of bodies in the way so I’m unsure which Bonnyton defender got the last touch but I’m not sure the lad will want the goal either.
The first half was a good watch. Two goals and two teams trying to outmuscle the other.
The second period was much the same but without as much goalmouth action but the chances missed were big ones! Bonnyton’s McDonald beat the offside trap (and I think he did despite some home protests) and found himself clean through on the right but the angle was too much and the shot tricked harmlessly wide.
At the other end Neilston right back Reilly put in a teasing cross just out of the goalkeepers reach and found Heggarty at the back post but his close range header was somehow past the post. I feel like this had to go and was a bit of a sitter but I’d also say the defender ‘did enough’ to put him off too.
The biggest chance came for Bonnyton as substitute O’Hare found himself with only the keeper to beat. I feel the referee made a good call earlier despite the home end disagreeing but this one was definitely offside. O’Hare rounded the keeper but could only hit the post with his close range shot. A let off in one sense, but justice done in another.
Honestly, you couldn’t have gotten a piece of paper between these two and a point a piece more than fair.
Full time: Neilston 1-1 Bonnyton Thistle

Summary

A big thumbs up for the Brig O’Lea. Neilston is easy to get to from Glasgow and a prime candidate for a visit if Scotland are playing as the train back will drop you just a short walk from Hampden Park. The result would’ve burst a few coupons but Bonnyton to their credit deserved a point and would’ve taken one before kick off as it’s their first of the season.
You can see Neilston’s quality, particularly out wide as both full backs are capable of putting in a mean ball but thee opportunity to get them forward were limited on this occasion. The Neilston players were clearly disappointed at the end of the game but this is one of the tightest leagues in Scotland and I can’t see any team going on huge unbeaten runs. They’ll all drop points so Neilston shouldn’t be too disheartened.
I gave you the time at the start of this article. It’s now 01:40 and I’m away to bed. Goodnight to all, but especially Jack Hendry and Ryan Christie.

Club 63/283 – Dunfermline Athletic

Match: Dunfermline Athletic v Falkirk
Date: 17/09/2022
Venue: East End Park, Dunfermline
Competition: SPFL League One
Entry Fee: £0
Travel: £12.90
Miles completed today: 88
Total miles remaining: 34288

And now for something completely different. It was the early rounds of the Scottish Cup over the weekend and there’s not a lot that can pull me away from that but I was presented with an offer I couldn’t refuse. I wouldn’t just be spectating this time, I’d be involved.
If I’m comfortable talking about anything, it’s football and I’d be given that chance standing in on co-commentary for ParsTV so this might be a wee bit of a different blog as I’m seeing things from another angle.
I’ll start in the normal way but talking a little about Scotland’s newest city. Dunfermline is a place of massive historical importance in Scottish history and was once the country’s capital city. Many of Scotland’s royals were buried in Dunfermline Abbey which still stands tall and proud overlooking the city with ‘King Robert the Bruce’ proclaimed in large stone made letters at the top. It’s also the birthplace of Andrew Carnegie and bands like Big Country and the Skids, it’s a great place to visit! If any Man United fans are looking for a Scottish club to support then Dunfermline are a good option as both Alex Ferguson and David Moyes were players many moons ago.
Now for the football. I had to arrive at the ground a lot earlier than normal and got there about 90 minutes before kick off. I was given a a stadium pass but as I wandered about opening gates and being pitchside I realised that nobody batted an eyelid and I could’ve been anybody!
I was well versed in the strengths and weaknesses of the teams. I like to back my football knowledge regardless but I spent the latter parts of my Friday night reading the match previews, watching highlights and jotting down some of my thoughts that I could use. It’s only fair that I come prepared.
I often talk about my respect for volunteers when I’m in the non league of Scotland but it’s prevalent here too. There’s some talented individuals behind ParsTV. They’re professional, keen and do it all for the love of the club. These people ARE Scottish football and should be recognised.

Preview

I wasn’t just lucky to be in the commentary box but the fixture was the perfect one to take in. I have a small list of fixtures I want to see and Dunfermline v Falkirk was on it. Now the game is fairly local but it’s not a derby. However, if you’d ask supporters of both teams who their biggest rival is the overwhelming majority would say each other. I know a lot of English read these posts so the best comparison I can give is to think of it as a Man u v Liverpool on a smaller scale – a real grudge match where two sets of supporters have very little time for the other.
You could argue that both clubs are too big to be playing in the third tier of Scottish football and have had a tough time of it lately.
Dunfermline had suffered the agony of relegation whilst Falkirk have been festering at this level for a while now but finally look like they have the squad and stability to challenge. The Pars find themselves top of the table and have only conceded one goal in the league so far under James McPake.
I was asked pre match to highlight 3 players I wanted to talk about fo the match build up and I’m rather pleased with my choices. As it’s Dunfermlines TV channel they know all about their own players so I was asked to pick 2 from the visitors. I went with Aidan Nesbitt and Callumn Morrison whilst singling out centre back Kyle Benedictus for the hosts. Now the game finished a 1-1 draw. Nesbitt assisted Morrison for the Falkirk opener whilst Benedictus equalised and was awarded the official MOTM. Not a bad effort eh? The TV team recognised my pre match predictions and asked for the lottery numbers. I always back myself with football opinions and sometimes get raised eyebrows so it’s nice to see some vindication here, maybe I’m not so mad afterall.

The Ground

East End Park is a ground that’d put many in the tiers above to shame. The stadium can hold around 11,500 spectators when full. There is a lot to like about it with all four stands in action. Falkirk sold around 2000 tickets whilst a total of 6670 were in attendance. The noisiest of these were situated in Dunfermlines ‘north west’ corner. It tends to be the younger guys with their drums but they were loud, so much so that I had to almost sit on the main commentator;s (Jordan’s) knee at times to hear what I was being asked.
The gantry is spacious and I had the freedom to chip in whenever I fancied and I was able just to speak my mind which was a real comfort. The Falkirk TV team had technical issues so we ended up providing audio for that too!
Dunfermline have incredible scran in the form of Stephen’s bakers on site. It’s a local bakery, pretty much a small scale Greggs and their steak bridies are renowned among locals and football fans alike.

The Game

I normally take small notes to remind myself what to write about but as I was busy talking through this one in real time I’m having to go on a rather shoddy memory.
I’d expected a low scoring affair and I thought we’d have a cagey 1-0 home win but that’s not how the game panned out.
In the first half Falkirk played their hosts off the park. Their shape and movement was exceptional and Dunfermline couldn’t live with them.
They’d passed up on a couple of big chances early on but this didn’t phase them and they got the goal they deserved. Despite all my research beforehand I hadn’t heard or seen much of their new signing Rumarn Burrell but he was devastating at times. Quick, strong, hard working and most importantly had an end product. Dunfermline hadn’t heeded the early warning and after a Falkirk counter from a Dunfermline corner they found themselves 1-0 ahead. Burrell ran the channel on the right, beat his man and found Aidan Nesbitt unmarked in the box. I’m still unsure whether Nesbitt has attempted a pass of mishit a shot but it mattered not as he found Callumn Morrison at the back post for essentially a tap in. As much as Falkirk were excellent and deserved their lead, Dunfermline were poor and they had to stay in the game until half time where they could regroup.
A game of two halves is a football clique but I can’t think of a better way of wording this game. Dunfermline changed to a flat back four and this allowed them a lot more control in the midfield. Suddenly they were the team in the ascendency and hit the frame of the goal 3 times throughout the course of the match. The equaliser came through a penalty as Todorov was brought down and the fans were surprised to see their centre half captain Kyle Benedictus step up. In fairness, great pen! He’s went high and fairly central and as his shot hit the back of the net there was a roar from the home end. The fans, who had boo’d the players off at half time were now right behind them as Dunfermline pushed for a winner and in contrast to the first half it was now Falkirk hanging on.
This was a great game for all involved. End to end, high pace and some good football at either and and whilst both will feel they could’ve won the game had they taken more opportunity of their dominance at different stages of the game a draw was indeed a fair result

Full time: Dunfermline Athletic 1-1 Falkirk

MOTM

I’m a big Kyle Benedictus fan and I had joked before the game that no matter what happens I’d pick him so imagine my delight when he scored the equaliser, cleared one off the line and was given the official MOTM which I feel justifies my choice. He’s set a GroundhopScot blog record as the first player to win a MOTM award twice as I’d picked him when Raith Rovers defeat Ayr at Somerset Park last season.
Despite being a new signing he’s earned enough respect and trust to be given the captaincy and as a true leader does, he took the responsibility on himself in a high pressure situation to step up for the penalty and ultimately earn his team a deserved point. I know a few Dunfermline fans who questioned the signing when he came in he’s won them over already – the man can defend.

Summary

Quality, easily one of my favourite trips so far. Being involved is more fun than just watching in my eyes so I was happy to be given a role to do and I hope I did it some justice. Commentary is harder than it looks and although I think I did ok I’m certainly not the best in the world. I got to stick around long enough to see the manager and players being interviewed up close and I was pretty happy that Pars boss James McPake’s post match thoughts on the game mirrored mine. I’d definitely do it again and if any other club want me in for the day then slide straight into my DM’s!
The game was fair and both teams will be content with a point. It keeps Dunfermline top of the table whilst Falkirk will be happy with arguably the most difficult game in the league away from home and they’ve played well and avoided defeat, Smiles all round I guess.
The last decade has been up and down for Dumfermline but I believe they have a good manager and a good squad even if they are probably light of one or two reinforcements – I fancy them for the title.

A wee special mention to Chris Mochrie too. He’s a highly rated Par on loan from Dundee United and he’d taken a wee bit of stick from the fans for not being in the game enough.
In the second half he ran the game and almost scored a magnificent solo goal beating 4 or 5 before his shot went agonisingly wide of the post. What a magnificent reaction and show of character from a young lad.
A massive thanks to Jordan and ParsTV for having me in, I had a blast.

Club 62/283 – Heart of Midlothian

Match: Heart of Midlothian v Istanbul Basaksehir
Date: 08/09/2022
Venue: Tynecastle Park, Edinburgh
Competition: Europa Conference League, Group Stage
Entry Fee: £38.50
Travel: £16.90
Miles completed today: 98
Total miles remaining: 34376

As soon as it looked like Hearts had third place sewn up last season, I had a European group stage fixture at Tynecastle earmarked and the day had finally come. Those of you who have followed the blog for a while will know how much time I spend in non league football in Scotland and I have no intention of getting round all 42 SPFL grounds any quicker than I complete the North Caley but having done most of the bigger ones I’ve never been to Tynecastle!
They need no introduction like I do with teams in the lower reaches because Hearts are massive and one of Scotland’s premier clubs. They’ve won the Scottish Cup more times than anyone outside of Glasgow and have the third largest crowds.
As always, I do a little reading and the Old Tolbooth in Edinburgh (which doubled up as a jail) plays a big part in the clubs identity (I love connections like these). Many public executions were carried out here and prisoners were often tortured. Since the buildings demolition over 200 years ago a small mosaic depicting the ‘heart of midlothian’ marks the old entrance to the building and that’s where the club takes its name.
In a strange twist of fate it’s actually considered good luck to spit on this as you walk by but I wonder how many Jambos would be comfortable doing this? Their Edinburgh rivals on the other hand? Probably less of a problem. Either way I felt it’d be right to nip along and see it before heading for the ground.

Preview

I stay neutral as much as possible but this is European football so I’m fully behind the Scottish team here. The opponents are Istanbul Basaksehir who will be no pushovers. I knew they’d won the Turkish league a couple of seasons previous and with a quick squint at their squad on wikipedia I was surprised to see names like Mesut Ozil, Lucas Biglia and Bertrand Traore and managed by none other than Emre Belozoglu (mind him?) who was actually banned from the touchline for this in bizarre circumstances.
This is game one of the group but the bigger picture is that it’s fantastic to see European group stage football for clubs outside the big two and a potential game changer financially. It’s unlikely Hearts will ever catch Celtic or Rangers but regular qualification here can take them way ahead of the rest of the league if they play their cards right – there’s literally everything to gain.
This will be tough for Hearts but this is Tynecastle and if Celtic & Rangers don’t get an easy ride here, why should Istanbul?

Odds:
Hearts 12/5
Draw 23/10
Istanbul 21/20

The Ground

I was seated in the newly refurbished main stand and Tynecastle looks incredible. Even from the outside this is one of the most modern stadia in Scotland. The QR code entry is a doddle and the walls are covered with paintings of kits and colours gone by as you walk up the stairs. I know it’s all new and shiny but it’s one of the best stands I’ve been in.
In every ground I can recall the rows are lettered but at Tynecastle it’s numbers and the stairs are incredibly steep! I even sacked going back down for a pie because I didn’t fancy walking up them again but the main stand does have a massive bonus ball – leather seats. I was in the back row where most people stand (there’s nobody behind you, why not) but I was more than happy to caress my cheeks with leather and I was not for moving.
I love how tight to the pitch the stands are. Tynecastle has gained a reputation for it’s hostility and away teams hate coming here. Players can hear every word from the stands with the crowd virtually on top of you.
Despite the rubbish kick off time (5:45) there’s over 15k in and not many Turks have made their way over. I’ve since seen Hearts supporters bemoan the atmosphere but in the lead up to kick off I thought it was good. A rendition of the ‘Hearts, Hearts, Glorious Hearts’ number which I maintain is one of the greatest football songs about as it’s catchy but also for it’s mental lyrics. “H-E-A, R-T-S, If you canny spell then here’s what is says” is as brilliant as it is baffling but there was a beautiful sight that’ll stay with me as thousands of maroon and white scarves were being swung above supporters heads. It goes without saying that this is one of the best grounds in Scotland but it absolutely is, what a place!

The Game

I thought Hearts started ok. Istanbul can circulate the ball well but I feel like their pressing left big spaces that Hearts didn’t exploit as they simply didn’t move the ball quick enough. I felt like there was a lack of belief from the players that they could actually get a result here but the signs were there and if that’s frustrated me it must’ve really frustrated the Hearts support.
On the rare occasion they passed the ball with a bit of conviction they almost always created a chance from it. Andy Halliday found himself clean through but the ball was stolen from him just before shooting (like his team mates he wanted far too long on the ball)
The game was a little end to end in the first half and Istanbul didn’t look any better than Hearts and almost had a goal as Peter Haring’s header was cleared off the line.
This was about as good as it got though as Haring failed to clear a ball in his own box (wanting too long on it, there’s a theme developing here) and the ball made it’s way out on the left hand side to Hasan Ali Kaldirim who blasted the ball in the opposite top corner. A great strike in fairness but completely avoidable.
The start of the second half was a strange experience as word has spread that the Queen had died. A minute silence prior to the second half (a first, and mental now I look back on it) was a shambles from every angle. The referee blew his whistle for the silence as different times, we had Hearts making subs, Craig Gordon walking away thinking the silence had ended and disruption from a minority of the crowd.
A group from the corner of the main stand burst into a rendition of God save the queen and Rule Britannia but both were met by a chorus of boos and abuse from the rest of the Hearts support which pretty much clamped the chants straight away.
Now the monarchy is an extremely divisive subject in Scotland but we’re now five minutes into the second half and the players need a lift and encouragement from a crowd who are at loggerheads with each other. It’s an utterly bizarre situation.
Anyway… Hearts defending at times was very poor and I couldn’t believe the space and time Istanbul players were being granted in dangerous areas. Bertrand Traore had one off the bar as he was allowed to run into the Hearts box unchallenged with their defence backing off so much they could’ve been sat in the stand.
Youssouf Ndayishimiye made it two with a header from a corner that was practically unopposed and again all too easy.
I really don’t want to continually slaughter the defending but whilst the third and fourth goals from Okaka and Ozcan were via deflections – both were completely avoidable. After an encouraging start this was a very flat performance from Hearts and the supporters who have left work early and forked out nearly £40 to be there deserved better.

Full time: Heart of Midlothian 0-4 Istanbul Basaksehir

MOTM

It’s a Scottish football blog so I’m going to pick a Hearts players and I feel like Cammy Devlin deserves a little recognition. He’s the only man in maroon that matched the tempo of their opponents winning tackles, moving the ball quickly and pressing intently. Sure, he’s not immune to an error either but the fans will accept that if they see the effort and he’s the only man to get pass marks from me on this occasion.

Summary

An extremely disappointing night. Whilst I’ve seen Hearts fans on Twitter complain about the lack of atmosphere I think this is a two way street and the players gave the support nothing to get excited about.
In typically Scottish fashion the narrative will be that Istanbul are too good and Hearts can’t compete but I don’t buy that for a second. The space and opportunities were there and Hearts didn’t take them, defended comically and the decision making on the ball was extremely poor. It was an abject performance and they wouldn’t have won this game against any other SPFL Premiership side playing like this.
Tynecastle and Edinburgh are both magnificent and whilst I’ve come on the wrong night I must reiterate that the support here is strong, the team are strong and they’re in the best place they’ve been for many a year and I shouldn’t let this experience dilute those facts.
I also learned that Hearts have a museum that can be viewed free of charge when it’s not a matchday and will inevitably return to see this when the opportunity arises.
Heart of Midlothian is a groundhoppers dream. For all that I mentioned above it shouldn’t be forgotten that Hearts are based in one of the most iconic cities in Europe and Tynecastle should be a footballing pilgrimage – you haven’t experienced Scottish football until you’ve been here.

On a slight downer that’s now 4 of the current Premiership sides I’ve seen at home for blog purposes and none have mustered a single goal.
That not depressing enough? 21 games I’ve seen Hearts play over the course of my life – 0 victories! I assume I won’t be welcome back for this reason alone.
The good news for Jambos is that I won’t make either of the home group games coming up meaning you’ve a much better chance of victory and I wish you all the very best. Mon the coefficient.