Excelsior Stadium (Airdrie United v Greenock Morton)

Last night I took in another midweek Scottish Cup replay. This time it was off to the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie for Airdrie United v Greenock Morton. The game in Greenock last week had ended in a 2-2 draw. The Diamonds, playing in the Second Division, were two up against First Division side Morton but the Ton still managed to earn a replay. Although this replay must surely have been one of the biggest games of the season for Airdrie ,there was not much of an atmosphere. Only about 1,000 Morton and Airdrie fans showed up and neither set of fans made much noise.

The stadium does not ooze atmosphere anyway. Built in 1998, the 10,000 capacity ground does not have much character and looks very similar to grounds like New St Mirren Park. I had planned to visit the Excelsior Stadium two seasons ago but upon arrival at the ground the game against St Johnstone turned out to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. This should be a much rarer occurrence these days as a 3G artificial pitch was installed last summer. Although the drainage problems of the Airdrie ground were notorious it has made the park look even more 'plastic'.

I went to Airdrie by train, a 30-minute journey from the lower-level station at Glasgow Queen Street. This train goes all the way to Edinburgh nowadays, via Bathgate and Livingston. I did not have time to go to a pub before the game but there is a welcoming social club under the main stand. I ordered a pint of lager but the barrel had to be changed so I opted for a bottle of Miller instead. Later however the lady behind the bar came over to me with a pint, free of charge, because I 'had waited for so long,' which I thought was a very nice gesture.

After having downed my free pint quickly I made my way through the turnstiles. As mentioned before there was not much of a cup atmosphere and Morton were 1-0 up after less than 15 minutes. Somehow the First Division side took their foot of the gas a little and the 1-0 score at the interval flattered the Lanarkshire club. However somehow the Airdrie fans did not appreciate they were playing against a team from a higher division and their attitude toward their own team was very negative throughout the duration of the game. In the second half the Ton scored three goals in ten minutes and by the time Allan Jenkins scored 4-0 about half of the home crowd had already left. Two late Airdrie goals made the scoreline look more respectable but Morton had the last word when Carlo Monti scored 5-0 from the spot, after Eddie Forrest was sent off.

For more pictures of the Excelsior Stadium see this post.

Approaching Excelsior Stadium.


Memorabilia in the social club.


The Morton fans were housed in the East Stand.


The North Stand remained closed...


...as did the South Stand.


The Jack Dalziel Stand. By the time I took this picture many Airdrie fans had already left.


Airdrie's Eddie Forrest was sent off.


Airdrie's bench were not impressed with the straight red and penalty.

Carlo Monti scored the fifth Morton goal from the spot.


There are still 'Airdrieonians' bins inside the stadium. Airdrieonians FC folded at the end of the 2001/02 season, that saw them finish runners-up in the First Division behind Partick Thistle. A local business man bought Clydebank FC, relocated them to Airdrie and changed their name to Airdrie United. A year later a new Clydebank FC were founded. The 'new' Bankies play in the western region of the Scottish Juniors set-up.

Tuesday 25th January 2011
Scottish Cup 4th round replay (first game: 2-2)
Airdrie United 2 Greenock Morton 5
Ardrie: Mackay-Steven 77, Sally 80.
Morton: O'Brien 14, Jenkins 61, Graham 68, Jenkins 71, Monti 84 pen.
Att: 1,033

Excelsior Stadium (Airdrie United v Greenock Morton)

Last night I took in another midweek Scottish Cup replay. This time it was off to the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie for Airdrie United v Greenock Morton. The game in Greenock last week had ended in a 2-2 draw. The Diamonds, playing in the Second Division, were two up against First Division side Morton but the Ton still managed to earn a replay. Although this replay must surely have been one of the biggest games of the season for Airdrie ,there was not much of an atmosphere. Only about 1,000 Morton and Airdrie fans showed up and neither set of fans made much noise.

The stadium does not ooze atmosphere anyway. Built in 1998, the 10,000 capacity ground does not have much character and looks very similar to grounds like New St Mirren Park. I had planned to visit the Excelsior Stadium two seasons ago but upon arrival at the ground the game against St Johnstone turned out to be postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. This should be a much rarer occurrence these days as a 3G artificial pitch was installed last summer. Although the drainage problems of the Airdrie ground were notorious it has made the park look even more 'plastic'.

I went to Airdrie by train, a 30-minute journey from the lower-level station at Glasgow Queen Street. This train goes all the way to Edinburgh nowadays, via Bathgate and Livingston. I did not have time to go to a pub before the game but there is a welcoming social club under the main stand. I ordered a pint of lager but the barrel had to be changed so I opted for a bottle of Miller instead. Later however the lady behind the bar came over to me with a pint, free of charge, because I 'had waited for so long,' which I thought was a very nice gesture.

After having downed my free pint quickly I made my way through the turnstiles. As mentioned before there was not much of a cup atmosphere and Morton were 1-0 up after less than 15 minutes. Somehow the First Division side took their foot of the gas a little and the 1-0 score at the interval flattered the Lanarkshire club. However somehow the Airdrie fans did not appreciate they were playing against a team from a higher division and their attitude toward their own team was very negative throughout the duration of the game. In the second half the Ton scored three goals in ten minutes and by the time Allan Jenkins scored 4-0 about half of the home crowd had already left. Two late Airdrie goals made the scoreline look more respectable but Morton had the last word when Carlo Monti scored 5-0 from the spot, after Eddie Forrest was sent off.

For more pictures of the Excelsior Stadium see this post.

Approaching Excelsior Stadium.


Memorabilia in the social club.


The Morton fans were housed in the East Stand.


The North Stand remained closed...


...as did the South Stand.


The Jack Dalziel Stand. By the time I took this picture many Airdrie fans had already left.


Airdrie's Eddie Forrest was sent off.


Airdrie's bench were not impressed with the straight red and penalty.

Carlo Monti scored the fifth Morton goal from the spot.


There are still 'Airdrieonians' bins inside the stadium. Airdrieonians FC folded at the end of the 2001/02 season, that saw them finish runners-up in the First Division behind Partick Thistle. A local business man bought Clydebank FC, relocated them to Airdrie and changed their name to Airdrie United. A year later a new Clydebank FC were founded. The 'new' Bankies play in the western region of the Scottish Juniors set-up.

Tuesday 25th January 2011
Scottish Cup 4th round replay (first game: 2-2)
Airdrie United 2 Greenock Morton 5
Ardrie: Mackay-Steven 77, Sally 80.
Morton: O'Brien 14, Jenkins 61, Graham 68, Jenkins 71, Monti 84 pen.
Att: 1,033

Cappielow Park (Greenock Morton v St Mirren)

After last Saturday's trip to Peterhead I stayed a bit closer to home last Tuesday. I took the train to Greenock, for the second time that day as I work in Greenock, for the annual Renfrewshire Cup 'final' between Morton and St Mirren. At least the Ton went through an actual semi-final to reach it, thrashing amateurs Moorcroft 13-0. According to Morton chairman Rae Douglas in tonight's matchday programme the amateur team played 'well and competed well.' At least that's something I suppose.

Morton and St Mirren have enjoyed a longstanding rivalry for decades and it has remained strong despite both teams not having played in the same league for over a decade. This traditional pre-season 'friendly' is always fiercely contested and never meaningless to use a pre-season cliché. Saints were poor against last year's First Division strugglers but then again I do not think anyone has been expecting an easy 2010/11 season for the Buddies. The loan deal Celtic's Paul McGowan had signed shortly before the game at least was a bit of good news. The ex-Morton player came on as a replacement for Steven Robb eight minutes before time added a bit of spice to the occasion.

There were no goals during 90 minutes of regular time which is worrying for St Mirren as they still seem unable to find the net easily, even against opposition from the second tier. It also meant I would not be able to make my 9:31pm train back to Paisley. Expecting extra time I went to the snack van for a coffee, no pies in the away end unfortunately, just something resembling a hamburger. Then it turned out there was no extra time and the teams had already started taking penalties. When John Potter scored the deciding 4-3 for St Mirren I had lost count. As there was no extra time I could still make the 9:56pm train from Cartsdyke to Paisley. Both sets of fans were separated at the station to prevent a repeat of the ugly scenes seen in recent years.

For more pictures of Cappielow see this post.

Long queues at the turnstiles.


The Grandstand before kick-off.


The Cowshed before the start of the game.


Saints fans in the Wee Dublin End.


Quite amusing, thirteen-year-olds taunting other thirteen-year-olds: 'Fatty, gie's a wave!"

Will there be a fifth consecutive Renfrewshire Cup at the end of this rainbow?

Cappie the Cat's bizarre antics...I really had no idea what he was up to. Well-nourished cheerleaders in the background.

Saints won the penalty shoot-out.

The Cowshed after the game.

The Grandstand after the final whistle.

Fans were separated by the police at Cartsdyke station. Not much happened. Some Morton fan threw an egg...better than a brick I suppose, see this report from two years ago.

Tuesday 27th July 2010
Renfrewshire Cup Final
Greenock Morton 0 St Mirren 0 (after 90 minutes, St Mirren win 4-3 on penalties)
Penalties:
Morton: Holmes missed, Monty scored, Kelby missed, Tidser scored, Smyth scored
St Mirren: Higdon scored, Van Zanten missed, Brady scored, McGowan scored, Potter scored
Att: 3,422

Cappielow Park (Greenock Morton v St Mirren)

After last Saturday's trip to Peterhead I stayed a bit closer to home last Tuesday. I took the train to Greenock, for the second time that day as I work in Greenock, for the annual Renfrewshire Cup 'final' between Morton and St Mirren. At least the Ton went through an actual semi-final to reach it, thrashing amateurs Moorcroft 13-0. According to Morton chairman Rae Douglas in tonight's matchday programme the amateur team played 'well and competed well.' At least that's something I suppose.

Morton and St Mirren have enjoyed a longstanding rivalry for decades and it has remained strong despite both teams not having played in the same league for over a decade. This traditional pre-season 'friendly' is always fiercely contested and never meaningless to use a pre-season cliché. Saints were poor against last year's First Division strugglers but then again I do not think anyone has been expecting an easy 2010/11 season for the Buddies. The loan deal Celtic's Paul McGowan had signed shortly before the game at least was a bit of good news. The ex-Morton player came on as a replacement for Steven Robb eight minutes before time added a bit of spice to the occasion.

There were no goals during 90 minutes of regular time which is worrying for St Mirren as they still seem unable to find the net easily, even against opposition from the second tier. It also meant I would not be able to make my 9:31pm train back to Paisley. Expecting extra time I went to the snack van for a coffee, no pies in the away end unfortunately, just something resembling a hamburger. Then it turned out there was no extra time and the teams had already started taking penalties. When John Potter scored the deciding 4-3 for St Mirren I had lost count. As there was no extra time I could still make the 9:56pm train from Cartsdyke to Paisley. Both sets of fans were separated at the station to prevent a repeat of the ugly scenes seen in recent years.

For more pictures of Cappielow see this post.

Long queues at the turnstiles.


The Grandstand before kick-off.


The Cowshed before the start of the game.


Saints fans in the Wee Dublin End.


Quite amusing, thirteen-year-olds taunting other thirteen-year-olds: 'Fatty, gie's a wave!"

Will there be a fifth consecutive Renfrewshire Cup at the end of this rainbow?

Cappie the Cat's bizarre antics...I really had no idea what he was up to. Well-nourished cheerleaders in the background.

Saints won the penalty shoot-out.

The Cowshed after the game.

The Grandstand after the final whistle.

Fans were separated by the police at Cartsdyke station. Not much happened. Some Morton fan threw an egg...better than a brick I suppose, see this report from two years ago.

Tuesday 27th July 2010
Renfrewshire Cup Final
Greenock Morton 0 St Mirren 0 (after 90 minutes, St Mirren win 4-3 on penalties)
Penalties:
Morton: Holmes missed, Monty scored, Kelby missed, Tidser scored, Smyth scored
St Mirren: Higdon scored, Van Zanten missed, Brady scored, McGowan scored, Potter scored
Att: 3,422

Stark's Park (Raith Rovers v Greenock Morton)

Today I went to Kirkcaldy to pay my first ever visit to Stark's Park, the home of First Division side Raith Rovers, who were taking on Morton. The journey from Glasgow Queen Street to Kirkcaldy took about an hour and 20 minutes by train, changing at Edinburgh Haymarket. I arrived in the town with some time to spare and I had a couple of pre-match pints in the local JD Wetherspoon's, The Robert Nairn. From there it was a fifteen-minute walk to the ground.

Stark's Park is an unusual ground and not as modern-looking as I thought it would be. The Scottish Ground Guide gives an all-seater capacity of 10,104 (meeting the old SPL requirement of 10,000) however the Railway Stand has fallen into disrepair and apparently has no safety certificate and can therefore no longer be used. Even most of the seats have been removed now as you can see in the pictures. The two stands at both ends of the grounds are very modern and have a capacity of just over 3,000 each. The most interesting stand is the Main Stand which runs for less than half the length of the pitch but extends around the southeast corner of the ground. The total capacity now is about 8,100 (which meets the current SPL requirement of 6,000).

This was my second Morton game in five days after last Tuesday's cup game against Celtic. Today the men from Greenock were the deserved winners. Peter Weatherson (who else?) scored the two Morton goals. Kevin Smith's 79th minute penalty brought back the suspense and ensured an entertaining finale however Raith were not able to salvage a point.

First a couple of pre-match pints in The Robert Nairn in Kirk Wynd.

Approaching Stark's Park.

The facade of the Main Stand.

The North Stand housed the Morton fans. My seat was in the South Stand, which looks almost identical.

The Railway Stand is no longer in use. The stand does not have a safety certificate and most of the seats have been removed.

The Main Stand, which runs less than half the length of the pitch.

The South Stand.

Kevin Smith's penalty gave the Raith fans hope again.

The South Stand after the game.

Saturday 23rd January 2010
Scottish Football League First Division
Raith Rovers 1 Greenock Morton 2
Raith Rovers: Kevin Smith 79 pen.
Morton: Weatherson 33, 52.
Att: 1,702