MATCH 2084 - Wednesday 9 September 2026

SEASON 2026/27

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: McDIARDMID STADIUM

ST JOHNSTONE  0  CELTIC  1

Scorer:  Baur

Attendance: 9,879

An early goal in the second half from Celtic was enough to send the large away support, which packed into three of the McDiarmid stands, home happy.  

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• This was my 68th time attending this fixture - including 61 in the league
• It was my 18th match at McDiarmid Stadium since it was opened in 1989
• Overall this was the 70th time I've seen St John

MATCH 2083 - Wednesday 2 September 2026

SEASON 2026/27

SCOTTISH PREMIER LAGU

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  3  ABERDEEN  0

Scorers: Duran, Nygren, Yang

The first meeting of the season between these old foes and Celtic continue their good start to the season while Aberdeen, now managed by Stephen Robinson, have had an indifferent start to their campaign.

Three first half goals secured the 3 points for the home side.  Aberdeen to their credit tightened up in the second half to deny Celtic the same amount of scoring chances they enjoyed in the first 45 minutes.

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• Overall this was the 141st time attending this fixture since 1981 with 116 in the league
• This takes the total number of times I've seen Aberdeen to 143

MATCH 2082 - Saturday 29 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  2  FALKIRK  1

Scorers:  Duran(2); 

Two first half goals ultimately proved to be enough for Celtic to take the three points as Falkirk were only able to half the deficit in the second half.

I had a new seat and view for the day as my daughter had my seat.

The huge North Stand

Grand photo of the Main Stand (South Stand)

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• 42nd time seeing this fixture with 33 in the league
• Overall this was the 43rd time seeing Falkirk

MATCH 2081 - Thursday 27 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

Qualifying Round - 2nd Leg

Venue:  EASTER ROAD STADIUM

HIBERNIAN  2  GENT  3

Scorers:  Kerr, Passleck;  Vergara, Burgess, OG

Attendance:  18.997

View from the middle of the Pat Stanton Stand

This was a great chance to experience a full Easter Road and in the very impressive one tier Pat Stanton Stand to see if Hibs could qualify for the group stages of an UEFA competition for the first time.  

Their opponents were Belgium side, Gent who I saw back in 1984 against Celtic.

With less than 15 minutes to go Hibs took a 2-1 lead to send the crowd into dreamland and looked set to qualify as Gent rarely threatened in the second half except for one very dangerous corner kick.  So all Hibs needed to do was avoid concession of a corner however with just six minutes of normal time remaining they gave away a needless corner and all the fears were realised because this time the delivery was even better into the six-yard box and only required a neat glancing header to send the ball home which levelled the tie.  Hibs never recovered and conceded again in injury time to end their dreams.

Match report:  LINK

Personal note:

•  This was my 3rd time seeing Hibernian in UEFA competition and the 2nd time seeing Gent
• Overall this was my 216th UEFA tie including 42 not involving Celtic
• This was my 7th game I've seen in UEFA European competition involving clubs from Belgium

Hibs fans dreaming of more European trips

Unfortunately their dreams go up in smoke

MATCH 2080 - Wednesday 19 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

Qualifying Round 1st Leg

CELTIC  3  LASK  0

Scorers:  Nygren, Duran(2)

The scene is set.

As always with UEFA Champions League qualifiers at Celtic Park the atmosphere is a mixture of excitement and nervous tension.  Tonight was no different although the three goals from Celtic and two goals ruled off side for the Austrian champions helped to lift the tension slightly.

This was Celtic's first meeting with LASK Linz from the north of Austria close to the Czechia border in UEFA competition.

It has to be noted that the fans from Linz where a credit to their club supporting their players throughout despite a difficult night.

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• This 1st time seeing LASK.  Overall the 5th Austrian club I've seen.
• This was the 8th time seeing Celtic play Austrian opposition 

MATCH 2079 - Saturday 15 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP 2nd Round

Venue: TANNADICE PARK

DUNDEE UNITED  0  CELTIC  4

Scorers:  Trusty, Duran, Tounekti, Nygren

My 40th visit to Tannadice Park and the outcome is a little different to the 3-0 defeat for the away side back in May 1982.

Two goals in each half secured progression to the next round for Celtic.

Match report: LINK 

Personal note:

• My 40th visit to Tannadice - 38 involving Celtic
• This was the 9th time seeing this fixture in the Scottish League Cup
• Overall I have now seen the fixture 126 times 

MATCH 2078 - Wednesday 12 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

FRIENDLY

Venue:  CROKE PARK

MANCHESTER UNITED  1  LEEDS UNITED  1

Scorers: Zirkzee;  Aaronson

Attendance: 82,300

I travelled to Dublin purely to see a football match at the iconic Croke Park which traditionally is exclusive to GAA games of hurling and Gaelic football.

The chance to see it with Manchester United was too good an opportunity not to and it didn't disappoint.

Not much to look at outside ground but inside its presence is breathe taking.  It's a monster of a stadium, holding 82,000 which was full for this pre-season friendly between two of England's top clubs.

The 82,000 crowd mainly made up of Irish Man U fans but on every leg of my journey from Glasgow Airport on Wednesday morning to Dublin Airport on Thursday morning all I encountered were groups of Leeds fans heading to and from Ireland's capital.

The Leeds/Man Utd rivalry is one of the most fierce in football but there was absolutely no trouble as the game was played in a wonderfully friendly atmosphere.

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• My 10th match in Ireland in Dublin,(7) Cork, Dundalk, Derry
• My 87th time seeing Man United
• My 6th time seeing Leeds United

My pictures from Croke Park:

Leeds legend, Eddie Gray

My first view

MATCH 2077 - Monday 3 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

SCOTTISH PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue:  CELTIC PARK

CELTIC  1  DUNDEE  0

Scorer: Nygren

Celtic began their league campaign at home to  Dundee with the unusual kick off time of 7:30 on a Monday evening however it didn't stop a massive crowd turning out to see Celtic firstly, unfurl the league championship flag and then getting off to a winning start.  

The win was a narrow one but should have been more comfortable had the Celts not been as wasteful in front of goal.

Match report: LINK

Personal note: 

• 75th time attending this fixture

MATCH 2076 - Saturday 1 August 2026

SEASON 2026/27

SCOTTISH LEAGUE DIVISION 2

Venue:  MEADOWBANK STADIUM

EDINBURGH CITY  0  ELGIN CITY  5

Scorers: Murray, Hyde, OG, Girvan, MacIver

I finally see Elgin win a league game and in some style.   After nine years of going to Elgin matches in the lower tiers of Scottish League football to visit grounds that I hadn't managed to visit for a match, I returned to the revamped Meadowbank Stadium for the same fixture I attended in 2017.  

The new Meadowbank Stadium also known now as the Meadowbank Sports Centre is a huge downgrade on the original stadium that was built for the commonwealth games of 1970.  The replacement stand has just three rows running the length of the running track with a capacity of only 500.  On the plus side the plastic seats are quality, the best in the country and the standard gents toilets are the cleanest and best I've seen inside a football ground.

It was match day 1 of the new Scottish League season so it was a very good start for Elgin City.

Three row stand

Match report: LINK

Personal note:

• Third time seeing this fixture - all in the league and in Edinburgh
• The 9th time seeing Elgin in the league
• Overall this was the 3rd time seeing Edinburgh City and the 13th time seeing Elgin