The Scottish Football Adventure

Background Growing up, Ayr sounded like a magical faraway land I had only heard about in stories. Like most primary schools in Scotland, we had looked at and studied the poems of one of our country’s most famous sons; the Ayr born Rabbie Burns. His poems described his surroundings as whimsical, beautiful and in the…

Background It’s been a wee while since my last venture to a Scottish club other than Hibs. A mixture of season-ticket duty, a winter break to South Africa and increasing postgrad workloads have left my adventures a bit sparse of late. For the handful of you who read these on the regular, I can only…

Background This winter, I’ve been taking in a very different festive season. Instead of the usual miserable weather, slippy pavements and copious de-icing sessions, I’ve found myself in a genuine summer paradise. I’m very fortunate to be spending the Christmas period travelling around South Africa; my first time even stepping on the African continent. In…

Background I’ve travelled to East Lothian a few times now during my Scottish football quest. While I grew up a short distance away in Dalkeith, I have only begun to appreciate the wonderful landscapes, towns and people the county contains. If my visits to Tranent Juniors, Musselburgh Athletic, Preston Athletic and Haddington Athletic have taught…

Background The Scottish Premiership is on a break to make room for a weird winter edition of the World Cup.  There are plenty of benefits to a top-tier rest (one of which means I don’t have to suffer through another Hibs masterclass). Another is that it gives plenty of opportunities to find a lower-league gem.…

Background I’ve unbelievably never been to Linlithgow before this afternoon’s fitba adventure. The ancient old town plays an important role in Scotland’s historical landscape. A natural stop-off between Edinburgh and Stirling, Linlithgow has housed many a Scottish royal in the stunningly picturesque Linlithgow Palace. The palace was even the birthplace of James V and Mary…

Background It’s been a couple of weeks since my last venture to an unfamiliar ground. A mixture of season ticket duties, social visits and university placements has meant it has been difficult to organise a visit anywhere other than Easter Road. However, on a strangely mild November afternoon, normal service resumed. Today’s trip takes me…

Background Before today, I’d never been anywhere near Inverness. The furthest north I’d ever stretched to was Aberdeen; Pittodrie being the venue for a couple of Hibs away days. The north of Scotland has been consistently romanticised for its beauty and legendary myths. The chance to travel up had always evaded me, but thanks to…

Background Originally known as Cadzow, the town of Hamilton has a long history that has seen it become the eight biggest settlement in Scotland. William fitz Gilbert, a Scottish nobleman who was also governor of nearby Bothwell Castle ceded the protective structure to King Robert the Bruce after the Battle of Bannockburn. Gilbert had originally…

Background Musselburgh is a town I know well. Having grown up in nearby Dalkeith, The Honest Toun is somewhere I spent a lot of time in for a few different reasons. I failed (and passed at the second attempt) my driving test here, I have regularly walked the dogs in the lagoons and played many…