HibeeJibee

Tuesday 12th March (R1) Dunbar 1-0 Inverkeithing = Saturday 30th March 2024 Dunbar v Edinburgh Utd

Hampden 1921:

Some boys men: Wilfried Nathan Doualla: Cameroonian midfielder accused of age cheating - BBC Sport Cameroonian club Victoria United has defended Wilfried Nathan Doualla after the midfielder was accused of age cheating. The 17-year-old was a surprise inclusion in the Indomitable Lions squad for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. Doualla is among 62 players who have been suspended from the domestic league by Cameroon's football federation (Fecafoot) for double identification or age fraud. Doualla did not feature at this year's Nations Cup finals, where Cameroon were knocked out in the last 16 by eventual runners-up Nigeria. Yet, after being called up by then coach Rigobert Song, there was much comment on social media about whether Doualla was really a teenager when pictures of the player first surfaced. His inclusion in the squad in Ivory Coast could lead to the five-time African champions being banned from future tournaments if his registration is proved to have been falsified. Nations Cup regulations state that if a fraud or a forgery has been committed, the national association concerned will be suspended from participation in the following two editions of the continental showpiece. For any administrative error in the registration of players, the national association concerned will be suspended from the next edition, the rules add. Doualla and 61 other players - including six of his Victoria United team-mates - were disqualified from appearing in the Elite League's play-offs by Fecafoot until they can prove their identities. The move to clamp down on age cheating, or identity fraud, comes as the authority aims to eradicate the administrative issues blighting the domestic game in the country. Doualla is alleged to have previously played in the Cameroonian league using the name Alexandre Bardelli, with his registration stating he was over the age of 21. An investigation by French newspaper Le Monde, external unearthed the discrepancy ahead of the 2023 Nations Cup. Le Monde said it had asked Fecafoot to explain the irregularity before the squad set off for Ivory Coast, but that the body had declined to comment. This is the latest age-fraud scandal to hit the Central African nation after 21 members of their under-17s squad failed age tests in January last year. Those tests were ordered by Fecafoot president Samuel Eto'o. Meanwhile, 14 players were blocked from taking part in the Under-17 Nations Cup in Gabon in 2017 after they failed age tests and 44 players faced hearings over identity fraud in 2022.

Trying to 'persuade' Malaysia: Commonwealth Games: Malaysia says it has been offered £100m to help stage 2026 event - BBC Sport

Tuesday 12th March (R1) Dunbar v Inverkeithing Saturday 23rd March (R1) Livingston Utd v Hawick R2: Wednesday 27th March Newtongrange v Bo’ness Athletic Saturday 30th March 2024 Blackburn v Bathgate Dunbar/Inverkeithing v Edinburgh Utd Dunipace v Arniston Glenrothes v Harthill Haddington v Heriot-Watt Uni Hill of Beath v Thornton Jeanfield v Vale of Leithen Leith v Broxburn Lochore v Camelon Musselburgh v Sauchie Preston v Kinnoull Tynecastle v Crossgates Whitburn v Livingston Utd/Hawick Whitehill v Hutchison Vale Wednesday 3rd April St Andrews v Kirkcaldy & Dysart R3: Dunipace/Arniston v St Andrews/Kirkcaldy & Dysart Haddington/Heriot-Watt Uni v Dunbar Utd/Inverkeithing/Edinburgh Utd Leith/Broxburn v Glenrothes/Harthill Lochore/Camelon v Hill of Beath/Thornton Musselburgh/Sauchie v Blackburn/Bathgate Newtongrange/Bo’ness Athletic v Tynecastle/Crossgates Whitburn/Livingston Utd/Hawick v Jeanfield/Vale of Leithen Whitehill/Hutchison Vale v Preston/Kinnoull

Saturday 9th March (R2) Kirkcaldy & Dysart 1-3 Bo'ness Athletic (R2) Leith 3-0 Thornton (R2) Ormiston 2-0 Vale of Leithen (R2) Pumpherston 1-2 Newburgh Heriot-Watt Uni 3-0 Lochore Tuesday 19th March Camelon 5-0 Newburgh Leith 5-1 Arniston Wednesday 20th March Whitehill 5-0 Stoneyburn Saturday 30th March Ormiston v St Andrews Tuesday 2nd April (R4) Bo'ness Athletic v Leith (R4) Whitehill v Camelon Tuesday 16th April (R4) Heriot-Watt Uni v Armadale date tbc (R4) Ormiston/St Andrews v Newtongrange SFs: Heriot-Watt University/Armadale Thistle v Whitehill Welfare/Camelon Ormiston Primrose/St Andrews Utd/Newtongrange Star v Bo’ness Athletic/Leith Athletic

Arts body to review £85k funding for 'hardcore' sex project - BBC News Creative Scotland to review £85,000 funding grant for 'hardcore sex’ Scotland's cultural development body is reviewing a decision to provide nearly £85,000 of public money for an arts project involving "hardcore" sex performances. Director Leonie Rae Gasson secured the funding from Creative Scotland for the Rein development in January through the National Lottery Open Fund. The project's website describes it as a 45-minute art installation which pays those who take part a fee of £270 per day to take part in "non-simulated" sex, including "hardcore" acts. A recruitment advert for Rein states actors must be over the age of 18 and asks those with previous sex work experience - "particularly in porn contexts" - to apply while the project's website says it will take audiences on a "magical, erotic journey through a distinctly Scottish landscape". Creative Scotland initially told the Sunday Post, external they were "aware of concerns" and would now investigate the project. The project website adds that the event will end with a secret cave sex party and then describes several sexual terms that will be "exploding onto the screens". It also states that the project will be "exploring new approaches to intimacy coordination and non-simulated sex". The Scottish government said funding decisions were made independently by the arts body.

This is 'Murica... candidates already deceased at time of the vote are elected surprisingly often . Patsy Mink died of chickenpox complications in late Sep 2002 and got reelected to the House in early Nov! Hale Boggs and Nick Begich both died in the same plane crash in mid-Oct 1972 but successfully re-entered the House. Mel Carnahan's entire Senate career was posthumous. EDIT: More recently: Dennis Leroy Hof (October 14, 1946 – October 16, 2018) was an American brothel owner. He owned seven legal brothels in Nevada, most notably the Moonlite BunnyRanch. Hof was also a Republican candidate in 2018 for the Nevada Assembly, to which he was posthumously elected less than one month after his death. Hof died in his sleep at his Love Ranch South in Crystal, Nevada, on October 16, 2018, following a party for his 72nd birthday that had been attended by Joe Arpaio, Heidi Fleiss,[41] Grover Norquist, and Ron Jeremy, the last of whom found Hof unresponsive.[42] Police did not suspect foul play at the time of his death, and no one who was with him the night before noticed any signs of ill-health.[42] Hof's legislature campaign manager Chuck Muth said that Hof was "having the time of his life" that night.[42] It was concluded that he died from a heart attack caused by atherosclerosis and hypertensive heart disease[43]. His name remained on the ballot (with polling places posting public signage stating that Hof was deceased), and he posthumously won election to the seat over his Democratic opponent, Lesia Romanov, by a 68.3% to 31.7% margin; under Nevada state law, the seat was declared vacant.[32] David Dean Andahl[1] (October 30, 1964 – October 5, 2020) was an American politician, rancher, land developer and driver.[2] In the 2020 election, Andahl defeated longtime incumbent Jeff Delzer in the Republican primary for a seat in the North Dakota House of Representatives, but died a month before the November general election due to complications from COVID-19 during the COVID-19 pandemic in North Dakota, twenty-five days before his 56th birthday. Andahl remained on the ballot and was elected posthumously. Charles M. Turbiville (July 13, 1943 – October 20, 2018) was an American politician, Vietnam combat veteran and member of the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2005-2013 and 2017-2018, as well as the mayor of Deadwood, South Dakota. Turbiville served as mayor of Deadwood, South Dakota from 2013 until his death. He also served as a Republican member for the 31st district in the South Dakota House of Representatives from 2005 to 2013, and again starting from 2017 until his death on October 20, 2018. He died at his home in Deadwood, South Dakota.[3][4][5] He was reelected to his state house seat on November 6, two and a half weeks after his death, which will be filled by an appointee of the Governor of South Dakota.[6] Turbiville was interred at Black Hills National Cemetery.[1]

Only centre third of Brockville's upper main stand was seats; wings were benches, latterly with paint lines to mark individual places. It sat 1,700 in total (latterly: 3,000 when built). Rest was increasingly decrepit terrace.

East of Scotland Shield (sfha.org.uk) There are a couple of errors in this listing: Whitehill won in 1999-00 not Berwick (indeed Welfare beat them in SF then Livingston in Final) and 2018-19 got abandoned for national emergency (LTHV were not even involved) Cup itself is only inscribed from 1946-47, having been stolen and buried in an embankment during WWII... and has 2 wins for Eyemouth in late 1950s, as well as occasional discrepancies in years as simply given in form '2024':

Irish voters have - by thumping margins - rejected amendments to the Eire constitution, that would have removed references to marriage as the foundation of society, and to a woman's special place and care duties being in the home. Polls had predicted approval - but noted 1/3 undecided. Results: RTÉ News - Live Referendum Results - 39th Amendment - Constituency Breakdown (rte.ie) RTÉ News - Live Referendum Results - 40th Amendment - Constituency Breakdown (rte.ie) Dun Laoghaire alone were 'For' (fractionally). Nowhere was 'For'. Donegal was over 80% in favour of the traditional definitions in both areas. While this will partly reflect wider anti-politician sentiment - all major parties backed the vote which was deliberately held on International Women Day - and there were some rather technical arguments over defining "durable" or "strive" plus not specifying disabled care... British press assumptions in recent weeks both proposals would romp home always seemed simplistic. In recent years over a third of voters opposed gay marriage, legalising abortion, and even abolishing blasphemy laws. Three-quarters rejected allowing under 35s to stand for the Uachtaran. There is clearly a substantial vein of social conservatism in Ireland... if floating/alienated voters come down on the same side/abstain, any proposal can struggle for a majority. Interesting to see if either is retried with different wording.

Don't suppose you can experience 150,000 people together anywhere in Scotland today (let alone 230,000 like Boys Brigade Conventicle at Hampden in 1933!). Murrayfield holds 68,000... T-in-the-Park's biggest day (in 2009) was 85,000.

Updated state of play across southerly tier 6: East of Scotland League (30 games) South of Scotland League (22 games) West of Scotland League (30 games)

Broxburn rally from 0-2 down and could win title with a few furlongs spare at this rate. Everybody in bottom 5 is showing signs of life except Kinnoull though Glenrothes and Luncarty both also lost today having led (unsure about Crossgates).

Some big results up top as St Andrews take 6pts in a week. Dunipace edge Newtongrange while Camelon and Whitburn can only draw. Burnie flagging and Star need to finish with a run of wins now. Oakley improving but couldn't hold-out for 3pts today.

Not much happened in the last few weeks position-wise though Thornton thrashing Bo'ness Athletic at their own back yard in midweek was startling. Armadale find them and Edinburgh South immediately behind. Nobody at bottom making traction.

... which they promptly helped quench today in losing at home to Stoneyburn. Royals may yet get to join top 2 in title race while it looks like Pumpherston, Hawick and Stoneyburn will battle for 4th.

Now under 2 months left... Clyde still adrift - but have cut gap by 4pts. EK could win LL title as in as little as a fortnight. Brechin in HL driving seat; and Buckie also has a pair of Mondays on cards.

Crazy idea, with no apparent basis in sports medicine or science - but also drearily familiar in its protectionist implications, plus the clandestine way it's apparently been advanced. Unless some legislative slight-of-hand is involved I too don't see how the decision can be just for Premiership clubs? Division-specific matters like number of subs/loan windows/VAR weren't - while this has direct and significant implications for club finances/Championship promotion/etc.

Picking up on posts a couple of weeks ago about the state of the domestic club game... this weekend is Scottish Cup R1 (restricted to top 2 divisions these days), plus League Cup R1 (for tiers 3-5). Following a spate of withdrawals only 14 from 20 clubs actually entered the Scottish Cup, and 2 of those have now scratched their ties saying their can't raise a team; in the League Cup only 26 from 30 clubs actually entered, and 1 of those has now scratched. There were also a few league games cancelled earlier in the season when clubs couldn't raise enough players which used to be unheard of in the national tiers. It's not down to congested schedules - all divisions have been cut to 18 games, and there is no dropping from the cups into Shield / Bowl / Plate nowadays. Despite letting league meetings count as double-headers and attempts to play the remaining games in pre-season or Friday nights during Six Nations, the Border League has also been reduced to a familiar shambles, having 6 of 21 games now outstanding with no agreed dates. In the regional leagues - where majority of divisions have been cut to 14 or even 10 games - many clubs finished their seasons in January or February... seasons have become more like NFL than full-length campaigns. There seems to be a slow-burning crisis in adult participation which has eaten through 2nd XVs/etc. and now reached 1sts.

XL Bully put down after being restrained by police in Coatbridge - BBC News An XL bully-type dog has been put down following an incident in North Lanarkshire. Armed police were dispatched to Broughton Place in Coatbridge on Thursday amid reports the animal was out of control. No shots were fired, but the dog was put down by a vet after being restrained by officers. A 30-year-old woman was reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

Good as Mr Bates vsThe Post Office was I'd always pick Berwick-Gretna football over its sequel.

Ironically if they were prosecuted at the Court of Session in Edinburgh the judge, lawyers and senior court officials would likely have done the exact same themselves, and to John Knox no less.