Showing posts with label Greenock Morton FC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Greenock Morton FC. Show all posts

Monday, October 2, 2017

2 October 2010 - Just Imagine Where They'd Have Been Without It

On 2 October 2010, Dundee beat Greenock Morton 2-1 to start a club-record 23-game unbeaten streak. Which left them in the exact same spot in the table they were in when they started it.

It was the eighth matchday of the Scottish Division One season, which opened with Dundee in seventh place after an away loss to Cowdenbeath. They were hosting Morton at Dens Park, where a crowd of 4,068 turned up to see what turned out to be the start of a record run.

Dundee took the lead in the 25th minute after the referee called a handball on Morton and Matt Lockwood converted the ensuing penalty. They failed to hold it to the break, however, as Peter Weatherson drew the visitors level with a goal off a corner kick in the 41st minute. But Dundee pulled back ahead for good in the 57th minute with Colin McMenamin scoring the match winner.

They followed the result by going undefeated in their next 22 matches, with thirteen more wins and only nine draws. But remarkably, when that record string ended with a loss to Raith Rovers on 2 April 2011, Dundee were still in seventh place (and had even dropped down to 10th for a period of eight weeks in the middle of the streak). They finished the season in sixth.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

9 April 1922 - The Launch Of The Black Arrow

On 9 April 1922, forward Gil Heron, the first black footballer to play for Celtic, was born in Kingston, Jamaica.

Although he was born in Jamaica, he moved to Canada as a child and later enlisted in the Canadian Air Force and played football for their team. When his military service ended, he turned professional, starring for the Detroit Corinthians and the Detroit Wolverines. There, he caught the attention of a Celtic scout who invited him to Glasgow for a trial in 1951 then signed him to a contract later that year.

He made his debut in a Scottish League Cup match against Morton on 18 August, scoring a goal in the 2-0 win. But although gifted with pace that prompted supporters to nickname him "the Black Arrow," he struggled to handle the physical side of the Scottish game and stayed with Celtic for only one season, making a total of five appearances and scoring only one other goal.

Upon leaving Celtic in 1952, he spent a season with Third Lanark and one with Kidderminster Harriers before returning to Detroit. He continued to follow Celtic with interest until his death at the age of 86.

In addition to his milestone achievement with Celtic, Heron is also known as the father of celebrated musician and poet Gil Scott-Heron.


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

2 October 2010 - Just Imagine Where They'd Have Been Without It

On 2 October 2010, Dundee beat Greenock Morton 2-1 to start a club-record 23-game unbeaten streak. Which left them in the exact same spot in the table they were in when they started it.

It was the eighth matchday of the Scottish Division One season, which opened with Dundee in seventh place after an away loss to Cowdenbeath. They were hosting Morton at Dens Park, where a crowd of 4,068 turned up to see what turned out to be the start of a record run.

Dundee took the lead in the 25th minute after the referee called a handball on Morton and Matt Lockwood converted the ensuing penalty. They failed to hold it to the break, however, as Peter Weatherson drew the visitors level with a goal off a corner kick in the 41st minute. But Dundee pulled back ahead for good in the 57th minute with Colin McMenamin scoring the match winner.

They followed the result by going undefeated in their next 22 matches, with thirteen more wins and only nine draws. But remarkably, when that record string ended with a loss to Raith Rovers on 2 April 2011, Dundee were still in seventh place (and had even dropped down to 10th for a period of eight weeks in the middle of the streak). They finished the season in sixth.