Hey, Mom! The Explanation.

Here's the permanent dedicated link to my first Hey, Mom! post and the explanation of the feature it contains.

Also,

Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts

Monday, August 3, 2026

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4186 - ETHER - Mogwai - SoD Reprint from 2019 - Music Monday


A Sense of Doubt blog post #4186 - ETHER - Mogwai - SoD Reprint from 2019 - Music Monday

Okay, I lied.

I need one more day of Blog Vacation as the mix I was working on is not ready yet.

And this popped up in my queue and deserved a reprint for emphasis. In fact, this one should be reprinted frequently as I always played it before one class (sometimes two) every quarter.

This song and video are both extraordinary because Mogwai is extraordinary.

Thanks for tuning in.



LOW POWER MODE: I sometimes put the blog in what I call LOW POWER MODE. If you see this note, the blog is operating like a sleeping computer, maintaining static memory, but making no new computations. If I am in low power mode, it's because I do not have time to do much that's inventive, original, or even substantive on the blog. This means I am posting straight shares, limited content posts, reprints, often something qualifying for the THAT ONE THING category and other easy to make posts to keep me daily. That's the deal. Thanks for reading.

BLOG VACATION #1 - 2026 - Taking a blog vacation for a couple of weeks, until at least June 26th, 2026. But now that it's past June 26, I am not sure when I am resuming normal operations. Mostly reprints. A few simple shares (not that simple shares are out of the norm) and THAT ONE THING. Need time for other things.

Link to the original post I am reprinting below:

Monday, March 25, 2019


A Sense of Doubt blog post #1495 - Ether - Mogwai - Musical Monday for 1903.25

Still in low power mode.

Since 2017 when I discovered it, one of my favorite songs and one that I repeat all the time is "Ether" by Mogwai.

I did not realize that Mogwai was a Scottish band, but that does not surprise me. Because, you know, SCOTTISH.

Mogwai was one of those bands I had not explored very much. Well no more.

Here begins the exploration of more Mogwai.

Follow me as I walk into the dark mirkwood.











https://www.clashmusic.com/videos/mogwai-ether

Mogwai - 'Ether'

Pieced together by Mark Cousin...
ROBIN MURRAY 

VIDEOS

01 · 03 · 2016


Mogwai are set to release new album 'Atomic' on April 1st, an album featuring re-worked versions of material recorded as the soundtrack for Mark Cousin's documentary Atomic: Living In Dread And Promise.
Ahead of this, the Scottish post-rock group have unveiled the clip for new cut 'Ether'. The track itself has a glistening, Krautrock feel, akin to Neu! or even the second side of Bowie's 'Low'.
The accompanying video is a montage of archive film, pieced together by Mark Cousin. Mogwai’s Stuart Braithwaite says:
“Mark’s film captures both the horror and beauty of the atomic age. Ever since we went to Hiroshima this has been a subject very close to us. Ether is the first song on the album and soundtracks the opening and most optimistic part of the film. We tried to mirror that with the music. The soundtrack is one of the most intense and fulfilling projects we've taken on as a band, and one that I’m extremely proud of.”
Watch it now.







https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mogwai

Mogwai (/ˈmɒɡwaɪ/) are a Scottish post-rock band, formed in 1995 in Glasgow. The band consists of Stuart Braithwaite (guitar, vocals), Barry Burns (guitar, piano, synthesizer, vocals), Dominic Aitchison (bass guitar), and Martin Bulloch (drums). The band typically compose lengthy guitar-based instrumental pieces that feature dynamic contrast, melodic bass guitar lines, and heavy use of distortion and effects.
The band were for several years signed to Glasgow label Chemikal Underground, and have been distributed by different labels such as Matador in the US and Play It Again Sam in the UK, but now use their own label Rock Action Records in the UK, and Sub Pop in North America. The band were frequently championed by John Peel from their early days,[1] and recorded seven Peel Sessions between 1996 and 2004.[2] Peel also recorded a brief introduction for the compilation Government Commissions: BBC Sessions 1996–2003.[3]

Contents




Discography[edit]

Main article: Mogwai discography





I think most people are not used to having no lyrics to focus on. Lyrics are a real comfort to some people. I guess they like to sing along and when they can't do that with us they can get a bit upset.
— Stuart Braithwaite, The Express[53]

Band members[edit]

Current
Former
Occasional contributor and touring members
  • Alex Mackay – guitar, keyboards, percussion (touring member: 2016–present)
  • Luke Sutherland – violin, guitar, vocals, percussion (1998–2016)
  • James Hamilton – drums (touring replacement for Martin Bulloch: 2011–2013)
  • Scott Patterson – guitar (touring replacement for John Cummings: 2015)
  • Cat Myers – drums (touring replacement for Martin Bulloch: 2017–2018)[54]

Timeline[edit]








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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 1903.25 - 10:10
- Days ago = 1360 days ago
- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I plan to continue Hey Mom posts at least twice per week but will continue to post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2608.03 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 4050 days ago & DAD = 704 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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Friday, May 15, 2026

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4106 - Hearts v. Celtic - Can Hearts win the Scottish Premiership?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Midlothian_(Royal_Mile)

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4106 - Hearts v. Celtic - Can Hearts win the Scottish Premiership?

I know I just posted about Hearts last week:

Tuesday, May 5, 2026

But this title race is so exciting, I just have to post again, especially since this article explains a lot more of the history and the reason for the recent surge of Heart of Midlothian FC.


The game starts at 4:30 a.m. my time tomorrow morning and is on CBS+ and Paramount+.

It will likely be over by time I get up for the day.

GO HEARTS!!




Hearts want the Scottish title. What they want more is to compete every year


https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/48768146/hearts-heart-midlothian-scottish-premiership-celtic-rangers-scotland

Rob Dawson
May 14, 2026, 11:23 AM ET

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- It's customary in Edinburgh to spit on the Heart of Midlothian whenever you walk past.

Hiding among the cobbles outside St Giles' Cathedral on the Royal Mile, just down the hill from Edinburgh Castle, doing so supposedly brings good luck. There's likely to be more saliva than usual on the pavement in the run-up to this weekend.

Heart of Midlothian football club are one game away from winning the Scottish top-flight title for the first time in 66 years. It's been more than 40 years since it was won by anyone other than Celtic or Rangers, when Alex Ferguson lifted the last of his three titles with Aberdeen in 1985 before moving south to begin his dynastic reign at Manchester United.

Hearts, who have topped the table since September, only need a draw against Celtic -- currently second, one point behind -- to make history. By the time the final game of the Scottish Premiership campaign kicks off at Celtic Park on Saturday, the mosaic Heart of Midlothian in the center of the Scottish capital will be covered by Hearts seeking a little extra fortune.

Their first title in a generation is agonizingly close.

For a few minutes on Wednesday night, with Hearts leading Falkirk and Celtic losing at Motherwell, Hearts were champions with a game to spare. As news of Motherwell goals filtered through from Fir Park and with Hearts fans celebrating goals of their own from Frankie Kent and Cameron Devlin, there were grown men in tears in the stands at Tynecastle.

But by the end of the night, the joy had turned to excruciating anxiety.

With their job done against Falkirk following a 3-0 win, Hearts players huddled around a phone on the pitch learned that Kelechi Iheanacho had scored a controversial 99th-minute penalty for Celtic, and that their cushion -- three points ahead and a superior goal difference heading into the final day -- had been reduced to a solitary point.

Sensing a change in atmosphere around Tynecastle, the Hearts stadium announcer picked up his microphone to deliver a rallying cry.

"Keep believing Hearts fans," he bellowed into the cold Edinburgh air. "We can still do this!"

Hearts began the season as everyone not named Rangers and Celtic did: rank outsiders. Yet they are 90 minutes from a first league title since 1960 if they can avoid defeat at Celtic on Saturday. Mark Scates/SNS Group via Getty Images



That Hearts are in this position at all is a feat in itself.

Celtic's total revenue last year was £143 million. Rangers' generated £94m. Hearts' was just a fraction of those numbers at £24m. Last summer, Rangers spent close to £40m on new players. Celtic's transfer spend was £25m. Hearts spent £4m, although you wouldn't know it looking at the Premiership table.

"We're mixing it with teams who've got way more advantages than us," said Hearts manager Derek McInnes, also the last manager to split Celtic and Rangers at the top when he finished second with Aberdeen in 2018.

"You see the spend of Rangers and the quality of Celtic and the spend that they've got putting their squad together. For us to be above both at this stage of the season takes a lot of doing."

Before a ball was kicked this season, Hearts, who finished seventh last season 42 points behind Celtic, were 150-1 outsiders with the bookmakers. And while McInnes and his team have surpassed all expectations, their emergence as contenders has coincided with Celtic and Rangers both enduring turbulent seasons which have bordered on the farcical.

Rangers sacked Russell Martin after just 17 games, despite only appointing him in the summer. By the end, fan anger directed at Martin had reached such a level that he needed a police escort to leave the stadium after what turned out to be his final game in charge.

Celtic, meanwhile, parted company with Brendan Rodgers in October, appointed former boss Martin O'Neill as a caretaker, hired and then sacked Wilfried Nancy all in the space of 33 days, then re-appointed O'Neill until the end of the season.

It says everything about the might of Glasgow's "Old Firm" that despite seemingly doing everything possible to self-sabotage, both teams were still in the title race until last weekend. Rangers' 3-1 defeat at Celtic Park on Sunday finally saw off their challenge, while also guaranteeing Hearts a place in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time in 20 years.

For all their problems, Celtic could yet end the campaign with a league and cup double, with the Scottish Cup final against Dunfermline Athletic to come on May 26.

"We've already broken a club record in terms of points tally," said McInnes, enjoying a remarkable first season in charge after his arrival last summer. "We've got Champions League qualification already secured.

"Obviously we want to go one better and win the league. We've been trying to hold off a couple of heavyweights for a long time now. We've managed to see off Rangers, and we've got to try to see off Celtic."

But Hearts' potentially historic season is not all down to the calamity 50 miles west in Glasgow. There's hope that this is just the start of things to come and that Hearts will eventually transition from plucky disruptor to established challenger.

Tony Bloom's money has helped Hearts close the gap somewhat to their bigger rivals, but the analytics have arguably helped them more when it comes to finding talent and building a team. Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images


The confidence in the club's long-term prospects is largely down to Tony Bloom. The 56-year-old billionaire invested close to £10m in June 2025, acquiring 29% stake from fan ownership group The Foundation of Hearts, which helped take the club out of administration in 2014.

But it's not so much Bloom's money that has helped revitalize Hearts. Rather, it's what he brings to the table.

Bloom first contacted Hearts about possible investment in 2023 and in November 2024, the club announced an agreement with football data analysis company Jamestown Analytics, a subsidiary of Bloom's sports betting consultancy, Starlizard. The statement detailing the partnership said the relationship would "aid not only the club's player recruitment but also enhance opposition analysis." It's worked wonders.

What Jamestown actually does is a closely guarded secret, but there's a growing track record of success. Jamestown has helped Brighton, owned by Bloom since 2009, consistently punch above their weight in the Premier League. Last year, Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, another with access to Bloom's data analysis services since his investment in 2018, won their first league title for 90 years.

The idea is that Hearts, like Brighton and Union, can go toe-to-toe with more traditional heavyweights because they're better equipped to spot value in the transfer market.

Greek winger Alexandros Kyziridis was found playing for Zemplin Michalovce in Slovakia. Portuguese forward Claudio Braga was picked up from the Norwegian second division for a nominal fee last summer. After 17 goals in all competitions, the 26-year-old was named PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year.

More bang for your buck is vital when you're competing against far richer rivals. Though Celtic and Rangers have more money, with Jamestown on board, Hearts now believe they can spend what they have more efficiently.

"I was a wee bit horrified that we were thinking of giving some shares away," recalls Garry Halliday, a supporter for 50 years and one of the founding directors of fan ownership group The Foundation of Hearts.

"But it's a fantastic opportunity. We had an event at Tynecastle and Tony Bloom agreed to do it. He walked onto the stage in front of 600 people and said 'we're going to win the league within the next 10 years' and the roof nearly came off.

"It started as a wee bit of fun when he got to the top of the league, but as the weeks have gone by the belief that it could actually happen has grown."

The mood is high around Hearts even though they're naturally worried about heartbreak at Celtic on Saturday. Yet the hope is that they are competing every season, not just this one, thanks to Bloom, manager McInnes and the analytics powering them. Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images


Stability and ambition is welcome after a rollercoaster period in Hearts' history. Placed into administration with debts of £25m in June 2013, the club were pushed to the brink of extinction. They were only saved because of the efforts of The Foundation of Hearts, which has grown to more than 8,000 members and raised more than £20m since being formed in 2010.

"We were minutes away from not being in existence," says Halliday. "We were definitely on the brink. The club was probably dead just a few months before we managed to get it saved."

Hearts have been relegated to the Scottish second tier twice in the last 12 years -- in 2014 and again in 2020 when the season ended early because of the Covid-19 pandemic. On both occasions they bounced straight back up.

Other times, there have been near misses at the other end of the table. In October 2005, Hearts were clear at top of the Premiership after 10 games only for controversial former owner Vladimir Romanov to sack manager George Burley. They finished second to Celtic by 17 points.

As painful as that was for Hearts fans, it's nothing compared to events 40 years ago.

McInnes has helped mastermind Hearts' title challenge all season long. Photo by Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images


In May 1986, Hearts played Dundee on the final day needing just a draw to win the title. Eight minutes away from securing the crucial point, they lost 2-0 to end an unbeaten run that had stretched 27 games. Celtic took advantage, beating St Mirren 5-0 to be crowned champions on goal difference.

"I don't even want to say the date," said Halliday. "There's a generation of fans who still carry those scars and that's where the nervousness comes in and the feeling of disbelief that this is happening."

It's not just in the stands where there are nerves; even Hearts captain and Scotland international Lawrence Shankland isn't immune to the pressure of an enthralling title race.

"There will be nerves, that's totally normal," he said. "When you're in this position, there are going to be nerves for everybody. You're a human being after all. When you get this close to achieving something great it's only normal.

"Everywhere you go, people want to talk about it."

After four decades of Glasgow dominance, most of Scotland -- with the exception of Hibernian, the other team in Edinburgh -- are cheering Hearts on. Even O'Neill, the 74-year-old Celtic manager, begrudgingly accepts that their rise this season is positive for Scottish football. This season, Premiership attendances are set to pass four million for the first time.

"If you're looking at it from a neutral viewpoint, which I certainly am not, then there's been excitement this season because Hearts have thrown down the gauntlet to the two big teams and I think that can only be good," said O'Neill.

Whatever happens at Celtic Park on Saturday, many Hearts fans are taking comfort in the feeling that this is just the start.

"We're definitely ahead of schedule," said Halliday. "If we don't win it this year, it's only the start of the journey. Maybe we're all saying that to each other to mitigate the pain in case it doesn't happen this year.

"I just pray that we get over the line. I'll be absolutely devastated if we don't."

With the title and 60 years of history on the line, there will be a few extra visitors looking for luck at the Heart of Midlothian this week.


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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2605.15 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 3970 days ago & DAD = 624 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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Tuesday, May 5, 2026

A Sense of Doubt blog post #4096 - Heart of Midlothian Might Make History! Hearts beat Rangers 2-1 on Monday May Fourth


A Sense of Doubt blog post #4096 - Heart of Midlothian Might Make History! Hearts beat Rangers 2-1 on Monday May Fourth

I have not always been a fan of soccer (football).

But I have always been a fan of everything SCOTTISH.

Lately, as I have written with my posts on AFCON, I am very interested in football, especially in Scotland and Africa.

I am also learning more about it all as the leagues and cups and all the things are complicated.

I am even more plugged in to Hearts as they challenge the stranglehold that Celtic and Rangers have had on Scottish Premier League for something like FORTY years.

They have a good lead with three games remaining but they need to win out, which could be tough.

GO HEARTS!!

Thanks for tuning in.


FYI: https://edinburghtourist.co.uk/questions/why-spit-heart-midlothian/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heart_of_Midlothian_F.C.

https://www.heartsfc.co.uk/


HEARTS WIN!



Heart of Midlothian secured a massive victory against Rangers at Tynecastle Park on Monday night, coming from behind with second half strikes from Stephen Kingsley and Lawrence Shankland to move three points clear at the Premiership summit. 

 

Coming from behind after Dujon Sterling's first half opener; Kingsley and Shankland both netted stunning volleys in a performance packed with grit, character, and resolve.

 

With just three games left in the split, the result puts Hearts in the driver's seat ahead of Saturday's trip to Motherwell and Fir Park.

 

Derek McInnes made two changes to the side that defeated Hibs in the Edinburgh derby last time out; Alexandros Kyziridis and Islam Chesnokov replacing Landry Kabore and Jordi Altena as Hearts shaped up in an aggressive 4-4-2 formation.

 

In a frantic opening ten minutes, set to the backdrop of Tynecastle at it's intimidating best, Hearts carved out the first chance from a set-play: Craig Halkett leaping highest to meet the free-kick, but his header went over Jack Butland's crossbar.

 

Rangers responded promptly, with Nico Raskin cleaving his way into the maroon box down the left side - his curling effort requiring Alex Schwolow to stick a paw out to turn it behind.

 

Both sides were seeing the ball, but it was Rangers who drew first blood after 22 minutes with the opener. James Tavernier's long throw was headed down by Stuart Findlay into the path of Dujon Sterling.

 

Sterling met it on the volley and, courtesy of a big deflection off Michael Steinwender, it looped over the head of Schwolow and into the net - a swift response from the men in maroon was required.

 

After a fairly even start, Rangers started to gain control of possession, Hearts turning the ball over too easily, with the visitors' explosive pace giving the Jambos no shortage of worries as the half-hour mark ticked by.

 

Hearts did earn a promising set-piece within range of goal, but Stuart Findlay's header crashed into the gloves of Butland as Hearts continued to the hunt for that elusive equaliser.

 

HT: Heart of Midlothian 0-1 Rangers

 

In the sole change after the break; Islam Chesnokov made way for derby hero Blair Spittal as Derek McInnes shuffled the pack with 45 minutes to go.

 

It was a brighter start compared to how the first half ended, with Lawrence Shankland making headway into the Rangers area via a delightful backheel pass from Kyziridis; but a block from Nasser Djiga diverted away the danger.

 

Moments later and the Jambos went again; Baningime sliding Braga in under pressure from two blue shirt, sneaking away a low strike that forced Jack Butland into action to claim the ball.

 

The pressure was starting to mount, and Hearts were soon rewarded for their spirit, with the equaliser arriving in style thanks to Stephen Kingsley with 53 minutes on the Tynecastle clock.

 

Good running from Spittal on the edge of the box saw him thread the ball across to a waiting Kyziridis on the right - the Greek winger wasted no time in getting a shot off, his effort cracking off the post and into the path of Stephen Kingsley, who arrowed the ball past Butland to send all four stands into raptures.

 

The chase was on, with Rangers throwing two punches in the aftermath; the first going astray as Tavernier ballooned his dig from distance high and wide, before Alex Schwolow blocked the second by claiming Emmanuel Fernandez' header at the corner.

 

Hearts had the bit between their teeth now, and Kyziridis was causing all sorts of problems with his running, nearly bagging Hearts their second after 67 minutes as he nutmegged Fernandez before forcing Butland into another diving save.

 

The Jambos completed the turnaround bang on the 70 minute mark, and what a goal it was by Lawrence Shankland; the skipper doing what he's done so many times before.

 

In a crowded goalmouth, great running from Stephen Kingsley kept it alive as he smashed an inviting ball across the face of goal from the byline, with Shankland pouncing and connecting with his first touch as he smashed the ball beyond a hapless Butland.

 

Backed on by a Gorgie crowd that must have broken every decibal record the city of Edinburgh has ever seen - Hearts almost had a quickfire third from a creative corner routine that saw the ball worked to a waiting Spittal on the edge of the area, with Butland at full stretch to turn it behind.

 

With five minutes to go, there was a slender lead to guard, with Landry Kabore, Jamie McCart, and Frankie Kent introduced to the game as the Jambos prepared for a white-knuckle ride to the finish line.

 

Rangers threw everything at Hearts, but the Gorgie stood firm, and with seven minutes of injury time to play - it was going to take everything to get the job done. 

 

And do it they did, with Heart of Midlothian securing yet another massive three points. 

 

Hearts: Schwolow, Kingsley (Kent 89'), Halkett, Baningime, Shankland (Altena 90+3'), Braga (Kabore 82'), Steinwender, Findlay, Leonard, Kyziridis (McCart 82'), Chesnokov (Spittal 45')

 

Subs: Fulton, Kent, McCart, Kabore, Spittal, Forrest, Altena, Kerjota, Mato

 

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Olsen (Gassama 69'), Chermiti, Diomande (Miovski 83'), Sterling (Rommens 75'), Djiga, Fernandez, Chukwuani, Raskin (Naderi 75'), Moore (Aasgaard 75')

 

Subs: Kelly, Aarons, Barron, Aasgaard, Antman, Naderi, Gassama, Rommens, Miovski

 

Attendance: 18,831




Hearts leap in Scottish league title race after beating Rangers with three rounds left


DINBURGH, Scotland (AP) — The three-team race in a Scottish league title chase for the ages now looks down to two after leader Heart of Midlothian rallied to beat Rangers 2-1 on Monday.

Hearts is three points ahead of second-placed Celtic with three rounds left, chasing a first league title for 66 years as a big underdog against richer opponents.

Rangers was all but knocked out of the running, now seven points back.

Rangers can do Hearts a huge favor on Sunday at Celtic in a Glasgow derby between fierce rivals who have combined to win the league in each of the past 40 years.

Hearts took a big step toward a stunning and unheralded Scottish Premiership triumph with second-half goals from defender Stephen Kingsley and talismanic forward Lawrence Shankland. Rangers took a first-half lead on Dujon Sterling's deflected shot.

Shankland's decisive left-foot strike in the 71st minute — his 14th league goal this season — showed the kind of form that could see him lead Scotland's attack when the Tartan Army returns to the World Cup against Haiti on June 13 at the New England Patriots' stadium.

Hearts next plays on Saturday evening at Motherwell and can go six points clear one day before Celtic hosts Rangers.

Hearts also has a better goal difference than Celtic which is the first tiebreaker if they are level on points after the last game of the season — when they meet in Glasgow on May 16.



Scottish Premiership: Hearts and Celtic left fighting for title, but Rangers can still have a say

Rangers are seven points from the Scottish Premiership summit with three games left to play; Celtic are three points behind leaders Hearts; watch Motherwell vs Hearts on Saturday and Celtic vs Rangers on Sunday, both live on Sky Sports

Alison Conroy

Football Journalist @AlisonGConroy

Then there were two.

The most unforgettable season in the Scottish Premiership is now down to Hearts and Celtic.

Rangers' hopes are all but over, but Danny Röhl's side can still have a say on how this dramatic title race ends.

After clawing their way back into contention for their first title in five years, successive defeats leaves them seven points behind leaders Hearts and trailing Celtic by four with three games left to play.

They went to Tynecastle Park on Monday knowing they had to win to realistically remain in the race. A 2-1 defeat means now it's about ending the hopes of their Old Firm rivals.

If Hearts beat Motherwell on Saturday, a Rangers win at Celtic on Sunday would leave the Hoops trailing by six points with two games left to play. Both games will be live on Sky Sports.

Derek McInnes' side could then clinch their first top-flight title since 1960 if they avoid defeat to Falkirk on May 13. Given they are unbeaten in Gorgie this season, you would back them to take at least a point to make history.

As much as Rangers fans would love to stop Celtic winning their 14th title in the last 15 seasons, there is an added incentive of European football.

A win at Parkhead would move Röhl's side to within a point of the Hoops, meaning they would still have a chance of finishing second to secure Champions League football next season.

If they finish third and Celtic lose the Scottish Cup final, it would be the Conference League.

Sounds simple, right?

Final-day decider?

Premier League table

Pos.PWDLGDPTSForm
1Hearts3523753276
LWDWWW
2Celtic3523482773
WLWWWW
3Rangers35191243369
WWWWLL

While Hearts are still in the driving seat, Celtic have the experience of winning titles and are firmly in the hunt.

They trail by three points and on goal difference - but they host Hearts at home on the final day of the season.

Martin O'Neill will be hoping their title rivals drop points at Motherwell on Saturday, or at home to Falkirk on Wednesday.

However, failing that - it is still in their hands too. Beat Rangers on Sunday, and win at Motherwell midweek - a win over Hearts could seal it on goal difference.

What a final day we could have in store to the most unforgettable of seasons.

It was meant to be a night to remember at Tynecastle on Monday for soon to be departing Rangers captain James Tavernier, who made his 564th appearance for the club - moving him to fifth in the list of all-time appearance makers.

However, the 34-year-old's defending was called into question on both Hearts goals, leaving Chris Sutton to criticise the heart of the full-back in vital moments.

"Look at the Rangers captain [Tavernier]. That sums him up, his whole time at Rangers," former Celtic striker Sutton stated post-match.

"He has the heart the size of a pea. He's bad on both goals, he should react.

"He should smell the danger the and try and block it. He is so lax, he has killed his team there."



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- Bloggery committed by chris tower - 2605.05 - 10:10

- Days ago: MOM = 3960 days ago & DAD = 614 days ago

- New note - On 1807.06, I ceased daily transmission of my Hey Mom feature after three years of daily conversations. I post Hey Mom blog entries on special occasions. I post the days since ("Days Ago") count on my blog each day, and now I have a second count for Days since my Dad died on August 28, 2024. I am now in the same time zone as Google! So, when I post at 10:10 a.m. PDT to coincide with the time of Mom's death, I am now actually posting late, so it's really 1:10 p.m. EDT. But I will continue to use the time stamp of 10:10 a.m. to remember the time of her death and sometimes 13:40 EDT for the time of Dad's death. The blog entry numbering in the title has changed to reflect total Sense of Doubt posts since I began the blog on 0705.04, which include Hey Mom posts, Daily Bowie posts, and Sense of Doubt posts. Hey Mom posts will still be numbered sequentially. New Hey Mom posts will use the same format as all the other Hey Mom posts; all other posts will feature this format seen here.
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