Steve B the Groundhopper

10.30am 14 March  2026 Dundee Saturday Morning League, Premier Division Monifieth Athletic 1 Lochee United AFC 2 (att 38) There have been changes since I last watched football in the Dundee Saturday Morning League. It's expanded to three divisions, and whereas all fixtures used to be at multi-pitch venues allocated by the league, now many clubs have their own home grounds. Monifieth Athletic play at Riverview Park, a surprisingly good venue for a team playing at this level. The pitch is fully enclosed by a plastic post and rail barrier, and is alongside a pavilion that houses the changing rooms. The Tay Estuary is just a hefty wayward shot away behind the far goal. The league table suggested a tight game between two sides in with a chance of winning the title, and the match didn't disappoint. A pair of early goals - the first for Lochee and then a Monifieth equaliser - set the tone for an entertaining morning. At that stage it looked likely to be a goal-filled game, but defence...

10.40am 12 July  2025 Angus and Dundee Summer League Cup, League B Arbroath Amateurs 2 Dundee West 3 (att 18) This fixture fitted in well on day when we were heading towards Scotland's far north, and having stayed in Perth on Friday night it was a simple task to be in Arbroath in time for a morning kick off. The Angus and Dundee Summer League Cup is a new competition, providing semi-competitive football for local Saturday and Sunday sides in a Nations League-style format. Arbroath Amateurs spent last season in the Saturday afternoon Midlands Amateur League. They've entered two sides in the Dundee Saturday Morning League for 2025/26. Whether that's instead of, or in addition to, playing Saturday afternoons remains to be seen. Dundee West are a Saturday morning side, although they failed to complete last season. They've made a good start to this season though, as this was their second win from their opening two fixtures There wasn't much between the sides. Arbroath le...

1.30pm 23 March  2025 Scottish Amateur FA, Inter League Trophy, First Round Midlands AFA 0 Glasgow and District Sunday Football Championship 0, 5-6 on penalties (att 46) I only spotted this fixture on Saturday morning, and it provided a convenient stopping point on the long journey home from Inverness. Its not easy to find information about the Scottish Amateur FA's Inter League Trophy. It is open to both Saturday and Sunday leagues and, as far as I can tell, this was one of three first round matches played on the same day. The Midlands AFA is a Dundee-based Saturday competition. They hired an artificial pitch at the city's Regional Performance Centre to host their visitors from Glasgow. It's a standard 3G set up, with one touchline roped off to provide space for spectators. The predominant pitch markings are for rugby, which was a little confusing. Having gone nearly a year without seeing a goalless draw this was my second in just eight days. It was a good game though, and...

10am 2 November 2024 Dundee Saturday Morning League, Premier Division Dryburgh Athletic 3 Cairdy Thistle 1 (att 14) I'd stayed overnight near Glasgow to ease the journey north to my planned afternoon game, and a handful of earlier than usual kick offs in Dundee's Saturday morning league made a double possible. While most games are at 10.30am this fixture, at Dawson Park in Broughty Ferry, was one of a few to get underway 30 minutes earlier. Dawson Park was hosting a trio of top division matches, although the other two were later kick offs. All games in this league are effectively at neutral venues, usually at multi-pitch parks. I only saw an up-to-date table after the game, and it turned out that I'd witnessed Cairdy's first league defeat of the season. I wasn't entirely surprised, as they'd looked the better of two decent sides during a goalless first half. The turning point was a straight red card for a Cairdy player, for a reckless challenge, about five minut...