⚽ The Kick-Off - Monday 20th July 2026
Premier Sports Cup round up. Signings for SPFL clubs across all divisions. Hearts buy new keeper to replace the departing Schwolow. Celtic sell Maik Nawrocki and Motherwell sell Elliott Watt.
Random Scottish Football Fact #351:
On Saturday, Greenock Morton gave debuts to two 15-year-olds, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old.
WEEKEND ROUND-UP
🏆 PREMIER SPORTS CUP GROUP STAGE
Kilmarnock needed a 94th-minute Joe Hugill goal to beat League Two Elgin City. Killie had Jamie Brandon sent off in the first half. A win over Hamilton Academical tomorrow night and the Premiership club should top their group.
St Mirren made it back-to-back wins with a comfortable 4-0 win over Cove Rangers. East Kilbride beat Dumbarton in the highest-scoring game of the day. The League One side beat the Sons 5-3.
Aberdeen made it two wins from two with a 2-1 win over Queen’s Park. Queen of the South beat Highland League side Brora Rangers 3-0.
Dundee United and Montrose are level on six points after victories for both clubs on Saturday. However, United have played three games to Montrose’s two.
Partick Thistle will progress tomorrow night if they beat Stenhousemuir. Thistle drew 1-1 with Livingston and picked up the bonus point. Stenny beat Lowland League East club Brechin City 2-1 away.
Greenock Morton sit at the bottom of Group F with zero points from three games. St Johnstone lead the way with two wins from two. The Saints beat Morton 3-0 on Saturday. Inverness are second following their 2-1 win away to Linlithgow Rose.
View the Premier Sports Cup Group Stage tables here
⚽️ THE LATE GOALS SOCIETY
(goals scored in the 85th minute or later)
Jalmaro Calvin (St Mirren - 85’), Jamie Gullan (St Johnstone - 88’), Joe Hugill (90+4’ - Kilmarnock), Craig McGuffie (East Kilbride - 90+7’)
🔴 THE RED CARD CLUB
(sent off over the weekend)
Jamie Brandon (Kilmarnock)
LATEST NEWS
✍️ Hearts have signed Dutch goalkeeper Beau Reus from Belgian club Beveren. The 24-year-old is the Jambos’ 11th signing of the summer.
Last season’s first-choice goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow will depart the club to join FSV Mainz 05 on the 1st August. - Matthew Fulton, STV
🟢 French runners-up Lens have signed Celtic defender Maik Nawrocki. - BBC
It was also announced that Celtic won’t be re-signing Kelechi Iheanacho after he rejected Celtic’s offer to sign for Turkish side Bursaspor. Marcelo Saracchi took to social media to confirm that he also wouldn’t be returning to Celtic Park despite him and his agent ‘doing everything within our power to make a return to Glasgow happen’. - BBC
✍️ Motherwell have sold midfielder Elliott Watt to Turkish side Samsunspor for an undisclosed fee. - Motherwell FC website
🔵 Macaulay Tait has made a permanent move to St Johnstone from Hearts. The midfielder has signed a two-year deal. - St Johnstone website
✍️ Falkirk signed free agent Ryan Strain. The 29-year-old signed a one-year deal after leaving Dundee United this summer. - Falkirk FC website
✍️ Here is your roundup of signings across the rest of the SPFL.
Airdrieonians made another signing over the weekend. Defender Kwame Boateng has joined the club after leaving English non-league side Cleethorpes Town. - Airdrieonians website
Arbroath have signed former Falkirk left-back Sean Mackie on a one-year deal. - Arbroath FC on X
The Lichties also signed Hearts youngster Cormac Daly on a season-long loan. - Arbroath on X
Clyde turned Bobby Kiltie’s trial into a permanent deal. The 18-year-old winger joins from the EMC Academy in south-east England. - Clyde FC website
Cove Rangers announced the signing of midfielder Ackeme Francis-Burrell. The 22-year-old was most recently with National League side Solihull Moors. - Cove Rangers website
Dumbarton have signed goalkeeper Jack McConnell. The 22-year-old was most recently on loan at Auchinleck Talbot from Broxburn Athletic. - Dumbarton FC website
Dunfermline Athletic made goalkeeper Aston Oxborough’s move from Motherwell permanent after loan spells last season. - Dunfermline Athletic website
Elgin City announced the return of Lyall Booth after the defender changed his mind about exploring options away from the Elgin area. - Elgin City on X
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have signed defender Kerr Smith after a successful trial. The former Dundee United youngster signed for Aston Villa at the age of 17. - Inverness Caledonian Thistle website
The Championship side lost midfielder Jordan Alonge after he decided to sign for National South League team Salisbury FC. - Will Clark, Inverness Courier
Partick Thistle signed Hearts goalkeeper Liam McFarlane on a season-long loan. The 21-year-old has had previous spells on loan at East Fife in League Two and Alloa Athletic in League One. - Partick Thistle website
🤝 Dunfermline Athletic and Stirling Albion announced a co-operation agreement. Danny Dobbie, Lucas Fyfe, and Zeke Cameron have all made loan moves to the Binos. - Dunfermline Athletic
🤝 Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Highland League champions Brora Rangers have entered into a co-operation agreement. - Inverness Caledonian Thistle website
🔵 Greenock Morton issued an update from Director Graham Barr on Friday outlining the ongoing issues at the club.
It was revealed that The Ton will have one of, if not the lowest, playing budgets in the Championship this season. They were also without seven first-team players on Saturday. - Andy Ross, Greenock Telegraph
🔚 After 10 years in charge of Scotland Under-21s and 13 years at the Scottish FA, Scot Gemmill is to leave the governing body. - Scottish FA website
🏥 Raith Rovers forward George Oakley is expected to be out until September with an injury. - Iain Collin, The Courier
😬 Two pyramid clubs in the North of Scotland are facing financial difficulties. Highland League side Forres Mechanics have asked manager Steven MacDonald to cut his playing budget. - Forres Mechanics on Facebook
North of Scotland Football League club Hermes, who play at tier six in the pyramid, have announced they are entering a period of abeyance. - Hermes JFC on Facebook
⚽ Celtic fans protested against the club’s board on Saturday at their home friendly against Middlesbrough.
✍️ Liverpool have signed 16-year-old defender Dara Jikiemi from Celtic. - Martin McMillan, Glasgow Times
🆚 The draws for the UEFA Champions League, Europa League and Conference League Third Qualifying Rounds take place today. Hearts, Hibs, Motherwell, and Rangers will all be involved.
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES TODAY
🆚 PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES INCLUDE…
Darvel v Johnstone Burgh (7.30pm)
Fraserburgh v Maud (7.30pm)
Inverurie Loco Works v Hall Russell United (7.30pm)
Kilsyth Rangers v Camelon Juniors (7.30pm)
View all Scottish pre-season friendlies today on the Scottish Football Fixtures website
🙏🏼 Thank you for reading today’s Scottish Football Kick-Off. 🗣️ If you like getting this email, please recommend it to a friend, work colleague or family member or consider becoming a paid subscriber. The Scottish Football Kick-Off is reader supported. 📱 Latest subscriber number: 3085 🆓 The daily kick-off will always be free.