⚽ The Kick-Off - Monday 29th June 2026
Steve Clarke resigns as Scotland exit the World Cup. A busy weekend for SPFL club signings. Stephen Craigan joins Aberdeen coaching staff.
Random Scottish Football Fact #336:
Elijah Just is now the joint-leading World Cup goalscorer among players based at Scottish clubs, level with Henrik Larsson. - via Scotland’s Coefficient
LATEST NEWS
🔚 Steve Clarke announced his resignation as Scotland manager following elimination from the World Cup.
Clarke had been in charge for seven years and had only signed a new four-year contract last month. Qualifications for three of the last four major tournaments raised the bar of expectation. Unfortunately, group stage exits and a perception of underperformance have blighted those three tournaments. - Tom English, BBC
🗣️ Scottish FA Chief Executive Ian Maxwell spoke to the media yesterday following the news.
🌎 In the end, three points and a minus-three goal difference were not enough to be one of the top eight third-place teams. To have gone through on three points, we would have needed to have beaten Haiti 7-0 in the first game or 5-0, and only lost to Brazil 1-0.
🏆 It has been another busy weekend of SPFL signings:
Aberdeen signed Moroccan forward Ayoub Mouloua from FUS Rabat for an undisclosed fee. - Aberdeen FC website
Alloa Athletic have signed 19-year-old midfielder Flynn McCafferty after he left Falkirk. - Alloa Athletic website
Clyde have brought goalkeeper Jay Hogarth back to the club on loan after he joined Falkirk at the end of his contract. - Clyde FC website
Dundee have signed defender Idris Odutayo, following his departure from EFL side Bromley, and Ryan Finnigan on a three-year deal from Blackpool for an undisclosed fee. - Dundee FC website
East Kilbride signed York City defender Darragh O’Connor. The 26-year-old was on loan at Raith Rovers last season. - East Kilbride on X
Elgin City have signed former Celtic academy and East Kilbride goalkeeper Joe Morrison and Clyde forward Liam Scullion. - Elgin City on X
Hamilton Academical were busy over the weekend. They brought in former Dunfermline Athletic player Taylor Sutherland, Greenock Morton midfielder Cameron Blues, and Kalvin Orsi from Alloa Athletic. They also signed midfielder Gregor Crookston and defender Kai Smute permanently. - Hamilton Academical website
Kilmarnock have signed former academy graduate Mark O’Hara from St Mirren. They have also signed young Rangers midfielder Bailey Rice on loan. - Kilmarnock FC website
Inverness Caledonian Thistle have re-signed Alfie Bavidge on loan from Aberdeen. - Inverness Caledonian Thistle website
✍️ Islam Chesnokov has left Hearts for a six-figure fee just six months after joining the club. He has returned to his former club FC Tobol. - Joel Sked, Hearts Standard
🟢 Celtic defender Hayato Inamura has left the club to join FC Tokyo back in his homeland. - Celtic FC on X
✍️ Sven Sprangler has left St Johnstone to sign for EFL League Two club Walsall for an undisclosed fee. - St Johnstone website
🔴 Aberdeen have added Stephen Craigan to their coaching staff. - Aberdeen FC website
🟢 Celtic confirmed that Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham have returned to Martin O’Neill’s backroom staff for the season ahead. They have also brought in Ross Grant from Hearts as set-piece coach. - John McGinley, The Celtic Way
🔴 Aberdeen defender Kirsters Tobers has suffered another setback on his return from injury, by four to six weeks. The Latvian went in for a minor clean-up operation only to be struck down by a really bad infection. - Sean Wallace, The Press & Journal
🔵 Kilmarnock’s Cole Burke has signed a new contract. - Kilmarnock FC website
🔙 Ross County have appointed former manager Don Cowie as their new Head of Professional Programme. - Ross County website
🔵 Cove Rangers’ veteran striker Chris Maguire has signed on for another year. - Cove Rangers website
David Eguaibor has left the club by mutual consent. - Cove Rangers website
🆕 It was also a busy weekend for kit launches:
Dundee United launched their new home shirt.
Ayr United revealed their new away shirt.
Greenock Morton have gone for a black number for their away shirt after being voted for by fans.
East Fife launched their home and away shirts.
East Kilbride unveiled their new home shirt.
🆚 The SWPL announced the fixtures for this season. - SWPL website
🏟️ Celtic Women will play their home matches at Kirkintilloch Community Sports Complex this season. - Celtic website
🏟️ West of Scotland Football League club Thorn Athletic announced that planning permission has been granted for the installation of a full-size, floodlit artificial pitch with additional car parking.
🔎 Football Manager’s Scottish Research Team Manager is looking for Assistant Researchers to help with several Scottish clubs.
Applicants are expected to be FM players who have extensive knowledge of the level they’re applying for, ranging from player and staff details right down to club kits, finances, and records.
The clubs in question are Alloa Athletic, Annan Athletic, Celtic, Cove Rangers, Dumbarton, Kelty Hearts, Kilmarnock, Montrose, Partick Thistle, Queen of the South, Queen’s Park, Ross County, and The Spartans. - Sports Interactive website
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES TODAY
🏆 PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES
Carluke Rovers v Gartcairn (8.15pm)
Kirkintilloch Rob Roy v Cumbernauld Colts (7.45pm)
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