⚽ The Kick-Off - Thursday 21st May 2026
Toulouse approach Motherwell for Jens Berthel Askou. Airdrie sack Aaron Taylor-Sinclair. St Johnstone sign Daniel Finlayson. Dundee Utd & Motherwell announce player departures. SWNT squad announced.
Random Scottish Football Fact #314:
Years ending in six seem to bring a pattern in the Scottish Cup Final since the turn of the Millennium. This year, Dunfermline Athletic will become the latest side from outside the top flight to reach the final. The same happened in 2016, when both Hibernian and Rangers faced each other, and in 2006, when Gretna made the final.
NEWS
😬 Ligue 1 club Toulouse have approached Motherwell regarding appointing Jens Berthel Askou as their new manager. - Stephen McGowan, The Herald
♦️ Airdrieonians have sacked Head Coach Aaron Taylor-Sinclair following their relegation to League One. The Diamonds had appointed Taylor-Sinclair following Danny Lennon’s short stint in charge. - Airdrieonians website
🔵 St Johnstone have signed defender Daniel Finlayson following his release from Livingston. - St Johnstone website
🟠 Dundee United have released Ryan Strain, Johnny Russell, Ashley Maynard-Brewer, and Kristijan Trapanovski. Craig Sibbald also departs after signing a pre-contract with Falkirk. - Dundee United website
The Terrors also announced they have triggered a one-year contract extension for Ross Graham and midfielder Vicko Ševelj. - Dundee United website
🔚 Five first-team players are leaving Motherwell at the end of their contracts. Kofi Balmer, Callum Slattery, Dylan Wells, Sam Nicholson, and Zach Robinson all depart. Andy Halliday had previously announced he would be retiring. - Motherwell FC website
🗣️ Hearts have issued a second statement following Saturday’s defeat at Celtic.
The main takeaway from the statement is: “We have also written to the SFA and SPFL setting out our observations and questions regarding the circumstances surrounding the premature ending of the match, and expressing our concern that a troubling precedent has been set whereby a pitch invasion can effectively determine the duration of a football match, rather than the match officials.” - Heart of Midlothian website
📝 Dundee have triggered a one-year extension in defender Billy Koumetio’s contract. - Dundee FC website
✍️ East Fife have signed 38-year-old goalkeeper Derek Gaston following his release from Stirling Albion. - East Fife website
🔵 Rangers have decided not to take up their option to sign Andreas Skov Olsen permanently in the summer. - Chris Jack, Rangers Review
🔴 Aberdeen are aiming to send out as many as 21 young players on loan next season. - Paul Third, The Press & Journal
🏆 The Premier Sports Cup Group Stage draw will be made on Wednesday next week. Brora Rangers, Brechin City, and Linlithgow Rose have been named as the three guest clubs for this season. - SPFL website
🏅 It is an awards double for East Kilbride. Mick Kennedy has won the Glen’s Vodka League Two Manager of the Season, and John Robertson won League Two Player of the Season. - SPFL website
👏 John McGinn became the first Scottish captain since Graeme Souness in 1984 to lift a men’s European trophy last night.
Aston Villa beat Freiburg 3-0 in the UEFA Europa League Final.
😔 Former Hearts, Celtic, and Motherwell midfielder Mike Galloway has sadly passed away at the age of 60. - Celtic website
🆕 Melissa Andreatta has named her Scotland Women’s National Team squad for the upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Israel. Both the home and away double header are being played in Hungary behind closed doors.
Claire Emslie has been called up, five months after giving birth. - Scottish FA website
WORLD CUP
⚽ Grant Hanley has declared himself ‘fully fit’ for the World Cup.
Steve Clarke told the press: “Grant had a scan after the game at the weekend, his knee was given the all clear.
“He has assured me he is fully fit.” - Patrick McPartlin, Hibs Observer
Hibs teammate Rocky Bushiri has been ruled out for DR Congo due to injury. Kilmarnock’s Aaron Tshibola is his replacement.
🏃♂️➡️ Four young Scotland players have been called up to the training camp ahead of next Saturday’s friendly against Curacao.
Hearts’ forward James Wilson and clubmate Liam MacFarlane will be joined by Dundee’s Luke Graham and Manchester United’s Tyler Fletcher.
Goalkeeper MacFarlane, who was on loan at Alloa Athletic this season, will travel to America as our ‘27th man’ to help with goalkeeper training. - Scottish FA website
📱 I want to highlight the BBC’s Scotland World Cup squad guide. A lovely bit of visual content. - check it out here
🔎 If you want to understand our Group C opponents a bit more or try and pretend you know what you are talking about at work or in the pub, check out John Walker’s analysis of what to expect tactically from Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti.
🆚 Not relevant to this World Cup, but UEFA has revamped the qualification process for the 2030 World Cup.
The top 36 European nations will be split into three groups of 12 playing six home-or-away matches against six different opponents - two per pot.
The top teams in each group will qualify automatically, with the remaining spots allocated via play-offs. The number of auto-qualifiers and play-off teams has yet to be confirmed.
The remaining 18 lower-ranked nations, like San Marino and Liechtenstein, will participate in a second tier but will still have opportunities to qualify. - Dale Johnson, BBC
🌎 Days until Haiti v Scotland at the World Cup: 23
SCOTTISH FOOTBALL FIXTURES TODAY
➡️ William Hill SPFL Premiership Play-Off Final First Leg
Partick Thistle v St Mirren (8pm - live on Sky Sports Football)
➡️ North of Scotland Football League Premier Division
Buchanhaven Hearts v Dyce (7.30pm)
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The last Scottish Captain prior to John McGinn lifting a European trophy was, in fact, Kim Little who captained Arsenal to victory in the 2024-25 Champions League Final.