Here are photos from Arctic Norway with a few from Sweden at the start and finish.
They include pictures of any football pitches seen, large or small. How much the pitches are used is hard to say - given that the dark and cold of an Arctic winter mean summer football is the only real possibility. (Refresh the page to take you to the beginning of each set.)
They include pictures of any football pitches seen, large or small. How much the pitches are used is hard to say - given that the dark and cold of an Arctic winter mean summer football is the only real possibility. (Refresh the page to take you to the beginning of each set.)
There are another couple of sets of Arctic Norway at the foot of the page with no football and no reindeer - just the road trip from Alta to Tromsø, then in and around Tromsø followed by the trip through Senja, the Vesterålen and Steigen.
Thursday 31st October
St.Mary's and Longhaugh drew 3-3 in DSA Arab Trust Section A.
Fintry beat Eastern 5-4 in Arab Trust DSA Section D. Eastern led 4-1 at halftime but Fintry fought back to score a last-minute winner.
Craigowl beat Our Lady's 7-2 and Downfield beat Victoria Park 7-2 in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round. Craigowl now play home to St.Clement's or Rowantree while Downfield are away to Fintry.
St.John's beat Harris 2-0 in the DSA U13 League.
Monifieth beat Queen Anne HS 6-1 in the U14 Shield 2nd Round and now play home to Beath HS or Inverkeithing HS.
Harris beat Brechin HS 4-3 on penalties after a 4-4 draw in the U16 Shield 2nd Round and are now home to Kirkcaldy HS or St.John's. Harris trailed 4-0 at halftime and fought back to equalise in the last minute. In the penalty shoot-out Harris saved twice and scored all theirs to complete a magnificent comeback.
Monifieth HS v. Woodmill HS in the Senior Shield 2nd Round is rearranged for Tuesday.
Wednesday 30th October
St.Ninian's beat St.Pius 6-2 in the DSA Arab Trust Small Schools League.
Tuesday 29th October
Grove beat Webster's HS 4-0 in the Senior Shield 2nd Round and now play home to Alford Ac. or Aberdeen Grammar.
Monday 28th October
St.Mary's beat Victoria Park 7-2 in DSA Arab Trust Section A.
Claypotts Castle beat Mill of Mains 2-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round and now travel to St.Mary's.
Friday 25th October
St.Francis beat Ballumbie 9-4 in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round and play Forthill away.
Monifieth beat Harris 5-1 in the DSA U14 League.
Harris beat Monifieth 3-1 in the Arab Trust U15 League.
Thursday 24th October
St.Andrew's beat Victoria Park 7-4 in DSA Arab Trust Section A. This was Victoria Park's first ever game - good to see them kick off with lots of goals in a competitive match.
Baldragon beat St.Paul's 5-2 in the DSA U13 League.
Monifieth beat Beath HS 8-2 in the U13 Shield 2nd Round and now play St.John's at home.
St.John's beat Woodmill HS 6-0 in the U14 Shield 2nd Round and now play home to Bertha Park HS or Brechin HS.
St.John's beat St.Paul's 9-0 in the Arab Trust U15 League.
Grove beat Monifieth 6-1 in the Arab Trust U16 League.
Wednesday 23rd October
Fintry beat Tayview 4-1 in Arab Trust DSA Section D.
St.John's beat Perth HS 4-2 in the U13 Shield 2nd Round and now play away to Beath HS or Monifieth. Grove beat Queen Anne HS 7-1 and now play Levenmouth Ac. away.
Grove Ac. beat Inverkeithing HS 2-0 in the U15 Girls Shield 1st Round and now visit Perth HS or Arbroath HS.
Monifieth beat Glenrothes HS 8-0 in the Senior Shield 1st Round and now play Woodmill HS at home.
St.John's beat Auchmuty HS 4-2 in the Senior Shield 2nd Round and now play Arbroath HS away.
Tuesday 22nd October
Grove beat Woodmill HS 5-1 in the U15 Shield 1st Round and now play home to St.John's.
St.John's beat Woodmill HS 6-2 in the U16 Shield 1st Round and now travel to Kirkcaldy HS while Arbroath HS had to concede against Harris who now travel to Brechin.
St.Mary's and Longhaugh drew 3-3 in DSA Arab Trust Section A.
Fintry beat Eastern 5-4 in Arab Trust DSA Section D. Eastern led 4-1 at halftime but Fintry fought back to score a last-minute winner.
Craigowl beat Our Lady's 7-2 and Downfield beat Victoria Park 7-2 in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round. Craigowl now play home to St.Clement's or Rowantree while Downfield are away to Fintry.
St.John's beat Harris 2-0 in the DSA U13 League.
Monifieth beat Queen Anne HS 6-1 in the U14 Shield 2nd Round and now play home to Beath HS or Inverkeithing HS.
Harris beat Brechin HS 4-3 on penalties after a 4-4 draw in the U16 Shield 2nd Round and are now home to Kirkcaldy HS or St.John's. Harris trailed 4-0 at halftime and fought back to equalise in the last minute. In the penalty shoot-out Harris saved twice and scored all theirs to complete a magnificent comeback.
Monifieth HS v. Woodmill HS in the Senior Shield 2nd Round is rearranged for Tuesday.
Wednesday 30th October
St.Ninian's beat St.Pius 6-2 in the DSA Arab Trust Small Schools League.
Tuesday 29th October
Grove beat Webster's HS 4-0 in the Senior Shield 2nd Round and now play home to Alford Ac. or Aberdeen Grammar.
Monday 28th October
St.Mary's beat Victoria Park 7-2 in DSA Arab Trust Section A.
Claypotts Castle beat Mill of Mains 2-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round and now travel to St.Mary's.
Friday 25th October
St.Francis beat Ballumbie 9-4 in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round and play Forthill away.
Monifieth beat Harris 5-1 in the DSA U14 League.
Harris beat Monifieth 3-1 in the Arab Trust U15 League.
Thursday 24th October
St.Andrew's beat Victoria Park 7-4 in DSA Arab Trust Section A. This was Victoria Park's first ever game - good to see them kick off with lots of goals in a competitive match.
Baldragon beat St.Paul's 5-2 in the DSA U13 League.
Monifieth beat Beath HS 8-2 in the U13 Shield 2nd Round and now play St.John's at home.
St.John's beat Woodmill HS 6-0 in the U14 Shield 2nd Round and now play home to Bertha Park HS or Brechin HS.
St.John's beat St.Paul's 9-0 in the Arab Trust U15 League.
Grove beat Monifieth 6-1 in the Arab Trust U16 League.
Wednesday 23rd October
Fintry beat Tayview 4-1 in Arab Trust DSA Section D.
St.John's beat Perth HS 4-2 in the U13 Shield 2nd Round and now play away to Beath HS or Monifieth. Grove beat Queen Anne HS 7-1 and now play Levenmouth Ac. away.
Grove Ac. beat Inverkeithing HS 2-0 in the U15 Girls Shield 1st Round and now visit Perth HS or Arbroath HS.
Monifieth beat Glenrothes HS 8-0 in the Senior Shield 1st Round and now play Woodmill HS at home.
St.John's beat Auchmuty HS 4-2 in the Senior Shield 2nd Round and now play Arbroath HS away.
Tuesday 22nd October
Grove beat Woodmill HS 5-1 in the U15 Shield 1st Round and now play home to St.John's.
St.John's beat Woodmill HS 6-2 in the U16 Shield 1st Round and now travel to Kirkcaldy HS while Arbroath HS had to concede against Harris who now travel to Brechin.
MONIFIETH (NAVY) v. GROVE (SKY / WHITE STRIPES) IN THE DSA U14 LEAGUE
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
MONIFIETH (BIBS) v. GROVE (SKY) IN THE DSA U13 LEAGUE
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Thursday 3rd October
Harris beat Woodmill HS 2-1 in the U13 Shield 2nd Round and now travel to Kirkcaldy HS or Arbroath HS.
Monifieth beat Grove 2-0 in the DSA U13 League. Two goals in quick succession after about 20 minutes in the first half decided the game in Monifieth's favour.
Monifieth beat Grove 3-1 in the DSA U14 League. After a close contest in the first half with no goals Monifieth scored twice in three minutes in the second half and, though Grove pulled one back, a late third goal for Monifieth finished the contest.
DUNDEE (BLACK with YELLOW TRIM) v. ANGUS (BLUE with GREEN TRIM) IN THE U15 NATIONAL TROPHY
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
BALDRAGON (BLACK / WHITE STRIPES) v. MORGAN (NAVY / BLUE) IN THE DSA U13 LEAGUE
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Wednesday 2nd October
St.Andrew's beat Mill of Mains 4-1 in DSA Arab Trust Section A.
Eastern beat Tayview 7-2 in Arab Trust DSA Section D.
Barnhill v. St.Fergus in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round was off.
Morgan beat Baldragon 6-4 in the DSA U13 League. In a goal-rich encounter Morgan were never behind. Morgan scored first, Baldragon equalised, then Morgan scored twice to go into the break 3-1 up. A fourth Morgan goal then spurred Baldragon into a comeback with a couple of goals to trail 4-3 before a Morgan penalty widened the gap again. Again Baldragon pulled one back to make it 5-4 for Morgan but Morgan scored the final goal at the end to clinch the win 6-4.
Monifieth v. Morgan in the DSA U14 League was off.
Dundee beat Angus 9-0 in the U15 National Trophy Group 2. On a lovely sunny afternoon at East Craigie the visitors nearly opened the scoring in the first minute but Ryan McInnes soon scored to put Dundee into the lead. Dundee were well ahead at the interval and continued in the same vein in the second half, playing some great football. Along with Ryan McInnes in good form there were goals for Stuart Heenan, Josh McGuire, Lucas McKimmie, Lewis Boylen, Ross Clark and Blair Fyffe. Next game is away to Fife at New Bayview on Tuesday 26th November followed by a home game against Edinburgh in early December.
St.Andrew's beat Mill of Mains 4-1 in DSA Arab Trust Section A.
Eastern beat Tayview 7-2 in Arab Trust DSA Section D.
Barnhill v. St.Fergus in the Junior Sports Cup 1st Round was off.
Morgan beat Baldragon 6-4 in the DSA U13 League. In a goal-rich encounter Morgan were never behind. Morgan scored first, Baldragon equalised, then Morgan scored twice to go into the break 3-1 up. A fourth Morgan goal then spurred Baldragon into a comeback with a couple of goals to trail 4-3 before a Morgan penalty widened the gap again. Again Baldragon pulled one back to make it 5-4 for Morgan but Morgan scored the final goal at the end to clinch the win 6-4.
Monifieth v. Morgan in the DSA U14 League was off.
Dundee beat Angus 9-0 in the U15 National Trophy Group 2. On a lovely sunny afternoon at East Craigie the visitors nearly opened the scoring in the first minute but Ryan McInnes soon scored to put Dundee into the lead. Dundee were well ahead at the interval and continued in the same vein in the second half, playing some great football. Along with Ryan McInnes in good form there were goals for Stuart Heenan, Josh McGuire, Lucas McKimmie, Lewis Boylen, Ross Clark and Blair Fyffe. Next game is away to Fife at New Bayview on Tuesday 26th November followed by a home game against Edinburgh in early December.
MONIFIETH (SKY / NAVY HOOPS) v. QUEEN ANNE HS (BLACK / WHITE STRIPES) IN THE U15 SHIELD 1st ROUND
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Above : 1st half Below : 2nd half
Tuesday 1st October
Queen Anne HS beat Monifieth 3-0 in the U15 Shield 1st Round to earn a possible derby with Dunfermline HS or a trip to Arbroath HS. The Fife boys started well and Monifieth were forced into a couple of early stramashes with headers off the line both times.
After a goalless first half Queen Anne scored two goals in a minute early in the second half to give themselves a good cushion - a superb pass down the right wing was chased by the winger whose cross was finished at the far post, then a long ball from the keeper through the middle saw Queen Anne reach it first to go 2 up. Monifieth gave the Queen Anne keeper a couple of chances late on to defy the strikers but Queen Anne wrapped it up in the last minute with a superb long-range effort from out on the left touchline into the far corner of the net.
Arctic Norway photos (continued from the top of the page) - no football, no reindeer
Above - The trip down the E6 from Alta to Nordkjosbotn then up the E8 to Tromsø, 250 miles of superb scenery.
Below - In and around Tromsø, then over to Senja, the Vesterålen and Steigen area.