Scottish Football Weekly Round-Up: July 25 – August 1, 2025
Your Five Minutes Spare guide to the week that was in Scottish Football
Right then, Scottish football fans – buckle yourselves in because what a week it’s been north of the border! From Champions League heroics in Athens to Highland League goal bonanzas, plus a Brighton billionaire trying to gate-crash the Old Firm party. Pour yourself a Highland Park and let’s get stuck into the ten stories that had Scotland talking from the Highlands to the Borders.
1. Rangers Roll On: European Glory Continues Under Martin
Panathinaikos 1-1 Rangers (July 30) – Rangers win 3-1 on aggregate
Russell Martin’s new era at Rangers got off to a proper European start as the Light Blues navigated past Greek side Panathinaikos to reach the Champions League third qualifying round. After winning the first leg 2-0 at Ibrox on July 22 (thanks to teenager Findlay Curtis and Djeidi Gassama), Rangers held their nerve in Athens.
Djeidi Gassama scored the equaliser to seal a 3-1 aggregate win after the Greeks briefly leveled the tie. Rangers will now face Viktoria Plzeň in the next round, with the first leg at Ibrox next Tuesday.
Not bad for a manager who some Rangers fans weren’t entirely convinced about. Martin’s got the European pedigree from his Southampton days, and it’s showing. The Light Blues are back where they belong – in European competition and giving their fans something to get excited about again.
2. Bloom’s Billion-Pound Gamble: Hearts Get Their Sugar Daddy
Investment Completed: June 25, 2025
Brighton owner Tony Bloom has acquired a 29 per cent stake in Hearts for £9.86m, and the man’s not messing about with his ambitions. Bloom reckons Hearts can “disrupt the pattern of domination of Scottish football” and has boldly stated that “If we (Hearts) have not won the league title in the next 10 years, I will be very disappointed”.
This is the same Tony Bloom who turned Brighton from Championship strugglers into European qualifiers and made Union Saint-Gilloise Belgian champions. His analytics firm Jamestown Analytics is already working with Hearts, and he’s appointed James Franks to the board.
The Foundation of Hearts backed the plans with a stonking 98.5% approval rate from members. Not since someone suggested putting pineapple on pizza has a proposal been so overwhelmingly rejected by the other side – Celtic and Rangers fans, that is.
Whether Hearts can actually challenge the Old Firm remains to be seen, but you’ve got to admire the ambition. After all, someone’s got to try and upset the apple cart, and it might as well be someone who’s already proved he can do it elsewhere.
3. Here We Go Again: Scottish Premiership Returns
Season starts August 2, 2025
The Scottish Premiership kicked off its 2025/26 campaign with four games live on Sky Sports on the opening weekend. Kilmarnock host newly promoted Livingston at Rugby Park on Saturday, August 2, at 3pm to get things rolling.
Celtic began their title defense at home to St Mirren on August 3, while Rangers faced their first test under Russell Martin away at Motherwell on August 2. The big news? Celtic and Rangers fans only need to wait until August 31 for the first Old Firm clash of the season, which takes place live on Sky Sports from Ibrox.
It’s Celtic’s title to lose again, let’s be honest. They won last season by 17 points, which in football terms is roughly equivalent to beating someone at chess while they’re still trying to work out which piece is the horsey.
4. Highland League Goals Galore: The North Delivers
July 30, 2025
The Highland League served up some absolute crackers this week. Five teams have won their first two games in this season’s Breedon Highland League. Last year’s champions Brora Rangers, Brechin City, Buckie Thistle, Clachnacuddin, and Strathspey have 100% records.
The standout results included Brora Rangers putting five past Forres Mechanics (5-0), Keith getting absolutely demolished by Brechin City (0-5), and Buckie Thistle hammering Turriff United (4-0). Meanwhile, in a result that definitely had the locals talking, Clachnacuddin edged past Wick Academy 1-0.
The Highland League remains one of Scottish football’s best-kept secrets – where else can you watch football in places with names that sound like they were invented by someone who fell asleep on a Scrabble board? Long may it continue.
5. New Faces, Same Old Story: Falkirk’s Premiership Return
Falkirk vs Dundee United – August 3, 2025
Falkirk marked their return to the top-flight after 15 years with a home match against Dundee United, live on Sky Sports. The Bairns have been in the Championship since 2010, so this is quite the homecoming.
New signings Scott Bain (from Celtic) and Brian Graham (formerly of Partick Thistle) will be hoping their experience can help the club establish themselves back among Scotland’s elite. Whether they can avoid the dreaded “yo-yo club” tag remains to be seen, but at least they’ll have a proper go at it.
Fifteen years in the wilderness is a long time in football. That’s roughly three generations of players, five different trends in boot technology, and about 47 changes to the offside rule.
6. Livingston’s Big Adventure: From Championship to Premiership
August 2, 2025
Kilmarnock host newly promoted Livingston at Rugby Park on Saturday, August 2, at 3pm as the Lions begin their latest crack at Premiership survival.
Manager David Martindale has a proven track record of keeping Livingston competitive at this level, and his target isn’t just survival according to Sky Sports. The West Lothian club have been here before and know what it takes – grit, determination, and the ability to make every game feel like a cup final.
Livingston away days are never glamorous, but they’re always entertaining. Where else can you watch football while simultaneously wondering if you’ve accidentally driven into an industrial estate? It’s all part of the charm.
7. Aberdeen’s European Adventure: The Dons Are Back
Europa League Qualifying
Aberdeen face a Europa League play-off after their Scottish Cup triumph last season – their first major trophy in 35 years. The added bonus of guaranteed league phase European football comes with the challenge of balancing continental action with league duties.
Last time the Dons had to juggle European football with domestic commitments, they struggled a bit. But this Aberdeen side under Barry Robson has shown they’ve got bottle, especially after that penalty shootout victory over Celtic in the Scottish Cup final.
European nights at Pittodrie are special occasions. The Dons fans deserve this after years of near-misses and what-ifs. Just don’t mention the Champions League qualifying campaign against Rijeka – some wounds take time to heal.
8. Lowland League Chaos: When Non-League Gets Exciting
July 30, 2025
The Lowland League served up some absolute crackers with 16 goals scored across just three games on Wednesday night. That’s more entertainment than you’ll get from most Netflix series, and considerably cheaper too.
Bonnyrigg Rose continued their impressive start by thumping Gala Fairydean Rovers 3-0 at Netherdale Stadium. Kallum Higginbotham, Alassan Jones and Cameron Ross did the damage for the Midlothian side, who are back in the fifth tier after three seasons in League Two.
The real madness was Gretna 2008 vs Heart of Midlothian B, which finished 4-4 in what must have been an absolute belter. Meanwhile, University of Stirling got a proper football education from Linlithgow Rose (1-4), proving that sometimes academic intelligence doesn’t quite translate to the art of defending set pieces.
The Lowland League is facing a major restructuring for 2026-27, when it splits into East and West divisions. This will be the final season in its current format, so they’re certainly going out with a bang rather than a whimper.
9. Transfer Whispers: The Summer of Speculation
Ongoing throughout the week
The Scottish transfer window has been typically chaotic, with clubs scrambling to strengthen squads before the season kicks off. Rangers have been busy under Russell Martin, while Celtic have been relatively quiet – which either means they’re supremely confident or planning something spectacular.
Hearts, flush with Tony Bloom’s cash, have been linked with various moves as Derek McInnes builds his squad. Meanwhile, Aberdeen are trying to keep their Scottish Cup heroes together while preparing for European football.
The Scottish transfer market is like shopping at the local corner shop – you never quite get what you went in for, but you usually leave with something that’ll do the job.
10. Highland League: Where Football Goes to Have Fun
Weekend Results: July 26, 2025
Let’s give the Highland League the proper credit it deserves with some brilliant results from July 26: Brora Rangers 6-2 Rothes, Buckie Thistle 1-0 Nairn County, Deveronvale 3-2 Wick Academy, and other crackers.
Inverurie Loco Works lost 0-5 to Clachnacuddin in what must have been a proper hammering, while Fraserburgh and Formartine United played out a 2-2 thriller.
The Highland League is where football goes when it wants to remember why it fell in love with the game in the first place. Proper football, proper fans, and proper pies. What more do you need?
The Week That Was
So there you have it – another belting week in Scottish football that reminded us why we love this beautiful, maddening game. From European drama to Highland League heroics, from billionaire investments to good old-fashioned football starting again.
Tony Bloom thinks he can disrupt Scottish football’s established order, Rangers are back in European action under their new gaffer, and the Highland League continues to provide more entertainment per pound spent than anywhere else in the country.
The Scottish Premiership is back, the lower leagues are crackling with excitement, and somewhere in Glasgow, Celtic and Rangers are already plotting how to make each other’s lives miserable for the next nine months.
Celtic remain overwhelming favorites for the title (again), Rangers are trying to close the gap (again), and everyone else is hoping for a miracle (again). It’s the circle of Scottish football life, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Key Dates Ahead:
- August 31: First Old Firm clash at Ibrox (Sky Sports)
- Champions League third qualifying round continues
- Highland League keeps serving up the goals
The Highland League alone is worth the price of admission to Scottish football – where else can you watch Clachnacuddin take on Wick Academy and not feel like you’re making up team names for a pub quiz?
Next week: Celtic probably win by three goals, Rangers might struggle but progress in Europe, and at least one Highland League game will finish 7-6 because that’s just how they roll up north.
Five Minutes Spare Rating: ⭐⭐ (Two thumbs up for Scottish football doing what Scottish football does best – providing drama, hope, and the occasional moment of brilliance!)
