Holsgrove's Scotland Ambition and Hampden's Subplots
Jordan Holsgrove is still chasing a dream that refuses to fade. At 27, settled in Portugal with Estoril, the midfielder has not given up on pulling on a dark blue Scotland shirt – and the door has not been slammed shut on him either.
There has been recent contact between Holsgrove and the national-team set-up, a reminder that his performances abroad have not gone unnoticed. For a player operating outside the glare of the Scottish game, that line of communication matters. It tells him he is on the radar, that a strong run of form in Portugal could yet drag him into contention when the next squad is named. The dream lives because someone on the Scotland staff has picked up the phone.
Reedijk’s Reunion With Reus
At Hampden on Sunday, emotion will be parked at the touchline – or at least that is the plan.
Hibernian manager Marink Reedijk is preparing to face Hearts in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final, and with them his former Beveren goalkeeper, Beau Reus. The pair share a strong bond from their time in Belgium, but Reedijk has been clear about where the line is drawn this weekend. He has admitted he is looking forward to the reunion, then added the sting: he will “love him a bit less” once the whistle goes.
It is the kind of subplot that gives a semi-final extra texture. A coach who knows the strengths and flaws of the man trying to keep his team out. A goalkeeper who understands exactly how his old boss likes to set traps in the final third. Friendship will wait; Hampden demands an edge.
Campbell Finding His Feet at St Johnstone
Josh Campbell is only just starting to feel like himself again.
The midfielder, on loan at St Johnstone, has spoken about needing time to get fully up to speed after a spell of illness. On Wednesday night he offered a glimpse of what he can bring, stepping off the bench to score his first goal for the club in the draw with Motherwell.
Sharpness does not return overnight. But a substitute appearance, a goal, and a point rescued – those are the kind of moments that accelerate the process. St Johnstone need energy and end product in the middle of the park. Campbell, now feeling stronger, looks ready to supply both.
Falkirk’s Standards Rise
In League One, Falkirk are refusing to think small.
Ben Krauhaus has nailed the ambition to the wall: another top-six finish “has to be the goal”. This is not a side content with a decent run and a pat on the back. Krauhaus underlined that with his contribution away to Aberdeen, scoring to help John McGlynn’s team to a third straight win.
Three victories in a row change the mood around any club. For Falkirk, it reinforces the feeling that last season’s step forward cannot be a one-off. Krauhaus has set the bar in public. The dressing room now has to live up to it.
Aberdeen’s Fight and Devlin’s Role
Aberdeen, by contrast, head to Hampden short on confidence and long on questions.
Yet club legend Joe Harper has laid out what is required against Rangers in the other Premier Sports Cup semi-final: they must “fight with all they’ve got”. No tactical nuance, no excuses. Just a demand for a response on the biggest domestic stage.
Harper has also thrown his support behind Nicky Devlin. If the 33-year-old is asked to start at Hampden, Harper believes the “experienced campaigner” can handle the occasion. Aberdeen need leaders as much as they need quality right now. Devlin, battle-hardened and trusted by a club icon, is being pointed to as one of the players who must carry that burden.
Blackburn’s Near Miss With Elijah Just
Away from Hampden, Tony Mowbray has lifted the lid on a transfer that almost changed direction.
The Blackburn Rovers manager revealed the club were looking “pretty hard” at Elijah Just before the New Zealand midfielder left Motherwell for Swansea City in the summer. Rovers tracked him, liked what they saw, and still watched him head to Wales.
It is a reminder of how fine the margins are in recruitment. One more meeting, one more push, and a different badge might be on the player’s chest. Instead, Swansea landed a midfielder whose stock had risen in Scotland – and Blackburn are left to wonder what might have been.
From Holsgrove’s quiet hope in Portugal to the noise and nerve of Hampden, Scottish football is littered with players and managers standing at crossroads. Some are chasing international recognition, some a cup final, some simply the next step up the table. The next few weeks will show who turns potential into something more permanent.
