snorbens_caleyman

OK - I'm convinced!

Nope - still can't get my head round that photograph. I can see a part of the current building which resembles it - but that would require an extension to have been built on to the left after your photograph was taken, and that would probably make your photo much earlier than 1954. Basically, the slope and drop of the roof just look wrong to me. Had a search online, but there are very few photographs of the place online, and none of them help. My suggestion would be to see if the library or Highland Archives had any old maps or plans. However, most maps will show only the shape of the building, and I don't think OS maps ever showed bell towers (as opposed to "church with spire"). The firm which converted the orphanage and built Drynie Terrace was called Campbell's, and I think that they have long since disappeared. It's a very slim chance, but maybe there's an archive of their stuff somewhere...

My Mum passed away last month, so I can now say that that's where she spent the final years of her life, in the care home. Her room was right at the far end of the home, and I reckoned that it was on the far goal line or perhaps even the terracing, just to the right of those tracks. Whenever she forgot where she was, my reminder was always "You're on Inverness Thistle's pitch!"

I think they'd be hearing from the lawyers of a certain luxury wristwatch manufacturer...

IIRC, and without looking up CB's book, the League told the Inverness clubs that it would not be acceptable to have the competition of two Highland League clubs in the same town as a Scottish League club, and so at least two of them would have to merge if they were to be allowed in. Ross County were admitted at the same time. Elgin and Peterhead were admitted a few years later, and Cove came through the pyramid system.

Ah well. Were all their players legit?

IBM, I don't recognise that at all. I would have said that that is not the Orphanage. It certainly doesn't look like any part of the building as I remember it, and it doesn't look like any of the photos above. The Orphanage grounds had a substantial wall all round them, and I don't see that. There appear to be two fences with a lane between them, running obliquely between the photographer and the building, and that looks odd to me too. There was a schoolhouse in the grounds, which had a small rectangular opening up on one of its walls, facing into the grounds. It was filled in when we moved in, but I had always assumed that that had been where the bell was. I could well be wrong, of course, and I would be very interested to see any other pictures that you have.

Most of the season it's been "Go Now" by the Moody Blues. What a difference a day makes

No I didn't check it. Basically because this time I agreed with the commentary muppets, who didn't think it was a booking either.

I recorded that off iPlayer and played it back frame by frame. Difficult to tell because the camera is in the back corner of the goal, and not on the line. But it looks to me as though it could have been OK. But is it me, or is Ridgers having more "wobbly moments" than he used to? I also had a look at the Killie goal. Both Ridgers and Carson appealed immediately for handball, and I think they may have had a case. Can't get a clear frame, but from the camera behind the goal it looks as though the ball deflects upwards off Carson, and then suddenly downwards off the Killie player and into the net. That could only have been off his hand or arm. But, in the end, it doesn't matter. At least the ref knew the rules better than the BBC commentary muppets - "That can't have been a penalty because it came off his leg". They corrected that at half-time, but the muppets still went on about it into the second half

Getting back on topic, if the likes of Shane and Tom Walsh became fit again before the end of the season, how would you use them? They haven't played since last May. They won't be match sharp, and may not be 100% fit. On the other hand, they may not be as tired as the others who have played all through the season. All the games now are vital. Keep 'em as subs, as is being done with Austin Samuels? Or put Shane on as the big guy to complement Billy, knowing that you have a number of options if you need to substitute him after 45 mins or an hour?

It has been corrupted over time. For a while 300-400 years ago, the only two available verdicts were "proven" and "not proven". A judge or jury was not asked to rule on the defendant's guilt - they were asked to rule on whether the prosecution had proved the case. This, IMHO, was fine, but I can see the demand for a more black-and-white "guilty" or "not guilty" decision - you can just imagine today's Daily Mail demanding such a thing. Scotland retained the "not proven" verdict, which has been corrupted so that nowadays it basically means "we think you're guilty, but the prosecution hasn't satisfactorily proved that" - thus tainting the defendant(s) who nevertheless walk free. Because of how it is used nowaday, I would agree that it should be disused. Here endeth today's history lesson

That's exactly what I was going to say. It's no more inconceivable than Caley & Thistle joining up in 1994. The difference is that then the prize was a place in the Scottish League, whereas now the "prize" would be survival.

Not a great new amenity or public facility, but a personal favourite is the Black Isle Brewery bar on Church Street. Great selection of beers - when we are in Inverness we usually visit the brewery shop to load up the car - and the pizzas are really good! We've also had some interesting and fun conversations when sharing a table with strangers. You'll probably all say that it's a tourist trap. Well, when I am in Inverness, I am a tourist

The Southern Distributor road between Inshes and Torvean. But points off for it not being a dual carriageway, as it should have been.

That's a fair point. But you have to balance that against the risk of such a change unsettling the players and making things worse.

Assuming that Dodds's contract expires at the end of the season, then the payoff he would get for being sacked is relatively small (about 3 months if it happened now) and decreasing. Wouldn't make much of a dent in the cash flow. But to be honest, unless they have some magician lined up who could take over and guarantee (!) results immediately, I don't see the point in changing managers now. I don't think we will be relegated. Get the season over and done with, then make the wholesale changes that are needed - and which should be being planned right now.

Is this not something that a journalist - not necessarily you, Charles - could try to investigate? Might be met with "No comment" or "Wait for the AGM", but it would at least show the management the level of concern amongst the supporters.

Thanks, folks. BBC website says: "Second Half begins Dundee 1, Inverness CT 0." We can still do it!

Thanks for that. BBC website reporter appears to have fallen asleep at the start of the second half. Refreshments must have been good.

Or if they do sack him, then morale might get even worse, and we could be relegated. I think they will just let his contract expire.

You could tap into the aquifer

If Samuels didn't say anything to counter the rumours, it's also possible that he indicated to the club that he didn't want them to say anything either. Yes, we usually hear about players' injuries, but medical details are sensitive personal information and should only be released with the person's explicit consent.

No need to say "sorry". I wasn't disagreeing - just saying that it wasn't a straight comparison. I never saw much of Titchy, but did see a lot of the Jags a few years earlier, when they had Tony Fraser on the right, Bobby McLean on the left, Chipper Stephen and Johnny Cowie in the middle... and broke all sorts of scoring records.

Chalk and cheese. Titchy was a winger. Davy Johnston was a compact, fast striker - now that I think about it, he had many similarities with Billy Mckay. His telepathic partnership with Chic Allan was out of this world. Mind you, Ian Stephen and Johnny Cowie were pretty good too