Pre-Season 2015

Renegade · June 3, 2015

Seemingly we'll be a playing a behind closed door game against Aberdeen in the summer to prepare both teams for Europe. I also saw in the P&J last week that we'll be playing some Highland League sides with matches against Welsh and Irish teams also being considered.

Presume one of the Highland League teams will be Clach and I wouldn't be surprised to see an away tie at Elgin as well, but was interesting reading about the Welsh and Irish teams. Surely with Europe coming up, we wouldn't be looking at a completely separate tour, more playing a team from one of those places if we're drawn against a team in that country.

With the players back in at the end of this month, it looks like the first pre-season friendly could only be about four weeks away!

bdu98196 · June 3, 2015

With money as it is and timescales this tight, then playing local HL teams seems logical. A bounce game against the dons or even St J would benefit both - where else will any team get decent quality opposition before the Europa games, but think it would be a better idea to have fans - even if its just a few quid in and money to charity.

It would be good if we can get one big pre-season game though before the SPFL season starts against an English team - I'd like to see a friendly against Arsenal as we are both national cup winners but sadly that would never happen.

Renegade · June 6, 2015

I see Nairn are playing Ross County and Aberdeen this pre-season. Will they finally get round to playing us this year?

12th Man · June 6, 2015

I was told by a reliable source that there wouldnt be any preseason if we made it into Europe, however at the time I dont think the person thought we would be winning the Scottish cup and getting an extra 2 weeks to prepare.

Aberdeen would be good for both parties and playing against Elgin would be good for our fan base through there but apart from that Im assuming other friendlies will be with the reserves and trialists.

ICTRoughi · June 6, 2015

In my opinion, we need to be in a competitive state before going ahead into the European games or we risk repeating what Hibs did against Malmo.

Sneckboy · June 7, 2015

SPFL Premiership fixtures published Wednesday 17th June

Draw for Europa League Qualifying rounds 1 and 2 Monday 22nd June

First Scottish pre-season games start with Brechin v Aberdeen Wednesday 24th June

Europa League Qualifying 1st round - 1st leg Thursday 2nd July (Potential opponents to watch)

Europa League Qualifying 1st round - 2nd leg Thursday 9th July (Potential opponents to watch)

Europa League Qualifying 2nd round - 1st leg Thursday 16th July

Draw for Europa League Qualifying round 3 Friday 17th July

Europa League Qualifying 2nd round - 2nd leg Thursday 23rd July

(Europa League Qualifying 3rd round - 1st leg) Thursday 30th July

SPFL Premiership opening weekend Saturday 1st August

(Europa League Qualifying 3rd round - 2nd leg) Thursday 6th August

Sneckboy · June 7, 2015

Observations:

If we do manage to win our European tie, obviously we'll be playing in the 3rd Qualifying round on July 30th. I'd imagine our opening league fixture (1st August) would then be 'put back' to the Sunday, or a later date.

We'll 'technically' be in the 3rd Qualifying round draw - as it takes place between the two-legs of our first Euro adventure. Potentially, Borussia Dortmund et al. could be waiting!

Aberdeen are back underway in little over 2 weeks time! Struggling to see where our 'bounce' game against them can be played!

But, if ICT are re-assembling towards the end of this month, there should be scope to fit in a couple of friendlies before our Euro game.

Big G · June 7, 2015

I see Nairn are playing Ross County and Aberdeen this pre-season. Will they finally get round to playing us this year?

A friendly game would have to be wanted by both clubs and unfortunately Nairn committee members are bitter people who blame ICT for the power swing to the east in the Highland League and would not welcome a friendly.

Edited June 7, 2015 by Big G

KirkieRobRoy · June 7, 2015

We tend to have a kind of B team playing some of the smaller clubs, made up of youth and fringe players, in pre-season? Might still be some of these on?

My annual plea to get on the blower and plan an away friendly v Kirkie Rob Roy...

rocky1 · June 7, 2015

Not sure if we will have any home friendliest as the park has had a lot of work done on it again to try to sort out the drainage issues at the North end and it will need time to recover.

+bughtmaster · June 7, 2015

I'm looking forward to my annual Brora visit, I like their pies.

Div1309 · June 7, 2015

when i was in the shop over the weekend, said the team will be back in within 3 weeks training so imagining monday 22nd

davieB · June 8, 2015

Now we've joined Europe's elite I'd have thought we'd be getting invites to take part in those prestigious pre-season tournaments featuring the likes of Arsenal, Monaco, and some unheard of Japanese team.

ICTRoughi · June 8, 2015

Noticed on Sky Sports News there, that we play the winner of the game of Orkney vs Halkirk in the North of Scotland cup.

Renegade · June 8, 2015

I see we're the home team in that fixture. Now if Halkirk get through, I could see the game being moved there, but what about if it's Orkney? I can't see the game being played at the Caledonian Stadium. Will we move the game to somewhere further north, Wick for example? Unless we went for somewhere else in Inverness, Grant Street? Northern Meeting Park? That wee place Inverness City play at?

**The Mantis** · June 8, 2015

Noticed on Sky Sports News there, that we play the winner of the game of Orkney vs Halkirk in the North of Scotland cup.

Is this a sort of 'Orkney Select'? Do none of their clubs enter then?

Edit- I see that Orkney is an actual club founded in 2012.

Edited June 8, 2015 by TheMantis

Renegade · June 8, 2015

Noticed on Sky Sports News there, that we play the winner of the game of Orkney vs Halkirk in the North of Scotland cup.

Is this a sort of 'Orkney Select'? Do none of their clubs enter then?

They're a new club in the North Caledonian League (I think).

**The Mantis** · June 8, 2015

Cheers Rene, your post overlapped with my edit. Apparently they're effectively a 'select' as it was formed to let them compete at a higher level.

So the old Orkney clubs such as Thorfinn and Hotspurs soldier on in their own league which presumably is weakened like the HFL was after 1994.

Sneckboy · June 8, 2015

The Orkney Amateur League is a 'summer' competition, whereas the North Caledonian League is termed as 'winter', so players can play for their clubs throughout the summer and the select boys will play NCL for the rest of the year.

Last season, Orkney's squad was predominately:

4 Kirkwall Rovers

5 Rendall (although Brora have since signed John Pickles)

2 Kirkwall Thorfinn

1 Dounby

1 Isles Athletic

2 Kirkwall Hotspurs

They looked like they were going to win the North Caledonian on their debut last season but faltered near the end, allowing Golspie Sutherland to nick it.

However, they did win one of the (four) cups available. Shetland and a Lewis & Harris select also won cups as guest clubs last season.

Commendable as it is for Orkney to finish runners-up, one has to wonder how viable a league is, consisting of just 10 fixtures.

Invergordon return for the coming season to make 7 clubs and 12 fixtures.

**The Mantis** · June 8, 2015

The Orkney Amateur League is a 'summer' competition, whereas the North Caledonian League is termed as 'winter', so players can play for their clubs throughout the summer and the select boys will play NCL for the rest of the year.

Last season, Orkney's squad was predominately:

4 Kirkwall Rovers

5 Rendall (although Brora have since signed John Pickles)

2 Kirkwall Thorfinn

1 Dounby

1 Isles Athletic

2 Kirkwall Hotspurs

They looked like they were going to win the North Caledonian on their debut last season but faltered near the end, allowing Golspie Sutherland to nick it.

However, they did win one of the (four) cups available. Shetland and a Lewis & Harris select also won cups as guest clubs last season.

Commendable as it is for Orkney to finish runners-up, one has to wonder how viable a league is, consisting of just 10 fixtures.

Invergordon return for the coming season to make 7 clubs and 12 fixtures.

Thanks for that. Do you find just the one thick anorak does the job, or do you wear loads of thin ones in a sort of layer system :whistle:

Edited June 8, 2015 by TheMantis

dougiedanger · June 9, 2015

I see Nairn are playing Ross County and Aberdeen this pre-season. Will they finally get round to playing us this year?

[/indent]

A friendly game would have to be wanted by both clubs and unfortunately Nairn committee members are bitter people who blame
ICT
for the power swing to the east in the Highland League and would not welcome a friendly.

Aye, cause Nairn were such a powerhouse before the merger Ffs.

Sneckboy · June 11, 2015

The SPFL fixtures are being released on the 19th and not the 17th, as I'd originally posted.

SPFL Premiership fixtures published Friday 19th June