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Fans Boycott


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1 hour ago, Jaggernaut said:

As I have said before, I have been watching football in Inverness for 50 years, firstly with Inverness Thistle and now with ICT, and I cannot remember a time when I have been more demoralised watching the game I love. Even when the Kingsmills Jags were at their lowest point did I feel the way I feel going to games now. This season I thought we would give it a good go, I thought that although we had lost a lot of talent, we might have some fighting performances but not necessarily win all our games. Now, after a few games you can't see where our wins are going to come from. Even on Saturday, before the game, I thought it was a game we could have lost. What a turnaround in barely a year ago when we were taking points off Celtic, to hoping we could beat a league 2 team! I think that the falling attendances are par for the course for the ICT support, if the club can't significantly increase its fan base after winning the Scottish Cup and playing in Europe, then they are going to drift away after relegation and a very poor start in the championship. If the club can string a few wins together the attendance might increase, but I fear if things continue we will be left with just the hard core fans, and with reading some posts on here, even they are being tested.

We must have been watching the jags at the same time pretty much. Even when it wasn’t the best you could always nip over to the Corrie for a pint at half time :laugh:

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I believe that the factors governing attendances across football are many and complex and that ICT is suffering from a not uncommon Perfect Storm. I think the biggest driver of declining attendances is that, across the game, going to a football ground and paying to watch two teams which are considerably inferior to what you can watch on TV is no longer a flavour of the month activity. So, for instance Scottish Premiership crowds in the 3000 bracket are not at all uncommon. It also looks to me as if attendances here also permanently suffer from a definite novelty factor. In the first season at the Caledonian Stadium, heading towards a Division 3 title, there were several in the 2000 - 4000 bracket. That didn't include derbies which went above 5000 and in that specific case, the novelty factor soon became very evident and Highland Derbies in the Premiership latterly and consistently attracted far fewer fans than in D3. Similarly, the 2000 - 4000 also rapidly declined, and once playing even in D1 had become established (around 2002 perhaps), home crowds of 1800-1900 weren't out of the way.

Fast forward to the novelty of the SPL and we are again back up to 4000+, and 6000+ for bigger occasions. But before long, even the OF were failing to prevent large gaps in the stands and run of the mill games were down to around 3000-odd. Inevitably, a drop down to the Championship is going to have another negative effect since second tier football in Inverness is now old hat, and of course the recent less than entertaining fare has added another factor, along with the failure to win. This is a far cry from the novelty of SPL names rolling into Inverness on a fortnightly basis and pushing for that first ever top six place.

It becomes even more difficult to attract home crowds if you have to charge around £20 for all of this, but that is the kind of sum needed to maximise ticket income. The fundamental problem here is football's overall willingness to pay players way above their market value. Given that 2-5 Scottish clubs pull in a huge percentage of Scottish football support, the residual economics just don't leave much scope for full time football in this country. Clubs, especially in peripheral areas also continue to be badly affected by busloads of football fans heading off to Ibrox and Celtic Park.

Then when you look at the 930 attending ICT v Peterhead on Saturday, you can add to all of that the reality that the Irn Bru Cup isn't something people really want to pay money to watch - unless there's something vaguely special like Falkirk v Dunfermline. At 4082, was the only one of the eight attendances above 2000. Despite the handicap of League Two opposition, 930 was actually the fourth biggest of the eight numbers, and then you need to take into account that "official" cup attendances always SEEM :lol: lower than how full the ground feels.

OK... that's a pretty long winded way of saying that at ICT at the moment, a recently relegated team which is not playing well in a league which isn't an attractive product and which everybody has seen before isn't going to be able to pull in crowds which might make the prospects of full time football look terribly viable in the longer term.

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2 hours ago, AncientMariner said:

If it's consistant wins or supporting a team who will deliver what you are looking for from a club, perhaps you might want to support Celtic or Aberdeen?

I find it incredible that in a post about boycotting the club, a reply which offers a personal opinion as to why I or some others may not want to attend at the present time, is suddenly jumped on by people like you who's only answer is to suggest that I purely want to support a team that win every week. 

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1 hour ago, jagster said:

We must have been watching the jags at the same time pretty much. Even when it wasn’t the best you could always nip over to the Corrie for a pint at half time :laugh:

I watched them late 60's till the end. Never got to the Corrie much as I always had my son with me. Halcyon days.

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That's a good post from Charles which illustrates that there is no easy fix.  People go to football for very different reasons.  Some turn up through thick and thin because it's their team and the team is just a part of their life; some go to be entertained; some go because they enjoy their team winning; some go to see the big names that other clubs have in their sides.  With respect to entertainment, it should also be noted that different things entertain people differently - some like end to end mayhem regardless of the quality of the play whilst others get enjoyment from a more sedate but technically more accomplished style of play.  There is no right or wrong about any of this and we really shouldn't criticise anyone who decides they will no longer go to matches.  

But I think one of the problems we have is that given the success of the last 10 years or so, unrealistic expectations have been created.  Now that those expectations are not being met, people are staying away in significant numbers. Unfortunately the harsh reality is that every time somebody decides not to come, it makes it that much harder for the club to meet the expectations of everybody else.  It's a vicious circle.  Perhaps people could look at things in a different way.  Instead of asking whether or not you got value for your £20 at any given match, look upon the £20 as an investment for future success.  After all, when you look back at that incident packed semi-final against Celtic and then lifting the cup in the final, just how much are those memories worth?  We'll not see the like again unless enough people keep faith with the club through the bad times as well as the good.

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59 minutes ago, DoofersDad said:

That's a good post from Charles which illustrates that there is no easy fix.  People go to football for very different reasons.  Some turn up through thick and thin because it's their team and the team is just a part of their life; some go to be entertained; some go because they enjoy their team winning; some go to see the big names that other clubs have in their sides.  With respect to entertainment, it should also be noted that different things entertain people differently - some like end to end mayhem regardless of the quality of the play whilst others get enjoyment from a more sedate but technically more accomplished style of play.  There is no right or wrong about any of this and we really shouldn't criticise anyone who decides they will no longer go to matches.  

But I think one of the problems we have is that given the success of the last 10 years or so, unrealistic expectations have been created.  Now that those expectations are not being met, people are staying away in significant numbers. Unfortunately the harsh reality is that every time somebody decides not to come, it makes it that much harder for the club to meet the expectations of everybody else.  It's a vicious circle.  Perhaps people could look at things in a different way.  Instead of asking whether or not you got value for your £20 at any given match, look upon the £20 as an investment for future success.  After all, when you look back at that incident packed semi-final against Celtic and then lifting the cup in the final, just how much are those memories worth?  We'll not see the like again unless enough people keep faith with the club through the bad times as well as the good.

"Doofers Dad and Charles"  are absolutely right.  I agree totally with their eloquent summing up in the state of affairs.

One of my biggest sporting regrets in my life is that in 1966 I was caught in a traffic jamb  traveling to Torquay with my girl friend to start my holiday , I  missed the game on TV and I just knew it would never be repeated.  Some 51 years has passed.

My point is that in any sport you love; is grab the minute when life is good, and not get too down with the converse

If ICT had ben top of the division and going well  , I would not have been at the game, because the competition does not rank in my portfolio of  sporting  must see activities. But because of our poor start to the season, I wanted to see how we coped with a relatively easier task  than those afforded to  us by our very capable  opponents in the championship .

I just hope that some lessons where learned by the management and the team, not to hopeful about No 7 though.

With regard to the £20 debate ,  my daughter who accompanied  me to a St. Mirren game one boxing day a few years ago announced to the assembled throng on exiting the ground  in a loud voice  , " Waste of  25 quid ". It was the first time she had watched Inverness.

 

Edited by Laurence
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2 hours ago, Jaggernaut said:

Best days of my life. Sad that they had to come to an end.

Just a new beginning. 

With all the reasons for going to football being given I think people have missed the most important of the lot. It beats having to go shopping with the wife :blush:

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 Oh dear!  How the mighty hath fallen --or so it seems. And where do we go from here.....?

For sure, continual booing and screaming at players  won't do anything to bring back the good old days.  Encouragement, and holding your tongue if you can't shout anything positive, is a far better  strategy for the future.

Now, it's true that I haven't seen one single game live this season and precious few video clips because they are few and far between, so who am I to judge except for the fact that what I have just said seems to have the same respective  negative and positive effects in any situation other than in football.  So what's good for the Goose is good for the Gander I reckon and don't forget that nothing remains the same for ever. So there are better days ahead but  either prior to, or after, worse days. The  latter scenario being very possible in the short term. Get used to it, stop moaning and offer encouragement instead. An already  down team needs motivation, not cruel jibes.

Racehorses are finely fed, stroked, exercised and trained animals --but the very best don't always win. Some have different temperaments and some need a wee bit of the whip to wake them  up and realise that more is expected of them at the crucial points in the race ; whereas others run their hearts out and don't need the whip at all and sometimes need to be restrained before they exhaust themselves too early in the race. The latter have that competitive spirit, grit and determination which alone motivates them to win with furlongs to spare, not to mention the jockey's disposition and temperament which can spur a horse on to greatness if both of them get into sync with each other. Animals have a sixth sense and they either seem to like you or not right off the bat. Meaning? Just this in simpler terms....our new Manager has the ball at his feet and will either sink or swim depending on how he stands and motivates the players.

Regrettably, John Robertson  is the fall guy. He must find a way, either by means of chats  or by example, to get the very best out of all the individual players. He can do this quietly with each player, in the background, or openly in a full meeting with all the players at once. Initially, I advocate the first way since this gives each player a real chance to get to know his manager as a human being and to advise him of his personal feelings, goals and needs. For the player, to just speak up will assist him to cope with an already depressing situation  and this initial "hearing' will have to find J R listening attentively more than talking himself to death. If he listens intently  to what is being said he can offer encouragement as the conversation progresses. When all players have had this opportunity of a one-on one chat then the general meetings can be open to all comment as a TEAM and the Manager must stimulate free and honest discussion. This is down to personality and I think that J R has the capability within him to sense that praise and  encouragement  is the right course to follow. Otherwise, he may be  doomed. IMHO. 

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17 minutes ago, jagster said:

Just a new beginning. 

With all the reasons for going to football being given I think people have missed the most important of the lot. It beats having to go shopping with the wife :blush:

Oh dear and I thought you went for the football :lol:

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8 hours ago, AncientMariner said:

If it's consistant wins or supporting a team who will deliver what you are looking for from a club, perhaps you might want to support Celtic or Aberdeen? 

Yes its frustrating but supporting a team means supporting them through good and bad. The real supporters do turn up, they do cheer on the team even in defeat. They also do not boo their own players or scream abuse at them which unfortunately seem to make up a substantial part of the "support" now. Just how is that supposed to lift the heads and drive them on? No wonder there is a crisis of confidence within the team. The youth team got slated for their behaviour which is unfortunate but by God, at least they supported and lifted the team and for that, they are worth 100 of every idiot who who thinks it's ok to shout abuse just because things arn't going the way they would like. They are the cancer eating through the club and causing the greatest spiral of low confidence which is greatly affecting the team. How would you feel as a player if every time you touched the ball you received a torrent of abuse or boos? FFS, Polworth scored a goal and created another yet some "fans" booed him? Sure he may have had a less then expected game but what do you want if two goals warrant that?
Just to note, Billy McKay scored 4 goals in 15 appearances, Polworth has scored 3 in 14 appearences, I don't recall anyone giving McKay a hard time? And don't get me started on Vigurs, the things I've heard fans shout because he makes one mistake or poor pass yet all the good stuff he does is ignored.

I guess it's just an Inveness thing.....?

Absolutely way over the top you think that we have only won once in the league due to a couple of supporters directing a couple of expletives at the players. Jesus Christ I have heard it all now.

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Just now, forresjags said:

Absolutely way over the top you think that we have only won once in the league due to a couple of supporters directing a couple of expletives at the players. Jesus Christ I have heard it all now.

I didn't say that, try reading it a few times, usually works for slower people.

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Just a tad personal there don't ya think.

Ok read it again and from that I think that what you are so saying is 'real supporters' stay behind  clapping and cheering the team off the park after they have been turned over  at home by Livingston and under no circumstances offer any criticism to any player who look like they can't be arsed or are hiding.

Correct ? Not bad eh for one so slow.

TBH I think you are doing your fellow supporters a massive injustice, casting them as 'idiots' just because the way they conduct themselves on a Saturday is not to your approval. 

 

 

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2 hours ago, IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER said:

What an atrocious thread. I can't believe everybody has fallen fer Dougals fishing trip - especially CB ?!

The thing about Dougal's fishing trips is that many of them actually raise issues which are worthy of discussion - hence the tendency for the threads to proliferate - but, predictably, Dougal's spin on the questions is so nonsensical that this also leads to multiple red herrings. (If you pardon the not so mixed metaphor!)

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I've just been listening on the radio to a description of the horrendously complicated format of some new European league which, in Scotland's case, will apparently create a much more convoluted process through which to fail to qualify for the Euro finals. One main purpose of all this is, apparently, to create more hours of football which are sellable to TV channels. However, the obvious corollary of even more televised football will be the punters having even less inclination and funds than at present to invest in turning up to see games live at places like the Caledonian Stadium.

Edited by Charles Bannerman
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22 hours ago, IBM said:

That's some sentence you had :lol:

Aye but watching the Jags team of the early seventies was worth the agony of all that went on before and after and a quick pint at the Corriegarth often made the second half a great deal more bearable.

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13 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

Aye but watching the Jags team of the early seventies was worth the agony of all that went on before and after and a quick pint at the Corriegarth often made the second half a great deal more bearable.

Is it true, or an urban myth, that there was one occasion when the Half Time Harriers returned from the Corrie slightly late to find that, in the interim, Jags had shipped five goals?

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