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Highland March 2

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Steve Taylor (ITN) is at it again.. Not content with taking on a walk from Inverness to Falkirk last season ... Steve and his band of intrepid ICT fans plan a 7 day walk from the Clyde match at Broadwood to Caledonian Stadium for the last day of the season ... all for charity.
Steve Taylor, (InterTheNet or ITN as he is known on the website) is at it againNot content with walking 160 miles from Inverness to the last ever game at Brockville last season with a group of ICT fans to celebrate his 50th birthday, (and raising money for the Moray Firth Radio charity trust in the process) he intends to make it 170 miles this year with another 'scenic' walk. This year it will be "Caley Canary" (pictured left) who reaches that milestone ... and punishes himself by taking part again.
This time it is planned to start after the game against Clyde at Broadwood on Saturday 8th May and finish up at the Caledonian Stadium before the final game of the season against St Johnstone on 15th May.
If you were to check the mileage on a map, it comes out at less than 140 miles, but anyone who knows Steve already knows he doesn't do things the easy way. HMII (Highland March 2) as it has already been dubbed will take in as many hills as possible, (Campsies, Sherrifmuir, Dumvatand not to mention such lovely places as Drumochter and the Slochd) and will follow 'old roads' rather than the A9.
This year's proposed route is as follows ....
Sat 8th May Beer in the Broadwood Farm before the game (with MFR buckets to rattle). Walk to Stirling straight after the game (taking the Tak Ma Doon Road over the top of the Campsies). Sun 9th May Stirling to Crieff. Climb over Sherrifmuir and Dumyat (the hill above the Uni). Stay overnight in Crieff. Mon 10th May Crieff to Kenmore. Stay overnight in Pitlochry. Tue 11th May Kenmore to Dalnarardoch Lodge (foot of Drumotcher). Stay overnight at Laggan Bridge. Wed 12th May Walk the pass of Glen Tromie. Stay overnight at Newtonmore. Thu 13th May Drumguish (top end of the Pass) to Aviemore. Stay overnight in Aviemore. Fri 14th May Aviemore to Tomatin. Stay overnight in Carrbridge. Sat 15th May Tomatin to Caledonian Stadium via the Innes Bar.
Expected to arrive at the Hilton roundabout on the Southern Orbital Road at around 12.30pm.
As in HM1, all of the money is going to the MFR Charity Trust headed up by Joyce McKenzie and Lyndsay Thomson. Read more about the Charity Trust by clicking on the link, or send donations by emailing Lyndsay.
Lyndsay commented on Highland March 1 : The fantastic figure raised for the MFR Charity Trust after HM1 was £3075. I have to say that when Steve first estimated that they would raise over £3000 I thought he was being somewhat optimistic but they did it!!
Moray Firth Charity Trust Throughout the year the MFR Charity Trust hold a wide range of events ranging from our thirty-six hour non-stop on air Auction to Giant Car Boot Sales, Bring a £ to Work Day and a Sponsored Fishing Competition and much much more.
Every penny we raise is guaranteed to stay in our broadcast area where we support the smaller, often forgotten but none the less important cases.
We receive about 400 applications each year and our Board of Trustees scrutinise each before deciding where the money goes being very supportive of disabled, disadvantaged and the socially excluded. Many are from needy individuals who benefit from the extra money, for example a family with two autistic children whowould really love to get away for a week in a caravan, a teenage girl who needed new clothing & mum was in prison, or a disabled club who want a trip to the pantomime for their members - things that you and I would take for granted yet they mean so much to many of the groups and individuals we support.
Guest
By Guest in News 2004-05 ·

Highland Academy In Doubt?

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Fergus Ewing MSP has tabled questions to the Labour Liberal Executive and asked SportScotland for an urgent briefing following representations made to him by local councillors over delays in public funding.
FUTURE OF HIGHLAND FOOTBALL ACADEMY CALLED INTO QUESTIONEWING TABLES PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS ON FUNDING DELAYS
Fergus Ewing MSP has tabled questions to the Labour Liberal Executive and asked SportScotland for an urgent briefing following representations made to him by local councillors over delays in public funding which may result in a writ being served. Commenting on the situation Mr Ewing said:
"I have been contacted by local councillors concerning the future of the Highland Football Academy and I am shocked that the public funding they were promised has not been forthcoming.
"Apparently an alleged legal problem with the setting up of the "Scottish Football Partnership" has meant that the money promised and which was supposed to be passed to the Highland Football Academy has not been paid.
"This has resulted in the possibility of a writ being served against the two directors. Such a situation is ridiculous. When it is money to be paid to Government the writs fly like flock of seagulls but when it is money they have to pay out the attitude is almost blasé.
"This situation need not have happened if SportScotland had advanced the money and then retrieved it once the legal wrangles had been settled. Rather than put forward a solution to rectify the problem SportScotland just say they have no idea when the issue will be settled. This obviously leaves the Highland Football Academy in limbo.
"I am therefore calling for an urgent briefing from SportScotland so that a path can be realised to rectify this situation as soon as possible. If not we could see the Highland Football Academy bankrupt before it is even off the ground. And with that all the public's money that has already been invested will be lost.
"I have also tabled Parliamentary Questions to ensure that the Executive is well aware of this situation and will step into to ensure their quango acts more responsibly. Only today in the papers they are saying they will invest money to improve the game.
"It would be ironic if that promised funding causes problems like that at the Highland Football Academy leading to bankruptcy and wasted public cash."
The questions that Mr Ewing is set to ask are as follows ...
To ask the Scottish Executive if SportScotland has advanced funding to the Highland Football Academy; and if not, whether there has been delay on their part; and what steps they will now take to ensure the Highland Football Academy can continue.
To ask the Scottish Executive if they will intervene to ensure that the Highland Football Academy receives funding promised from SportScotland.
 
Mr Ewing can be contacted on [email protected]
Guest
By Guest in News 2004-05 ·

Board Statement - Groundshare Plan

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The board of Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC have issued a statement in reply to stories about the proposed groundshare idea that have surfaced in the press over the last day or two.
Board Statement on Temporary Stands / GroundsharingThe Board wish to issue the following statement :
1. Temporary Stands
This option is still and will remain our first option. As you are aware we held discussions with the SPL at about this time last year, following that meeting we received written confirmation that our plans were acceptable subject to the necessary safety certificates being in place.
At this stage we have no reason to believe there will be any change of stance by the SPL on this criteria to spite the "bouncy, bouncy" story in the press last week.
Obviously the SPL may as is their right, as they make the rules, insist that we put up the temporary stands prior to winning promotion, a very dangerous situation indeed for us and one we cannot contemplate financially.
The temporary seats would take a maximum of 3 weeks to install and we can see no good reason in erecting them before promotion is secured as they are utilised at sporting venues all over the UK and to date have never failed to secure the necessary safety certificates a point we will be asking the SPL to consider prior to them entering their decision making process on promotion.
 
2. Ground Share
As stated in today's press, it is incumbent up on the Board to investigate all possibilities in our pursuit of Premier League Football for the Highlands.
If it means that we have to temporarily relocate to ensure we meet the SPL Criteria whilst striving to meet the temporary stand option then it is something we must consider. This would not be our preferred option but an avenue that must be explored so that we can determine its merits or otherwise.
 
3. 1st Division Football - The Reality
As you are aware ICTFC made a trading profit last season mainly due to our excellent Cup run and our dealings in the transfer market.
Given that our home fan base is circa 1800, we are in a similar position to all the other clubs challenging for promotion from the 1st Division which is that our costs are not matched by income, a situation that is not sustainable. We have been to the edge of the financial cliff previously and cannot go down this route again.
To produce a team capable of winning the 1st Division title is a costly affair as we are all employing players with the ability to play in the Premier League, a fact borne out by Cup results over the past few seasons which have proved that there is very little difference in quality between the bottom 6 teams in Premier League and the top 6 in the 1st Division.
This leaves all the challenging teams, ICTFC included, in a very invidious position whereby we rely on good cup runs and transfer market profits to ensure the Club survives.
 
To summarise, if we are required to meet the SPL criteria by 31st March or later if dispensation were to be granted, which includes erecting temporary stands at great expense to the Club with promotion not guaranteed, then we must have an alternative solution available to us in the short term, as this level of expenditure would be financial suicide for the Club and a route we refuse to be drawn down unless the guarantees were in place from the SPL.
Alternatives must be looked at and at this stage this is all that the Board are doing - considering all the options open to us in our pursuit of Premier League Football for the Highlands.
Remaining in the 1st Division in our current form is not an option for an ambitious club like ITCFC and we must therefore continue to explore all the avenues open to us or alternatively cut our cloth to suit, remaining out of top flight football in its current format.
Guest
By Guest in News 2004-05 ·

Falkirk Match Off

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The SFL Division One game between Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle scheduled for 20/12/03 was postponed due to bad weather. A new date is still to be scheduled.
Caley Thistle had an unexpected day-off today as the match at Ochilview against Falkirk was postponed by match referee Dougie MacDonald in mid morning. The match between Raith Rovers & St Mirren was also cancelled These postponements allowed Clyde to retake top spot with a 2-1 victory over Ayr United at Broadwood. St Johnstone grabbed a late point when Mixu Paatelainen scored in the 90th minute to ensure that their match against Queen of the South finished 2-2 and County beat Brechin 2-1 in Dingwall in a match that saw County scrape into the top half of the table
The re-arranged date for this match has not yet been set. The draw for the 3rd Round of the Scottish Cup takes place tomorrow.
By Scotty in News 2003-04 ·

CHAMPION-EEES

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Caley Thistle have won the Challenge Cup with David Bingham putting in a man of the match performance topped off with a goal. Steven Hislop made sure of it 1 minute from time with another fine effort. Champion-eeeees
Caley Thistle have won their first ever national cup with a victory over Airdrie United at McDiarmid Park.
After a first half that could have seen either side leading, Bingham and Wilson went close for Caley Thistle, and Brown had to tip a Vareille shot onto the bar, it was Caley Thistle who took control of the game in the second half.
It took until 79 minutes for the first goal to happen, but it was man of the match David Bingham who scored it to put Caley Thistle ahead.
Steven Hislop wrapped it up in 89 minutes with a fine run for the second goal for Caley Thistle.
By Scotty in News 2003-04 ·

Robbo & Brown – Best of September

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John Robertson and Mark Brown have taken the Bells awards for the month of September. Robbo is awarded his first manager of the month award for a great start to the season, and Mark helped him win it by conceding so few goals.
Caley Thistle rose to the top of the first division after our last game, and John Robertson has been rewarded for this year's fantastic start to the season by being named the Bells Manager of the Month for September. Robbo and Donald Park have made a tremendous start to the season. After winning all 8 friendlies prior to the start of the season, including victories over Aberdeen, Livingston and Hearts.
League form has also been far better than in previous seasons, with only 1 league loss so far, against last season's champions Falkirk.
September started with a loss in the CIS Cup to Queens Park, but performances for the rest of the month took Caley Thistle to the final of the Challenge Cup for the second time and to the top of the league.
Caley Thistle keeper Mark Brown wins the September Player of the Month award and must also take a lot of credit for the great start to the season by only conceding 5 league goals and 3 cup goals in 13 games since the start of the season.
Mark has also been rewarded for his performances this season by earning a call-up to the Scottish U21 International squad.
By Scotty in News 2003-04 ·

Boardroom Bust-Up???

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There has been a lot of talk on the message boards and in the newspapers about an alleged Boardroom Bust-Up between management team John Robertson and Donald Park and the Board of Directors. Whilst there may have been a misunderstanding of certain things, there was no bust-up.
Boardroom Bust-Up ? It is understood that two weeks ago the manager wanted to sign another striker, who it is assumed was Jim Hamilton (although this is unconfirmed). ICT are operating with their squad (due to financial sensibilities) on a very tight basis. Steven Hislop had already been brought in during the winter break as a future replacement in the squad for Dennis Wyness, therefore there would be no more money within the current wage structure to add another striker. The manager was told that he could discuss it with the chairman when he (the chairman) returned from holidays, and these discussions took place this past Monday. The manager was given permission to pursue his signing target(s) on Monday night.
It is assumed that the P&J, who first broke the 'news' that there had been a "bust-up" spoke to someone within the club and during that conversation they managed to get only part of the story and came up with a poor headline that suggested lack of funds and a budget row. The Highland News are also set to lead their sports coverage with this negative and unfounded story.
On the money side. A few people have mentioned the magical 500k figure again. This money was never meant to go to the manager for team-building. It was made clear from the very start, when David Sutherland and Tullochs invested it in the club, that it was destined to be used to maintain financial stability within the club for a number of years. There will be a better understanding of the current finances in the coming weeks as the AGM draws near, but for those that think that ICT are rolling in cash, just remember that the club may have made a fair amount of cash last year, but the debt was still in existence at the time of last year's AGM, and the verbalised aim of the board stated at last year's AGM was for the club to break even.
8 pre-season wins out of 8 .... perhaps Robbo already hasa great squad !!
By Scotty in News 2003-04 ·

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