Never mind the US pre-season tour - more importantly....

Who is the masked man?  Anybody got any ideas?  :001:

Clues to date:

1. Inverness born  :017:

2. Lives in America  :010:

3. Works in oil industry  :006:

4. Is available for a meeting on 30th September  :011:

Rumour is he is an ex-Jaggie and he only has one or two conditions that need to be met first.... :015:

PS - I myself have recently invested in the club with the purchase of some centenary club numbers.  Didn't need a meeting to be set up though - hopefully our mystery man will be buying more than a few centenary club tickets - how about a 4th stand :001:

Hmmmm . . . . wonder if his wee brother played for Liverpool . . . . ?

I can answer to three of the four clues above. :015:

WOULD IF I COULD, BUT I CANNA !

I'm sorry, but it's no me !

Hmmmm . . . . wonder if his wee brother played for Liverpool . . . . ?

:015: :015: :015: No Chance

Never mind the US pre-season tour - more importantly.... Who is the masked man?  Anybody got any ideas?  :001:

Clues to date:

1. Inverness born  :017:

2. Lives in America  :010:

3. Works in oil industry  :006:

4. Is available for a meeting on 30th September  :011:

Rumour is he is an ex-Jaggie and he only has one or two conditions that need to be met first.... :015:

1 : could be me  :003:

2 : North America and it could still be me  :003:

3 : IT Administrator for Engineering Consultants who advise clients in oil industry (as well as mining, transportation and other fields) so maybe its not me  :010:

4 : Always available  :003:

... Rumour is he is an ex-Jaggie : Definitely not me then  :017:

but seriously though .... If our new chairman can use his contacts to generate external investment in the club then that is great and is to be welcomed. I cant think of the person referred to, but given the nature of the chairman's business, I am sure he has extensive contacts worldwide.

I would love to see ICT over this side of the pond for pre-season but thats for selfish reasons !! If I am honest, I am not sure if there is a sufficient market for a "small team" like ICT as people (non-football supporters that is) over here tend to know only Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Celtic, Rangers and (just recently) Chelski if they actually know anything about 'soccah' at all .... perhaps a pre-season trip to Poland might be better given the rapidly changing ethnic diversity currently happening in Inverness ......

Don't think Jeff MacDonald would consider this as an investment which would produce a return on his money. However, it is a long time since I spoke to him and maybe he has struck oil in Texas.

As an aside to Scotty's comments regarding pre-season tours, etc to Poland, I noticed that the club are now advertising forthcoming fixtures in the Inverness Courier bi-lingually - in English & Polish!!

I know that the club have been criticised in the past for the commercial side of the business being slightly behind the footballing side in terms of progression, but I think this recent marketing ploy is to be commended.  Infact, apart from this bi-lingual advertising, there seems to be a number of positive steps being taken by the club recently regarding commercial activity.  Long may it continue!

As it happens a school contemporary of mine just about fits TBB's description but I'd better not say any more since it could be wildly, wildly wrong!

do you think the initials might be PM, Charles , as its been at the back of my mind too?!!

Eye Settee... I have a feeling we may know each other from an earlier existence!

As an aside to Scotty's comments regarding pre-season tours, etc to Poland, I noticed that the club are now advertising forthcoming fixtures in the Inverness Courier bi-lingually - in English & Polish!!

I know that the club have been criticised in the past for the commercial side of the business being slightly behind the footballing side in terms of progression, but I think this recent marketing ploy is to be commended.  Infact, apart from this bi-lingual advertising, there seems to be a number of positive steps being taken by the club recently regarding commercial activity.  Long may it continue!

:clapping04:

Why would a Pole buy the Courier if they couldn't read English :017: :017: :017:

So they can see what football match is on at the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!!! :003:

From the Inverness Courier - 6th October 2006

US oil man ready to invest in ICT

A WEALTHY businessman with strong links to the American oil industry could be about to invest money into Caley Thistle.

The mystery individual, who is originally from the Highland Capital, held talks with new Inverness chairman, Alan Savage, and director of football, Graeme Bennett, at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium last Saturday after watching Caley Thistle's 1-0 victory over Dunfermline.

Further discussions have been planned for next month with the person in question and Bennett remains hopeful a deal that is suitable for both parties can be agreed.

"The talks went very well,” he said. "In fact they went so well that we are planning to have another meeting in November.

"I now have to go back to board just to inform them of what's happening and talk about how we can move it forward from here.

"The new chairman made it clear when he came in two months ago that he has good connections through his business links, particularly in America, and that is an avenue we are actively exploring.

"As a result of people he knows in the USA, the players could be going out to America next year for pre-season, so that is something we'll have to start thinking about and getting organised."

The arrival of Savage, managing director of the Inverness-based engineering company, the Orion Group, has resulted in a general overview of the football club with a firm focus on trying to attract outside investors.

With Caley Thistle currently operating in the black, however, Bennett was quick to point out money is already available to strengthen the footballing side of the club.

"We are busy at the moment pursuing various avenues of investment and hopefully something on that front should come to fruition over the next few months,” he stated.

"However, our prudent approach to finances over the last five to six years is now beginning to pay dividends and I've been having regular discussions with the board about the budgets for the footballing side of the club.

"Although I don't know what the final figure will be, I am hopeful they will be quite flexible which is good news for both myself and manager Charlie Christie."

The possibility of an increased budget is certain to be welcomed with open arms by Christie given he has several first-team players out of contract next summer.

Mark Brown, Darren Dods, Grant Munro, Roy McBain, Liam Keogh, Craig Dargo, Graham Bayne and Rory McAllister are all free to leave the club next summer when their current deals run out.

It is understood McBain is close to agreeing a new contract, while Bennett also insisted the club were keen to keep a hold of goalkeeper Brown and last season's top scorer Dargo.

"Talks with Mark and Craig are ongoing,” he added. "They were both given offers a month or two ago, so we'll sit down with them at the beginning of next week to see what's happening.

"Without a doubt they are two key players and it didn't help that there was all this hysteria in the summer regarding them possibly moving to other clubs.

"It was the same with Darren and he is another player I'll be speaking to because I want to find out what the position is with him.

"Given the next transfer window is only a couple of months away, I am keen to talk to all the players out of contract and we have been holding ongoing discussions for a while now.

"The talks have been encouraging and I'm hopeful we will have some positive news on that front fairly soon."

Inverness Courier Story - 6th October 2006

:003: :003: :003: :003: :003:

Get Andy Johnson in for Dargo.... Easy!!

I have just had a cuppa and the name GORDON MCLAREN is at the bottom of the cup.

:003: :003: :003: :003: :003:

Get Andy Johnson in for Dargo.... Easy!!

how about keep DARGO and get johnson in for bayne possibly in a swap deal - im sure Moyes would be grateful for his ariel prowess!!!!!!!!!!!

:003: :003: :003: :003: :003:

Get Andy Johnson in for Dargo.... Easy!!

how about keep DARGO and get johnson in for bayne possibly in a swap deal - im sure Moyes would be grateful for his ariel prowess!!!!!!!!!!!

Difference is Bayne wants to play for the club and if Dargo thinks he is too big for the club then he can fook of to someone else!!

I'd rather have 11 players in the team dedicated to the cause anyday!

'Rumour is he is an ex-Jaggie and he only has one or two conditions that need to be met first.... '

Another rumour?

Anyway I heard another rumour that the two conditions attached to the twelveteen trillion he's willing to invest are ;

1) A free season ticket!!!!!!!!, what a feckin cheek!!!!!!!!

2) Another Forum on this site to Officially Deny Rumours.

2) Another Forum on this site to Officially Deny Rumours.

From the man who was complaining not so long ago that we already had too many forums  :006:

You missed the irony as usual, but with a hint of sarcasm. Rock on D.

Is there a reason we're looking for even more investment?

dont give me any mince about improving the squad or the ground etc, we dont need a bigger park and the squads made up of free transfers anyway!

is there another plan with the further investment, or is it just to cover run of the mill costs like russel duncan, golabek, wyness et alls wages  :017:

Well we need a feckin bar and a bigger feckin car park for starters - in that order of priority of course.

There's always reason for seeking investors. The more income, the more that can be done to improve. Maybe even, one day, be in a position to give shareholders a return on their investment. i.e dividend payouts. Though I wont hold my breath on that one. This club could never survive on gate reciepts alone and there is a limit to what support people like David Sutherland can provide so its only sensible business practise to seek other avenues of income.

living within our means would be sensible business practise