On loan until August

http://ictfc.com/news/club-news/473-icelandic-summer-for-gavin

Just spotted him speaking about this on Twitter. Best of luck to him. I'm intrigued as to how this came about though. Anyone with insider info?

Hopefully he gets a lot more first team action, good player imo and hopefully the loan can stand him in good stead for starting next season fresh

Seems like Grindavik have a few British players including Shola Ameobi's brother and a couple of Scots who've been out there for most of their careers. One of them, ex-Partick Scott Ramsay, was jailed a few years ago over there for (unintentionally) killing someone who was chatting up his burd.

Presumably then he'll play right through the summer and re-join the club in the pre-season, as I'm sure the Icelandic league play yearly like the MLS, Russia etc.

I hope he does well, and I'm sure he will, and comes back ready to do a turn for ICT. next season.

The hot-house of the SPL, and the expectations of fans, makes it hard for homegrown youngsters to really break through....but maybe the extra year, now the squad is under-20, will save having to take 19 and 20 year olds up from elsewhere in the next couple of seasons, and we can at least bench our own boys,

Fingers will be crossed that he stays injury-free while he is away. Good luck,Gavin.

First game up could be the derby against Keflavik. Was up there last Summer, and spookily saw Grindavik v Hjafnafjodur ( i think ). Most of the games in Iceland are almost derbies as the bulk of the Premier teams were in the south west of the island and all about 30 minutes away from each other.

The clubs facilities in Iceland put us to shame really, even though the clubs are no bigger than our 1st division mainly. Know one of the players at Grindavik or Keflavik, so I will give him a call in a few weeks.

Follows in the footsteps of Robbie Winters, David Hannah, Derek Young and even Lee Sharpe and the current squad contains Paul McShane (ex Rangers), Scott Ramsay and Jordan Edridge (ex Buxton). The manager Thordarson has also had spells with Stoke, Barnsley, Notts County and Crewe. This can only be to the benefit of Gavin and ICT.

Good news. Giving young pros match time at a decent level.

A run of games will be good for him and all being well he can establish himself in the side and give Tel something to ponder upon his return in August.

With his contract being up at the end of the season it really is make or break time for Gav.

Good luck to Gavin and hope to welcome him back next season. However, I can't believe that with so many inept midfield displays from other players this season (last Saturday in particular) he's hardly been given a chance. When Cox and Davies went south in January I felt sure that Gav was the right man to step in but obviously TB didn't see it that way.

A cracking opportunity both personally and professionally - just keep out of those Icelandic night clubs and bars ;-)

I like him. Any time he has played he has been pretty solid. Hopefully, this will allow him to break into the starting XI next season. I agree with Row S - I can't believe he has not had more opportunities this season, with all the pi5h that's been served up, I would have preferred to see him in the starting XI for the last 4 games and then off to Iceland, but this will benefit him, and the club. And he's a Sneck lad as well.

Sulphur mud baths and hot springs should do him a power of good

I like him. Any time he has played he has been pretty solid. Hopefully, this will allow him to break into the starting XI next season. I agree with Row S - I can't believe he has not had more opportunities this season, with all the pi5h that's been served up, I would have preferred to see him in the starting XI for the last 4 games and then off to Iceland, but this will benefit him, and the club. And he's a Sneck lad as well.

I know this sounds negative but if Butcher intended keeping him surely he would have given him a run over the last 4 games. Is he not out of contract at the end of this season?

Good experience for Gav, should be better for it, good luck.

I like him. Any time he has played he has been pretty solid. Hopefully, this will allow him to break into the starting XI next season. I agree with Row S - I can't believe he has not had more opportunities this season, with all the pi5h that's been served up, I would have preferred to see him in the starting XI for the last 4 games and then off to Iceland, but this will benefit him, and the club. And he's a Sneck lad as well.

I know this sounds negative but if Butcher intended keeping him surely he would have given him a run over the last 4 games. Is he not out of contract at the end of this season?

Good point - and lets not dwell on the obvious underlying reasons - but he will be playing through the summer, hopefully will be a deffo starter and will come back to us - pre season - ahead of the others in regard to fitness and matchplay (hopefully!!). If he doesnt come back then that is a different story as he does have SPL potential.

I like him. Any time he has played he has been pretty solid. Hopefully, this will allow him to break into the starting XI next season. I agree with Row S - I can't believe he has not had more opportunities this season, with all the pi5h that's been served up, I would have preferred to see him in the starting XI for the last 4 games and then off to Iceland, but this will benefit him, and the club. And he's a Sneck lad as well.

I know this sounds negative but if Butcher intended keeping him surely he would have given him a run over the last 4 games. Is he not out of contract at the end of this season?

Good point - and lets not dwell on the obvious underlying reasons - but he will be playing through the summer, hopefully will be a deffo starter and will come back to us - pre season - ahead of the others in regard to fitness and matchplay (hopefully!!). If he doesnt come back then that is a different story as he does have SPL potential.

He has another year left on his contract, so there's hope!

Great move for Gavin, the women up there are tremendous!

And there's three of them to every guy

According to todays P&J, Butcher thinks highly of him so he is getting a head start for the new season. Good luck Gavin - take this opportunity with both feet.

And plaudits to Terry Butcher are due. Plus that gives the impression that we are already thinking about and planning for next season which means potentially that lessons have been learned from the shambles of this pre season. Perhaps Terry has benefitted from his attendance at the Coaching Conference and is takin on board my psychological advice ?

Beaten 0-4 at home by Keflavik but he got a game. Hopefully they might do better in tonight's game away to Fram.

Match report and some photos from the game at:

http://www.umfg.is/fotbolti/7014

;-)

Edited May 15, 201214 yr by Tichy_Blacks_Back

Little can be said for that first home game Grindavik year. 0-4 loss in some daprasta game that our people have shown in Grindavíkurvelli.

Two changes were made starting from the first round. Alexander Magnússon and Jordan Edridge inside Oli Baldur and Ray.

The first team was appointed Oskar, Loic, Olafur Orn, Joseph, Scotty, Matthias, Gavin, Alexander, Pape and Ameobi.

Ol Baldur and Ray were so into the second half for Gavin and Matthias.

Grindavík team might just not to the game were played in all the places the pitch. The first 60 minutes were very bad but the game skánaði something only after it.

The next game is against the front of Laugardalur Tuesday 15 May that might be interesting games that meet the two bottom teams after two rounds.

Lost 4-3 tonight away to Icelands biggest club, Fram Reykjavik. Were 2-0 up, and 3-1 up until they had a player sent off in second half. Bottom of league on goal difference now. Couldnt see if Gav played, but he wasnt the one sent off.

Next two games at home v Stjerner and then v Selfoss, both winnable by the look of it. Ameobi scored the first tonight