Tokely deal supoosedly hanging in the balance:

http://www.highland-news.co.uk/Sport/Football/Inverness-Caley-Thistle/Tokely-deal-in-balance-7903792.htm

ROSS Tokely has thrown his Caley Thistle future into doubt by revealing that the club's conditions within a new one-year deal are "very disappointing".

The Inverness CT legend, who has played nearly 600 games for the club, spoke exclusively to the HN about the offer on the table but admitted he could walk away.

He said: "I am happy that I earned a new deal for my 17th season, but I am very disappointed with the offer - it is not what I am looking for or expected.

"I have got to look after myself and make the right decision for my family. I will be in more discussions with the gaffer, but I am unsure whether we can come to an agreement."

Deosnt sounds good

Just back from the pub and met by this bad news. Very disappointed and sad that I won't see my childhood hero playing in an ICT shirt again. Rosscoe, thank you for the 13 years that I remember and the three previous. I wish you all the very best in the future and I hope wherever you go you are treated with the respect and loyalty you have shown us. I actually kinda hope you go to meet up with Pele an the big spending Formartine and get a nice big wage packet for a year or two because that would be a beautiful circle. Anyway thanks again Ross, its been a pleasure.

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by ubern

One of the things that galls me most about this and it was clear it was going to happen is that a legend of his status wasn't even given a proper send off, good luck Ross you deserve better

It is true that no player can stay in the team forever and ever amen, they will move on, even those that have served the club well over many accumulated years. What gets my back up is the way these legends have been treated. I don't know what goes on behind closed doors with the players but from what I read it becomes clear to me that our club don't seem to care about these guys. A case of 'you've served your purpose now you can piss off'.

All this comes across to me as a club that has lost its family feeling, its respect and (probably) its support.

Good luck Rossco in whatever you choose to do or in which team you play for (ICT 'B' Team in Dingwall maybe). We, the supporters, appreciate what you have done / achieved for ICT over the years even if the club doesn't.

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by Gringo
typo

Wherever Rosscoe goes - even if it is the Tinks - I will be there at a pre season game, with ma ICT flag and the full IHE regalia - to say "goodbye" to a legend. Anyone care to join me ?

Tokely speaks out again.

http://www.thescotti...st-at-boss.html

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by CapitalCaley

Falling attendances, lower season ticket sales, even long term sponsors pulling out from renewing their hospitality box all means that there is simply less money for wages.

Does this equate to disrespect? Not convinced.

Genuine thanks for the service over the years however the reality is that a fixed sum of money has to be maximised throughout the squad.

Best of luck for the future!

I have a phottie of Rosscoe having his breakfast when the text came through from Terry Butcher :

I just had to wonder if the manager really wanted me or was he putting the onus on me to turn it down?

Hang on I've heard this before somewhere...

“I’d rather have been released than made an offer like that. At least, then, I might have had a chance to say goodbye to the fans.”

Oh...

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by Renegade

“I’d rather have been released than made an offer like that. I was upset after deciding to move on but I’m looking to the future now. I have one or two options but can’t say too much.” - can anyone feckin guess where one of those options is ?

What depressing news. A real end of an era. Good luck Ross ICT will never be the same again

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by kencar

Butcher had better do better next season or he is finished. Granty now Tokely, the heart has been ripped from the club and the fans will not forgive that if he has a another season like last.

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by mikeyrob73

Butcher had better do better next season or he is finished. Granty now Tokely, the heart has been ripped from the club and the fans will not forgive that if he has a another season like last.

Well said. By my reckoning Esson is now the only non-Butcher signing left. Terry is going to have to pull many rabbits out of the hat this summer and going by his past success rate that seems highly unlikely. Obviously the old guard couldn't go on forever but in my opinion the more of them that have left the weaker we've become.

IMHO Butchers coat is already on a shoogly hook in his office at TCS, the pressure is building on him to deliver and to deliver quick although time is fast running out

Can you imagine the fallout from a heavy defeat at the first highland derby with Mr Munro and Mr Tokely if he signs for them on the scoresheet it's not worth thinking about but it could easily happen and something we should all prepare for

Serious question has Butcher given up or feel he's taken the club as far as he can?

I could be wrong but I bet in the back of his mind he's still got an eye on a coaching position with the newco Orcs along with his mate McCoist

Dougal

Last season butcher replaced Munro with Aldred, Williams and golobart. Now even that was a joke, if he decides to do the same this season and bring in utter junk to replace tokely he needs to go.

All the best to Ross where ever he may end up..won't go as far as you IHE if he ends with that lot over the bridge by going to a pre sesson game.But if plays in the first highland Darby will chant his name and sing

Rossco hates the county!!

Heard Dundee are after him as well

Tokely speaks out again.

http://www.thescotti...st-at-boss.html

Mmmm. I wonder what the size of cut Foran had to take with his new contract?

Ross Tokely I thank you

A truly remarkable player.

When we got promoted through all the divisions the question by many, including myself, was surely this guy will struggle and at EVERY level he delivered.

for those that are saying we couldn't afford a new contract for him could we afford one for Hogg while he was injured and hasn't proved himself at the club, admirable to give Hogg a contract while suffering a bad injury but nowhere near as deserving as Tokely

“He has served Inverness Caley Thistle very well.

But there obviously comes a time when people have to move on."

That to me sounds like Butcher wanted him gone.

I am, like loads of others on here, absolutely gutted that Tokely is gone! Yes legends come and go but this legend I feel still had another season or two in him and more importantly NEEDED A TRUE ICT LEGEND SEND OFF! Not some pre season game. But hey, under the Butcher era, you don't get these kind of things.

No-one on here knows exactly the financial status of the club but we can all pretty much say it is poor. But why when Foran gets improved contracts, Hogg gets a new contract despite playing with injury and who says that injury might stay away? Does a legend have to be thrown aside again? Who knows what he was offered but can you at least not agree that FOR ONE MORE YEAR there might have been enough in the budget to give him a wee bit more? For all the loanees that never played but were paid, where has that money gone, or is that what some of the budgets there for. "OK Butcher this year we have set aside another £********* for bringing in p*ss poor loanees".

Also what has happened to the 31st of May rallying call? From what I can see only McKay has signed? A strong stand, or a come and get my out of contract players asap call?

Absolutely gutted by the loss of Tokely and I once again, blame Butcher squarely for this.

Mr Butcher do you remember your words at the relegation ball. "If only I had a team of Ross Tokely's".

Like everyone else I believe Rossco could have done us proud for another season.

On the point of loanee's is it not the case that often they dont cost anything as the club loaning them out does so for development purposes much as we are paying Gavin Morrison to go to Iceland. The one problem with loanee's though is that they generally aren't available for pre-season.

I'm hearing Tokely is going to be the new player / manager at rangers .

Brora Rangers

Funny i heard the same thing today actually.

Has he done his coaching badges and would Andy MacLeod not object?

Edited June 2, 201214 yr by Alex MacLeod

Very sad to hear this, not just about losing him when he could still do a job for us, but about the way the whole thing has been handled. Ross could have done a great job in transitioning from a player to a coach, instilling the ethos of the club in new recruits. That would be priceless. But as long as Butcher is the demagogue, there is no room for the kind of inspiration and continuity we so badly need. There is more to it than economics, Ross was flexible, Terry wasn't. He deserves a mammoth send-off and appreciation, although I suppose TB will be busy that night.

Absolutely gutted to see Roscoe leave. An irreplaceable player in my opinion and however 'massive' this pay cut was there is no doubt that if butcher wanted to, he could have tried to improve his first offer. We all know that though don't we?

What an awful way to treat an ICT legend.

I know its only the start of June but unless the squad is sorted out fast then this could be the beginning of the end for Terry.