What a difference this season, the forum has never been as happy as this since I first started reading it.

 

Steel, strength and style yes and what does the second letter of each word suggest Togetherness it is all there and everyone is noticing.

 

Am I right in thinking too that there have been a record number of recruits to this forum this season ? each time I sign in I seem to see new names appearing. Just goes to show success breeds success.

 

Long may it continue on and off the field!

 

New theme song         ''Happy days are here again''  

The forum might be gaining more support this season but the team on the pitch certainly isn't , 3000 for a home game against last seasons runners up is poor .

All the doom & gloom merchants are just hiding, waiting for it to all go wrong for the 'happy clappers' - if after we loose a game this year or get knocked out of a cup, even fail to make Europe 2 years running - its will all be about sack the management lol

The forum might be gaining more support this season but the team on the pitch certainly isn't , 3000 for a home game against last seasons runners up is poor .

 

More than the number that watched the first match against them last season

I actually agree with DC on this one !!! I mentioned something similar in the matchday thread. ICT, top of the league, 2 wins from 2 (now 3 from 3), undefeated, no goals conceded, playing last year's runners-up who normally ensure an entertaining game and we cannot encourage more than 3K ?

 

I get the whole economic argument, recession etc. I understand all that. I also can't really be the person in that glass house to throw stones and slag anyone off for not going to the games considering I have not been to one myself for quite some time! (getting up early on a Saturday morning and doing the Radio Scotland thing doesn't really count) ... so my question is more general ....  After our best ever finish in the SPL last year, no summer football like a "Euro" or "WC" to keep us interested how is it that only 2 home games into a long season we already appear to be struggling to get more than 3000 ICT fans into our ground and what can we do to rectify that ?  

Looks like I got this all wrong, all replies are verging on the negative side Lol.

 

What I am saying is that on this forum things have been looking so much more positive. Maybe we are only three games into the league but wonderful results to date and the team and management should be proud of that. So should we be!

 

I doubt anyone is clever enough to guage all the reasons for non attendance at Tulloch Stadium and come up with the solutions for that but at least we are getting increases in the numbers on the forum and that alone may lead to increase at the ground, even if it is only fractional.

 

Scotty you repeat it here, it is so perplexing given all these positives you mention why the crowds are staying away.  It struck me when I first returned to the Highlands just how apathetic a huge percentage of the locals were towards todays football and especially ICT.

 

Going to the ground even the home support that were there were quiet or critical about what was happening on the pitch.There was no real noise backing for our club, just shouts of derision at any mistakes that were made by our own players. When we scored they got a polite clapping in way of applause. My God how things had changed from the old days. Gone were the shouts of encouragement, gone were the local worthies that would chip in with their catchphrase humour. Gone were the fans hoarse with their roars of laughter at the other teams expense.

 

Crowd self entertainment had vanished. from the scene, will it ever return? who knows. Where have all the 'characters' gone ?

The IHE's and Scarlets of old with their fun quips,  are they all in their armchairs now?

 

Back to the Positive We have enjoyed a great start, keep on lauding what is happening and maybe just maybe people will get the message and turn out for the Team.

How to get more people watching this team is something I scratch my head about on a daily basis. The club are pretty good in terms of pricing, access, taking supporters points on board and trying to get more kids along on the grounds that they are tomorrows paying customers. Then I see stats that suggest that the picture is pretty stable (by and large) over a number of years and you begin to think that maybe that's just the crowds that we will get.

I also think that there's a growing disconnect between people and sport at a local level. They don't play, they don't contribute, they don't support. Participation seems to range from playing FIFA or football manager and then graduating on to buying a sky subscription, and that's it. How local clubs compete against the draw of watching Barcelona or Bayern or PSG or Man Utd on the telly I don't know. Factor in a tightening of economic belts and watching televised football as well as going to games becomes the territory of the affluent. It's not the "working man's game" it used to be and it suffers for that.

All that everyone connected can do is to keep turning up, keep shouting our name from the rooftops and supporting whatever initiatives the club comes up with - especially this year. Try and drag one of your mates along, bring the kids.  I'm of the opinion that this might be the best ICT side we'll ever have, who have a real chance of finishing even higher than last year. Ok, it could all go pete tong but I have a feeling that it won't. I just wish there were more people there to see it.

Looks like I got this all wrong, all replies are verging on the negative side Lol.

What I am saying is that on this forum things have been looking so much more positive. Maybe we are only three games into the league but wonderful results to date and the team and management should be proud of that. So should we be!

 

Yup, it is nice to be able to talk about the positive stuff and this start to the season has to have been one of the most positive ever ... !!! I am sure we will have our moments as the season progresses, and the naysayers will once again emerge, perhaps with good reason if things do go pear shaped, but for now the boys seem to be brimming with confidence, the boss is on a mission and all is good .... which is what makes the crowd thing all the more noticeable. 

 

 

I doubt anyone is clever enough to guage all the reasons for non attendance at Tulloch Stadium and come up with the solutions for that but at least we are getting increases in the numbers on the forum and that alone may lead to increase at the ground, even if it is only fractional.

 

I am sure there are a multitude of reasons for lower attendances. cost, recession, people who move away to uni or to other cities with jobs etc, some just grow up and/or have other priorities that go higher in the list .... I dont think there is one factor that causes this decline, and its different for all. I am glad you think the forum is capable of increasing the number of bums on seats, but personally I doubt it ... we are an avenue for (some) ICT fans to discuss all things ICT and other topics too, but our influence in terms of increasing the crowd is negligible to say the least .... 

 

 

Scotty you repeat it here, it is so perplexing given all these positives you mention why the crowds are staying away.  It struck me when I first returned to the Highlands just how apathetic a huge percentage of the locals were towards todays football and especially ICT.

 

Going to the ground even the home support that were there were quiet or critical about what was happening on the pitch.There was no real noise backing for our club, just shouts of derision at any mistakes that were made by our own players. When we scored they got a polite clapping in way of applause. My God how things had changed from the old days. Gone were the shouts of encouragement, gone were the local worthies that would chip in with their catchphrase humour. Gone were the fans hoarse with their roars of laughter at the other teams expense.

 

Crowd self entertainment had vanished. from the scene, will it ever return? who knows. Where have all the 'characters' gone ?

The IHE's and Scarlets of old with their fun quips,  are they all in their armchairs now?

 

Back to the Positive We have enjoyed a great start, keep on lauding what is happening and maybe just maybe people will get the message and turn out for the Team.

 

I can only relate what I experienced last time I was home. My season ticket for a number of years was right above the tunnel in the main stand. Over the years most of the folk stayed the same in that area and we tried to get things going (we even got some parts of the stand singing on a semi-regular basis !!). We were allowed a fair bit of latitude and had a few good old ding-dongs with opposing managers or subs etc, and the "catchphrase humour" you mention that came from a few of us was at times 'quality' stuff ! This was of course primarily in the pre-SPL days !!! ..... wonder how many folk remember Yogi Hughes being chased up the touchline by Frank Connor waving his stick after we were winding Yogi up and FC caught him taking the piss? or the slagging that Ian McCall would take every time he came to the TCS?

 

On my last trip home I sat in the same area for an SPL game and it was a morgue. Speaking to a few people afterwards, the reasoning given was that those same worthies had been warned off by stewards and/or club officials and told they would lose season tickets or be ejected/arrested if they stood, chanted, swore at opposition staff etc .... banter was well and truly gone. It was a "sit-down-shut-up" situation. Part of this was down to who was calling the matchday shots for the club at the time (no longer there), and the rest was because of how he was reacting to or interpreting all the various rules/regulations laid down by the SPL ... being in the big boy league comes with responsibilities and the mantra seemed to be "better safe than sorry" !!!     If I had been a neutral I would not have come back - that was not an entertaining day despite the lads winning on the park ! To me, football is a means of releasing the tension and frustration of a working week and being treated this way was increasing that tension, not giving it an outlet.

 

Obviously I don't experience it first hand any more, but it does seem to be changing for the better ... We can frequently hear what I assume are the young lads singing coming across on the audio feeds, and we see less threads on here about stewarding issues so I assume they are behaving and the stewards leave them alone (for the most part) ... if we can take it to the next level and make the rest of the day out enjoyable then maybe things will improve .... how we do that I do not know ...

The forum might be gaining more support this season but the team on the pitch certainly isn't , 3000 for a home game against last seasons runners up is poor .

A positive result next weekend and it warrants a recruitment campaign.

To be discussed in depth later but fresh ideas are required.

If a golf club wants new members what to they do, advertise it on their website put a note in their window ? 

Boating clubs do the same when looking for crew, own website again and a poster somewhere at the club house. yet the regulars keep scratching their head as to why no one new turns up. 

 

That aside getting back to the positivity  its an unbelievable start to the season and long may it continue, Im delighted to have bought a season ticket again and feel like im turning up to be entertained rather than attending out of blind loyalty.  So far it has kind of taken me back to division 3 days when the opposition were rabbits in the head lights.

Maybe.........just maybe......Saturdays attendance was lower than we might have expected, since it was the last weekend of the school holidays? it might pick up when the holibobs are over?

 

Speaking to a few people afterwards, the reasoning given was that those same worthies had been warned off by stewards and/or club officials and told they would lose season tickets or be ejected/arrested if they stood, chanted, swore at opposition staff etc .... banter was well and truly gone. It was a "sit-down-shut-up" situation. Part of this was down to who was calling the matchday shots for the club at the time (no longer there), and the rest was because of how he was reacting to or interpreting all the various rules/regulations laid down by the SPL ... being in the big boy league comes with responsibilities and the mantra seemed to be "better safe than sorry" !!!     If I had been a neutral I would not have come back - that was not an entertaining day despite the lads winning on the park ! To me, football is a means of releasing the tension and frustration of a working week and being treated this way was increasing that tension, not giving it an outlet.

 

 

This exactly from my point of view Scotty.I used to go along fairly regularly as a biased neutral,but haven't been back for several seasons unless to watch my own under achieving disappointments perform in Inverness.It used to be good craic and afternoon out with a few beers but i'm getting too long in the tooth to be treated with disdain,sneered at,criminalised and generally mistreated while parting with my hard earned, if i get NO enjoyment from the experience.My love affair with football is at an all time low due to several factors and only blind loyalty and camaraderie keeps the last few embers burning at all.   

 

For what it's worth i feel ICT deserve far better support and enthusiasm from the natives,but they may have got on the Scottish football rollercoaster on a major downhill run.

Edited August 19, 201312 yr by Heilandee

It's not just us.  St Johnstone are one of the main contenders and got less than 3,000 at the weekend whilst less than 1,000 turned up to watch Hamilton go top of the "Championship".  There is no easy answer.  Society has changed.  Nothing will turn a 3,000 crowd into a 4,000 crowd overnight but keep playing attractive stuff and winning and the crowds will edge back up.

That's our level...3000 home, 300 (sounds like 3000) away. It won't change.

 

I'm assuming our business model is based on the home figure (STs and gate) plus a few cup gates.

 

 

 

In which case, £ for £, I'd say we we had a good case for being the best run, most successful Scottish Professional Football Club in quite some time...

 

And we play good football.

 

Enjoy the ride!

Im loving the positive vibes around the place, both on this site and indeed on match days, ive never experienced anything like it in my time as fan of the club, no question about it that the ICT ride is as fun as its ever been.

 

I agree that attendances are a tad disappointing and i hope it dosent bring the players down because with the way they are playing they cant do much more to get people through the gates, for those that do not attend games regularly i urge you to start doing so, the way we are playing just now is a sight to behold. You are definitely missing out. 

Yes the positivity is great and it will be complete once Dougal posts on here to say how much he is enjoying things  BTW Doug, County have had a terrific start eh. 

Someone better explain to Dougal the difference between positive and negative before he does post

Im loving the positive vibes around the place, both on this site and indeed on match days, ive never experienced anything like it in my time as fan of the club, no question about it that the ICT ride is as fun as its ever been.

 

I agree that attendances are a tad disappointing and i hope it dosent bring the players down because with the way they are playing they cant do much more to get people through the gates, for those that do not attend games regularly i urge you to start doing so, the way we are playing just now is a sight to behold. You are definitely missing out. 

Couldn't agree more but it would be better to find a way to encourage people who have never thought of going to a football match to do so and I don't think a football forum for ICT fans is the place to find them but would agree that our fans who don't attend frequently are missing out.

County have had a terrific start eh.

Don't be so harsh - everyone knows their season starts 'next wk'.................oh how its been made so easy for us to mock

Someone better explain to Dougal the difference between positive and negative before he does post

Perhaps he'll take a middle line by merging the two - or will he go for the double negative?

I am still on the feckin prowl Bughtmaster and heading North for both the Cellic and Hearts games. I have always said that I will say is as I see it. I have posted that this pre season planning has been verging on excellence and our management appear to have learned from past mistakes - many pointed out and chastised by myself and several other posters. We were fully prepared, had a confidence building performance and result at Charlton and we have taken nine points from the opening three games. That at the very least is valuable points on the scoreboard. I would take three from the next two games, four would be a bonus and six would be remarkable and not out of reach in the least.

 

I also can't see ICT getting any more than a home average of 3500-4000 this season due to a variety of reasons, well discussed on another thread. Away fans have now got over the novelty of Sneck and soon will of Tinkerville - the trip North has now become an expensive trek for many. A successful Aberdire will bring in a big crowd, Tinkerville will hit about the 5000 mark and Hearts early doors may bring in a similar number. And lets face it most grounds in the SPL have woeful home supports but I felt that the North Stand was improving late last season and the more yoof that we encourage to join the choir the better.

Good on ye IHE great spirit, and that, in my reference to yourself and Scarlet, is what I found missing at the matches I did attend at TS. People with the 'fun of football watching' with a ready quip that would get the crowd going. These people have gone and the tension release and relaxation with them.

 

Scotty's reply with his morgue like appraisal of the atmosphere eloquently explained many of the reasons how that has come about. It is a sad state of affairs. If that is what has killed off the enjoyment of football then instead of playing better safe than sorry the self destruct button was pushed.

 

Back to the positive!!  Yes your yoof is what is needed, get them flooding in, singing, shouting and genuinely enjoying all aspects of what football started out to be. There never has been a better time than now with what is happening at ICT. Success breeds success and laughter is infectious. Hopefully the worthies of the future will be created and people will attend  for the craic as well as the football. It may take time but the Yoof have that.

I took a couple of Snecky boys for hospitality at the 1st SPL derby v C*unty last year and the tossers guys would not even clap or stand up when we scored. I asked them if they had a problem and they started listing them

 

1. Clach were left out of things

2. It was a takeover by Caley not a merger

3 We don't like the way Grassa controls things

4. Park too far out of town

5 Board do not engage enough with working class areas

6 They would rather go to C*unty as they were more of a working class team

 

Their words not mine

 

Most of it sounded like bullshit but both guys are local and in tune with what is happening.

 

Is there still a Clach - ICT rift?

Most of it sounds like BS !!! I am assuming from the overall response that they may be Merkinchers given the Clach, Grassa, and Working class answers?

 

I know you are just the messenger, but here would be my response !

 

1 - Clach chose not to be involved.

2 - If that were the case would there really have been so much venom from the Caley 'anti-merger' brigade?

3 - Not sure he has much control. influence perhaps, or visibility in the media at times, but control, nope.

4 - fair point but the other option (perhaps even the better option) was even further away.

5 - Dont really understand this point? Sounds more like jealousy that some of the board drink/drank in posh bars, or in hospitality and not the Clach Club, Lochiel or Thornbush? DFS and Ken Thomson did buy a few of us beers in the Caley Inn if that counts !!!

6 - Again, not sure what is meant by this ... Define 'working class' ? Over the years our players have not exactly been on high wages compared to most other teams in Scotland. I would say both teams are 'working class' considering they are made up of lower paid players with a point to prove who will eventually move on to a higher level or for higher wages - plenty of examples ! 

Most of it sounds like BS !!! I am assuming from the overall response that they may be Merkinchers given the Clach, Grassa, and Working class answers?

 

I know you are just the messenger, but here would be my response !

 

1 - Clach chose not to be involved.

2 - If that were the case would there really have been so much venom from the Caley 'anti-merger' brigade?

3 - Not sure he has much control. influence perhaps, or visibility in the media at times, but control, nope.

4 - fair point but the other option (perhaps even the better option) was even further away.

5 - Dont really understand this point? Sounds more like jealousy that some of the board drink/drank in posh bars, or in hospitality and not the Clach Club, Lochiel or Thornbush? DFS and Ken Thomson did buy a few of us beers in the Caley Inn if that counts !!!

6 - Again, not sure what is meant by this ... Define 'working class' ? Over the years our players have not exactly been on high wages compared to most other teams in Scotland. I would say both teams are 'working class' considering they are made up of lower paid players with a point to prove who will eventually move on to a higher level or for higher wages - plenty of examples ! 

Scotty,

I  agree with virtually everything you have said but there is obviously still some divides and bitterness! Remember  I am just conveying views that I was listening to but certainly did not agree with and was disappointed with such negative vibes.

 

I was going mental with joy when we scored but two local boys were gutted. NOT GOOD

Scotty

You mention The Merkinchers. Are we still not getting good numbers from this area attending our games? Do we have any stats?

I took a couple of Snecky boys for hospitality at the 1st SPL derby v C*unty last year and the tossers guys would not even clap or stand up when we scored. I asked them if they had a problem and they started listing them

 

1. Clach were left out of things

2. It was a takeover by Caley not a merger

3 We don't like the way Grassa controls things

4. Park too far out of town

5 Board do not engage enough with working class areas

6 They would rather go to C*unty as they were more of a working class team

 

Their words not mine

 

Most of it sounded like bullshit but both guys are local and in tune with what is happening.

 

Is there still a Clach - ICT rift?

I hope you created your own list as to why you wont be taking them to an ICT match again.