I see we're playing away to Nairn County at Station Park on Friday 6th July.  Kick off at 1930.

23 minutes ago, Renegade said:

I see we're playing away to Nairn County at Station Park on Friday 6th July.  Kick off at 1930.

Looking forward to other Highland league sides informing us when they are facing ICT.

Repeat of last year then, Nairn County, Forres, Brora and Elgin.

And the clach

Was it for this summer or next summer we were promised the high profile friendly?

10 minutes ago, CaleyD said:

Was it for this summer or next summer we were promised the high profile friendly?

I think you are getting mixed up with the Duncan Shearer Cup game!

18 minutes ago, IBM said:

I think you are getting mixed up with the Duncan Shearer Cup game!

Yes. That cup is being played to celebrate the handover of the stands. 

10 hours ago, CaleyD said:

Was it for this summer or next summer we were promised the high profile friendly?

Maybe it was a friendly with County, that's now been cancelled.

You would hope that that given our appalling start to last season that Robbo might be looking to shake things up a  bit this pre-season.  Having said that there's little point in rolling out stronger opposition when no one bothers attending.  I remember heading North a few years back when we played Royal Antwerp and there was hardly a soul there apart froma sizable and nosiy Belgian support.   A return fixture with Crusaders in Belfast would be decent but probably out with our budget these days.

Very true. Even our higher profile pre season home matches have tended to be played in front of a scattering of fans in the Main Stand. Both Thistle and Caley used to get much bigger crowds when facing league opposition in pre season friendlies back in the Highland League days.

Sadly, it did not take the vast majority of the Inverness public to become complacent about the standard and status of visiting teams unless it's Celtic, the Dons or whatever current legal entity is playing out of Ibrox who bring their own large numbers.

3 hours ago, Kingsmills said:

Very true. Even our higher profile pre season home matches have tended to be played in front of a scattering of fans in the Main Stand. Both Thistle and Caley used to get much bigger crowds when facing league opposition in pre season friendlies back in the Highland League days.

Sadly, it did not take the vast majority of the Inverness public to become complacent about the standard and status of visiting teams unless it's Celtic, the Dons or whatever current legal entity is playing out of Ibrox who bring their own large numbers.

It's all relative really. Back then we would all flock to see teams from a higher league playing Caley (or Thistle!) in a pre-season friendly, and marvel at the higher level of skill on display.

Nowadays, though, we're generally in the higher league and watching a team like Nairn County doesn't really have the same appeal.

There is of course the lesser attraction of seeing some of our new signings and 'maybes' performing in ICT colours for the first time.

3 hours ago, Kingsmills said:

. . . . . . of visiting teams unless it's Celtic, the Dons or whatever current legal entity is playing out of Ibrox who bring their own large numbers.

?

People are quite right not to go to pre-season friendlies, they are complete *****.

I used to go to all of them when I lived in Inverness, what an idiot.  I once drove, on my own, after work, to Huntly, watched us lost 1-0 and when I got home, found out that it had actually been 1-1, I'd missed the goal by arriving late.

Having said that, I do remember seeing Steve Hislop pinging in a 35 yard volley against QPR and realising that we'd signed a diamond in Ian Black during friendlies.  So maybe I'm being unfair.

6 hours ago, ymip said:

You would hope that that given our appalling start to last season that Robbo might be looking to shake things up a  bit this pre-season.  Having said that there's little point in rolling out stronger opposition when no one bothers attending.  I remember heading North a few years back when we played Royal Antwerp and there was hardly a soul there apart froma sizable and nosiy Belgian support.   A return fixture with Crusaders in Belfast would be decent but probably out with our budget these days.

Northern Ireland is charming in July I hear.

 

Best friendlies would be in England or Wales. Would love to go to somewhere like Fleetwood or Blackpool / Southport / Morecambe - More of a thank you to the Away Day Crew.

Better get the cheque book out....as it is the club could likely be looking to fans to car share with players to get them to friendlies.

In fact, that would be great craic and might even generate a bit of fun PR!!

2 hours ago, CaleyD said:

Better get the cheque book out....as it is the club could likely be looking to fans to car share with players to get them to friendlies.

In fact, that would be great craic and might even generate a bit of fun PR!!

That actually happened when the team played 2 games in Lewis in 1997 and went to The Saw Doctors at Back Community Hall.

Alex MacLeod (whatever’s happened to him?) incoming... “The Mantis has been dining out on that story for years”. ?

No Pre Season friendlies have been confirmed yet. Message from team manager is that they are looking at the options available to them after putting out tentative enquiries last week. 

 

On 5/16/2018 at 4:58 PM, RiG said:

Looking forward to other Highland league sides informing us when they are facing ICT.

Happens every year...used to drive me nuts.

5 hours ago, jimmyo said:

No Pre Season friendlies have been confirmed yet. Message from team manager is that they are looking at the options available to them after putting out tentative enquiries last week. 

 

Nairn County lying then?

7 hours ago, jimmyo said:

No Pre Season friendlies have been confirmed yet. Message from team manager is that they are looking at the options available to them after putting out tentative enquiries last week. 

You might want to get in touch with Nairn County then before people start making plans for a game that might not be taking place.

 

I remember many seasons ago we played a friendly away to Deveronvale. I think we were 9-0 to the good when 'Vale scored. Reaction to that from an ICT fan was "Well, if you're going to make a game of it I'm going home". Was rather funny that. ICT won 10-1.

At least this game is close to Inverness which should give a good number of ICT fans the chance to go along and support the team. I think my first Caley away game was against Nairn County. Memories, memories.........

My 6 year old grandson lives in Nairn and is already excited about this, as he was at the Brechin Betfred Cup game last pre season and loved it. 

He can't go to Saturday games in school terms due to sports commitments so this is ideal to keep him interested in Caley Thistle.

 

Eight games against Highland League teams on the club website.

Cant work out how to copy the link on my phone.