Just read some background to Owain's 4 years on ICT's books and his absolutely positive comments on that stay. Tonight he has an art exhibition on recent Scottish life. From a personal point of view can I just say thank you to Owain for his time at the club. He is an absolutely decent guy who gave everything to the cause and I for one salute him. Here is wishing him all the best for the future.

I've heard so many versions of what the contractual arrangements were and why he wasn't playing that I am certainly not  going to take any sides on this.  What I do know is that he performed well for us when he did play, but after a shaky start, Mark Ridgers has been outstanding and has been 1st choice keeper on merit.

It is also reasonable to assume that given Owain has turned down various offers in the past, the salary he was on here was better than he was being offered elsewhere, whether he was playing or not.  It is difficult to attract decent offers if you are not actually playing and putting yourself in the shop window, and therefore I would suspect that he was getting quite a bit more than he was being offered elsewhere.

I don't think there is any point conjecturing about his honesty or integrity.  What is important is that the club learns from the mistakes of the past and we are not burdened with the consequences of contracts offered as a result of unrealistic expectations of future success.  There is a difference between taking a calculated risk and being foolhardy.

 

24 minutes ago, DoofersDad said:

I've heard so many versions of what the contractual arrangements were and why he wasn't playing that I am certainly not  going to take any sides on this.  What I do know is that he performed well for us when he did play, but after a shaky start, Mark Ridgers has been outstanding and has been 1st choice keeper on merit.

It is also reasonable to assume that given Owain has turned down various offers in the past, the salary he was on here was better than he was being offered elsewhere, whether he was playing or not.  It is difficult to attract decent offers if you are not actually playing and putting yourself in the shop window, and therefore I would suspect that he was getting quite a bit more than he was being offered elsewhere.

I don't think there is any point conjecturing about his honesty or integrity.  What is important is that the club learns from the mistakes of the past and we are not burdened with the consequences of contracts offered as a result of unrealistic expectations of future success.  There is a difference between taking a calculated risk and being foolhardy.

 

There is merit in taking risks in any walk of life. Our big mistake was taking too many risks and making too many unrealistic assumptions in a very short period of time.

After winning the Scottish Cup we should have been looking to consolidate rather than spending beyond our means in an attempt to reach even greater heights.

1 hour ago, DoofersDad said:

I've heard so many versions of what the contractual arrangements were and why he wasn't playing that I am certainly not  going to take any sides on this.  What I do know is that he performed well for us when he did play, but after a shaky start, Mark Ridgers has been outstanding and has been 1st choice keeper on merit.

It is also reasonable to assume that given Owain has turned down various offers in the past, the salary he was on here was better than he was being offered elsewhere, whether he was playing or not.  It is difficult to attract decent offers if you are not actually playing and putting yourself in the shop window, and therefore I would suspect that he was getting quite a bit more than he was being offered elsewhere.

I don't think there is any point conjecturing about his honesty or integrity.  What is important is that the club learns from the mistakes of the past and we are not burdened with the consequences of contracts offered as a result of unrealistic expectations of future success.  There is a difference between taking a calculated risk and being foolhardy.

 

 

41 minutes ago, Kingsmills said:

There is merit in taking risks in any walk of life. Our big mistake was taking too many risks and making too many unrealistic assumptions in a very short period of time.

After winning the Scottish Cup we should have been looking to consolidate rather than spending beyond our means in an attempt to reach even greater heights.

I just hope the current board have learned from the previous mistakes and will keep working within our means which might involve some more of our youngsters being used in the first team.

11 hours ago, Scarlet Pimple said:

And IHE, spell out to me what other players would have done anything different to OFW re his actions to the money that came to him?

 

Well tell me any other players who have similiarly been self-centered and basically left the club in a lurch. Then look at those who left promptly when the clearout was necessitated.  I thought that he did perform well for us but lets face it - he was picked for Wales because of the clubs performances defensively as much as it was about his international quality. He was basically a third placed bench warmer. His only Wales performance was when he came on for an injured Hennessey, against Holland, with 16 minutes to go. He came on when the score was 2-2. Holland won 3-2. He is a better painter than a custodian - especially with his dodgy leg.

Lots of red dots but no responses ?

That's SP off the hook then. Phew.! That was a close one eh IHE?

Forby let's surely be realistic. We have lost a few in the last few years many times. And the club will sell on a good player at a good price if the offer suited them. And they will not necessarily get down on their knees begging his permission or forgiveness before the deal is signed

It's what is and life is like that. No use crying over spilt milk, IHE. Might as well drink it as a  female supporter) and feed the baby.

What would you have said if he had come back but not to ICT?  Two options:-

1. YOU Traitor, you. How dare you advance your career for you and your family without our permission?

2. Glad to see you back and, yes, we can slot you in.....in the reserve team?

Anyway since the club has hired back, then him maybe it's just best if we think that it's just water under the bridge and move R...I...G...H...T  along.

 Heh Festus , is my hat on straight:  I hear the Super is in town …..

It would have been a simple, traditional Feck Aff 

I just love jousting with IHE. Never a dull moment. I have found his Achille's heel but am keeping it a secret pro-tem. Looks as if the Welsh race owen the name, like?

I once knew a Welsh wizard...….every time he waved his wand, the spots on my face disappeared. But when they inevitably came back  to me after they left Canada I had to step in and provide accommodation for them many times because they tearfully claimed that no one outside Canada understood their accent.  They all had to carry a miniature phone for this purpose to allow them to spell things out for people, however, but none of them really knew how to use it. So they just claimed that their functional capability was SPOTTY at best. When things got really hot I just referred them to IHE whom I claimed was a wizard as well. Doing this proved the efficacy of the diversion therapy that I had been attending...… i.e cleverness trumps lies and slipperiness.

Being an experienced mental health professional that makes perfect sense to me. But my wand is powerful enuff to repel any attacks on my heel. He'll find that out and the moose will be cooked, acne and all.

Frankly speaking the last beastie that I would like to tangle with is a Moose. It's a very large animal and has a rare  and huge pair of antlers on it's head. It appears to be much larger than a stag as well. At rutting time the males all head for the lake where the females are usually to be found and that's when you make sure you are not near them! One bellow and you would be smart to be off at the toot. And ladies, the weans are really cute....awwwww!

That's OFW officially gone to Hamilton Accies. 

He has barely played for us since 2016/17 he played like 3 games in 2017/18 while Mark Ridgers was going through a really bad period in form. 

His only appearances in 2018/19 was on the bench while Mark Ridgers was injured in the later stages of the season. Cammy Mackay didn't have a ridiculous appearance fee so he got put in between the sticks ahead of OFW. 

He wasn't the best keeper we had & certainly wasn't the worst. Pulled of some outrageous saves but then he would have horrendous blunders like that one against Dembele when we got thrashed 4-0 at home by Celtic. 

No one is to blame for the contract apart from the management that was in charge at the time. Anyone would have done the same if they got offered a luxury contract like that. Anyone who says otherwise is talking bollocks. It's not his fault that the situation turned into an farce 

 

GK department is a position we have a lot of depth in (Ridgers Mackay Hoban MacKinnon) I would imagine OFW's departure has given us a lot more room in the wages department. 

I wish him all the best for the future he seems like a pleasant guy. I'm glad he's finally found a club & has got himself out of this mess. 

 

 

18 minutes ago, Super Caley Man 94 said:

That's OFW officially gone to Hamilton Accies. 

He has barely played for us since 2016/17 he played like 3 games in 2017/18 while Mark Ridgers was going through a really bad period in form. 

His only appearances in 2018/19 was on the bench while Mark Ridgers was injured in the later stages of the season. Cammy Mackay didn't have a ridiculous appearance fee so he got put in between the sticks ahead of OFW. 

He wasn't the best keeper we had & certainly wasn't the worst. Pulled of some outrageous saves but then he would have horrendous blunders like that one against Dembele when we got thrashed 4-0 at home by Celtic. 

No one is to blame for the contract apart from the management that was in charge at the time. Anyone would have done the same if they got offered a luxury contract like that. Anyone who says otherwise is talking bollocks. It's not his fault that the situation turned into an farce 

 

GK department is a position we have a lot of depth in (Ridgers Mackay Hoban MacKinnon) I would imagine OFW's departure has given us a lot more room in the wages department. 

I wish him all the best for the future he seems like a pleasant guy. I'm glad he's finally found a club & has got himself out of this mess. 

 

 

Sense, at last.

See County made a late move for OFW unlike smoking joe tho he knocked back Roy's dollars! Hope he does well at Hamilton class keeper 

I think Roy's holding onto his dollars a bit more these days...unless it's paying off a management team or mid season transfer window shopping - the wallet is a not as generous as it used to be.

15 hours ago, Super Caley Man 94 said:

That's OFW officially gone to Hamilton Accies. 

He has barely played for us since 2016/17 he played like 3 games in 2017/18 while Mark Ridgers was going through a really bad period in form. 

His only appearances in 2018/19 was on the bench while Mark Ridgers was injured in the later stages of the season. Cammy Mackay didn't have a ridiculous appearance fee so he got put in between the sticks ahead of OFW. 

He wasn't the best keeper we had & certainly wasn't the worst. Pulled of some outrageous saves but then he would have horrendous blunders like that one against Dembele when we got thrashed 4-0 at home by Celtic. 

No one is to blame for the contract apart from the management that was in charge at the time. Anyone would have done the same if they got offered a luxury contract like that. Anyone who says otherwise is talking bollocks. It's not his fault that the situation turned into an farce 

 

GK department is a position we have a lot of depth in (Ridgers Mackay Hoban MacKinnon) I would imagine OFW's departure has given us a lot more room in the wages department. 

I wish him all the best for the future he seems like a pleasant guy. I'm glad he's finally found a club & has got himself out of this mess. 

 

 

Both OFW and ICT are now out of this mess. Best all round for both parties.