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Life in Administration

 

Starts on Saturday at Dumbarton Stadium in the Scottish League 1 with Inverness now deducted fifteen points which puts us twelve points below our hosts this weekend. Unfortunately, five players have been released along with the management team of Duncan Ferguson, Gary Bollan and Stuart Garden. So far, we have retained the bulk of our squad including our senior players with Scott Kellacher taking on the head coaching role assisted by none other than Billy Mckay. They will also be given further assistance from Charlie Christie and the rest of the youth squad trainers. So, it's almost as you were without or management team and a 15 point deduction. The downside so far is the dismissal of four contracted players and loan keeper Jack Newman. More details later in the preview. Good luck to those released through no fault of their own.

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Administration Info on ICTFC

Match/Ticket/Travel/Info

5 Players let go (1 loan)

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Our Season so Far on the park

INVERNESS CT D D D W D D D  / W  Our season got off to a slow start with a draw at home to Dumbarton followed by a penalty defeat at Annan. Another two draws against Montrose (h) and Kelty Hearts (a) before our first win of the season over Queen of the South at the Caledonian Stadium. We beat Stirling Albion 3-0 to send us into a fourth Rnd tie away to Livingston thanks to a brace from Adam Brooks and a strike from Adam MacKinnon. That was followed up by us throwing away a two goal lead at Alloa to end up with a 2-2 draw six minutes later. A Danny Devine volley and Calum MacLeod with his first goal for the club were the scorers at Recreation Park. Last time out we had a disappointing 1-1 draw at home against Cove Rangers who opened the scoring through Adam Emslie. James Nolan on loan from Manchester United's youth squad levelled the game before the hour. Next up was a home game against Stenhousemuir. Quite frankly this was a dull game with neither side able to score although Musa Dibaga did make a wonderful penalty save in the first half. Relegated Arbroath was our final game of the opening round of fixtures and despite creating enough chances, we came away from Gayfield with our second defeat of the League1 campaign. Away from League duty last weekend, we put up a good fight against Livingston in the Challenge Cup at Almondvale but lost out 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out after it finished 2-2 over the ninety minutes. Paul Allan and Charlie Gilmour were our scorers during the ninety minutes.

Our first game in the second round of fixtures turned out to be Duncan Ferguson's last stand. It ended in like his first game in charge, a win as we defeated Annan 1-0 at home. Administration and management removal followed by five players being released. First game after Admin is at Dumbarton this week...

Dumbarton:  D D D D D D  / W  Dumbarton started the season with six draws on the trot followed by three defeats. It was only last week that they recorded their first league win of the season in their tenth League fixture with an excellent 1-3 away win at Gayfield. Arbroath had opened the scoring through Tam O'Brien after ten minutes but Carlo Pignatiello replied ten minutes later. A Dylan Smith og and a last minute goal from Finlay Gray ended the scoring as the Sons celebrated their first win in style..... just in time for our visit, meh!

Our first game of the League1 campaign was against Dumbarton at the Caledonian Stadium on the back of disappointing League Cup group stages for both sides. It was also the game where Johndo was remembered in the sixth minute. I wonder what Johndo would make of all this. As already said on CTO, plenty of scope for his CTO Xmas pantomime with villains in abundance and a hero in Alan Salvage.
Game of two halves: 1-1 A rousing round of applause rang out from the crowd on the sixth minute in appreciation of the dedication of John Mackenzie, AKA the Immortal Howden Ender who sadly passed away last week. A fitting tribute as cheering and clapping broke out around the ground and one in which he would have loved to have led the way. Rest in Peace my well travelled friend. You would have enjoyed the first half. The second I'm sure you would have had some choice words for in your after match summary. It was the proverbial game of two halves. Inverness were miles ahead in the first half and rubbish after the break. Plenty of possession and slick movement with new signings Flynn Duffy and Adam Mackinnon prominent in attacking moves. Charlie Gilmour brought out a tremendous reflex save from keeper Long, however most of the good work petered out when we got into the final third but we took the lead on the stroke of half time when Danny Devine sneaked in behind the defence to nod in unchallenged at the back post from a corner. Hey ho we all thought, lifes not so bad after all. Wrong!!! We allowed Dumbarton to dominate the next half hour and they deservedly levelled through Carlo Pignatiello as we seemed to go back into our shell. Niang was booked a second time for persistent fouling and reluctantly left the field when he was red carded. Billy Mckay had cracked one off the bar and Charlie Gilmour and Remi Savage were denied by the keeper but it was a bit of an anti climax after a promising first half. Jack Newman also had to make a good save five minutes from the end to keep the score level when he denied Mumbongo.

Here's the fixtures for this weekend and this is how the table looks after we were deducted 15 points. Meh! 😢

Image

Pos Team Pld Gd Pts
1 Alloa Athletic 10 2 17
2 Montrose 10 5 16
3 Kelty Hearts 10 7 15
4 Cove Rangers 10 1 14
5 Stenhousemuir 10 1 14
6 Queen of Sth 10 -2 14
7 Arbroath 10 -2 12
8 Annan Athletic 10 -9 10
9 Dumbarton 10 -3 9
10 Inverness CT 10 0 -3

 

Latest Team News

With administration comes redundancies. First to go was Duncan Ferguson and his coaching staff of Gary Bollan and Stuart Garden. Four players were released although the bulk of the experienced players were retained. No surprise that Cameron Ferguson was released. Bit part striker Adam Brooks was also released along with the promising left back Flynn Duffy who has been recovering from a punctured lung after looking lively in the five games he did play. Wallace Duffy was the most experienced player to be released after coming back into the squad since being ignored at the end of last season, in total making 113 appearances and scoring five goals. Big comedown for Wallace having been our MotM in the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic in 2023. I'm sure we all appreciated the efforts of those released although like every team, we have our boo boys who picked on the unfortunate. In this instance young Cameron was the brunt of most ill feeling which probably stunted his development whilst here although one wonders would he have been here had his father not been the manager.

Some may say that the release of the management team is a step in the right direction as many questioned our style of play since Ferguson arrived. It looked like a case of keep the ball at all costs and don't be rushing up the park. We were set up to hold what we had with little directness. That led to too many draws and late defeats as we regressed. That aside, he can't be faulted for his gesture of not drawing a wage and I wish him and his team good fortune for the future.

Duncan Ferguson gone. 

  • Gary Bollan gone
  • Stuart Garden gone

Players out

  • Cameron Ferguson (12 appearances, not ready at this level)
  • Adam Brooks (7 goals in 41 appearances)
  • Flynn Duffy (recovered from a punctured lung)
  • Wallace Duffy (113 apps, 5 goals)
  • Jack Newman (loan ended back to Dundee United...maybe)

On the plus side, Scott Kellacher has been promoted to Head Coach with Billy Mckay as his assistant player coach. Charlie Christie appears to be assisting as well, possibly overseeing/helping with the coaching along with the rest of the clubs youth coaches. Good luck Scott and Billy, all the best and all at CTO will get behind you and the boys as we attempt to play.... Against All Odds as Charles Bannerman once said. (No truth in the rumour that his next book will be entitled Against All Frauds)

Given the circumstances, I imagine we will be along similar lines to last time out without Wallace Duffy in the starting XI. It will be interesting to see how we set our stall out under Scott and Billy. Good luck guys.

ImageDumbarton's last Starting XI in the win at Arbroath.

Carlo Pignatiello scored in the first fixture at the Caledonian Stadium and he scored last week in the 3-1 win over Arbroath.

Pignatiello, Ruth and Durnan have all scored three League goals.

Dumbarton have the leakiest defence conceding 17 goals whereas we have only conceded 7 times. The Sons are third top scorers with 14 goals, twice as many as our shot shy players. 

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  • NuclearDachshund
    NuclearDachshund

    Sizeable turnout today and vocal for large parts. It’s what was needed to reaffirm to the players we’re behind them and to confirm to prospective buyers we’re a solid investment. Lengthy and solid cla

  • Don’t give up hope! As Scotty has said, the players only knew on Thursday if they still had jobs, and the new management team had little time with them. A result would have helped today but

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25 minutes ago, Scotty said:

Today would have been a bonus, albeit one we should have tried to take. Players didnt find out until literally Thursday if they had a job or not. Would have been hard to concentrate on the task at hand. The real work starts now. A full week or training, a new mindset (hopefully) and a slow steady progress ... we can but hope anyway. Otherwise, you are right, League 2 next year and a rebuild. 

I don’t think the team would have not tried for the bonus of a win. Honest guys trying their best.

slow steady progress will not keep us in league 1. 
 

so yes looks like league 2 awaits and starting next season on -5 points.

the nightmare will be Inverness derbies the season after, but hopefully it will not come to that.

what yngwie said above, I would have said it, but save the face palms etc I would have received.😀

Edited by bishbashbosh
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HALF TIME: 1-1

No changes at the interval. Brett Long saved from Mckay's low shot five minutes after the restart and the defenders mopped up the loose ball. Dibaga again denied Hilton just before the hour. Ryan Blair edged the hosts ahead after a corner was recycled. Blair finished with a curling shot behind the keeper. Hilton had been causing problems and he notched his second of the game and Dumbarton's third after driving forward and shooting into the bottom corner. A late flurry of activity saw Remi Savage head over from a corner and Sons sub Mumbongo shooting narrowly wide. The last action had Long saving from Nolan as time ran away.

FULL TIME: 3-1

Scott Kellacher's first game in charge ended in defeat at the Rock. Not the start we had hoped for but it was a big ask made even more difficult with Devine and Gilmour missing.

Sizeable turnout today and vocal for large parts. It’s what was needed to reaffirm to the players we’re behind them and to confirm to prospective buyers we’re a solid investment. Lengthy and solid clapping the troops off the field at the end in spite of the result was a nice touch of solidarity and support. 

12 minutes ago, NuclearDachshund said:

Sizeable turnout today and vocal for large parts. It’s what was needed to reaffirm to the players we’re behind them and to confirm to prospective buyers we’re a solid investment. Lengthy and solid clapping the troops off the field at the end in spite of the result was a nice touch of solidarity and support. 

A positive Caleyaway today despite the score. We were decent for an hour but in the end it wasn't to be. Don't think Dunbarton a happy hunting ground for us? 25 cup finals to come. It isn't over till it's over 

9 minutes ago, old caley girl said:

A positive Caleyaway today despite the score. We were decent for an hour but in the end it wasn't to be. Don't think Dunbarton a happy hunting ground for us? 25 cup finals to come. It isn't over till it's over 

A long way to come home after getting beat but well done to all those fans who made the effort to support the team :clapoverhead:

Massive disappointment in the end. So much positivity in the bar and in the stand, and the team were excellent first half, or maybe it just seemed that way after a year of sideways crab-like fitba. Great to see a team getting forward on both flanks. Hilton’s goal was pretty much Dumbarton’s only attacking effort of the half, completely against the run of play, but what a worldie giving Musa no chance, although he was allowed too much room to turn. 
The Sons started the second half much better and I always felt that if they scored first, they would win. One or two experienced pros such as Wallace and Carlo. They stuck to the basics, defended well without trying to be fancy, and hit us on the break. A couple of unforced errors cost us. ICT heads dropped at 2-1 and we never looked like coming back. 
Fantastic support today and great applause for the team at the end. Rather weird coming to a team with such a poor support when you are used to Championship crowds like Partick and the Pars. Hardly heard a sound when they scored. Big uphill task now.

Edited by The Mantis

With Annan winning tonight, we’d have ended up bottom of the league on goal difference without the 15 point penalty.

Anyone can beat anyone in this league. We now need to ensure we start beating everyone!

As I said above, let’s not give up hope and get behind the team 100+% next week. 

2 minutes ago, Robert said:

With Annan winning tonight, we’d have ended up bottom of the league on goal difference without the 15 point penalty.

Anyone can beat anyone in this league. We now need to ensure we start beating everyone!

As I said above, let’s not give up hope and get behind the team 100+% next week. 

A long way to go yet Robert

Like you I'm not giving up hope. 

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William Hill League 1 Results

Pos Team Pld Gd Pts
1 Cove Rangers 11 3 17
2 Stenhousemuir 11 2 17
3 Alloa Athletic 11 1 17
4 Montrose 11 3 16
5 Kelty Hearts 11 6 15
6 Arbroath 11 -1 15
7 Queen of Sth 11 -3 14
8 Annan Athletic 11 -8 13
9 Dumbarton 11 -1 12
10 Inverness CT 11 -2 -3

It is such a tight league with just 5 points separating the other 9 teams.  It doesn't look as though any other team is going to get detached from the pack and therefore we are likely to need to reach a decent points total if we are to avoid ending up bottom. Averaging a point a game usually has teams in the relegation mix so we are likely to need at least 36 points on the board, or in practice as we are at minus 3, to get 39 points from our remaining 25 games.  That could be, for example, 11 wins, 6 draws and 8 defeats.   I think that is difficult but achievable.  But we do need to start winning games soon.  Another 3 or 4 defeats before the New Year and will need to show title winning form for the rest of the season just to avoid relegation.

It was great to hear of the good support from our fans today.  It will be crucial that we get better home support than we have been getting recently.  It is not the fault of the current playing and coaching staff that we are where we are and they really need us to get behind them.

Just watched the after match interview,  it was so refreshing,  honest, upbeat despite result today and not blaming anything and everything for the loss. Much more positive. Onwards from here.

47 minutes ago, TheCaleyOne said:

Just watched the after match interview,  it was so refreshing,  honest, upbeat despite result today and not blaming anything and everything for the loss. Much more positive. Onwards from here.

I gave up listening to Duncs spiel and Dodd's..this was so refreshing. There were so many things he could blamed...but didn't. Well done Scott.

Just want to echo the praise for Scott's post-match interview.  Gutted to lose obviously, but sounds like we're going to be taking a much more attacking approach going forward which is exactly what we need.  Unfortunately, I do expect us to get relegated as I think making up the points is going to be a very tough ask from here, but what I know for sure is that we'll give it a right good go and anywhere in this league bar 10th will be a huge bonus.  Looking forward to seeing how we do with the new approach over the next few weeks.

13 hours ago, tm4tj said:

 

We should have had Scott in as manager instead of Dodds or Ferguson. A local lad who knows the club inside and out. No brainer really. Sadly, the board and the CEO were the no brainers - as in hard of thinking. No matter what happens this season and next season ... I will be right behind Scott, Billy, and the boys. We have to be positive every step of the way and give them our 100% support. None of this booing crap. We still have a club and we still have these boys working hard to get us out of the mess others created for us. Togetherness!!!

14 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

It is such a tight league with just 5 points separating the other 9 teams.  It doesn't look as though any other team is going to get detached from the pack and therefore we are likely to need to reach a decent points total if we are to avoid ending up bottom. Averaging a point a game usually has teams in the relegation mix so we are likely to need at least 36 points on the board, or in practice as we are at minus 3, to get 39 points from our remaining 25 games.  That could be, for example, 11 wins, 6 draws and 8 defeats.   I think that is difficult but achievable.  But we do need to start winning games soon.  Another 3 or 4 defeats before the New Year and will need to show title winning form for the rest of the season just to avoid relegation.

It was great to hear of the good support from our fans today.  It will be crucial that we get better home support than we have been getting recently.  It is not the fault of the current playing and coaching staff that we are where we are and they really need us to get behind them.

DD this is not a criticism but I just had a look at league 1 table for last season. Falkirk cruised it with 90 pts, 39 pts was 9th play off spot. 8th was 39 also but better GD.
 

This season only 5 points between 9th and 1st shows everyone can beat each other then take the 16pts from Falkirk, gap 1st to 2nd and distribute among others are we looking at possibly low 40’s for safety this season. Add on our -3 that’s mid 40’s for us.

season before Dunfermline won with 87 pts 14 pts gap to 2nd nearly the same as last season. and safety 8th was 40pts. 

so safety for us looks like 40+ points from next week.

disclaimer….. I am not a mathematician.

I've decided I'm going to ignore the league table and try and just enjoy the football in the hope we get effort (never doubted it from players) and style that generates a bit if excitement.

I think if the support can give the team that kind of freedom and not lump 'survival pressure' on then we'll see the best from them.  Let's treat it like a 25 game pre season in preparation for next year.

Financially there's not a great deal of difference between L1 and L2 and Savage has already said the plan is preparation for relegation so I have no additional concerns there.

Wasn’t at the game yesterday, gave RC v Killie a miss also to watch my grandson play for RC u11 in a tournament at cormack park, dons new training facility v Dundee Utd elite a and b, Aberdeen elite a and b and ICT a and b. ( county asked him first , ict were a day later with their request, prev tournament was other way round)

encouraging reading the post from people there that we were decent for an hour.

looking forward to next home game to see it for myself. Starting to get cold so need a bit of jumping up and down to keep warm.

ps……… learnt a life lesson yesterday watching the young boys. Never judge a book by its cover.

dons and DU had some big boys, 6 footers, then I saw this wee boy who was about 2ft 6, DU strip too big for him and thought you are going to battered by these giants.

the wee guy was fantastic, getting stuck in, scoring some great goals, quick, never gave the defenders a seconds rest.

in boxing terms he was the best player pound for pound I have seen for a while, including Scotland v Portugal at Hampden a couple of weeks ago. 

45 minutes ago, STFU said:

I've decided I'm going to ignore the league table and try and just enjoy the football in the hope we get effort (never doubted it from players) and style that generates a bit if excitement.

I think if the support can give the team that kind of freedom and not lump 'survival pressure' on then we'll see the best from them.  Let's treat it like a 25 game pre season in preparation for next year.

Financially there's not a great deal of difference between L1 and L2 and Savage has already said the plan is preparation for relegation so I have no additional concerns there.

Agree. The critical aspect for this season assuming survival is to set the foundations and strategy for moving forward. Whether we are league 1 or 2 seems less important than having the fundamentals in place for a sustainable future. 

Need to try and get a settled team as much as possible,  no more chopping and changing unless injuries and suspensions dictate.

Young players need to learn in a more stable formation/style of play and then after 4 or 5 games they can relax and develop. This has been lacking for years, for example Bray started last season in attacking roles then was dumped after DF came in. He has wasted a years development. Similar for other fringe players who came in over the last 18-24 months , occasional sub appearance,  some bench time then off to the HL.

I've certainly seen encouraging signs from many of the academy boys, one or two have been scouted by Premier teams so we're lucky to have kept them so far.

As its been said already, patience and support...lots of it required. 

21 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

It is not the fault of the current playing and coaching staff that we are where we are

I simply don’t understand how you can make this statement. The current players and SK have been part of the club (in one shape or another) in coaching, training or playing for the club throughout this season games. The bulk of the same personnel were with the club during last seasons campaign. If our highest earning striker (now part of the new management team), had scored a goal in two or three more of last seasons games, we may not even be playing in this division imo. 
I want the new management team and players to succeed this season and stay up, but however poor the previous manager was, we fool ourselves if we believe he is the sole reason for us being in the position we currently find ourselves. 
bc

Edited by big cherly

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