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Ive got an ideal, how about forgetting about what can be done to increase the atmosphere, im sure this topic has come up before, did it do any good then, just get your butts down to the TCS on a regular basis, support the boys and with abit of luck they will perform, if they perform then everything else will slot into place. To answer the question, Im a great believer that the more the players and management staff interact with the fans, the more the fans will show their passion, if it appears to be them and us you will only get good vocal support if things are going really well on the pitch, the minute things take a down turn fingers will be pointed, scape goats will be made, the atmosphere will be non existent.

What do the rules say about season ticket seats?? do you have to give people a name on their seat? instead of being to an allocated a seat, could it not be a season ticket to the North Stand. Then those who want to sing/stand/conga will all begin to congregate in the same area weekly, allowing others to make a choice about where they sit. Thus if they don't like people standing or jumping up they can move along or go to the main stand where we could keep allocated seating? I understand that there is also the issue of the family section but surely thats not insurmountable given our average home gate. It will be hard for some people who have had 'their' seat for a number of years but surely they'd accept it for a better atmosphere. I don't get to many home games (being Glasgow/Edinburgh student based) but when I do, my excitement at getting to walk out to the stadium is always slightly dampened by the atmosphere when i get there, it'll never stop me going but i'd still like more banter. Away days in the SPL and particularly last year were brilliant we have to be able to recreate it. TB demands it, i want to see him and the players coming to the fans (ala the Queen of the South game) more.

So why don't you "away" guys make an effort and come to a home game? Largely for the same reasons that we don't see any more than about 5% the 3,000 regular home supporters at most away games - financial cost, work commitments, family commitments, the sheer amount of time that has to be expended on travel. Very few people can give up every weekend to football. You must realise that the main reason there are 'away' supporters who don't attend many home games is that the away matches are much more accessible for most of these supporters, who tend to live in the central belt or (in IHE's case) in England. The sneering tone of your comment 'make an effort' is not justified.

There is a huge difference in being confident and having totally unrealistic expectations. For me, you guys are very firmly in the latter camp and setting the season up for disappointment. If we finish anywhere from 11 up and reach the QFs of the cups, I will be delighted and view it as a fantastic first season back to build on. Of course I'm hoping for more but I don't expect it and won't be over critical if the guys don't make it.

Yesterday, the announcer was an embarrassment to the club. Whilst I can appreciate that some of the names for the Royal Antwerp team were difficult to pronounce, pregnant pauses do not create the right image for the club. Reading out the home team players also presented a problem. To add to this, the announcer has the volume too high and he has the microphone too close. As a result, it is very loud and some sounds are distorted to the extent they cannot be understood. I think we need a professional person to do the announcing. Someone who can sound interesting, has a clear voice and knows how to use a public address system. If the person we had yesterday is the person who is going to do the announcing for the rest of the season, we need a new announcer. One idea would be to give media college students the opportunity to be an announcer. This could involve a relationship between ICT and a university. Being an announcer would give the student a means of gaining practical experience. What are your views?

Stadia rules, over zealous stewarding, lack of a sited singing section - Going back to the end of last season - Morton was near to being spoiled by a psychopathic steward - QOS allowed us free rein apart from a wee bit of stupidity about standing - the terraces of Ayr were heaven. Unfortunatley we are probably going to face a few ruff away days this season. Plus can anyone tell me any club which has a vociferous home support ??

Having never ventured into that territory I cannot say how easy or how difficult it is to operate the ICT PA system, but I do remember CaleyD telling me it was - to be diplomatic - "not ideal" and that he had to tweak and adjust things all the time...... and even when he got it right, the next week the same settings would have a different effect and he had to tinker again !!!! Don had the benefit of being able to come on here, listen to what you guys said and adjust the system accordingly. The fact he had been a DJ for a number of years also allowed him to tweak things a little better to suit the surroundings as he had spent quite a few years trying to make his own equipment work in various locations that were maybe not quite acoustically perfect. I know that the club are aware of the failings of the system, but I don't know if they are in the position to do anything about it. If it packs in again though - like it did before the QP game - then their hand may be forced as a working and reliable PA system is part of the stadium criteria from UEFA and I am sure there would also be Health and Safety ramifications as it would be required should there be a need for an evacuation or emergency announcement. As for the announcer himself - give the guy a chance !!! I have no idea who it is, but perhaps some constructive criticism rather than "we need a new announcer" might be more productive ? Were you perfect in the first week or two any time you were doing a new job ? Lets get behind the team, lets get behind the staff, lets get behind each other and urge everyone on against the real enemy ...... every opposition team that comes a calling at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium !!!!!

I think it's overly optimistic to look at getting into the top six this season. Not all players who did a job in the First will be able to maintain that form in the SPL, as we saw last time we got promoted. The most important thing to our success is if Adam Rooney continues his form - I think he will score more goals than he did in 2008/09 but we can't rely on him for 20+ goals. We need guys like FOran, Hayes etc to chip in as well and that might be easier said than done. We also shouldn't underestimate some of the other bottom six teams - Accies had a great season last time out as did St Johnstone. Personally, I will be happy if we stay up and are clear from relegation, in the manner of our first three seasons in the SPL last time out.

Yes i cant appreciate that saturday was not ideal but sitting in the main stand if you cant see the number of the player coming off especially when there is no board, give him a few weeks to adjust his sounds to the system and bed in with his unfamiliar surroundings.

So why don't you "away" guys make an effort and come to a home game? Old story - cos there is usually a fair spreading of alcohol - we can all congregate together - and most of us are up fer the feckin craic. As far as I am concerned home games are a big expense and usually a BIG let down at the games.

Come on - lets face it - they have more of a support than us in numbers and more "lads" and less sweetie rustlers - but if that had been an ordinary match day there would have been feck all of them left standing cos the stewards would have chucked them. Our home support has been lamented from day one but 150-200 of us, given leash would have least have equalled that - away from home last season the majority of places that we went commented that we were the best away support of the season - at least. LETS FECKIN ENJOY OUR AWAY DAYS THIS YEAR AND THE MORE OF US THAT GO IN TO SING SING MODE THE BETTER - That will never happen in TCS or the North Stand unfortunately.

The reason it sounds crackly is because a) the volume it too high and b) the person speaking it too close to the microphone.

i think its a totally new pa system caley need the one we have atm is shocking

We've got a good team, good management and importantly momentum behind us.

So why don't you "away" guys make an effort and come to a home game?

I disagree.... It just needs someone who knows how to operate it. When CD was doing the announcing - especially from the touchline using a radio mike, it was as clear as a bell.

I suspect that Don could be tempted back - say six Dougall and Hastie pies per game ?

There are too many people there who expect to be entertained in the north stand. Football - especially Scottish football - should be about fun and having a laugh and good day out.

Ian Black cos we haven't been able to replace him.

Boyd, to bag us 20 vital goals a season.

Fer fecks sake - if George Fraser had taken up TB's offer he would have been a feckin prize muppet. They would have been blown apart by the fan reaction. George and the Muppets are good employers cos TB is firmly in control - and i suspect that the gentleman knows he is, which side is bread is buttered on and is palying the thankful employee game. At least we have the muppets exactly where we want them.