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Yet again we have several players out of contract at the end of the season. Hayes, Foran, Esson, Tuffey, Cox, Ross, Sutherland, Morrison and Shinnie are the only players we have secured for next season. Players i'd keep are Munro, Duncan, Duff, Hogg, *Gillet, Rooney, *Sanchez, and Tokely. *Gillet will regain his place and stay i think and Sanchez for me was really impressive before he got injured and deserves a chance. I think we should at least try to retain Rooney but if he dosen't stay then oh well. Innes and Gil ain't cutting it for me and Roy and Gollie are past it. Odhiambo's future is debatable. Just want to know what other folks think...

At this moment in time I would say battling for a top six spot is as far as ICT can realistically go unless we somehow come into a bit more money. A good Cup run would also be welcomed. I wouldn't say we are punching above our weight. I think we are an SPL club albeit at the lower end of the table more often than not. That's not to say that we shouldn't be concerned with the current run which is very poor indeed and the continuation of the shocking home form is of particular cause for concern. I think Butcher and Malpas are taking the club as far as the club can go and ultimately as far as they can realistically expect to take it. That doesn't mean I think they should go of course. We're on course to survive after getting back into the SPL and I think that's what we all would have liked at the start of the season. And a few more home wins of course!

Just what we need - more negativity. So they're heroes when we're winning in the first division, but you're criticising them although we're secure in the first season back in the SPL? We lost to the Scottish Cup holders tonight.

Was it about your growth hormone ?

My biggest gripe at the minute, and it drives me insane at times, are the spineless linesmen / assistant referees who seem utterly incapable of making a decision by themselves and instead rely on the referee to make a call before going along with it. The most recent example that I remember was the home game against Saint Johnstone where the ball went out of play off a Saints player and the linesman gave a corner. Upon seeing that the referee had given a goal kick he changed his mind and flagged for a goal kick as well! If these guys aren't brave enough to make their own call and stand by it, especially when they are closest to the incident, then they should piss off and stop wasting our time.

I think your lack of home games is preventing you from seeing/understanding exactly what is going on at TCS. We're suffering because players are not out there playing to their full potential and all the tactics in the world counts for nothing if you have a team unable to string more than two passes together and who spend the game hoofing the ball up the park and putting themselves under constant pressure as a result. It's clear from the instructions coming from the bench and the frustration of Terry and Mo that this is far from the game plan the players have been asked to execute and I fail to see why he should be shouldering the blame for that. Don't get me wrong, I don't think the players are not putting in the effort as they clearly are, but for some reason they just can't pull it together at home and it's not because we are being tactically outwitted. IMO Terry calls it as it is and I don't think he's been afraid to admit when he's made mistakes. I don't think you'll get much argument from anyone on this point and the club do try and arrange as many closed door friendlies as they can, when they can, in order to give fringe players and those returning from injury a chance for a bit of competitive match time. However, given how thin our squad has been lately and the fact we're struggling to put a full squad out on match days then it's probably just as well we're not committed to reserve fixtures where we would risk compounding the issue.

Johnboy, you make comment re the "claim" about domestic abuse rising considerably following an old filth game. What reasons do you have to doubt such a claim. It has long been accepted that this is indeed the case in and around Glasgow. I also ask you to spare a thought for all the police and ambulance staff who have to deal with fall out and to all those families who have to deal with the aftermath of the violence this game brings. Do you also dispute the "claim" of a senior strathclyde police officer who stated that there was not an empty cell in or around Glasgow following the last old filth game.

Phoned up fer ma ticket - asked for North Stand Section G - lad came back and said that there was a seat but felt that he had to infom me that it was four rows from the back and was used by "the young boys" for an unofficial Singing Section - I replied "That will do nicely thanks " - SORTED

Does this mean that we will have to start practising weekend binge drinking in early June ?

Mmmm - That is why I chose to post in to a New Topic as most responses are to the original post or are peeple simply not debating the points that I made. In most vocations you are in a continuous learning curve and taking criticism and responding constructively is a positive "skill" in itself. Why are peeple appearing so protectiely defensive _ it wouldnt surprise me if Terry and Mo werent prepared to admit to making mistakes. It just frustrates me that blame is regularly being apportioned to individual players, the skill levels of some players, pitches, the fans, funding and the media - fer fecks sake the peeple in charge have to take some of the accountability. I was even contemplating another post but better add it on here - I feel that we are really suffering from not being able to play regular B team or reserve fixtures in a more competitive nature. I keep on hearing about individuals performing well on the training grounds - I know some skilled individuals who looked like world beaters on the training grounds but could not bear that out when it came to the nitty gritty. You just cant wholly rely on the training ground to look at yer options for a game in the SPL. The training ground should be where dead ball and set plays should be practised.

McCoist and Lennon hardly made it into the "handbags" category with their outburst of petulance. I can't believe the over-reaction by the Scottish Media to what was a pretty typical, and fairly boring OF encounter. They're all whinging on about Scotland's shame, Glasgow's horror, etc, etc... There was even a debate in the Scottish Parliament this morning with one MSP claiming that domestic violence rises by about 50% throughout Scotland after an event like this. Calls for all future OF encounters to be played behind closed doors. What a load of crap! It's only a couple of weeks since the AC Milan - Spurs game, with the Gattuso/Jordan spat which was 100 times worse than anything that happened last night. Was anyone calling for all their games to be played behind closed doors? The only thing I would have taken exception to was the Rangers's players reaction to the ref over the red cards - he would have been well within his rights to issue more red cards for some of that stuff.

Superb! (I need more green-dots, mods/admin/whomsoever.)

Elland Road Was a regular there for years, in the Gelderd End, the Kop end. Witnessed the rise out of the old second division and the winning of the old first division in 1992. Strachan. McAllister. Cantona. Geezo, happy days. In December '09 my nephew was one of the Leeds mascots, so (very) reluctantly I forewent ICT's trip to Palmerston and returned to Elland Road for this 'special occasion'. Leeds may no longer have been a 'top team' but you'd never have known from the stadium, the crowd and the atmosphere. Unbelievable. (Like every Leeds fan I loathe ManU with an irrational passion. Can't remember the date, but recall going to Old Trafford shortly after they'd been beaten by a Turkish team. All the Leeds fans wore fez hats. Brilliant!) Enjoy your trip to Barcelona, Caleyjag

The reason that I posted on new topic is that my "point" differs significantly in context to Mr Magic Roundabout - although fer once he has offered an understandable statement. My post does not allude to whether Messrs Butcher and Malpas have taken the club far enuff but relates more to constructive criticism and apportioning of some blame to an apparently protected dynamic duo - in many ways it is an observation that, if heeded and followed, could actually lead IMHO to the Messiah and Miss Marples actually taking the club to a higher plain.

I wonder if the cup game has been a distraction for the players in regard to league performances. Hopefully they'll be out to prove their worth for a place in the starting line-up for the QF against the 'well on Saturday. I kind of hoped the blue Huns might have scraped through tonight. McCoist would probably have been in their starting line up in the QF. The green huns are definatley beatable though. Time to go ballistic again... I want to see ICT lift that trophy.

Ok. So it was poor fare yesterday and folk are right to be disappointed - I'm disappointed - but if we are disappointed in the performance of the team just think how disappointed the team must be with the "supporters". I know the subject of the lack of atmosphere at home games has been done to death in the past but I really think we reached new lows yesterday. I honestly can't remember being at a match anywhere where there was less noise. I was late arriving and as I walked to the ground I could hear nothing other than the passing cars. I walked into the ground and it was like walking into a bloody library. There were a couple of half hearted attempts to get some chants going but that was it. The rising noise of expectation when we broke forward or had a corner was strangely muted. You could hear a Werthers Original wrapper at 20 paces. And finally when Utd scored their second there was the biggest mass exodus I have ever seen. If Celtic had just lost 2 - 0 at home to Hamilton and gone bottom of the league then a mass exodus might be justified but FFS we are a small team and we are 7th in the SPL.! If we finish the season in 7th then that will be the highest position any Highland team has finished in the history of Scottish football - but yet several hundred walk out in disgust! Yes, the season has had its ups and downs and we are certainly on a down at the moment, but overall the team has done well and deserves our support. Last night it did not get it and as a result we got what we deserved. I really feel for the players because they deserve better than that. I'll repeat it - we're 7th in the SPL. That's good. Let's applaud that fact and get behind the team :ictscarf:

Lennon might be missing too. he has got so much to learn to reach Oneils level. Wouldnt it be a shame if he sauntered over to Butcher after the game and in Terry eagerness to reach out and shake his hand accidentally smacked the tw#t in the mouth.

You a mate of Naelifts?

Terry and Mo have done wonders for ICT in many ways but they also appear to be "protected species" in terms of criticism. Shure they have had their problems in regard to injuries, suspensions etc and probably more than most teams with a similar budget etc - especially in regard to important players BUT: Some of their tactical, positional and selection changes have been very reactive - often in respect of a game to game mentality. I am very surprised that they have not especially settled on the first choice back four, sticking by it, keeping the main men in the same position if available, using the individuals in reserve to fill in particular positions and being frankly brutal and consistent in this respect. Playing individuals "out of position" does nothing for those players either or the ones they depose. And blind faith in certain individuals - which clearly frustrates the fans must have an effect on the players. Their also appears to be a game to game "blame" mentality adopted by fans I am afraid that central midfield is very much the same scenario. It simply doesnt help the team, individuals, morale and confidence not knowing if you are playing from week to week, not knowing what position that you are playing in or what tactics and formation that the team are going to adopt. Only Esson, Hayes, Foran and Rooney appear to have been exempted plus for long periods it has tended to apply to Shinnie and Ross - and are those players the ones who have also performed more consistently ? Do Terry and MO actually know what their best X1 is ? This is not a Terry and Mo out call but they have to shoulder a lot of the blame for the last few months. They won the SFL by sticking to the same game plan - why not start it off again in the SPL - starting now. If they had faith in the system and the players that started last nite they should have the conviction - and the B88lixcks to adhere to it. and before I get lamblasted have a look again at the Best x1 thread as last nights selection was NOT that far away from what many of the armchair pundits selected. Getting Top 6 is now a bonus but continuity and improvement is all I am asking for - plus a win against the Old Filth and a day out at Hampden. My advice to Tel is to pick his teams like he picks his red wine.

Doncaster is a moron and has absolutely no common sense at all. He should drag his overweight body out of the Old Firm's backsides, respect the wishes of the masses and give us a sixteen team top tier where there would be no need to spoil a sunny Summer afternoon with woeful football. I don't really care when the season starts because if next season entails relegation for three teams out of ten (the OF can be taken out of the equation) then I have absolutely no intention of supporting it.

The OP asks, Have they taken the club as far as they can? I'd say NO! I'd then ask. Have the club taken ICT as far as they can? We are a small club with a small fanbase. The players we have work their socks of to achieve success but many of them are not of a standard to win that success on a regular basis. We are troubled by injury within a small squad. We're having to start players who aren't match fit. We can't afford a big enough squad to cover every eventuallity. As was said on another thread, we are a Div 1 club punching above our weight. Butcher and Malpas came in too late to rescue the drop, though they were only a goal away from it. They took us straight back up. They've taken us beyond the relegation zone and they will take us to as high a position as they can in what is their first full season in this league with this team. They will have learned a great deal on the way to where we are and they will apply that learning as long as they remain with us. This season is far from being over and there are a few opportunities left to reach somewhere we have never been before.

Dougal sparking more controversy i see. Last night was a terrible display for all, no question of that but from looking at the team last i thought one problem was the fact that most players seemed to be running on empty. Hayes looked done after about half an hour, which is no suprise given that he was supposed to still be out, Ross looked fatigued when he came on, Doran only lasted about 20 minutes before hobbling off and Foran looked in desprate need of a break. Several months on and 3 more signings added and we still can't seem to get ahead in terms of using a full team, in fact we haven't been able to name a full team all season i think. Not using it as an excuse but we are a small squad at the best of times and difficult games in quick succession can't be easy for us just now. We put so much in to the beginning of the season and i think unfortunately the energy levels have dropped simply becuase the same players have had to be used constantly. We are not the greatest side in the league and we've clearly set ourselves in good stead to survive which was the priority at the start of the season, just now teams like Hibs, Midden, etc are in desprate need of the points to pull away from the dropzone, something we don't have to worry about (just now anyway). All im saying is we are a bottom 6 club and i think we just have to accept that for this season. Who knows we may get a shot next season again.

This thread just sums up SOME of the posters on this forum...absolutely pathetic.

I've said this before and i'm going to say it again, non season ticket holders who can prove they were at the Elgin and Morton games in the previous rounds should be added to these so called priority groups Poor show by the club Well said Seoras, i'm seriously thinking of boycotting this game in protest, don't get me wrong there will be some genuine fans but they will be in the minority unfortunately dougal Tickets available to usual priority groups As Here People who can produce a ticket from the Morton game are included in the priority groups for this game. Tickets could not have gone on sale any earlier as agreement on price was only confirmed with both clubs last Friday, so today was the first day tickets could be sold. Ticket office open late every night this week and until 8pm on Thursday to give all 'Priority Groups' as much of a chance of possible to get their hands on tickets. Tickets will also be available online from Friday but no new registrations will be allowed to purchase tickets to try to restrict the 'away' fans buying tickets for the home end. Sadly if the ICT fans don't take up the tickets on offer, there will be a fair chance that the remaining tickets could well fall into the hands of away fans - I can assure you that the staff at the stadium will do all they can to avoid that happening, but it's impossible to prevent. Boycotting the game would therefore only increase the chances of away support gaining entry at your expense - seems a bit ironic. Most ICT fans would usually fall into one of the priority groups (or at least know someone who doees) and will therefore be entitled to buy tickets during the priority period, due to the late decision on pricing the priority period could not be as long as normal. Dougal - feel free to apologise for your misleading comments

I'm bitterly dissapointed not because of the result as United were the better team but it was the way we lost, I lost count how many hoof up the parks were played tonight by Tokely and Munro There was very little football played on the deck, there was no passion and to be honest very little if any entertainment Our home performances have been nothing short of an embarrassment this season and I now really have doubts about our management duo and the tactics they seem to be deploying I am in no way calling for their heads(not yet anyway) in this thread but I believe its about time they tried something new tactic wise because if they don't they are going to see dramatic reductions in attendance at the Caledonian Stadium for the remainder of the season I shudder to think where we would be if we hadn't had such a good start and picked up all the points we got on the road C'mon Terry & Mo i'm afraid what we are having to endure from November time isn't good enough dougal

I wouldn't accept that at all. I am prepared to accept there could very well be a link between drinking to excess and domestic violence, but I certainly wouldn't accept that Glaswegians are any more inclined to beat up their wives or partners than football fans from any other part of the country, or even the world You're surely not seriously suggesting that this is a problem peculiar to Glasgow?

Feck me Scarlet - " AlL I hope is that the niggly comments on here don't infect the players because the team does not need that if it wants to get up off the floor." CALEY Thistle players have given assurances they are determined to rediscover their passion and spirit after manager Terry Butcher held crunch talks with the squad. The 45-minute group forum was the first time Butcher had given his men a chance to speak frankly about where the campaign has gone wrong in light of the side dropping out of the SPL top six earlier this week. Following the 2-0 loss at home to Dundee United on Tuesday night, the Inverness manager cancelled the players' day off on Wednesday in favour of extra training. He also gave them a chance to voice their opinions on the recent form and the season as a whole. "It was looking at everything," Butcher said. "We talked about what happened at the start of the season and what has happened in the last few months. "It was them that chatted to us more than us to them, which was really good. "We threw it open to them and they came back with some very forthright honest views and opinions and it cleared the air. "It made us really refocus on what we have to do and get back to what we do best and I'm very pleased about that. "I think sometimes you need a bit of feedback and need to let the players have their say because we are all in this together." Butcher usually holds shorter review meetings with the squad every couple of weeks, allowing them to express their views but not in such an manner. "This time it was deliberately thrown open to everybody and I haven't done it before like this but we felt it was the right thing to do," explained Butcher, who normally carries out wider assessments with assistant manager Maurice Malpas rather than the squad. "If you have been in this game as long as Maurice and I have been you know there are times during the season where you reach a stage like this and think where are we going to go now? It's not a crossroads, but it's like putting the season on pause, assessing it to see where we are before we hit the play button again, then we're off. "They needed a bit of reassurance and we needed a bit of reassurance that we are on the right track and that we are doing things how we want to do them, but I think there is a real collective unit even more so now to be strong for each other and there was a real reassessment of their spirit and how we can move on. Do ya think my psychic powers have worked or was it this thread ? RESPECT

To the folk who dished out the red dots for my last comments, would it not make for more constructive debate if you were to actually say where you think I am wrong?