OK - Slight shot across the bows to those making and taking it personally
Laurence has as much right to come on here and express an opinion as anyone else ... just as we have the right to tell him that we believe he is suffering from a humongous dose of verbal diarrhoea ... and because we are intelligent and articulate ICT fans who have followed our club through thick and thin, we are even able to do that without getting overly personal and lowering ourselves to the level shown in the very first post in the thread where we are called "the worst fans", or by telling him he is not welcome (something mods/admin will decide if it ever comes to that).
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Laurence .... Cant figure out if you are a troll or if you are actually serious !!! If trolling then well done, you certainly caught a few big fish in your net. If serious, then I think you need somewhat of a reality check about the game in Scotland which is dying on its feet due to years of mismanagement at league management level and the imposition of rules and penalties on fans which have killed any atmosphere, or virtually any attempt to generate one at matches.......
I am and always will be an ICT supporter. It doesnt matter to me whether we are in the HFL or the SPL or somewhere in-between (although quite clearly I do want the team to compete at the highest level possible). As Mantis said, its part of our life, not a lifestyle choice. I would go further and say it is also not an accessory to be wheeled out when playing one of the big teams or going on an impressive run.
I happen to live 3500 miles away, and am currently a season ticket holder at Toronto FC in MLS but that doesn't stop me supporting ICT. I run this site with the help of others, and have done so since 1994. Moving across the Atlantic neither killed my passion for MY club, nor did it diminish it. Instead of going to ICT games, I now get up early to listen to them on the internet. Instead of meeting up with mates in the pub before and after games, I now discuss it online with them, and instead of having a season ticket I now try to ensure that I can serve the club in other ways like donating my time and professional expertise to help with their website, or sponsoring players (again with the help of others) through the site. Thats what real fans of their club do, they support the club in whatever way they can ... because whether we are good fans or bad fans in your eyes, whether moaning or complimenting things, we are still fans of the club and will still be fans tomorrow, next week, next month, next year ..... and beyond.
You mention "atmosphere" and to an extent I do agree with you on that point, especially as I experience 20,000+ at each TFC game I attend and the atmosphere is normally electric. However, I do not agree with where you point the blame and feel your opinion suffers from an ignorance or lack of comprehension of just how things have evolved here (ie. Scotland, not just Inverness) over the past several years.
From the time we moved into the TCS until I emigrated in 2003, I had season tickets right above the tunnel and my friends still sit there. In those times we were indeed surrounded by "sweetie rustlers" but we did get chants going and the atmosphere was as good as you get "with a Highlander" (we are naturally more reserved than some others). If we stepped out of line or went over the top, a knowing look from the stadium manager (directly below me in the tunnel) would allow us to dial things back on a friendly level. However, on recent trips home, those same friends no longer chant, sing or throw out barbed one-liners to the opposition managers or subs .... not because they don't care, or because they are bad supporters, but because over the ensuing years clubs have been put under pressure to clamp down on things said, shouted, sung, or chanted and fans are routinely threatened by over-officious stewards (or in the past, Chief Executives) with Football Banning Orders. Fair enough for offensive stuff such as religious, ethnic, racial or other slurs, but it also has the effect of killing "banter". If you think that is just at the TCS then you are sadly mistaken.
Seems like you have experienced a single season of the roller-coaster adventure that is ICT and have decided it is not for you. Fair enough, that's your choice, but please, just as I have said to our posters at the beginning of this post, that they should not get personal with you or tell you you are not welcome ... don't feel you have the right to come on here, stereotype every single one of us a sh*** supporters and basically say we are not worthy of your support. That is pompous and arrogant and there is only one cure for that ...... Service 28 or 28a to Dingwall (http://www.stagecoachbus.com/uploads/service28draftaug2010.pdf)