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I would just like to take this opportunity also to extend my thanks to all involved in this project. And that must start with Born Caley! After all if he hadn't instigated the initial discussion by enquiring about a copy, this would never have happened. I was literally posting on the thread he had started when I had the "Eureka moment" idea that if CTO were prepared to host it and if I wrote the extra chapter which I'd always regretted never having included, then all we would need would be for the book to be scanned and we were in business. That was on July 16th which was less than 8 weeks ago so things have moved on fast. I would therefore specifically also want to thank - * Scotty and Caley D, CTO's co-publishers, for their huge cooperation and very prompt and efficient efforts in firstly agreeing to host the book and then getting it on here so quickly once the material became available. * Alex Main without whose "Caley All The Way" centenary book it would have been much harder to write the additional chapter. * What I understand to be various collaborators in Thistle's centenary booklet "The Hub of the Hill" which was just as useful. * Pull My Finger who keeps trying to talk down his input but believe you me, the scanning was absoultely vital. * The other copyright holders - photographers Trevor Martin, Gordon Gillespie and Ken MacPherson and the club through Kenny Cameron - for agreeing to the republication. So there we have it - the tale of how ICT was formed plus a bit more on the earler pre history, all free of charge and available indefinitely on Caleythistleonline! So a week Friday night - September 9th, the 18th anniversary of the "Two Vital Votes" which turned what had been an INE pipe dream into potential reality - I will raise my glass just a little bit higher than usual to the club that made it into existence - Against All Odds.

In actually think that the entire question has long since become academic anyway given that the merger project - once realised - brought the previously inconceivable benefit of SPL football to Inverness in a decade. That, however, doesn't make the story any less worth telling almost two decades on. There were those who were for the merger, there were those who were against it. The pro merger view prevailed and Inverness has what it has as a result. OK someone may well come back with the "but Caley could have gone it alone" line and I really don't want to get into a debate in this area so far along the line. So I'll just say that there will be a lot of people out there who are very glad that the last 17 years has had a lot more to offer Inverness than going down to Telford Street (or some other similarly modest venue had Caley's quest for one been any more successful than Inverness City's) to watch games against Alloa, Brechin and Arbroath. Remember Caley did have a great support but also had an element of unpopularity in the town. So going it alone, without INE's support, without a very large slice of the £1.8 million of public money eventually realised and without Thistle's half million pounds of assets would have been no picnic - had Caley been elected to the league in the first place. However I've already said more than I intended on a subject which I now think history reduced to little more than an academic curiosity many years ago. "Against All Odds" was actually Dougie McGilvray's choice of title, made a few weeks before the book went to print. Whilst writing it, I used the working title of "Blue, Black and Red" which did appear a burning issue at the time, but with the benefit of the wider perspective over the years, I think Against All Odds is a much better title. Finally, and I think I can safely associate the CTO publishers with this viewpoint, I am highly delighted at the very positive response to this initiative and thank people for their kind comments.

He wouldn't need a seat on the team coach either, since he apparently prefers to walk to games.

I dont see at all how changing the teams to less with make our teams better in Europe. Only one team made any real dent on Europe in the 90s in the old Scottish Premier and that was Rangers in '93. Since then yes, the Likes of Rangers and Celtic had runs in Europe to the final and Aberdeen got out a decent group to only go out to a star studded Bayern Munich side but more often than not, most of our teams are out of Europe by August usually anyway. Occasionally the Old Firm have the forlorn hope of staying in "after christmas" but it's maybe happened half a dozen times in 20 years. Outwith that we're nearly always nearly men at best in Europe or abject. This year was no different. Making the league down to 10 just means you have to play a team at least 4 times a season for definite (which they ridiculed last season with Rangers and Celtic playing each other 7 times) so that just brings in stagnantation. 10 teams and more chance of relegation (play offs brought in) means more fear and teams afraid to rely on youth products. It's only in the last 5 years that we have finally come to terms that teams need youth development to survive. Lets not go back the way. We had this 10 years ago. It wasn't working so we changed it. Why on earth would we go back to a failed model? (Other than less teams = bigger split of tv money. Only logical explanation why teams support it.) 16 teams, 30 games and a 2 legged super cup competion at the start of the season. for League and cup winners (or runners up in league if league winners won cup) @ Hampden. 2 teams go down guaranteed. 1 team enters into a play off with the 1st division play off winners. Winner is in the SPL next season. 1st Division top 2 teams come up automatically, next 2 play each other to determine 1st division play of winners who then play 3rd bottom SPL team. This will take place between March and November (when European football finishes). During World and European championships the league would start 2 weeks earlier and finish a 2 weeks later due to high unlikelyhood of any of our players reaching latter stages anyway. The league would pause for the duration of the tournament. Teams would make their own arrangements with players as to whether they require time off (they shouldnt as their in the middle of a league season) Stadium criteria - As we probably only have 16 teams with 6000 all seater stadium we change the rule to focus soley on the all seater aspect and that the facilities in terms of toilets, food stalls, emergency exits etc all pass stringent criteria. All teams promoted will get 1 year to comply with the rules (with groundshare in use until so). If stadium is completed within the year they can resort to their own stadium providing groundshare agreement allows and there is no objection through police or security. Teams would maybe have to give a fortnights grace before next home game to allow fans to amend travel arrangements. The footballing authorities are so focussed on this tosh Mcleish report that does naught but state the bloomin obvious in some places and spraff a load of codswallap in others. I think we've seen in recent years that trusting a politician to sort something out (ie parliament building, Trams etc) is not the best way to go about something. I await the day the Scottish footballing authorities see sense and give me the job. I've made it known on a popular fans website I'd look at it if approached so they now have no reason to not do so. Thankyou and good morning!

HAHAHAHA! Aye 'pro merger propaganda', thats a nice catchy little title. I'm can't decide if dougal is a comedy genius or not. By the way Against All Odds shares it's name with Chuck Norris' autobiography. Quality!

Actually a decent point and I am sure Mr Bannerman would be confident enough to stand his version against conflicting viewpoints. Or maybe the "refuseniks" should go ahead and write their version. If only there were one who visited this site...

We don't, and never have, celebrated our roots as a club....and that's kinda sad because we have not one, but two, rich and proud histories that date back long before 1994. So, the important thing as far as I am concerned, is that story is now readily available to all...especially to each and every new generation that comes through the ranks.

This highlights the need for a 10 team SPL, without it Scotland out of Europe by August will be the norm instead of the exception.