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Those players and others associated closely with the club who read this site must wonder why they bother - maybe they won't bother in future and who could blame them. Yesterday we were outclassed by a very motivated Rangers team who played very well on the day, but this seems to have spawned a constant stream of completely OOT negativity. You can't judge a team or a manager on a single performance so let's look at a few facts. People are concerned we might still be relegated. We are 8 points clear of Dunfermline with 2 games in hand. If Dunfermline accumulate points for the rest of the season at their average for the season so far, they will end the season 2 points behind what we already have. We are not going to be relegated. People say our current form is poor. Since Rangers defeated us at Ibrox in December only Celtic have beaten us until Rangers beat us again yesterday. Looking at the longer term picture, we have not lost to another bottom 6 club since we lost 2-1 to Aberdeen on August 20th. People say the defence is poor. In the 7 games between the 2 defeats to Rangers we conceded ony 4 goals. We have been particularly hard hit with injuries this season. We must all understand how hard that makes it to field a consistent side and we all know that you need a consistent team to get the best out the players. It has also meant that for much of our season we have been without players we would regard as first cloice. People say this season's pish is a continuation of last season's pish. Memories are short. Last season we equaled the best ever finish by a Highland side in the history of Scottish football when we finished 7th - 9 points clear of the 8th placed team. Looking at the broader picture this is all pretty impressive. I might not always agree with what Terry does and to be honest some of it baffles me, but at the end of the day you can't argue with the overall record of acheivement. We are a small club with limited finances and to be in the SPL at all is good, Yes we can hope for a top 6 finish and / or european football but to acheive that will require a number of things to come right at the same time. We will hopefully savour it when it comes but we have no right to expect it. Just staying in the bottom 6 of the SPL is hard enough and to acheive that, the players, the manager, the club need the support of the fans. It is reasonable to express opinions which are critical from time to time but this constant tirade of negativity is not support. Typical of the nonsense is the comment in a post above which states "During last season, I regularly pointed out that our defence was no where near good enough for this level. A remark which, whenever I brought it up, was equally as regularly told that I was being too harsh and I expected too much of the team." It is astonishing that the poster repeats this nonsense a year later in the knowledge that his assertion was emphatically disproved by the fact that we equalled our best ever finish last season. It really is beyond pathetic. Just what do some people expect? If you want your local team to play breathtaking, silky, attacking football week in and week out then I suggest you move to Barcelona. As for me, I'm proud of my local club, of what it has acheived and what it still is acheiving in very difficult circumstances. I'm not suggesting everything in the garden is rosy; the lack of goals in recent games is a concern, for instance, but the bigger position is good. Exchange of views and opinions is healthy but please, can we have that debate against a background of realistic expectations for our club, realistic understanding of what we have acheived and realistic understanding of what we are currently acheiving. This is a supporters' forum. Come on folk, let's get behind the guys and show some real support.

Graeme Shinnie has been called into the U21 squad for the match against Holland on Wednesday. Well done Graeme, fully deserved! http://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish_fa_news.cfm?page=128&newsCategoryID=6&newsID=9351

Its "real fans" like yourself that put me off going to watch Inverness at home. Poor football, poor footballers, poor weather etc can happen from time to time. But whinging "real fans" everytime, was the final straw for me. I can't get up for home games very often, but I stopped all together a couple of years ago because of the hollier than thou attitude of "real fans". It was delt with brilliantly by the club, and I appreciated the efforts they made to sort out the problem, but reading crap like yours, certanly puts me off returning to TCS anytime soon. More than any poor display ever will. Hope you are happy with the dwindling attendances, as you and your kind have to take the blame for some of the decline!!

Gnapka has been here for under 2 months, and we have people writing him off? Do we expect him to gel into a team that quickly? Tudur Jones is just back from (another) injury, has a history of recurrences and yet we want him on from the start? Rosscoe, who has blundered spectacularly on a couple of occassions this year is our saviour in defeence? C'mon people. Today was poor, and there were times in the first half when I was afraid that we would be overrun. It is credit that we played better in the second half, due in no small measure to Proctor defending impeccably when he replaced Meekings. Greg Tansey was poor today, as was Foran and our midfield was obliterated because of that. I'm not sure that tactically, anything would have survived that first twenty minutes, so you can't blame Butcher for this one. We were toothless up front, and we miss Andrew Shinnie more than I thought we would. Top six? Probably not. Relegated? no chance, so against a Rangers side wounded and cornered we just got what we deserved today.

WTF is it with people on here lately... "real fans?" surely if they were real fans they would have bothered to find out prior to the game that there would be no tickets on sale at the gate. but no these are the same fans that will moan if they were on sale that the home end is full of old firm fans. i am getting really fed up of people on here whining and moaning about the club.... there is a hint in what we are supposed to do..its called support..that means we back the club up. through thick and thin. maybe the "part time fans" are to blame for everything as the "real" fans aren't getting in to support the team or maybe its about time that certain people on this forum grew up and got behind the team instead of belittling everything the club does to try to bring people through the gates... i for one think the club work blinking hard to put on offers and entertainment to put cash in the coffers to fund the team but then maybe im wrong. maybe the club should do what i want as i am the most important person.or hang on a minute.. maybe the club is trying to look after the club so that we still have a team to watch. if it was as easy as people on here make out then we would all be chapping at the door of premier league teams saying gimme the managers job im great and whats more ill make you a few hundred million while im at it... get a grip folks and get behind the team rant over

Well deserved and hopefully will herald a run in the team playing in his favoured position.

Glad you enjoyed yourself yesterday. Perhaps if someone at the club reads my post they might not bother in future. They certainly didn't bother their arse doing any good against Rangers. By all means continue the Ostrich approach though.

I must have missed him trying. As a matter of fact, can anyone confirm he was playing today?

I am stunned, not so much by the loss!!! as by the depth and harshness of critcism given by many of the posters in this forum! All the hype and expectancy pre match must have gone to their heads or else the number of bevvies outnumbered the brain cells. ICT were up against a highly paid, highly skilled bunch of guys playing for their own futures, they showcased themselves at our expense, the initial shock of recent defeats and entering administration has sunk in and manifested itself in giving us a hiding. They soon 'sussed' out our weaknesses and made us pay, after that first goal the win resolve was there and they gave of their best. Aluko for example played better than he ever played before. unfortunately It needed more than heart (which we can normally muster against the O.F.) to beat that team today, it needed higher skilled players which we cannot afford. Have a rethink lads and lasses and get your support back behind the team and management.!!!!!!!!!!!

Not sure why you'd need a ticket on the day if, as you claim, your an ST holder but your statement is very untrue. It was well publisised that tickets would be on sale till 11 am today. This was an all ticket game, as requested by the police, and all purchasers of tickets must be registered. That can't be done if pay at gate. As for your statement at the lack of 'real fans' get a life and learn about life mun. We were about 1400 short of a full house. The game is being played on a sunday at a ridiculous time. We actually have fans who follow their own religion and will not go at such times. We also have many fans, like myself, who dont live in Inverness but who couldn't get to the game because public transport on a Sunday is totally crap. Your so called 'real fans' of ICT are the 2500 or so who turn out for every game regardless of wind, weather, time or tide and that will never change. All the rest, every other week of the season are the 'jonny come lately's' you refer to. Thats the real world.

FFS, we lost to Rangers - not Dunfermline. Reading this thread it's like the end of the world is nigh and the R word is being used again. Had we won today it would all be about top 6 and even Europe and Terry would be a God. Several players did not play well and tactically we were very poor - but this is just one game. We are 8 points ahead of the pars with 2 games in hand. Get a grip, folk!

No need to shout!!

How many times is Butcher going to trot out that line? Why do paid professionals need punishing like this in the hope of producing a professional display? If motivation is an issue, then it's simple, don't pick those who can't be arsed or won't play to their potential. Tansey for me looked the worst offender in this department yesterday. Ultimately the question has to be asked, why are they not motivated?

Not quite on topic but Tom Aldred played in the semi final of the North of Scotland cup whilst playing with us. Biggest cup competition he will ever be involved with.

I'd rather have Tokley and Proctor in the team than out at the moment. At least both these blokes play for the shirt and will give 100% over 90 minutes unlike the shirkers yesterday. We have too many fancy imports who don't give a stuff about ICT.

Much as it pains me to mention this, a certain Andy Barrowman played in the Scottish Cup final after leaving us. He was also joined by Iain Vigurs and Garry Wood.

That was about two years ago! About the same time Duncan was playing every week and Butcher was going on about what a great captain Munro was!

Not posted in a long time because I very rarely attend the stadium these days partly due to financial constraints. This season I have attended Motherwell, Dundee Utd and now the Rangers game. Pish, every last one of them. There's really no other way to put it, either for the sake of being nice because one of the players might look at this thread or because it might upset a poster. As has been touched on by a couple of folk, the other part of me staying away is the grade A pish being served up to the punters. I paid damn good money last season to be entertained. Yes I may have had a nice discount for having endured our time in the First, but was that nice discount really worth having to feel like it was a chore to attend to watch us be gubbed by some two-bit SPL welterweight? During last season, I regularly pointed out that our defence was no where near good enough for this level. A remark which, whenever I brought it up, was equally as regularly told that I was being too harsh and I expected too much of the team. Fast forward to now, and we've got rid of two of the players I regularly gave heat. In losing Munro and Duncan we got rid of the two players who most regularly gave possession away. Now I honestly couldn't tell you who our first choice defensive lineup is. All I know is it regularly contains the words Tokely and Proctor and therein layeth a problem for me. Proctor is just plain crap. There's no other way to dress it up. He needs to go and has needed to go since our season in the First where he was even shown up at that level. He is not an SPL player. Tokely is just past it. He might have the occasional flash of defensive brilliance but is that really enough to justify including him in a lineup to face some very good, fast paced attacking lineups that the SPL contains? It worries me and it should worry everyone else that we have not one, but two former international level defenders in charge of this team, and it seems neither one of them can see the problems that I for one can. I will take the time to say that from what I have seen this season, our wide and attacking positions are adequately covered for this level, same for goalkeeper. However the attack only works well when the centre of midfield play well which leads me nicely to my next point. What the hell?... Can anyone explain to me what's going on in our centre of midfield? I noticed today that Foran didn't seem to be his usual whinging, "blameless" self but was that just today? He's lost his ability to jump completely or at least time his jumps well enough to win a header. He did display some nice touches and some accurate passing, usually to Tansey who invariably gave the ball away, fell over, or ran (very slowly) in the wrong direction. What exactly does Tansey take to the team? I guess I hope more than anything that a Foran/Tudor-Jones pairing will work. I also guess Butcher is really sweating, hoping that this will work as well. As for everyone giving it the "that was one of the Old Firm" argument, sorry that's not washing with me. What we just saw was by far the worst Rangers side we have seen for a generation at least tear us apart almost at will. If that doesn't make you pissed then I worry for our support. As things stand, it's going to be a very long, long time before I ever pay to get back into that stadium again. I imagine I'm not alone in this.

I would accept that we are not playing particularly attractive football and we got well beaten today. But in the recent form league (last 6 matches) we are 6th. If, after 6 matches at the start of the season we were lying 6th having played and lost to both Rangers and Celtic I think we would be pretty exited at the prospects for the rest of the season. Whilst I am critical of the manager today, I think his outburst at the players is because he knows we actually are good enough for a top 6 finish and the facts bear that out. Given all the injuries we have had and the inconsistency this has forced on starting line ups, a top 6 finish would be an absolutely wonderful acheivement. Crisis? What crisis? Dougal, you have made some half decent post in recent weeks. Your contribution above is not one of them.

butcher:''oryt ally'' ally:''oryt terry'' butcher:''you know what ive not seen you in months but im not gonna give you a warm welcome cause it might offend 'dougal'" ally: "who?" butcher walks off to his perch in the main stand **** sake get a grip

Utter pish would be the words to sum up that performance today I don't recall seeing a poorer defensive performance ever from an ICT back four Possibly the worst ever Orc team to set foot in TCS and to be played off the park like the way we did was a total embarrassment Can't believe no one has mentioned this but did anyone at the game or watching it on Sky see the sickening scenes I saw as our management team waited for McCoist/Durrant/McDowell and co emerge from the tunnel before the game? A simple hand shake should have been sufficient but what we got was basically a cringeworthy hugfest which I found quite insulting to the ICT fans who had the misfortune to witness it Rangers were fragile today and all this pandering niceties should have happened within the stand if they even had to happen at all and not in full view of the paying punter The fact that Tokely never made it off the bench certainly backs up this alleged rift anyone got more info? Dougal

Oh for the days when fans could accept a loss on the basis that the other team just played better!!!

As usual some over the top reactions after todays game> Sure we didn't play well and too many players had a bad day. Rangers won this game without over exerting themselves and down to our poor defending. However many of those slagging off Meekings have been saying that he has been good on other games and let's not forget he is only 19 and still learning.Again, I am getting a bit fed up with many posters continually slagging off team and performances but oblivious to the fact that we have rarely been able to field the same team two weeks running due to injuries. You will only get consistent performances when you can get a consistent team playing week in week out. Having said that, the substitutions today, apart from Proctor, who played well when he came on, were baffling. I am getting less impressed by Gnapka, who is to attacking what Djebi Zadi was to defending. We needed someone to play alongside Mackay but Gnapka isn't the one. Tudor Jones, if fully fit should have been on sooner as well. All in all, a bad day at the office but some of the postings on here really mae me question if some posters actaully want to be supporters of ICT or simply want to look for the latest excuse to slag off the management and team.

Can't argue with any of the critical comment here today, totally hapless performance and the management team need to take a long hard look as themselves as well as the players. Like a lot of regular diehards I'm at the stage where boredom and frustration are pushing me away from TCS. That coupled to rumours of another rift involving Tokely this time, it seems the last of the old guard is on his way out. If that is the case I just hope Butcher has thought this one through, none of his cheap imports will ever match Rosscoe's achievements or the respect in which he is held by the faithful. "Live by the sword, die by the sword".

I could argue every point you have made thus far...but I see little point as you seem determined to just add a new one every time you get an answer to a previous "complaint". Damned when they do, and damned when they don't...try telling us exactly what you do want to see instead of just coming up with a list of moans.

Stop protecting Tansey, he has been useless practically all season. Came here with a reputation for banging home spectacular free kicks and long range efforts, and well, I'm still waiting. 99% of his free kicks have been atrocious. His corners more often hit the first defender, ( not alone there) and very little exciting happens when he is on the ball. He has had maybe two games where he was better than average and other than that, not worth staying here for another season.

Whilst we are all obviously disappointed I think folk on here are being overly harsh and TB, as sadly is often the case, is heaping the blame elsewhere when his own tactical failings were a significant factor. McCoist had clearly out thought him tactically and the players he brought in did very well. Terry's game plan seemed to be that the longer we could hold out against a Rangers side with fairly limited fire power, the more they would push forward and the more chance our hoofball would work. This is a tried and only occasionally successful tactic and it is not good to watch. It could have worked but it was blown apart after 20 minutes due to a combination of woeful defending from Meekings and the composure of Rangers front line to create and take their chances. I personally wouldn't criticise the players for effort with the exception of Meekings and Tansey. I thought the rest were all up for it and challenged and harrassed Rangers pretty well. The problem was what they did when they got the ball. The only tactic seemed to either get it wide to Jonny (who was poor in the first half and a lot better in the second) or just hoof it for Tade and MacKay. I thought Tansey was very poor today, Foran was just OK, and Nick Ross seemed to offer a little more potential but Rangers defenders read him very well. Both McKay and Tade huffed and puffed to little effect. McKay had a good first touch but had no options. Tade looked more sluggish than I've seen him - perhaps his achilles tendon is still asleep. Terry was right to replace Meekings with Proctor. Meekings had a nightmare of a game and I think Proc did OK when he came on and better than Tokely would have done at right back. Having gone three behind and then pulled one back we looked for a time as though a second could very easily come. Had we got a second then we would have had a very nervy Rangers side and it would have been game on. I was therefore suprised when he withdrew Ross and astonished when Gnapka appeared. Immediately there was confusion about who should be where and immediately Rangers exploited the space and were up the park to score. Instead of being game on it was game over. And then to bring OTJ on right at the end! What was that about? The game was crying out for a bit of quality in midfield and that is just what he can offer. With Tansey being so poor, he could have replaced him at half time. If he is fit enough, he should be starting and if he isn't he should come on for a reasonable stint - but just the last 3 minutes? Baffling. Yes, Rangers were the better side but I don't think it was a fair reflection of the game. I do think it was a fair reflection of the nouce of the two managers though. And remember, Rangers will have been hurting after the Kilmarnock match and players are playing for their contract. There is no way they were not going to be 100% up for this. Some people seem to think Rangers were there for the taking but that was never going to be the case. As I say, I cannot fault the effort of the players. Rather than bring them all in for more running around I think Terry should let them keep their day off so that he can study the videos of the game and learn where he got it wrong.