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Dig deep into your memories folk. Our first game at TCS against Aberdeen had a crowd of over 7,000. Personally I think that this obsession with what County are doing is very unhealthy. All that matters is what we are doing. Next season they will be back to the three thousand plus just like us.

With us leading the way by going third in the SPL, it has been a good day for North football. I have to grudgingly acknowledge the gudgies win against Aberdeen whilst Elgin thumped a team in the division above them in the cup. Also in the cup there were wins for Deveronvale and Turriff whilst Nairn and Inverurie both drew against 2nd division opposition. Clach and Cove both went out but by the odd goal away to Ayr and Partick respectively but those are very respectable performances. It really goes to show what a good standard the Highland league is. All in all a very, very good day for North football.

How many penalties have been awarded this season? Loads, far more than any other team. How many were we awarded in the whole of last season? Hardly any at all. Why the dramatic turnaround? Interesting to get Kenny Shiels take on it today. (BBC) Shiels said that, if he gave his opinion on the referee's decision, "he could bear a grudge against me" but praised Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher for his own relationship with officialdom. "I know Terry was complaining that they did not get penalty kicks and I don't think he's got into any trouble yet," he said. "He's politically unbelievably good, how he deals with the press and how he deals with referees. "It's working for him and his work with the referees is outstanding and he's done really well there - I wish I knew the secret." Shiels is a bitter man, and a very vocal fool. It is fair to say that Terry is excellent when it comes to the media side of things, but lets not forget that even he recently got a suspension for comments he made, so he's certainly no golden boy. And to suggest that Terry's approach generates favourable decisions is just plain nonsense. We may well have had a bit of luck with the odd 50:50 call, where last season we got none at all, but I think the increase in the number of penalties is really just a case of fortune favouring the brave. The way we now play football results in us spending more time than before on the attack, and patiently in possession of the ball on the ground in the opponents box, where we have several tricky players who can be a real handful. The outcome is so often inevitable. All we need now is a more reliable penalty taker.

Errr.... we had Tade last season, and he used to fall over his feet outside the box.

Kenny Shiels - gobshyte

~ Thats the second time I have been called a wifey today. Enough is enough. Your yellow card is marked. Red next time. Ach you know we all love you really Elizabeth

Another fantastic result. What a run we are on! Well done guys, you've certainly earned your chips at Auchterarder this week.

Novelty factor for both sides.

This thread should be moved to the Serious Topics forum IMO.

Lizi - just to let ya know that i have washed ma bits and I am on ma way - waking myself up with a chorus of a song that has started ma game days fer feckin years - when I wake up in the morning light, I put on ma scarf and I feel alrite, I put my blue scarf on, I put my Caley scarf o - O2B

Cos I'd like to spend some time with my family and take my daughter to the fireworks display in Forres. Personally I'd love to make away games (I'm lucky if I can make a couple a year) but as I lose most of Saturday to the footie when we are at home, I do quite like to have some family time. At least until she gets old enough to take to the games!

If we're going to play practical jokes on players then do it properly, like this! From BBC : A prominent journalist in Kyrgyzstan is bringing criminal charges against newspaper reporters who abducted and threatened to kill her as a practical joke for their newspaper. Nazira Aytbekova, who presents an entertainment programme on Kyrgyz state TV, told the BBC she was kidnapped at gunpoint and taken to wasteland. She says she is still "shaken and humiliated" by the incident. The two reporters have been sacked and have apologised for their actions. Ms Aytbekova said that her abductors blindfolded her on Tuesday near the capital Bishkek and forced her to strip to her underwear while holding a gun to her head. "They took off the sack from my head and said: 'Sing!' I refused. They told me to dance and somebody was standing behind me and constantly poked the gun at my head." Ms Aytbekova says her ordeal got even worse when the men threatened to kill her. "They said to me: 'OK, say your last words. And then we'll shoot you.'"