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This thread has moved on a bit since my last post. The reason I haven't posted on this thread for a couple of days is that I've been in Yorkshire. I was phoned by a brassy Barnsley divorcée who was looking for a new "companion" . She said that if I took up her offer I would get double portions of roast potatoes with my roast beef. Despite being a happily married man I must admit that it sounded like an attractive proposition. In any case, I felt it would be rude not to at least listen to what she had to say. So I flew down South and spent a couple of days in "discussions" during which she made very clear exactly what she had to offer. Wow! You should have seen the size of her Yorkshire puddings! I have to say I was really tempted. It was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make. But at the end of the day I decided that there's a lot of good things happening up here and in truth I'm happy enough with my wife's Scotch Pancakes (even if I only ever get "Flora Light" on them). So I thanked my brassy Barnsley belle and came home. And what a welcome I got! Unbelievable! Everyone was saying what a wonderful chap I was. What a gentleman I had been in having the courtesy to go and listen to what the nice lady had to say about her kind offer, and what a wonderful loyal man I was in turning down the offer and staying in the bosom of my loving wife and family. Mind you, there was some odd quine from up the road who gave me dog's abuse and questioned my integrity - but there's always one, isn't there? As for my wife, she said very little. When I first told her I had received the offer she shrugged and said that if I thought I could do better elsewhere she wouldn't stand in my way. She didn't say much when I came back either. Whilst everyone else was slapping me on the back and saying what a great guy I was, she simply issued a statement which said she was glad I was back and that I had intimated I would be honouring our marriage contract (don't know where she got that from!). Some have interpreted that statement as a "hands off" warning to other admiring ladies - but I know better. It's a "stay boy" warning! Naturally after this episode I've been careful to say all the right things. I've been talking to everyone who will listen about how wonderful my wife is and how many things we want to do and achieve together and .... Sorry to cut this short but I'm going to have to dash. Another plane down to Yorkshire, would you believe! I've just had a phone call from a dusky Doncaster doll who was whispering something about toad in the hole in the most sultry of tones! Of course, I'm really happy here, but I guess I'd better go and check out how the Doncaster gravy compares with that in Barnsley - after all, it's the honourable thing to do.

A brilliantly drafted analogy - but the flaw is that marriage is expected to be for life whereas football management clearly isn't. Reverting back to analogy mode, your wife has only agreed to stick with you for another 16 months, at which point you are both free to part company. Or, if at any time you put in a string of sub-standard Saturday performances with her, you are likely to be dumped without hesitation and replaced by a younger man who can give her more satisfactory results. She's probably already got her eye on somebody. Possible even a list of them. And in the interim, Grassa could step in to cover your marital duties - it wouldn't be the first time. She might actually be a little disappointed that you didn't decide to go off with that Yorkshire floozy. She'd get hundreds of thousands of pounds out of it and would have dozens of men queueing at her door, enthusiastically offering their services and desperate to fill her......vacancy.

That's what I like to see. An opinion backed up by objective argument. I think the answer to the OP is "Yes". County shouldn't need to strengthen in order to secure survivial but despite their current position they are not that far off top six and will be aiming for that. Not only would that offer provide some money spinnig games at the end of the season, it would provide some real credibility for the club. Offering contracts to mix of experienced players and players from abroad who are looking for an opportunity to get on the radar of bigger clubs in the UK sounds like a sensible strategy to me.

Dougal, he posts when he wants!

That's pretty much where I am at in my thoughts, DoofersDad. It's not my preferred choice of setup, but I've resigned myself to the fact that we're not going to get a 16/18/20 team top tier....and although I don't have all the information to hand, I can kinda see why moving straight from what we have to that would generate financial issues which rarely get a mention when the issue is being discussed by fans. As I've said elsewhere...the status quo is not working and everyone wants rid. For that reason I see the new proposal as progress, because the only workable alternative from what I can gather is going back to a 10 team top league. The bit that worries me most about the proposals is the 18 team third tier which is going to generate a shed load of travel for smaller teams....and the expense that comes with that for clubs and fans. They'd be better inviting in another two teams and splitting that into two regional leagues of 10.

I think I'll take a minority viewpoint here and say that I'm actually quite taken with the proposals. Previously I've been in favour of a league of more than 12 but I think there are sufficient positives here to overcome that. In no particular order, advantages include:- Meaningful games for nearly all teams for most of the season. The opportunity for half the teams in the top two leagues of 12 to play against a total of 15 different sides in the year. Potential for up to 4 sides to get promoted each year. This is likely to provide far more movement of clubs through the structure so it won't be a constant round of playing the same clubs year after year. A real incentive for clubs to maintain standards or else they will find themselves dropping down the structure. The introduction of a pyramid structure which will bring fresh blood in and get rid of the dross at the bottom. The re-introduction of standing at matches in the top flight. Amalgamation of the SPL and SFL management structures into a single body. Rangers will remain in the bottom flight again next season. It's not perfect but few things are. The problem we have in Scotland is that we are a small country and simply don't have the population to support sufficient big clubs necessary to make a really competitive top tier league. In my view there are some real advantages here, most important of which is the way it will freshen things up and provide real opportunity for smaller clubs to move quickly through the leagues. This will force other clubs to make sure they maintain their standards. There have been a lot of comments about teams resting players late in the first half of the season when it is obvious which group of 8 they will be in. That will probably happen but then it happens now! For instance,within the current set up as soon as it is clear that County are not going to be top 6 then they will have nothing to play for. With Dundee being cast adrift they are likely to have the last third of the season planning for next season and experimenting in matches which could have a major significance for other teams. In any case, why would clubs rest many players around the mid point of the season? Players need to be match fit and to play together as a team to be best prepared for the crucial end of season games. One of the reasons we are doing so well this season is that we have a generally settled team. Keeping the team playing together might be the smart move. To be honest, I don't know how similar this structure is to those which have failed elsewhere and I would be interested to learn why similar systems have been scrapped elsewhere. But for the moment, these proposals look to me to be the best that have been proposed for years and there is an opportunity to revitalise football in Scotland. In the absence of any alternatives offering significant change, I think these should be seriously considered but we really do need to see a bit more detail and get a better understanding of the implications before we can come to any firm views.

That's what I call making amends for an error. And whilst we have no football to watch this week, it is good to know that youngsters in Greece are trying to emulate our passing game. http://news.uk.msn.com/blog/trending-blogpost.aspx?post=bcf9d7d7-1018-40af-9351-ddbcd334ba9e

"We mentioned it 340 times but I think we got away with it!" But righ'eenuff Doogie... your other posts are actually very constructive. For instance look at the excellent thread you started on restaurants in Olde Inverness/ Memories.

I'm really good at standing, I've been standing most of my life and touch wood, so far it hasn't killed me or anybody else near by. Why is standing considered so dangerous at an SPL game? Don't you have to stand up when walking in and out of a stadium? I'm posting this while standing.

Dougal really is a loveable Ersehole.

Dougal, hats off to you for apologising. Much appreciated. But don't take a rest from CTO. I for one welcome your posts provided you keep off off the subject of the merger. I don't always agree with your posts - in fact, I hardly ever agree with your posts - but you often express a valid alternative point of view and say things other folk aren't prepared to. A lot of folk make derogative comments about you but that is not done in a nasty way, they actually enjoy your "alternative" posts and the opportunity it provides them (me included!) to give a smart *rse response. We love you really! Keep the posts coming but, as Basil Fawlty would say "Don't mention the merger!"

Remind me of your whereabouts pre-merger? Remind me when you started taking an interest in Inverness football? Remind me of your birthplace? Another ICT incomer lays down the law. Why am I not surprised? Dougal How can I remind you when I haven't told you before? But for your information the answer to your questions are: Remind me of your whereabouts pre-merger? Inverness Remind me when you started taking an interest in Inverness football? 1975 Remind me of your birthplace? England I know I've only been in Inverness for 37 years so I would be really grateful if you would advise me how much longer I need to be resident here to be able to have a valid opinion on the subject?

Still on the subject of track and field I'm having difficulty deciding who was the best long distance runner of all time, I'm torn between the Moroccan Said Aouita and the Eithiopian Haile Gebrselassie. Now I have not got a clue on the subject but I'll go for Aouita mainly because I've just decided I'm an expert on World Athletics. Anyway back on topic going back to the merger meetings I've done a bit more digging today and I've unearthed a few more questions that really need answered before we can move on. 1. At the very first vote in the Muirton Motel why was the result given as 55-50 when there was just under 100 that allegedly voted? (what beggars belief was the way the vote was carried out and the count was done by a show of hands!!!!!) 2. Why did the fans allegedly get duped into voting for a merger when they weren't told at the time that should there have been a NO vote to merge there would have been a second vote for a sole Caledonian FC or Inverness Thistle vote, so fans were misled into a take it or leave it scenario? 3. Why were proxy votes from fans that lived outside of Inverness and not able to attend in person not allowed? 4. Why were both sets of season ticket holders from both clubs allegedly told that the SFA preferred a merged Inverness application when this was not the case at all and something the SFA denied in the aftermath? Dougal

I don't think anybody is denying that eventually the club wouldv'e had to build a new ground. We could've picked a less ridiculous location and stadium design however, even if it meant staying in Telford Street another couple of seasons, we should've waited.

That moment when you realise that your crossing the Forth Road Bridge......on your way home from Paisley!!!