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Well, they have now secured the title and McMoist has said that the players have demonstrated a lot of bottle. The club has now released a picture of that bottle.

I think Reefinweedallday asks an important point and I think we should care about the implications we can draw from the answer. I think the first point to make is that our situation is different to Livi, Gretna and County in that their appearances at their finals came out of nothing or as a result of success bought out of irresponsible short term investment. There was a novelty value associated with it so that just about anyone with any allegiance to the team wanted to be part of it and loads of neutrals were attracted to the romance of it. Our situation is quite different, We have developed slowly but steadily since the club was formed and have become established in the higher echelons of the Scottish game. Securing a place in a final from time to time is sort of what is expected of a club of our status. The fact that this year we have actually got to a final is exciting for the fans who watch regularly or just once or twice a season but is not causing shock waves and a "must be involved" sense of novelty among others. No doubt we would have sold a few more had this been the Scottish Cup, but the general message is that the number of tickets sold represents what we might see as the broad support for the club from which regular attendance could be drawn. Should we care about the fact that the number is as low as it is? Well, yes, I think we should. As a very rough estimate I would say we have a core support of around 1,000 who go to most home matches. There are then perhaps another 7-8000 who attend maybe once or twice a year upward. These folk probably add another 1,500 - 2,000 to the average non OF/County gate. If we are to improve gates significantly to increase revenue then it is from this broad non-core support that we can expect increased attendance at games. These folk have their reasons for not coming more often and nobody should criticise them for not coming more often; for some, even coming just once or twice represents a level of sacrifice and we should be grateful they are able to come at all. But if those who get to half the games could get to three quarters or if those who get 1 or 2 could get to 4 or 5 over a season then we could potentially get the regular attendance up another 1,000 or so - but that is easier said than done. If the broader support base was bigger then we would only need a very small shift in their attendance patterns to add a 1,000 or so onto regular gates. The message for me is that the number of tickets sold reinforces what we all already know. We have a small fan base and there is not an easily tapped latent support waiting in the wings. Even with continued development and success on the park we are never going to get regular crowds of 5,000 +. No doubt continued success and participation in the occasional final or two will attract a few more in but the reality is that the club has a low support base and the Board needs to accept that and not plan with inflated expectation of support being generated by success. I think it is doing that very well and the fact that we are in a final tomorrow and nobody is particularly surprised that we are is testament to that. We may be small in number, but the fact that we have reached a final and have got there through hard work and merit rather than bought success or a one off fluke, should make us all very proud of our club. I am sure we will enjoy the experience on Sunday all the more for knowing we have earned it.

It's a diddy cup final* on a Sunday. If it were the Scottish Cup final (i.e. the last competitive game of the season) on a Saturday, then we'd likely have way over 10k in my opinion and there'd be a lot more neutrals attending, most likely in our end of the ground. *I reserve the right to re-evaluate the 'diddy cup' assessment at 4.30pm on Sunday...

. Who cares? me, that's why I asked the question. Will be quite disturbing if a City the size of Inverness can't produce more fans than Gretna Comparing to other teams is pointless and won't tell you anything. My flatmate whose a QOS fan went to the Scottish Cup final to see Gretna. Their quick rise caught the imagination of football fans who didn't necessarily support them. I wasn't comparing ICT to other teams, just wondering if Gretna and Livi took more? It's a bit of an unenviable record to have the lowest support ever at a national final hence my curiosity, had the discussion with a couple of people and was just hoping for a genuine response. It's been said Gretna took 12,000???? Not sure about Livi. Strange for the size of the city and the fact it is the clubs first major cup final that there has not been a lot more one game wonders, County had a fantastic turn out for their final.so why the apathy and low key press coverage in Inverness? The stadium having only 3 sides has caused this, imo people are frightened of a big 4 sided stadium. Plus lots of ICT fans went down for County I don't know any County fans that are doing the reverse as they are so bitter and twisted. Oh don't forget the merger of course we'd probably be taking around 25k if it was old Caley or 20k if it was Thistle.

Ah, so you were comparing? Glad we cleared that up. On this website, ICT are definitely a different case. Most people on here are ICT fans. I would expect that to be the case on many other sites. Can't really argue with your other observations.Yes, a final needs two clubs, and it makes fans to make up a support. Are you saying that there should be a minimum size of support for clubs reaching a final? And how are the mind reading lessons going? How do you know I have no interest in the debate. However, lest the powers are failing you let me explain. Yes, our support is small considering it is our first major final, but at this point in time it is what it is. On the eve of such a big game is is surely better to be positive rather than negative? (Note to Yogi - that doesn't mean 4-4-2 and giving it a right good go!). The reasons for our small support have been discussed both on here, and further afield, at length. I have no doubt they will be again. However, I struggle to see the value of debating them now, when we should be concentrating on such a big occasion for the club.

So that's where all the home support is. In bloody Sydney!

But by asking if this is the lowest support ever taken to a final you are, by definition, comparing us to other teams. In fact you are comparing us to every team that has been to a cup final. The reasons for the size of our support compared to our catchment area have been debated ad infinitum and quite possibly ad nauseaum. Do we really need to go there again on the eve of our first major final?

"Winning isn't everything. There should be no conceit in victory, and no despair in defeat."

Ticket office open tomorrow morning.

Does anyone know if it's still possible to buy tickets before Sunday and if so how to go about it?

The directors are arguing over who's going to get the 30 pence return on that bottle apparently.

The lack of comment from the club would suggest that we've not sold our allocation and have nothing to crow about. As hawkeyethegnu says, this has been debated at length in other threads - the reasons for our small support are multiple and complex; they are unlikely to change dramatically in the near future (but a cup victory would certainly do no harm!), so let's get over it. This is no time to be focusing on a negative - DESPITE our small support and budget we are in a major final and have a fair chance of actually lifting the trophy. I'm just delighted that I'm one of a happy band of followers who will be lucky enough to be there tto witness it!

Why do we actually care? If it was only me that was there then I would still be happy. Stop debating and moaning and focus on the bigger picture. We have a final on Sunday. Aberdeen fans can say the same and fans of 40 other clubs can just wish they were there!

Will the Corrie bus be parked a hundred yards from the ground so that all the Jaggies can nip out for a quick drink at half time ?

Is there not a thread on that already!

I don't think anyone knows how many tickets we have sold as the club seem to be keeping it a secret! Probably because it's a lot less than predicted

From what little I have seen, young Christie has huge potential but what do I know about judging young players ? When I saw a 16 year old Martin Bavidge come on to make his debut I turned to my companion and confidently predicted that we were watching a future Scotland international. Subject to that major caveat, I personally would have him on the bench ahead of Polworth.

Watch out for Ken Barlow.

Europe will be a fun novelty for the club but it is unlikely to yield anything in terms of a return. It is very expensive will mean we will lose money as the preliminaries don't give much in prize money and we are unlikely to get very far anyway. That said it would be wonderful for the club to represent Scotland on a European front but to before that we need build towards. Sunday is a massive day for the club and most people have eluded that it could be the makings of the next chapter for the club to go forward. Being a Man Utd fan i understand when people say the Scottish is more important and i would agree to wanting to win the FA Cup more than the league cup. But i don't understand this apathy towards the league cup in Scotland as it is a trophy and lets be honest there are only two trophies a club outside the old firm will ever win as the league will always be one of them two. If we win on Sunday it will be one of the greatest days i will ever have being at a sporting event and i am sure a lot of others feel the same. The league cup should be given the same amount of respect as the Scottish cup for a club our size as a trophy is a trophy and we have earned being in the final just to take the last hurdle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYjBQKIOb-w For our Boys .... Whatever happens they are our heroes .... :ictscarf: :ictscarf: COME ON ICT :cheer01: :cheer01: :cheer01: :cheer01: :cheer01: :cheer01: :cheer01: :cheer01:

Seems like a fair swap.

Forgot to factor in the Aussie refuseniks. At least 12 of the 10 will boycott the game because of the merger.