Leaderboard

Unfortunately (?), the days of Jim McLean and 25 year contracts with your first born being sent to sweep his chimney once a week are long gone .... lets face a few facts here .... 1. We get gates of 3-4000 on a good day. That does not afford us the luxury of a wage structure that compares with anything other than the lower reaches of the Scottish Premiership. We cannot compete with Celtic, Aberdeen Dundee Utd or even the likes of Hibs or Hearts in the Championship who all have bigger budgets to play with (or to squander or screw up) in part thanks to bigger gates. 2. Some of the teams mentioned above (and many others) have been guilty of spending beyond their means and getting into trouble. We did that on a far smaller scale as we climbed the leagues and almost paid the price. For the last 14 or 15 years each of our chairmen and the board members he has around him have ensured we live within our means despite the fact we will typically make a loss on paper each year if we dont get a cup run or more bums on seats. We have been a model of fiscal propriety in the SPL/SPFL and the board should be lauded for that feat not ridiculed. 3. There are two sides to a contract agreement. If a player does not want to sign it then how is that the board's fault? How does that equate to bad management and being unable to protect prize assets? If we lose a player that wanted to stay because we f**** up, then fair enough ... but regardless of the contract we put down in front of some players they are not going to sign it. Shinnie and Mckay are two prime examples. Shinnie said early doors that he was likely moving on ... had we even offered him anything at that point? could we offer him anything? Based on responses in this thread it seems that he may have turned down a more lucrative offer to go to Birmingham and instead signed for Aberdeen. He may get twice what he was getting here but not the 4 times he might have got at Brum. That to me sounds like family may play a bigger part and if - as someone mentioned - he has a baby on the way then being nearer to family may play a huge role in his decision. No board can make an offer to top that ... yet somehow its still the boards fault? get a feckin grip ! 4. We dont have a Nandos (yet) .... (and many folks will be disappointed when it arrives as its nothing special !!!) To the two people I have quoted, please enlighten me ..... how do we make it stop and solve this ridiculously short sighted bad posting management? None of the players mentioned were staying regardless of the contracts we would offer so I would really like to understand what YOUR solution and remedy for this would have been? ... 2 of the players quoted went to England to "further their careers" before returning to the SPL/SPFL and one sold himself to the highest bidder and then dropped 3 levels to pick up another inflated pay cheque ..... none were staying, none wanted to stay, and none had any intention of coming back to us when their original move did not pan out. As for Graeme Shinnie. I am torn. He seems like a good lad and I am pretty certain he will do his best for ICT whilst ICT are paying his wages. He has never struck me as one who would "do a Butcher". However, there is a clear conflict of interest given that both ourselves and Aberdeen are vying for as high a finish as we can achieve and a simple surge or dip in form by one team might be the difference between 2nd and 4th or 5th .... and there is a huge drop in bonus payments between 1st & 2nd then 3rd - 6th ...... In all good conscience, I dont see how he can play against Aberdeen yet I also dont see how or why we should allow Aberdeen to gain that advantage .... Pre-contracts really are an abomination and whilst they may be a necessary evil I would like to see UEFA/FIFA BAN them when it involves teams in the same league who are in direct competition with each other. It is not fair on the club(s) concerned nor on the fans who pay to watch the games.

Interesting you should mention the Hamilton game. Entrance was only 10p as a tribute to the service departing manager Alex Neil and his assistant Frankie McAvoy had given to the club. The vice-chairman was quoted by the BBC as saying "We look forward to welcoming all our loyal supporters, and perhaps some new ones, to send Frankie, and Alex, off with the acclaim they deserve." Clearly they didn't want 2 great servants of their club to leave but they understood the guys wanted to develop their careers. Rather than being branded as traitors they were lauded for the service given over the years. I don't suppose any of us want Shinnie to leave, but can we not simply respect his wish to move on and thank him for his superb contribution to our club?

The hatred filled posts and general nasty tone has yet again come to the surface when a player (or manager) decides to leave and try something new. Why like in any walk of life do they not have the right to try something new - if anyone on here was to get offered a new job or payrise which they find attractive for career or personal reasons are they not entitled to try it? Also how is signing a pre-contract any different to working several months notice which in professional careers is not uncommon? I for one think GS has been a great servant and I'm sure he will continue to show commitment to our side moving forwards until his contract expires. Perhaps there is a call for the club whether he should feature against the Dons again this season, but I really don't see how his decision deserves some of the posts on here.

Part of me thinks there should be a rule stopping clubs and players announcing who they have signed/are signing for on pre contracts. Also Aberdeen making the announcement rather than letting Shinnie himself decide when to break the news (Hayes managed to do this by blanking speculation on his future for weeks) isn't unprofessional per say but it does feel like that in my opinion especially with us being big rivals right now.

Unlike the Board of Directors, you are obviously fortunate enough to know how a club with a £3 million turnover and a bedrock 3000 fanbase can hold on to such players by outbidding competitors who at least double or triple both these numbers. What do you want to do first? Email the Chairman with this magical secret, or tell your fellow posters on here?

An announcement could've been made that Shinnie would leave the club at the end of the season. When that came was the time to make an announcement over which team it was. I seem to recollect Peter Schmeichel doing something like that at Man United. As you say, the Hayes thing was a circus and disrespectful on his part, using his Twitter page to play games with the ICT fans. "I've not signed for anyone" was something I recollect him saying, before three or four announcements that he would announce his future that day, before radio silence. A complete mess and another good reason why it's maybe time to look at doing away with pre-contract agreements, which I believe aren't even legally binding.

Interesting you should mention the Hamilton game. Entrance was only 10p as a tribute to the service departing manager Alex Neil and his assistant Frankie McAvoy had given to the club. The vice-chairman was quoted by the BBC as saying "We look forward to welcoming all our loyal supporters, and perhaps some new ones, to send Frankie, and Alex, off with the acclaim they deserve." Clearly they didn't want 2 great servants of their club to leave but they understood the guys wanted to develop their careers. Rather than being branded as traitors they were lauded for the service given over the years. Yes BUT Hamilton would not have taken that approach if the move was to Motherwell rather than Norwich, no way. It's also easy for a club to be gracious (and generous) when receiving a very hefty sum of compensation.

This month's Wikipedia 'page views' for Graeme Shinnie. Something happen yesterday?!

I have absolute no problem with players leaving (whether they should play or not is another argument and I think it depends on the circumstances). Players are always going to leave and their reasons are their own. We aren't always in a position to keep everyone we'd like to and but even when we have lost major players in the past, we've always managed to replace them. Hayes for example was a great player for us, but did we really miss him when he went? Not particularly. What I do take umbrage with is the way Aberdeen and previously Shinnie's agent have conducted themselves. Announcing these things mid-season, while he's still contracted to ICT, I think is very disrespectful. It looks to me like Shinnie's intention has been to go to Aberdeen for quite some time. What was to stop an agreement between Shinnie, his agent and Aberdeen from not announcing anything until the season was over? This is an attempt to unsettle us big time. But why? I'll you why: they fear us massively. Granted they are doing fairly well but they're only a point ahead of us. People can say "We're punching above our weight" and maybe to a degree that is true, but really Aberdeen are still, as they have been for years, underachieving yet again. They've got far more fans, a bigger catchment area, a far bigger name and are going to be far more appetising to sponsors and players than we are, yet they're only a point ahead, when really they should be miles ahead of everyone else in the Premiership bar Celtic and Dundee United. People can fawn over them as much as they like, but behaviour like this (and they did the same with Hayes), says it all. They're far more afraid of us, than we are of them.

Not sure whst you expect the board to do? We will quite rightly only offer what we can reasonably afford and I'm confident we offer the best we can. We can't force players to sign and we can't force clubs to buy them mid contact for compensation. Would you prefer we went into debt to keep some players? ETA - and what Scotty said. I hadn't got that far down the thread...

In an ideal world he would've waited till the summer, but football is a dangerous career - you could get a devastating injury any time you're on the pitch, so it makes sense to get your financial future secured at the earliest opportunity, which is exactly what the pre-contract agreement achieves. He's spent almost 6 years at our club (over a quarter of his life!), so I can't see him having divided loyalties. Put yourself in his shoes. You'd surely want to do your best for your club and teammates, keep on playing the best football of your career and achieve as much success as you possibly can. Next season is next season. For all we know McInnes, Rooney, Hayes and Pawlett could well be attracting their own suitors at this moment. I wouldn't worry so much about the whole 'mind games' dynamic, Football is very unpredictable. One last point, when Shinnie leaves it's not necessarily goodbye forever, more a case of goodbye for now. Who's to say he won't return to us a few years down the line? It certainly wouldn't be the first time.

Im pretty annoyed that we have lost another player for nothing. We let that happen too often with our players and it has to stop now! Mckay is the same nothing for our top scorer really just remarkable how much we are getting shafted

I'd like to think that we won't lose sight of trying to get other players signed up. Meekings has apparently been keen to sign a new deal with us and has said so twice in the last few weeks (or has been reported as saying so). Let's get contracts on the go for the rest of these guys as soon as possible.

Disappointed like everyone else but get a grip FFS, we knew it was coming. The boy's a pro, he'll continue to play for his employers as he has done for the whole season with speculation surrounding him. Calls to drop him are ludicrous to say the least, grow up......

Can't agree; it would be the club cutting off its metaphorical nose to spite its face, imho. Shinnie has been one of the most significant and inspirational players in our improvement over the last three seasons: assuming that he's going to maintain his on-field form and commitment, then he should remain a first team starter while we fight for a European place. Obviously, though, if there is any evidence of lessened effort on his part, then he should be dropped straightaway.

Dropping Mckay for Ferguson - bold move that!

And not just Saturday. Shinnie decided several months ago that he would be moving on, and has probably known for a good few weeks (at least) that Aberdeen was his preferred destination. One of our very best and most consistent players throughout that timeframe.

Not sure whst you expect the board to do? We will quite rightly only offer what we can reasonably afford and I'm confident we offer the best we can. We can't force players to sign and we can't force clubs to buy them mid contact for compensation. Would you prefer we went into debt to keep some players? ETA - and what Scotty said. I hadn't got that far down the thread... I agree with both of you to a point. I don't know if this is the mentality of the club, and I can see why they do it if this is the case, but I don't want us to be holding off on offering contracts to key players in case we don't know what league we might be in. We all knew that Shinnie, Mckay and others had contracts which were running down. Why not make an earlier start in trying to get them to sign up? Could talks have maybe started sooner than they did? Look at Aberdeen now. They are securing their best players well ahead of their contracts running down. Could we not have offered deals to Meekings, Shinnie and Mckay last summer? Maybe we did who knows. In amongst all this rabble is a simple question of why do we (seemingly) let players contracts wind down and lose them for nothing when a more proactive approach might see them secured so that we at least get some cash if they do move on? EDIT: I totally disagree with Scotty. Nando's is ace

What happens when we next play Aberdeen? You could have the situation that a win for us would guarantee European football and defeat for the Dons would leave them out in the cold. Can you honestly expect Shinnie to put the boot into his future employers?

Totally agree we get well and truly shafted every time. To me this is really short sightedness and horrendously bad management not protecting your prize assets. If we are to be taken seriously as a top six club this needs to be rectified now by the Chairman and the Board. It is unforgiveable that players like Graeme Shinnie, Don Cowie, Ian Black, Johhny Hayes, Adam Rooney etc can leave for feck all because our Board of Directors cannot manage contracts. How are we really ever going to progress when the rest of the SPFL see us as a soft touch.

I agree with them.

I may be wrong but if he leaves for a free rather than for a transfer fee, doesn't that mean we would no longer be entitled to a cut of any future transfer fee's for development costs? He may have passed the age limit for this I'm not 100% sure. I don't think any of us believes the timing of this announcement is for any reason than the knowledge in Aberdeen that we could go ahead of them next week and they're playing mind games. I'm very disappointed that GS has chosen a sideways move rather than show what he's capable of down south but with a Baby on the way he clearly has put family before football so I'm not going to assassinate his character for that.

Has to be the same starting XI as Saturday assuming Brill recovers. I have absolute faith in Esson if he's not. Win on Saturday and we are guaranteed to go into February in second place and a single point behind a Celtic team with almost twenty times our income. Who, even in their wildest dreams, would have predicted that at the start of the season. I, for one, am enjoying my humble pie more and more with each spoon full.

OK, I see where you are coming from even although you don't seem to see my opinion on the subject. Yes, he is still contracted to this club so why would he sign a PC in January knowing full well that he would be obligated to us until the end of the season? My view is that he and Aberdeen would like the deal done now and they are waiting for our call to bring this forward (Aberdeen don't have a fit left back at the moment.) They are playing a game with us and we should do our best to get something instead of nothing out of the deal. If we had placed him on the transfer list at the beginning of January we would at least have had a little bit of control over the matter. With regard to "willing and able to play to the best of his ability" is concerned I really don't see how anyone can give their all knowing full well that their current employer's success could quite easily ruin his future employer's chances of winning a European place! Let me put this to you - If you are a highly regarded employee employed by company A and give them three months notice that you are moving to one of their serious competitors, how do you think they would react and what action do you think they would take? Maybe he signed a pre-contract so that he had security over his future. It's absolutely devastating that Graeme has chosen to go to Aberdeen but in hind sight I see this deal as he has chosen what's best for his family - and that's more important that anything else. As I understand it, Graeme girlfriend/wife is due a baby soon and do you really expect Graeme to bugger off to another country? I really don't expect Aberdeen to offer us a massive offer for Graeme unless they were really desperate for him now. I don't think it would be beneficial to just cast him astray because he has signed for Aberdeen. As Kingsmills rightly says that Graeme is now simply working his notice and I fully expect him to continue as normal as that that's the type of character Graeme is. Because Graeme has been here for years I'm most defintely sure he won't do wrong by the club and if he stepped up to take a penalty to secure 3rd place over Aberdeen I'm sure he would try and score to leave us with his head held high and remain his dignity.

I still don't see how on earth it benefits the club to be playing our best player what is, by our standards, a substantial salary to do nothing for half a season when he is still contracted to the club and willing and able to play to the best of his ability.

Might unsettle one or two in their own dressing room as well.

Brill (Esson if not fit obviously) Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco Tansey Draper Watkins Ross Williams Mckay *lights the blue touch paper*

We lost 3 of the 4 games we played in September including going out of the League Cup! That was after a run of 4-1-0 in the previous 5 games that effectively won the award. Bizarrely, the exact same fate happened last season when we started 4-1-0 which saw Butcher get the August award. We then lost 3 of the next 4! And the August before that, County started their first 'SPL' campaign and got through the month unbeaten to extend their run to over a year and 38 matches without defeat. Derek Adams award preceded the inevitable start of a losing run in the very next game! To be fair, there are probably countless examples of teams continuing their good form after getting the award - but that doesn't make for a good story!

Maybe Aberdeen will offer £50k or so before window shuts and I'm sure ICT would take it to seal deal now. One player doesn't make a team. He has been awesome for us and deserves to make whatever career choice he deems appropriate. Maybe not as big a move as a championship club but it's not far from where he is at the moment so will be easier to move especially probably trebling his wages 90 miles away. Prob has family in both Aberdeen and Inverness. We have lost players before and will again in the future. Excited to see who comes in either now or the Summer.

I question neither his integrity nor his reasons for leaving. However, as I've indicated on the transfer window thread, there is now an unavoidable conflict of interest, which might become impossible to ignore as the season progresses. Good luck to the guy, but I'm interested in what happens to ICT this season. It seems that Aberdeen are short of a left back right now, so maybe best to deprive them of him until next season so that Watkins can rip them apart in the remaining games against them! That leaves the question of whether he (or anybody) can be expected to do what is necessary to actively damage the prospects of his future employer. For me, it is unfair to put him in that position, particularly in games against the Dons. This will be a real test of JH's man management skills: Keeping GS happy while really wanting to play Tremarco in key games.. A very difficult equation!

Graeme Shinnie is a professional who puts his heart and soul into what he does. ICT are still paying his wages and he will still give his all for this club if picked to play. Suggestions to the contrary are just not in keeping with the lads commitment and integrity. To suggest he lose the captaincy is no more than throwing the toys out of the pram. Players have come and gone throughout our history and they'll continue to do so. They will also strive to be recognised while they are with us and hope to better themselves and their families at some point in their careers. That is the way of most people in most jobs. Best of luck Graeme. Shame you'll miss the chance of European competition.

Fraz:- "Nothing you haven't heard before" does not mean it is acceptable to make these comments. People can disagree if they like. That does not detract from the OP which is fact, if people disagree with the facts then that's their choice but it does not alter what is fact. OCG:- Yes, I was not at the game, but I have heard the same abuse directed towards players from time to time. Not something to see for ourselves, it is an audible issue. Nobody has stopped anyone having there say, but if people believe that sort of behaviour is normal then we are doomed as a nation. I would have thought Caley Together or what ever the group are called would maybe check this out Caley Dawson:- I'll choose to ignore your post. We are not talking about your average naughty word, we are talking about some out of order behaviour more akin to Tourette's Syndrome. Disappointed in you davie, and I wouldn't expect these words to come out of your mouth. As a moderator of the site we do have the task of keeping it within reason.

Sometimes swearing can be very funny Like singing " what the ****in hell was that", when a shot sails into row z or can you here the ( team) sing we cant here a etc So I don't think swearing can be banned, But if it gets out of hand it will stop parents bringing their kids to the games.

What can our club do about it? They can't force players to sign contracts and to be fair to the players the likes of Shinnie and Mckay, they have more than earned their move somewhere whether we get paid or not. Constantly losing your best players for nothing does get really tedious though, worse is seeing a growing proportion end up at Aberdeen. The fact that they are getting these lads for absolutely nothing as the finished article(or well on their way to being so) makes my blood boil. I personally don't think theres any question theres a lack of ambition from Shinnie, you just have to look at where Strachan prefers his players to play and to look at the examples of others(Robertson, May, Bryson, Russell, Arfield to name a few). The home town team is fine for him but i'm not impressed, i would accept that argument when he is coming into his 30's but not his prime. Really gutted about this move, they were the one team i didn't want to see him move to and feel a bit like it is a slap in the face given the current situation between the teams.

It's always worse when it's Hamilton as that abuse is directed at Dougie Imrie. I find it tiresome as well and the guys that shout it need to get a grip, it does nothing to enhance the game or atmosphere and if it was directed at someone in the street or pub there would certainly be repercussions. I also find it slightly disturbing that some posters are choosing to diss the opening post and think it's acceptable to turn the tables on them. It's not going to encourage people to open up on here and with mob rule taking over it's little wonder infrequent posters are just that. Let's get back to a bit of morality on here and keep your sniping for your twitter cronies.

He has been a very good servant to the club and, I am in no doubt will continue to give his all until the end of the season. To be critical of him for joining his home town club, with a fan base four times ours, for a substantial salary increase seems to me to be churlish.

With his imminent change of lifestyle the move to Aberdeen would make sense to him and his family. Closer to his own mum and dad and not a million miles from Inverness. Having said all that I cannot wish him well when joining our rivals and as has been said major lack of ambition and a slap in the face to ICT and the fans announcing this when we are in a battle with Aberdeen for league placings. Anyway I hope he likes '80's music and shoulder pads because he will be going back 30 years to be in the same era as their fans seem to live.

I am not sure how a young lad looking to increase his earnings in a relatively short career is unforgivable, perhaps he wanted to stay in Scotland.

Not too surprised he's going but a disappointing choice of club, aside from the obvious wage increase very much a sideways step imo.

I'll PM you them all, in order, one-per-day. Like an advent calendar!...yesterday's game will reach your inbox 900 days from now, on Friday 14th July 2017.

OOPS sorry - just noticed it said CULT.

There's a difference between shouting "Oh, f***" when we concede a goal, and screaming "Player X, you're a f****** c***!" The former is forgiveable (I hope so, because I've done it from time to time); the latter is not acceptable at a football match, in the street, or whatever. People like that should be thrown out, not tolerated.

That is indeed the case!

I took one of my boys to his 1st competative football game yesterday. He is 12. As I don't tolerate swearing/name calling from the kids(I know hard for some to believe), I explained before the game that there will be unsavoury language, songs and chants and sat along from where the main singing crowd was. The worse chants/shouts we heard were from the drunk Hamilton "fan"(suspect there may have been an OF influence). Son just laughed at him and carried on watching the game. The ICT songs/singers he thought were great and funny and he joined in with the songs he knew. He wants to move closer to the noise at the next game I take him to. Walking out is just rediculous. Just move, or talk to steward, or, your god forbid, speak to the person that is causing you grief. The kids now think its acceptable the only option to a problem, is to walk away.

Colourful language from the stands is part and parcel of football. Always has been, always will be. Especially on drunken away days. Not something I tend to partake in myself mind, but I'd always prefer an overly boisterous atmosphere to an overly sterile one. The trouble starts when one or two numpties take it too far. I think the problem could easily be solved with a bit of communication. A bit of 'self policing' among supporters would nip it in the bud. Had someone had a polite word with said numpties, chances are they would have toned it down, if not then bring in the stewards.

Ive been going to ICT games since I was 5 and ive always heard swearing etc and my grandpa always had me sitting no where near where the main bulk of where the swearing was happening but you cant really escape it. if you take a child to a game you must know that there is going to be a bit of swearing and that. I don't really see the problem with today. the boys were just trying to have a good time. that's what going to the footie is all about. having a good time with your mates and seeing your team win.

Certainly something that should be looked at. There are a few who shout abuse at home games and it's pretty cringeworthy stuff. Needs sorted if you want more people to come along.

Our squad is so good I will be happy with whatever side J H selects. Such bad luck losing Deano today, he has made such a difference to the confidence of the defence and the success of the team Get well soon Mr Brill and I'm sure that comes from all on here. We wish you a full and speedy recovery. Def. no plastic pitch at the Stadium if this can happen so easily!

We really are quite good.

Nearly 85 mins game time tonight against Honduras. Assist for Canada's first goal and came close a couple of times...his biggest chance looked to have been thwarted by him catching a stud on the horrific playing surface. Good to see him playing up front tonight (he was played on the right previously) and did really well to last 85 minutes in what looked like extremely hot conditions.