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STV reporting Nadir Ciftci has been served with a Notice of Complaint by the Scottish FA's Compliance Officer and faces a two match ban.

Believe it or not, I'm only just home from this so I've had time to think about it and discuss it with my arab mates through gritted teeth. Calum Murray lost control of the game quite early on but got seriously caught up in things in the second half. Such was his lack of control that someone could easily have been seriously injured such was the level of challenge that was escalating throughout. Greg Tansey was right - it was a fight, not a game of football and we shouldn't have got drawn into it far less match up in the way taht we did. It was a gluepot of a pitch that lent it's self to that type of game - you couldn't pass a ball on that pitch. we didn't neither did they. As the team seven points behind us they had to fight and they did. Their goal came as a result of a bobbling ball in the box and it was diifficult to create clean cut chances for either side. A draw was a fair result, and maintained the status quo (i.e. we are better than them by virtue of winning more points) to this point. So where is the vast problem that has led to some of the utter cr*p above? We have no right (and neither does any other team) to turn up anywhere and expect the three points, never mind a venue as difficult as tannadice. it was a hard fought draw on the way to where we want to finish, and that point might be the crucial one that gets us into europe as much as it might be the one that denies us the chance.

I'm actually rather disappointed with the notice of complaint. It only makes reference to the Warren incident and offers a 2 game ban if accepted. Ciftci's actions deserve a far more severe punishment and having been able to view the footage at leisure, the SFA should be able to see Ciftci's premeditated and dangerously violent conduct for what it is. The shove on Shinnie was a forceful one which sent Shinnie sprawling. It was a deliberate, malicious act and seemed designed to send him hard into the path of Meekings. Fortunately they did not collide but they could easily have clashed heads with serious consequences. It was worthy of a red card and how the referee failed to give even a foul simply beggars belief. It also beggars belief that the SFA who will now have seen the incident also feel that no punishment is warranted. The 2nd incident was even worse. This was way off the ball and whilst Warren was watching the play, Ciftci launched into him from behind and sent him sprawling. That was not a foul in the course of play, it was an unprovoked assault and if you or I did that to someone in the street we'd get arrested. Warren obviously retaliated in some manner and whilst I am not defending him, a reaction is entirely understandable. Surely the original offence (which the SFA have seen) is a far more serious offence than Warren's reaction so how can they only slap on the same punishment as Warren will get? Players get suspended following red cards when they bring down a player in a goal scoring position even when genuinely going for the ball. They get suspended for badly timed timed tackles again where there is no malicious intent and they get sent off for raising an arm to push away an opponent who has fouled them or who is threatening them. Fair enough. But Ciftci's behaviour is far worse than that. It isn't spur of the moment, it isn't accidental and it isn't in reaction to being fouled. It is deliberate, malicious behaviour designed to harm an opponent - and on Tuesday night he indulged in at least two such acts of unprovoked thuggery. If the SFA had any balls about them they would be banning Ciftci for the rest of the season. What also disgusts me is the news that Dundee Utd are appealing the notice of complaint. They should consider themselves extremely fortunate that the offered ban is only 2 matches. What they should be doing is apologising for Ciftci's behaviour and announcing that internal disciplinary measures are being taken against him. I would hope that behind the scenes our club has complained to the SFA.and will do so again in the light of the leniency of the offer. By appealing the notice one can only assume that Dundee Utd condone such behaviour. The SFA's response should be to significantly lengthen the ban and perhaps Dundee Utd should also be fined as condoning such behaviour surely brings the game into disrepute. I know this is a bit of a rant but there is a really important principle here. Football is a hard game and we know that when players are giving 100% there will be times when players are hurt by mis-timed tackles and in the heat of the moment players will over-react to incidents. Players will get sent off and take their punishment and that is simply an inevitable part of the game. What is not an inevitable or acceptable part of the game is when players deliberately try to harm opponents. If the powers that be are not prepared to distinguish such thuggery from the normal inevitable consequences of committed competitive play then we have no chance of ever addressing some of the more innocuous forms of cheating such as holding and shirt pulling at set pieces.

A wee bit of light relief...

Absolutely right. I'm starting to get quite bored of this constant "they hate us", "the commentators/press/referees are biased against us", "we were last on Sportscene cause they hate us" clap trap that permeates from ICT fans whenever something doesn't go our way. Some people are starting to sound like OF fans and it's fast becoming cringeworthy and tedious in the extreme.

Looks like we might have to change the title to 'the official Elgin City promotion thread'.

Esson Raven Devine Meekings Shinnie Draper Tansey Ross Christie Williams Kink ( ) Bench: Mackay (GK), Horner, Tremarco, Polworth, J. Brown, Sutherland, Ferguson

That was about 10 years ago, and has become our 1966!

Maybe he's gone there motivated by a bit of old fashioned loyalty.

The best one I ever heard was by someone actually from "up there". Just last Saturday there was a Sportsound discussion on some club which had engaged a sleep therapist to help their players sleep properly. Willie Miller then came away with a thoroughly brilliant one liner the gist of which was "When I was at Aberdeen, if we had any problem sleeping we just counted sheep."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/31635759 How on earth did Scotland manage to lose that one? Talk about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!

Not mentioned above but I detected some considerable disharmony on the pitch and off during the game. Esson and the bench were having a right ding dong at one stage. The bench appeared to be telling him to kick the ball long and he was disputing the validity of this. (purely my interpretation). At other junctures various other players got involved. Never seen so many verbals this season. What was going on on the pitch must have been unsettling but, in the stands, I was thinking.....".just pass it and keep it like we know you can and the second goal will come....game over". It's easy on the terraces though!

How about we forget all this paranoia about the media being biased against us and get on with trying to win matches and qualify for Europe ? The sheep reference wasn't particularly funny but nor was it the insult of the century. We may not get much coverage the central belt media but when we do it's generally favourable.

The comment from the commentary team I disliked most of all was when Raven committed the foul near the end, someone said Raven is walking away looking rather sheepish the retort was what would you expect from a player from up there, then sniggers and silence.

Well we lose our vice captain in the summer, in one respect this is a plus, in the sense that our new leader on the park whoever is chosen can posses a more dynamic role. Putting urgency and drive into the minds of the players. Taking a theoretical grip of all situations on the park and leading us out of trouble. Be it a quiet word or the use of the K I T A principle We need someone with the ability to have his players channel their energies into taking their frustrations out by getting the ball in the opposition net instead of having a yellow card competition. Graeme has been a very valuable player for us and would be for any team but I do question his ability of captaining a side. I was gutted we only got the draw, the collection of cards and suspensions all together this game could have cost us dear. Incidentally it is not a striker for the sake of having a striker, we need but an opportunist who puts away the chances regardless of position he plays in.

Having been at the game, got home late (approx. 2am) and had to be up early (6am) for work, I was thoroughly cheesed off reading the comments of those on this forum who seemed to believe the rubbish spouted by the commentators at the game - utter tosh for the most part. Surely, by now, those who listen to radio commentary, must know the bias against ICT. We, at the game, were very vocal regarding a referee (usually reasonably good) who (as Yogi saw) seemed to believe every United player who play-acted, moaned, waved their arms, complained, whatever. Ciftci, for example, should have an Oscar for his play acting - he was involved in virtually every incident - he is a cheat, (remember the day he nearly throttled Graeme Shinnie but got off with it later), and will always be a cheat. Leopards don't change their spots and unfortunately Gary Warren is now red-carded for this United players actions. Surely it is time that the "high heid yins" in the SPFL were brave (as if) and made a stand (huh, again as if) to stamp out these actors/histrionics. They are a disgrace and have no place in football. Sorry for this rant - overtired due to lack of sleep, but......ever an avid ICT supporter, despite Ciftci and Dundee United. Onwards to Mudderwell on Saturday and then stopping any dancing in the streets of Raith!! the following Saturday.

Pure Viz classic :-)

Cheaty was at it all night. It was reminiscent of Magennis on the Saturday. Two players committing numerous fouls and the referee picking on those committing one foul. Christie booked for a shirt pull and others tripping him quite dangerously and not even getting a lecture. Ciftci did significant refereeing himself. Warren's first booking was like a mob attack on the referee by the United players. Murray clearly had not seen the offence or else he would have taken action had there been reason. I would love to see his report ...'Booked Paton and then after pleas from the United players I decided to book Warren as well. Not sure why. I did not see any offence.' I always feel refereeing is a difficult job but Murray last night did not have things under control.

Brian's comment was this:- "Again Board no conviction too scared to give decent contracts to all players so we lose players and do NOT replace them" This breaks down into three sections. Again Board no conviction - given the number of interpretations this could create, it's actually quite difficult to know what it's meant to mean. But if Brian means that he is not convinced by the Board then perhaps he should have elaborated. However in the context of what he seems to be saying, might he actually (but misguidedly) have meant to use the word "commitment" rather than "conviction"? too scared to give decent contracts to all players so we lose players - Brian seems to think that the solution to the problem of losing players is simply the macho, gung ho policy of offering sufficiently lucrative contracts to make them stay. He doesn't appear to grasp the financial realities of such a strategy, given ICT's very limited income streams, nor the consequences of attempting to match the kind of arrangements which the likes of Aberdeen and Wigan are in a position to offer. Perhaps a study of the lower leagues would help illustrate the consequences of clubs living beyond their means. and do NOT replace them - this is the issue which is being talked about most. The manager emphasised that he would only want to spend money on a player who could come straight into contention for a meaningful place and would not buy for the sake of doing so. With the kind of money available, it would not surprise me to learn that such a player did not materialise in the short window time involved. Clearly none of us knows the detailed current financial situation, but what we do know is that for the last several years, ICT has had to rely on one-off windfalls such as selling the Social Club, share investments and cup runs to keep its head above water. Consequently the Mckay transfer fee and the consequent saving of wages may well be a vital element in efforts to ensure ongoing solvency. The following three questions (with their answers) are also relevant. Do the board and manager need to take extra action to:- * avoid the catastrophe of relegation? (Obviously not) * ensure a top six finish? (Very probably not.) * expose the club to financial losses, as St Johnstone and Motherwell reportedly have sustained in the recent past, as a result of becoming obliged to play in Europe? (I would suggest they do not.) I obviously have no detailed personal knowledge of the Board's deliberations. But given the poor financial reputation that a limited European run has acquired and the consequences for the close season, it is not entirely inconceivable that the optimum area of the league to finish may be 4th - 6th (ideally 4th) where the only down side of missing the top 3 is the loss of the somewhat modest marginal SPFL prize money. Two things I do know, though. There is only a very narrow financial route which allows a club with ICT's income streams to stay in the Premiership at all. And historically from before day 1, ICT has been phenomenally successful in passing through various marginally navigable channels so has plenty of experience of that.

Dunno why you're all so angry about the ref, according to the The Sun he had a cracking game! Seriously though, that'd be funny if it wasn't so tragic.

DU home to Partick, away to us and Celtic, home to County then a derby and home to Hamilton. Going on their current form I can see them only picking up 8 pts from those games. ICT away Motherwell, home DU, away Partick, home Dundee, away Aberdeen, home Celtic. Realistically I see 8 pts from these which would put us into the split still 7 above DU. For me third is what we hold onto and anything else is a bonus.

Yes, he certainly should get the award! Actually, there's two awards. One voted for by the media/journalists (Scottish Football Writers' Association) and the other by the actual folk involved in the game (Professional Footballers' Association). Often, different managers win the respective awards. But sometimes a manager takes them both in the same season! Walter Smith (Rangers) got them both, as did Gordon Strachan at Celtic and last season Derek McInnes scooped them both. Hughes must be in with a chance! Although the Dons are doing well, McInnes was recognised last season as Aberdeen picked up silverware for the first time in a generation! But, you never know, if he can secure runners-up spot with Aberdeen in the league, he may just turn a few heads as it'll be their best finish in 20 years. But also, if Ronny can deliver the treble for Celtic, it'll be no contest, unfortunately. If you asked the average football fan how many managers in Celtic's long history have won 'the treble' most would be surprised that it's only actually 2! The great Jock Stein and then only Martin O'Neill have achieved it. So a Ronny Deila 'treble' would likely see him take both awards - well, certainly the Glasgow media one! But what Hughes has achieved, in my book, with budget constraints etc, is relatively a better achievement!

Dundee Utd 1 ICT 1 Composure 0 Sour grapes from Tansey? Ref did have one of those nights but , given how the match started, we should have put it to bed. Credit to Dundee Utd. I thought they played really well. Not a disaster by any means but games like that will take their toll.............in tiredness, injuries and disciplinary points. Onwards and upwards. Mre Naelifts makes her seasonal debut at 'Well. She is renowned for attending 0 0 matches ....................but I have promised her that won't happen this time Good crowd tonight

There have been a few fairly daft and unrealistic comments on here since full time tonight but this one really must take the biscuit for its utterly crass cluelessness. In a sentence, there are some people complaining that a club with a turnover of less than £4 million (which would fund just over 34 minutes of the EPL on Sky/BT) but is still now enterting a third month unbeaten in all competitions, isn't consistently churning out victory after victory in the upper reaches of the SPFL Premiership against rivals with player budgets often several times as large. Does Brian have the remotest scooby about the board's strategy to fund a team which is now heading for its third season in the top six on gross revenues of less than £4 million derived from crowds which fail to hit 3000 with alarming frequency? Clearly Brian does not. I am fairly sure Brian is not suggesting that we sign RVP or Harry Kane but a lower league striker with a bit of experience , the fact that we have a couple on trail now means we intend to sign one , why now one month after Billy left when it was fairly obvious that he would be leaving. As Kingsmills said we are the only side in the league without a recognised striker, yes the club are doing brilliantly on the the field but it's a very fine line , look at Motherwell flying high for seasons and now facing relegation if we don't replace players we lose we could head the same way. As you seem to know more about the boards strategy than most , what is is, lose our players and not replace them ?

To sum up that match in one word: TORTUOUS. Most of that game was just agony for us, knowing that we had failed to capitalise on the possession and pressure we'd had and Utd grew in confidence. We were panicky and the passing was the most atrocious we've seen under Hughes. Just couldn't keep possession. Players who have been doing well recently had off nights (sorry Ryan - footballing brain was certainly in gear tonight but the passes and through balls just weren't working at all for some reason, alternating between overhit and underhit). Couldn't get the game under control and an equaliser grew more and more inevitable, albeit it was a scrappy goal. That goal sparked a bit of life into us and the game opened up, helped by Utd sensing our weakness and boldly making attack minded substitutions. The sad truth is Hughes didn't make substitutions because we had NOBODY on the bench of sufficient calibre to influence a game like this one. Nobody. This game was not a good advert for the SPFL. Pretty terrible football and very few real chances created. Not sure what the foul count was but it seemed very high, and the ref had dug a hole for himself by booking Raven in the first few seconds, setting a fairly low bar for yellows. Very hard to pick our MotM as nobody stood out. Perhaps Shinnie, one of the calmest heads when on the ball. And Draper was the only presence in midfield. Fair result in the end, and one we'd have all taken before the start.