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At the end of the day, the TV companies want to broadcast what the public want to see. And the companies who spend their billions on advertising will pay more if more are watching. This is an international business and the fact is that TV audiences worldwide want to watch the big clubs and the best players. Given that the audiences for the big money games are not actually in the countries where those games are played, the wishes of the fans who actually go and watch the matches simply don't get a look in. The gulf in wealth between the top clubs and the rest will get ever wider as will the gulf in wages between the top players and the rest. But that seems to be life. It happens in the film industry and the music industry and we, as consumers, fuel this imbalance by buying the products. It's not right but I don't see things changing any time soon.

So Doncaster's position is... Favoritism towards big clubs in European competition - outrageous. Favoritism towards big clubs in domestic competition - good for the game. That's 'sporting integrity' folks.

Continuing the 'off topic' theme, quite a few years ago, after I retired, I did a bit of part time limo driving for a local firm. At that time Lenny Henry was still with Dawn French and they lived in Reading. I drove them a couple of times, once to/fro Oxford where Lenny was appearing in theatre, and once just out to dinner in a nearby up-market restaurant. On both occasions Lenny sat silently in the back of the limo, whilst Dawn leant forwards and chatted away to me like an old friend. I've always liked her ever since. Lovely, genuine woman.

Outstanding ICT tweet from the weekend. Handy (!!) that Celtic scored a legit 2nd against EK to scrape them through. Can't think why no-one from Celtic mentioned it ;) Take a look at @ICTFC's Tweet:

I remember reading a quote somewhere from the well traveled English manager Bob Houghton. He claimed that the Hong Kong national league used to be a very good standard. Then the EPL and other major European leagues started getting shown on TV and people didn't want to watch the local sides anymore and thus the standard dropped. I've always found it strange as well that people who are the loudest to moan about kick-off times and claim to be 'against modern football' are the same ones who subscribe to Sky and BT. The very root of the problem. You also see now the concept of Inverness-based people who claim to be Man City and Chelsea fans. Would you have seen that 20 years ago?

Inverness CT: Hoban, C Brown, Howarth, J Brown, Gilchrist, MacLennan, Macrea, Rennie, Ferguson, Blackett, Sutherland HT 3-0

The SFA should compel the TV companies to select their matches within 48 hours of the draw and just take their chance with replays. As wellas fans being able to make travel arrangements it might spread the TV money about a bit more evenly.

Lucky you. I very often stay in Premier Inns and have never bumped into the comedic knight once....odd since he seems so fond of them...

You know ,Naelifts, since my son died in an ambulance a few years ago and the attendants managed to get his heart going again before they arrived at the hospital,I am in awe of such highly trained and dedicated people. Shortly afterwards he underwent a 6 hour heart operation which the surgeon told me would have cost $500, 000 in the United States. We pay $135 Can. per month to fund our Medical Services Plan but in the STATES you can go bankrupt from huge medical bills. Can you advise me whether all medical bills are still free in the United Kingdom? I believe you have a good Health Service there ?

Is that the same "ambulance drivers" that Jeremy Hunt keeps referring to............proving once and for all that his position is untenable. I personally have reversed two cardiac arrests in the last week alone using advanced airway techniques, defibrillation and potent cardiac drugs........but if he wants......when his wife or children collapse...............I will adopt a hands off approach and just drive them to hospital

It's quite ironic. A couple of weeks ago I attended the draw for five shinty cups with between 13 and 28 entries which were all drawn from the first round stage right through to the semi finals. Using mini shinty balls with numbers painted on them, it all went flawlessly and there was certainly no hint of Newtonmore, having originally come out away to Glenurquhart, then getting Beauly at home in a re-draw. Meanwhile the SFA can't even draw four pairs of balls out of a goldfish bowl properly.

That's right. It's a bit like losing your virginity. It may not be your greatest performance but it is the seminal moment (so to speak), which gives you confidence in what you can achieve in the future.

"I've got the Celtic ball - now where's the Morton one?"

Je Suis Greg Tansey.

Are you saying we don't have a shrewd manager with useful contacts? Any manager no matter how shrewd with the best of contacts needs MONEY! so let's not put all the blame on our manager

http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/inverness/1342582-ross-draper-i-may-not-have-signed-new-deal-if-ict-had-plastic-pitch/ Well said Ross it's about time someone spoke out regarding this nonsense, think I speak for the majority of ICT fans regarding this subject; ICT must never lay an artificial surface they play on grass and they will continue to do so, there is enough plasticity as it is without adding to it Ok the surfaces have vastly improved since the QPR or Luton days back in the 80s but the surface is still highly dangerous and players don't want to play on it as the chance of injury increases ten fold Leave it for the MLS where disney characters etc can dance about on it, the only clubs that have introduced it in this country are those that try and get an unfair advantage on their opponents Dougal

Wouldn't mind having Gardyne of County in our team..... ?

Didn't do them much good last night