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Anyway, let's hope Peterhead stuff them on Sunday.

ed..That's hitting the nail on the head. Its all about the money and it doesn't matter how much the cheating goes on. Some clubs [well, one in particular] will get away with it. This leaves a bad taste in the mouth of all those decent clubs that go about their business in the right manner.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35974305 I'm sure those at the top in the Scottish game will be happy, but already next season is starting to loose its appeal - obviously we are struggling, but I expect that for the next 4 months this is all that the media will write about. All the bigotry, bile and sectarianism will be forgotten as we are all supposed to rejoice at Armageddon ending - sadly I doubt most fans outwith the 2 ugly clubs will agree. I do find it interesting though, that a club humped last year so convincingly in the play-offs by an average Motherwell now have a test against Celtic in the cup, almost as if to let them gauge where they sit in terms of squad quality and preparation - a cynic would think its almost fixed? The re-birth of the SPFL was fun while it lasted, while some would say this is the resurrection of Scottish football, I think its more likely the death of much of the positivity and 'fun' over the last few years.

I don't know how many people heard BBC Radio Scotland's phone-in this morning, but I think Louse White must have been sitting in the studio with her "The Rangers" top on. The question being asked was "Do you welcome Rangers' return to the Premiership?" White was getting very aggressive with folk who calmly pointed out that Rangers had been liquidated and that "The Rangers" were a new club who will be entering the top flight for the first time. Her stock answer was "Yes, but it's the same club". Well done Willie from Inverness who made the point very well! Will the presence of The Rangers make the top flight stronger next year? Very probably, yes. But that is not the point. The point is that Rangers went into liquidation as a result of years of incompetent and criminal mismanagement leaving many individuals and small businesses with unpaid debts. The appropriate authorities then allowed a new club to be formed and gifted them the assets of the former club. The appropriate authorities then failed to apply their own rules about clubs applying to the SFL to have a minimum of 2 years audited accounts, and allowed "The Rangers" immediate entry into the league structure. The appropriate authorities then decreed that a man who has several convictions for fraud was a fit and proper person to be chairman of The Rangers. The appropriate authorities have since allowed the Rangers to buy success. They have allowed the club to operate with a massive operating loss so that it can borrow large sums of money to pay better players. Finally after all this collusion by various "appropriate authorities" "The Rangers" have finally made it to the top flight. Meanwhile all these various authorities collude with others, including the BBC, to call the new club "Rangers" as if it is exactly the same club and that the whole shameful episode was just a temporary blip in the history of the club. Of, course, the only regard in which the club does not want to be considered one and the same with the old club, is in honouring the debts of the old club. Honest folk who provided services to Rangers are left out of pocket and honest tax payers look on whilst massive tax debts remain unpaid. So, do I welcome the arrival of "The Rangers" to the Premiership? No, It shames Scottish football and it shames those various authorities who have failed to apply relevant legislation and regulations. Today's phone-in also shamed the BBC.

What on earth makes you believe JH is a great coach ? We have seen very little evidence of that.

Don't understand why Robert's is out of favour, he's shown well since coming back from injury, and does he not have a 1 year extension clause on his current contract? His extended lay-off may also provide a bargaining chip for the club to keep costs down for future contracts? IMO one of our more skilful players....

Anyway, let's hope Peterhead stuff them on Sunday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35979886 The man is an arse, he has no place at the top in the game in this country - lauding how great the return is and will be of such benefit, yet no acknowledgement of his error on 'armageddon' or praise for how the entertainment and fans have increased over the 4 years. Talking up the OF game in the cup next wknd and how the smaller clubs that have had the 'pleasure' of the Rangers 'fans' visiting should be grateful - no mention of the numerous sectarian crowd behaviour issues and general vile that's continued to follow them around. Rather than citing this as a return, Doncaster should be using this as an opportunity to define it as a new dawn - laying down the rules regarding sectarianism, bigotry and what is acceptable behaviour for both the OF, making it clear that extreme sanctions are in place with a no nonsense approach, instead its welcome back and as you are. Putting all political, financial and footballing indiscretions of the club aside as if in awe of them. If the return is so great we should be looking at bumper TV deals, new ways to promote the SPFL product and innovations to increase attendance, instead we have crap long terms TV deals and the product inevitably will suffer as fans get bored of the duopoly and politics that follow.

Highland League Zander Sutherland (Forres Mechanics 0-3 Brora Rangers)

And now Neil Doncaster, who did his best in all sorts of ways to destroy Scottish football, 'welcomes' the arrival of the Taxdodgers in Spiffle 1. Had Falkirk or Queen of the South won the league I suspect Mr Armageddon would have made no such announcement. Presumably they won't have to pay the £250,000 fine they owe the SPFL to be allowed to play in the top league. I am usually ferociously plague-on-baith-their-hooses with regard to the Old Squirm but I hope the Taxdodgers get hammered in their semi-final. Given that in their three games prior to last night they had shipped three goals to, consecutively, Falkirk, Queen of the South and Raith Rovers, I'm very hopeful. Oh, and Challenge Cup Final humiliation with Rory McCallister scoring a hat-trick wouldn't go amiss either.

With the relegation playoffs and the top six both possible but unlikely, what a BRILLIANT time to start a thread like this A look at Kevin's CV https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_MacDonald_(footballer) may give some insight into the chances of a club with a budget like ICT's being able to meet his likely financial requirements. And that's before you even consider the likelihood of someone who has been 22 years in management accepting a post as assistant to someone with no management experience at all!

Falkirk 1 Inverness 0

Roberts Raven and Doran not being offered new contracts while our manager praises ex players to the skies. Not impressed

We know Fon Williams, Polworth and Devine have been offered new deals but I also recollect talk that a new contract was being offered to Tansey after the Aberdeen saga. I also wouldn't be surprised to see Horner retained. Can't help but shake the feeling though that Roberts and Raven will not be offered deals. If that turns out to be true, I for one will not be pleased, especially if they're replaced in dross and in the case of the latter, replaced by playing our best centre-back out of position.

Seems he's also got a crystal ball - describing the cup semi as the appetiser ahead of 4 main meals in the league next season. So Rangers are guaranteed a top-6 finish next campaign? Granted, I reckon they will be in the top-6, but I'm just a punter on a football forum. The head of the SPFL should not be coming out with that in the media. I'm sick of it all, already. The Daily Record's website in the Football section had 23 'items' on it last night, with 18 of them having the word 'Rangers' in the headline. A quick snapshot from now, mid-way down the page reveals Rangers referenced in 7 of the 9 viewable items.

I doubt Doran will be among the 6. JH had him on the bench more often than not, even when he was fully fit - not Hughes' favourite IMO. He's also a high wage. I'm sure Horner will be amongst those with offers and I'm equally convinced that Raven will not. I get the impression that Roberts isn't fancied either. If any of these hunches are right, I'll be hugely disappointed!

Can't see it happening. Maybe next season.

A MASSIVE player for us for so long. I hope everything is OK behind the scenes and he gets the new contract he deserves.

Couldn't agree more. In my opinion he is now our best player with Shinnie gone. I appreciate he may have a foot injury at the moment and be a couple of weeks off a comeback however we should be signing him up on a three year contract. We will be struggling enough at the start of next season as it is. This is one position we should have sorted.

Saints preserve us from any one who thinks they are "immortal"! I think there's a lot of truth in what you are saying but would add that for managers who have been very successful as players, they also seem to have an expectation that they should be managing at the same level with the same success. When the team does not achieve that, they start to blame everyone except themselves. In his interview after the game on Saturday, Hughes was bemoaning the fact that poor defending and an inability to get the ball over the line at the other end cost us a game we dominated. Of course individual players make errors, but just who is it that chooses to play one of our two best central defenders at right back and our only striker on the wing? Hughes may justify the decisions based on what limited options he has, but whose fault is it that we don't have adequate cover in these positions? Whatever talents Hughes may have, it does seem that getting the right mix of players signed up on contracts is not one of them. And frankly, if you do not have the right mix of players signed up, it really doesn't matter what your other talents are, you are not going to have success. Hughes needs to demonstrate some success in getting current players onto new contracts and signing some better players from elsewhere. If he can't because the Board is cutting back on the budget then he at least needs to use the budget he has to get a better balance within the squad. He shouldn't be publicly bleating on about how limited our budget is and he certainly shouldn't be deflecting the blame onto the players. Actions speak louder than words and we need some action from the manager on the contract front - and soon.

If David Raven isn't signed up then I am afraid as far as I am concerned it is another nail in John Hughes' coffin.

Comparisons between Butcher and Hughes !! Wow - that took a long time for some. Do you think that the problem with most managers that we have is that the team initially becomes a success. This goes to the managers head. They begin to have an increased feeling of self worth and importance. They then begin to think that they are bigger than the club. They then begin to think that they are "immortal" and become Draconian and instill "fear" in all around them and chasten and isolate anyone who dares to challenge them. Their narcisstic traits come to the fore. They manipulate the "dependent" board into a contract that would never be bettered elsewhere - and puts them in a much stronger personal position and lessens the funds available for players. And then they publicise themselves as being the potential saviours of "bigger" clubs or clubs that they have held a previous affection for. Now is that all the managers fault ? Why does it keep on happening to us ?

This obsession with Rangers from Scottish football fans was mildly funny in 2012, but since them it has become very boring. I don't care if they are or are not a 'new club'. I give them the same thought as every other club. I don't hate them and equally I don't like them. The same can be said for Montrose, Berwick Rangers, Queen of the South, Kilmarnock and Celtic. They are just another club, who will however as a bonus help generate more interest and finance in the Scottish game from a neutral point of view. Chill out Scotland.

He should know he spent half of it on S**t players . i understand he has the biggest budget of any Inverness manager and typical of football when things go wrong it is all down to "no money"

Some of the photos coming from Tynecastle today, show some real healthy boys. We have been turned over again!

Yep give them a rest before their big game on Friday level playing field my a**e!

Is it time to call it quits with John Hughes acknowledging he has brought success to the club but it appears he has run his course . Great coach but obviously not capable of building a team from lower league players that we can afford. Give Richie a chance and give him a Donald Park or Kevin Macdonald as coach ( the latter did no bad with Leicester as we can see )