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Where now? I think last season we achieved probably the best we are likely to achieve in terms of league position and big cup win. I dont see us, or any other team, being in a position to match Celtic and Rangers to win this league. Another Europa run, with maybe getting past the first stage, would be a step forward but for me survival each season is where I'd want to be.

2016-2017 and beyond ? Probably more of the same - the best feckin roller coaster ride in the world. You simply have to take the ups with the downs. CaleytillIdie

The Ladbrokes Premiership post-split fixtures for 2015/16 have now been confirmed, along with the TV selections until the end of the season. Friday April 22, 2016 Top six St Johnstone v Aberdeen - Live on BT Sport, kick-off 7.45pm Saturday April 23, 2016 Top six Motherwell v Hearts Bottom six Partick Thistle v Dundee Sunday April 24, 2016 Top six Celtic v Ross County Bottom six Dundee United v Hamilton Accies Inverness CT v Kilmarnock - Live on Sky Sports, 12.30pm Saturday April 30, 2016 Top six Aberdeen v Motherwell Hearts v Celtic - Live on Sky Sports, kick-off 12.30pm Ross County v St Johnstone Bottom six Hamilton Accies v Kilmarnock Partick Thistle v Inverness CT Monday May 2, 2016 Bottom six Dundee v Dundee United - Live on BT Sport, kick-off 7.45pm Friday May 6, 2016 Bottom six Inverness CT v Dundee United - Live on BT Sport, kick-off 7.45pm Saturday May 7, 2016 Top six Hearts v Ross County Motherwell v St Johnstone Bottom six Dundee v Hamilton Accies Kilmarnock v Partick Thistle Sunday May 8, 2016 Top six Celtic v Aberdeen - Live on Sky Sports, kick-off 12.30pm Tuesday May 10, 2016 Bottom six Dundee United v Partick Thistle, kick-off 7.45pm Wednesday May 11, 2016 Top six Ross County v Motherwell, kick-off 7.45pm St Johnstone v Celtic - Live on Sky Sports, kick-off 7.30pm Bottom six Dundee v Kilmarnock, kick-off 7.45pm Hamilton Accies v Inverness CT, kick-off 7.45pm Thursday May 12, 2016 Top six Aberdeen v Hearts - Live on BT Sport, kick-off 7.45pm Saturday May 14, 2016 Bottom six Inverness CT v Dundee, kick-off 12.30pm Kilmarnock v Dundee United, kick-off 12.30pm Partick Thistle v Hamilton Accies, kick-off 12.30pm Sunday May 15, 2016 Top six Aberdeen v Ross County, kick-off 12.30pm Celtic v Motherwell - Live on Sky Sports, 12.30pm Hearts v St Johnstone, kick-off 12.30pm Notes All kick-offs are 3.00pm unless stated A BT Sport selection for fixture round 38 (bottom six) will be announced in due course Celtic v Ross County is on April 24 to avoid a clash with Rangers v Alloa Athletic on April 23 Dundee United v Hamilton Accies is on April 24 at the request of Police Scotland Read more at http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/ladbrokes-premiership-post-split-fixtures/#kpmkYSspQseVXr68.99

I'm aware of the book, but haven't got it! As soon as I read the OP, I immediately thought of Scotland as 2nd behind Albania - same as Kingsmills. I think it was a widely held assumption after a 'study' a few years ago. There have been numerous studies done over the years and Scottish attendances are some of the very best in Europe and the world. Regardless of the study, Scotland is always one of the top countries. Albania has slipped somewhat, however. Not even in the equation now. I can only assume the 'Albania' stat was from around 2011, when their domestic attendances were significantly better than now. It's virtually halved over 5 years since then, with an alarming year-on-year reduction. http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn.htm The website above is the favoured resource for stattos as it's usually spot-on with its accuracy, despite covering all of Europe. For ictfcsince94, this would be your best bet for comparing us to Real Madrid etc. An interesting statistic from here https://theballisround.co.uk/2012/06/12/the-most-passionate-football-nation-in-europe/ has Scotland at 4th in Europe, although, none are specifically for the past few seasons - but the trend is the same; folk in Scotland attend football at a pro-rata rate more than those of England, Germany etc... We're ranked just behind the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Cyprus, Another study concludes the same: except this time, we're above Cyprus, but still behind the Faroes and Iceland. The darkest colours again showing Cyprus, Scotland, Iceland and the Faroes as the top football supporting countries

Highland March – 2016 You may have noticed a distinct lack of information about this seasons Highland March [HM]. Since 2003 the marchers have been taking it upon themselves to walk from ICT’s penultimate game to the last game of the season and in doing so they have raised quite a considerable sum of money for various charities. Since joining the SPL (SPFL) the HM has had to endure the wretched split of the league after 33 games. This means that the HM doesn’t know where the route will be until about four or five weeks prior to setting foot down or up the road. Add to this a mid-week fixture and a week on the road becomes three or four days. In this short timescale the HM has to arrange accommodation which is sometimes already booked up by others as the holiday season gets underway. The HM also has to arrange a support vehicle and all the logistics that go with it. Route planning also takes up a lot of time especially if it’s a new route or tweaking old routes to add a new challenge. Without a sponsor to help costs the HM crew have to foot the bill individually which can be £250-300 each depending on how many are in the team. After a discussion between those that were intending to take part this year it has been decided to cancel this year’s event. As mentioned above, this is a culmination of [mainly] costs, difficulties getting time off work, the awful fixture and exams etc. The HM crew will be hold a meeting later this year to discuss a way forward and attempt to inject some much needed enthusiasm in to the event. Hopefully the HM will return in 2017 with fresh ideas to bring back the good times.

Gutted about this year but we will be back bigger and better next year. Thanks everyone for the support and see you at the end of season 16/17.

Thank you all for the good wishes. I really didn't mean for it to be 'all about me'' (although my friends would say that I love to be the centre of attention), I had just wanted to show how football has the ability to let you forget your worries for a while. It's not the most important thing in the world but it is a great form of escapism for us fans. I usually only go to the home games; but I have to say I admire those of you who make the time and spend the money to go regularly to the away games as well. You must really give the team a boost when they see/hear you all on their travels. It sounds like great crack, but I'm sure there are many long boring journeys home when the results don't go our way, so well done to the travelling support for the team.

Tues Apr 12 2016 Sam Winnall scored both goals in Barnsley's 2-1 win over Oldham tonight.

Doubt people in Montreal will like being classed as American!

Rest assured the decision wasnt taken lightly. We will be back! Walking to Parkhead last year completely drained the enthusiasm from the event for many reasons. Walking there on the back of the Josh Meekings handball incident wasnt pleasant either. Ideas are in the pipeline for reigniting the HM spark and maybe, just maybe, avoid the dreaded SPL split.

Sorry to hear this Gringo but totally understand the rationale. Here's hoping it can be re-invigorated for next season.

No doubt IHE knows more about "grooming" than me, but I can't see Foran taking over from Hughes as good idea. Whatever his potential as a manager may be, he first either needs to be in charge at a lower level or be appointed as number 2 at a bigger club. He needs the first hand experience and to prove he can do the job.

Yes

The only refreshing thing about being in the bottom six is that we avoid going to Celtic Park for a lunchtime kick off.

Not sure what the point being made is? These are 2 players St J developed and sold. One went to the 2nd biggest club in Scotland with the 2nd biggest budget although in a lower league, much like Ryan Christie going to the biggest, the other went to an English Championship side like A.Shinnie, B.McKay (who we got a transfer fee for), Watkins did from us. Stevie Mays wages are so high that nobody in the SPFL could afford to take him back on loan last year. Players leave St J, ICT, D Utd and the others every season, but any club is lucky if 1 out of 10 commands a transfer fee - yes, it would be great if we sold Ryan for a higher fee and got money for the Shinnie's, Ross etc, but then how many other clubs all say the same about their talent. Buying clubs can look at what's on offer and if for example Adam Rooney is valued by Aberdeen at £1M, but Billy McKay is only £100k then they may see better value, prospect and opportunity with the cheaper deal - a club like ICT have to avoid pricing themselves out of the market when selling a player and ending up with them leaving for nothing - afterall if the player wants away they just run down the contract, nobody can force them to sign if they don't want, just the same as during the contract we cant sell them unless someone wants to buy them. Maybe this needs to be put into perspective - SPFL players (like ours) can leave for the English lower leagues where the clubs down there can afford the gamble of salaries many times our first team players for a reserve or prospect. Put really simply we have 29p so can buy a tin of Lidl beans in the hope they taste good, of we are lucky we may get some Tesco beans reduced on an offer, but we will never be able to afford Heinz and certainly not high end Harrods (unless out of date and past their best) - unless of course we decide to do without bread - only giving half a meal?

Nah, Jimmy Calderwood isn't related to Ebbe Skovdal. You're thinking of Rene Calderwood.

If I am honest I am quite worried about the future of the team as a few things have come to a head this season it seems, for instance how threadbare the squad is and how little budget we have to build and maintain a competitive squad. It seems we will be ok this year but we are relying on a loanee striker and it's only understandable that players would move team for longer contracts and a bit of stability, any of us would...as for the next few seasons to me there are worrying signs. I have a lot of other worries regarding the club off the field too, it just seems business wise there doesn't seem to be much forward thinking.

I'm not sure it's really a question that needs to be asked as all football teams should strive to better themselves and move forward regardless of any pitfalls or obstacles that are put in their way. I do however agree with the content of the thread and most peoples thoughts and it's good to see a thread that isn't painting everything in a dark light like it's the end of the world. We all knew deep down that after last season there would be changes, players would move on, that it would be hugely difficult to emulate anywhere near what we did acheive but the extent was unknown and I think that's what's caught people on the hop. It's not like the club has died or gone into administration or been chucked into the bottom league or anything, still so much to be thankful for and to build on. It's imperative that we try and secure our more talented players on contracts past the summer that we haven't already and surely we should be looking already at targets to bring in and even be working on some as we speak. As well as this I firmly believe that we need to bring in another coach, where possible, that has good attacking coaching attributes as the exit of Russell Latapy is evident for all to see and an area that we really need to improve on. His influence where maybe not noticed last season is massively noticable now in my opinion. With regards the board and being more transparent with the fans, that's a difficult one to be honest and not something that can be answered directly I don't think. Yes in an ideal world they could come out and make everyone involved aware of the direction of the club and what they are trying to achieve and budgets and how the finances are but then they run the risk of opening this up to the wider football community. Suddenly everyone knows you have a bit of money to spend or you want to recruit the following way or want the club to play a certian way etc, there must be areas that are kept at board/management level and this goes for all businesses.

To answer your question in the title, in one word no for two reasons: firstly it would be very foolish in my opinion to make our next appointment an unknown commodity with no experience at managing a club and secondly I think at this stage it would be a mistake to get rid of John Hughes with all that he has had to deal with this year. I'm prepared to give him one more season then judge a little more critically and that's saying something as Caleyjag will profess as I have been a big critic this season but I also understand the reasons for our 'slump' if you want to label it anything. I've heard little to suggest or seen little to install confidence that RF would make any difference at all, it's not the type appointment that I would welcome. Maybe given a few years experience at coaching level or assistant manager level but not just now. I also think it's extremely disrespectful to talk about the next manager when we have one in place and to be honest we could be in a far worse position than we are just now, read my thread titled 'You're the manager, what do you do' as I'm not going to repeat myself again, you'll all be sick of it.

Sign a massive target man. Sign several pacey wingers, play alongside target man. Hit constant long balls, diagonals, crosses to target man. Get pacey wingers to hoover up all the loose takings. Win title. Accept universal acclaim, leave Caley to manage Real Madrid. Steal Cristiano Ronaldo's bird.

Oh thank you Caley Hedgehog. Such a very brave and clearly honest appraisal. Lang may yer lum reek and - very unusually - I would be honoured to buy you a double dram if we ever meet again.

It's disappointing not to make top six, especially after coming so close, but it's not the first time - I'm sure we've missed out on top six on goal difference before now. Personally I think that provided we can finish these last few games strongly then the team have done No Bad considering all the injuries this season. Some people say you can't use that as an excuse, but I don't see why not as it has affected team selection all season. I wonder if the board could do with being a little more transparent with the clubs finances. It's great to support a club who are not in debt and not to be worrying about the threat of administration all the time, but it's also galling to watch other clubs come in and pick off our players. They don't all have big turn outs at games so why can they afford what we can't. Maybe if we could understand a bit more about what comes in and what goes out, we would understand the decision making better. At Christmas time I was diagnosed with a potentially life threatening illness and have been receiving various forms of treatment since then. I'm doing well and hope that things will turn out alright in the end but I have found that the only time that I forget completely about my ill health is on a Saturday afternoon (or Sunday lunchtime or Tuesday evening depending on TV schedules) when I'm watching Caley Thistle play. It doesn't seem to matter if the game is good, bad or just plain ugly, it has the ability to take my mind off every thing else for a couple of hours and I have been grateful for that. At the end of the day, it is just a game and I would hate for the pressure on our players to affect their lives with their families away from the football pitch. I like to think they enjoy being in Inverness for all the things that life has to offer them away from football up here as well as at the club. Life is too short and none of us know what's waiting around the corner. In the worst case scenario, where the team would end up relegated, upsetting as it would be, it wouldn't be the end of the world. They'd still be our team and we'd still support them and to tell the truth I quite enjoyed the season we spent after we were relegated - no ugly sisters, refs seemed fairer and less likely to cave under pressure from fans and the league was tight and competitive, where each week seemed to involve lots of reshuffling of the table - football was fun again (although I'd still rather avoid it if possible this season). Onward and upward Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club on your amazing journey. I can't ever imagine supporting anyone else.

Firstly, paragraphs are underrated. Secondly, the SPL no longer exists. Thirdly, we had a very attacking side under Butcher, scoring more goals in 2012-13 than any other top flight season in our history. Our average of two league goals per game when he got us promoted was pretty impressive too. Fourthly, "local players" - only Ross, Munro and Shinnie from that list weren't signed from other clubs. The others simply stayed here for a long time, which makes them no different from Draper, Warren and others currently at the club. We've never had a squad mainly built of local players - in fact we've barely had any local players. It's never harmed us before. I'd rather have a guy from down south who can play a bit than a local boy who can't. Fifthly. "442" - the only thing that bothers me more than Mike Bassett "Four-four-f******-two" types are those who insists we need a big man up front. Anyone who watches football with even half a brain knows that formations and systems are largely overrated these days - one team's 4-2-3-1 involves four forwards and is very attacking, and another team's 4-2-3-1 involves five midfielders and is very defensive. If the poster can name one elite team who play an orthodox 4-4-2, I'd be surprised. As for our "tried and tested 4-4-2", I'm not sure we've played such a system regularly since Wyness and Dargo were up front. Even then, Wyness used to drop deeper so it was more of a 4-4-1-1. I suppose we went with Rooney and Foran up top in the last few weeks of the promotion campaign. Sixthly (is that a word?), why people think Foran would be a good coach is not clear - there is more to coaching than loyalty to a club and a willingness to shout a lot.

I'm not overly impressed with how our form has dipper, our style of play recently and some of JH comments in the press, however I'm not one to call for someone to loose their job. Regarding RF, other than an appearance in the cup game V hibs where oddly he got 90mins yet seems to be on the bench again and never near even a sub appearance - is it wrong to wonder if there is an underlying story about his fitness? As for RF taking over as manager what has he done over the layoff period to demonstrate coaching skills, is he a leader and does he have the attributes to be a successful coach - I don't know the guy so cant comment, however I can say that during match days Esson appears much more proactive in talking with the management and players than RF - perhaps we should be asking if Esson might be a better option for stepping up in the coaching team (although keepers rarely make it as anything other than keeper coaches). My feeling is that an RF appointment would be a short one and when I look around the club for suitable players to move into management (again without knowing them as people) I would suggest that Warren comes across as a determined, driven, motivated leader on the park with that bit of intelligence that could make him a success. However Yogi has a contract and unless either another club comes in to 'sign' him, he decides to walk away (why would he) then he will see that contract out as ICT are not in the financial position to pay off him and his backroom team - therefore making this thread pointless and redundant for another 2 seasons.

'Great' is an over-used word, but surely the best league position achieved by ICT in 2013/14, bettered in 2014/15, a League cup final, a Scottish cup win, followed by a semi-final appearance, all on what must be the lowest or 2nd lowest budget in the SPL, playing a style that although frustrating at times, isn't just hit and hope, with classy wins amongst the mix is worthy of some credit. Not a 'Great' coach perhaps, but a pretty decent one....if last years over-achievement was in part due to few injuries, and a nucleus of decent players now gone on to 'bigger' things(?) then this years under-achievement is in part down to poor luck with injuries and average luck on recruitment (and let's face it BIG clubs get that wrong all the time) Not yet time for Richie in my book, sentiment only gets you so far, what evidence is there that RF is a better manager than JH

If the scenario did come up, I would undoubtedly prefer Kevin MacDonald as manager with Foran as assistant than the other way (that's if MacDonald would want to move back up here anyway). I must admit, the whole Foran-for-manager stuff has never sat right with me. Now don't get me wrong, Foran's been our captain for years now and he's been a great player but just parachuting him doesn't sit with me. Yes, he's been a talismanic player and a great leader but that doesn't mean he's going to be a great manager. Tony Adams was a great captain but he was a rubbish manager. Many fans of other clubs would also point out Terry Butcher as falling into the same bracket. And it's not just that. What coaching experience does Foran have? What contacts does he have? What does he know about scouting and training and tactics? There's also the case as well is that in any job, it's not always a good idea to promote someone from being 'one of the lads' to the boss. Now that's not to say I'm writing him off forever and saying I wouldn't want him ever, but before he takes the top job here, I'd rather he even left the club and made his way up the leagues in his own right like Paul Hartley did. It's a no from me, for now.