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Well why the hell not, it's only a friendly and you've got more experience than the 7 year old who applied.

Ass etc.,

Did anyone else pick up on the fact Michael Stewart managed to choose group C on the first four of his five north picks? Was that the hot ball?

I do hope Devine's decision to consider other options is not driven by comments from fans on this forum. A small number of folk have been pretty harsh on him. And in defending Raven against the appalling treatment by our ex manager, many folk talked Raven up by talking Devine down. But it's not a question of Raven or Devine - we need them both. For all the difficulties we have had this season, our defensive record has been good and Devine has started more games than any other outfield player. So he really can't have done too bad, can he? Sure, he has made a mistake or two but who hasn't? Personally I would rather see Meekings in the CB role with Warren although to be honest, there's not a lot in it. But regardless of the pecking order, we need defensive cover and what with injuries and suspensions Devine would be assured of a lot of game time next season even if he wasn't the new manager's first choice. He is also a lot younger than both Raven and Warren and could easily develop into a player who would be a first choice CB for many years. I think Devine has a good career in front of him and I would love it to be with ICT.

Surely should read .... Keith Jackson is to journalism what Charles Bannerman is to journalism....

I sincerely hope we are not looking at appointing Maurice Malpas as manager.. Leaving aside his rejection of the offer last time it was made whilst making very disparaging remarks about the club, his record as a manager in his own right is very poor indeed. I am sure we can do better than that. Malpas as an experienced assistant to Richie Foran might, however, prove a decent combination.

You're certainly right that most of our squad gave pitched in with goals. I'm personally really undecided about mutombo He can be really exciting beating players then all of a sudden he puts the ball over the roof of the south stand. I would certainly give him a contract but it's almost as if he needs to slow down a little. Instead of beating 3 and wellying the ball into row r he needs to beat 1 and make a killer pass the potential Is there. Maybe he's an excitable person that needs calmed down a bit. He can be exciting to watch at times all the same which is what fans need for sure

Butcher joined the club with the club on the verge of relegation. He managed to bring us straight back, established us as a top six side and left us in 2nd position. That is pretty successful and represented real progress for the club. He did this on a smaller budget than Hughes has had available. Had he stayed, I feel it highly likely we would have made it into Europe a year earlier and who knows what we might have done in the cups - won the league cup possibly but certainly we wouldn't have got dumped out of the Scottish cup 5-0 at home to Dundee Utd! Given the squad available, success was there for the taking. Surely the thing to do was to build on the success the team was having and just tweak things a bit to try to further improve things. Sure Hughes got things back on track the following season but at the cost of turning the team into one which rarely entertained. I just wonder what we might have achieved if he had built on the successful style we had rather than completely revamping the playing style. In the year and a bit prior to Butcher's departure the team averaged 1.61 points a game and 1.67 goals a game in the league. In taking the team from 2nd to 7th, Hughes has managed 1,45 points a game and 1,29 goals a game. That does not sound like progress to me. And even when we were successful under Hughes, I think there are many who would disagree with you about the style of play. I agree that there were times when passages of passing play were excellent and we scored some lovely team goals as a result. I therefore have some sympathy with Hughes' vision of how he would like the game to be played. But the reality is that these moments were few and far between and all too often the opposition set out to frustrate us and we were unable to find the space, or the speed and accuracy of passing required to make this work. Instead we passed the ball sideways and back and even games we won were just boring to watch. At least we now have a good core of a squad in place for next season. Hopefully the new manager will manage in a way that is best for the club rather than pursue his own personal vision. There is much still to do in order to replace the players who have left during Hughes' tenure at the club, but I am now optimistic that we can move forward again with a more entertaining style of play.

There is a world of difference between sticking up for yourself and effectively slagging your employer off in public.

The fact of the matter is that it should never have been a matter of the manager against the board and most certainly never in public.It never has been in the past and should never be so again. Most managers are ambitious and, out our level, will regard the club as a stepping stone which is perfectly fair. The trouble with Yogi is that he took that far too far quite clearly putting his own interests ahead of the club's. Whoever the next manager is it is, in my view, essential that the sense of harmony and working together for the common good that has been a feature of the club for many many years is restored and as soon as possible.

He's a Celtic fan. Of course he's heard of us. Probably even has a copy of that Sun from 2000

^ not see it a positive that a small club like ours is on the radar of a guy who was manager of one of the biggest clubs in England and Europe, clearly must be doing something right if he's heard of us. It's not always necessary to gave and inferiority complex.

Like the missionary position or a Lorne sausage roll....

Hard to disagree with that.

Joe... it's sometimes a bit difficult to assess the age of posters on forums like this so you leave me with a genuine dilemma. Are you actually one of the Young Team members yourself, sticking up for your chums, or are you a bit older than that but simply afflicted by some unfortunate Peter Pan complex when it comes to deciding what is and is not appropriate behaviour in public?

There are times Kingsmills when people have to stick up for themselves, especially when he thought he was doing things for the betterment of the Club as well as himself, There are two sides to most coins!

DoofersDad, you see it your way I see it mine. I don't think we will agree on this one so rather than draw this out any further let's just hope we can both find a way to get behind the new regime. Incidentally that seven year old who applied for the Manager's job, have to rule him out I'm afraid, He might want one of his mates to replace our Raven!

Now now, Charles is a big asset to the club.