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I agree entirely. If true it is a disgrace on those responsible. I am not the biggest fan of Duncan Shearer after the way he conducted himself during his and Pele's move to Pittodrie. However, no reasonable employer should ever treat any employee in such a manner. Nobody deserves to learn that they've lost their job my email. No doubt other fine backroom staff will go as a result of our reduced financial circumstances and I sincerely hope that they are treated with more respect and common decency than DS seems to have been. I am proud to support my home town team but I am ashamed of the way we have been conducting ourselves lately. There was a welcome apology after the appalling initial statement on season tickets but, if this is true, then no genuine lesson has been learned. There is an announcement before every home game that we are a family club and I hope that we are. High time that those now at the head of the ICT family started treating the family members, particularly those losing their livelihood through no fault of their own with some humility and humanity.

An apparent wrong corrected again much like the season ticket fiasco. It would be far preferable to deal with things properly in the first instance.

Excellent prices for the Brechin (and Falkirk) games. Obviously the free entry for ST holders is only for the Brechin game. Good stuff from the club.

Because (some of) these former players are good ones who might be available so they might be considered less of a risky, unknown signing. If we were offered the services of former players like Shinnie x2, Watkins, Christie you'd say no because they were former players? Doubt it. ETA: Just clocked who I was replying too

Renegade you are being an alarmist I will wait for my paper to drop through the letterbox before saying anything

Voicemail, not email. Still terrible though - everybody knows the correct way to announce Shearer's departure from ICT is to let him do it himself in a gloating manner on a low budget TV show with Tam Cowan.....

Tomorrow's P&J says Shearer was told of his departure by voicemail. It also includes his own quotes confirming it. Poor show from Caley Thistle.

He's probably still more mobile than Doumbouya was!

He's already got his £200 brief for the Jail End.

I only quoted from the paper copy of the P & J this morning so unable to post a link! They may well have the wrong information but were the club slow in issuing a statement?

Please enlighten us Dougal, will you now be buying a season ticket?

Irrespective of whether or not we had a development side going into this season to get rid of a long standing employee of the club by email is absolutely scandalous*. *Disclaimer: Again, if this is true.

There are 2 sides to every story and I'd be surprised (and appalled) if this were as clear cut as is being portrayed. The other significant aspect of this story, which nobody has mentioned, is that Shearer is no longer required because we have decided not to enter the Development League.

That is effin disgraceful. What kind of club has this become?

That's fucking pathetic if that's true. The P & J are also running a story that Danny MacDonald is the new GM.

I am looking forward to the style of football Robbo will bring. I think our coaching team could have a nice balance about it and don't forget he could also call on Charlie Christie and Duncan Shearer. We have a lot of experience at the club and I think Robbo will benefit from it.

Whatever floats your boat mun.

I don't think either of them are perfect but Sheerin has more relevant recent experience with Abroath. Since Robertson had a job as a manager Danny Lennon has won a major trophy and taken St Mirren to their best finish in 25 years. I mean, Robertson might do well with us, circumstances can dictate who does well where and who gets which job. I had heard that the day-to-day organisation on the playing side was lacking last season, with things slipping and not being set up correctly and I doubt Robertson will let that happen. It's also good that he's kept on Scott Kellacher, who by all accounts is an excellent coach. I think the fact that he was left hanging on whether he was staying, as per quotes in the Courier, is poor from the club. You have to wonder about the way football is run sometimes.

I'd welcome Nick Ross back in a heart beat. How many players are we going to be capable of signing who has played as much as him in the top league and still have a good few years in him. He would be a great signing for the championship.

I disagree. Nick Ross is one of our own, didn't always get a fair crack of the whip when it came to a run in the first team and is capable of doing a very good job indeed at Championship level.

Robbo had proved his dynamism before and INMHO to appoint him was to make sure they had a steady hand on the tiller. The club sure needs that in view of the recent catastrophic events. Once the ship stabilises then we are open to fresh ideas and progress. A point to Biggin (above), For him it's obviously........ Biggin the Beguine........OR..."Let's get on with it , then, and let's get started"..

Robbo back, onwards and upwards. No sense in analysing it anymore. Let's hope we get some news of some signings and let's hope to actually hear more from the club in general! Its been said a few times but the general communication between the club and the fans has been next to non existent! Now that we have someone leading from the front let's hope we see and hear more activity, especially concerning the rebuilding of the team. I'm very excited for the new season.

I'd be staggered if Andrew Shinnie came back. Far far far too good for this level.

Scottish football is full of ideas that never die and this is one of them. There is no evidence that this would help young players develop and it takes well-supported leagues that contain teams who develop excellent young players and turns them into warm-ups for rich clubs reserve teams. In terms of their size and wealth clubs like Hamilton Accies and Livingston have been far more successful than the Old Firm in producing young players. Of the Scotland team who played on Saturday there were two Hearts youth products (Gordon and Berra), two Celtic (Tierney and Mulgrew), two Dundee Utd (Armstrong and Robertson), two Livingston (Grifiths and Snodgrass) one each from Hibs (Brown), Hamilton (McArthur), Middlesborough (Morrison), Aberdeen (Fraser), Wycombe (Anya) and Norwich City (Martin). Of the two teams (the Old Firm) who will be the Colt teams there were two players, one of whom, Mulgrew, is pish. Consider the vast sums of money spent by Rangers over the years on youth players and facilities and they have less success than Livingston. Colt teams really sum up the sort of discussion we have about football in this country - there are many, many things that make German and Spanish football produce better young players than in Scotland but the one that is picked up and hammered, over and over again for years, is B teams, 'Colt' teams. It's something that is pretty simple to explain and understand but actually shies away from the real reasons why young Scottish players don't do as well (not enough quality coaching at a young age, not enough facilities, lack of structured national programmes etc). The current rules say that B teams can't be included above the fifth tier of Scottish football. I think that's fine - we ourselves used to have a 'B' team in the North Caldonian League and there are other teams who have the same. The idea that you could have reserve teams squeezing out professional sides is a joke. Of the teams in last season's Premiership us, Ross County, Hamilton Accies, Rangers and Partick Thistle have played in the lower half of the league system in the last twenty years.

Agreed. Neither of our last two managers had good contacts or knowledge of the lower divisions for finding new talent. Robbo, thanks to his passion for the game has extensive knowledge of the game from youth level upwards. So I am very hopeful that he can built a third generation ICT to rival the last two. No doubt there will be lots of ups and downs, and maybe more of the latter first, but now he's in we have to give him a bit of time and support to get it right. Sure, some people have reservations, but that would be the case whoever we brought in, and at least a decision has been made relatively quickly so he can get on with it, rather than an extended period of uncertainty which has happened previously.

Much is being made of the fact that Robbo has not managed in many years, but he has not been out of the game working within the Hearts set up and I would prefer him to Sheerin who again has not managed for a few years. Robbo will know of some good youngsters who I am sure he will probably bring in as well as some experienced players, and I think his name and stature in the game is more likely to attract players than that of Sheerin ( I have nothing against him) Many going on about the cheap option but remember our financial situation do you want to have what we cannot afford and finish up without a club, and the only way we can help that is to get out and support the club and yes most people on this Forum do that , but where are the missing thousands that can attend cup finals!!!! maybe we should be encouraging them to come along So lets all get behind Robbo and get the team back to the Premier League where we belong

In retrospect, maybe some should refrain from posting damaging criticism directed at the club before the truth has been revealed. Just saying

It's simple fan power whether verbally or on social media made the board change their mindset and every fan who contributed by stalling buying tickets should take a bow Hopefully now the present board will at least think before they act in the future Im sure the club will honour the paltry few who had already bought their season ticket before the change of heart with the discounted refund Caley 100, Huisdean etc no need to thank me Dougal

Have locked this thread. Robbo's return is being fully discussed on the 'New Manager ' thread. No point in duplication.

While I would be happy if Storey came back, would not want Nick Ross back. Didn't do a lot for us on a consistent basis and not exactly a roaring success at Dundee,

maybe this will encourage the alarmists to use rumour mill in future:-