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Right on - I've a heck of a lot more optimism about this coming season than I had a couple of weeks ago..

Paul Bradshaw as well, he was some boy. Imagine Steve Paterson releasing you because you weren't professional enough.

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

TBH Scotty I have never believed that the Scottish Development league has done anything to develop our youngsters. Personally I am a great believer in sticking the young uns with potential in with the more experienced pros so that they are training and playing with better, more mature players. We used to to do this and these young lads had their kidneys dunted by the old HFL defender and told not to come back or there would be more. I know that's not football but they grew up a lot quicker and developed a lot quicker, Grant Munro, Ike Fraser to name but two. I just wonder where we are going from here.

It's all right Dougal, I won't. The point I was making was that I was not happy with the board's original decision but would be renewing my season ticket for the benefit of trying to ensure the club derived as much revenue as possible this season. Any money I save will be used to purchase merchandise to help the club's finances.. Interesting to see if the club maintain season ticket numbers at similar levels or will the board keep this a secret again??.

I certainly think that Shane would pose a goal threat in the Championship.

Sensible set up by the sounds of things

Izzy--good post! Time for some real objectivity and positivity now. Robertson seems to be a bustler who wears his heart on his sleeve. His temperament is that of a hustler too who won't suffer fools gladly and what he says is what he means. Cards on the table stuff but coming from a person with a wealth of background experience which unfortunately, Richie did not have. Chalk compared to cheese actually. I.e. he should garner the respect of the troops quickly and his advice and instructions should be heard loud and clear and applied as instructed... or else? IMHO -- just the ticket for ICT at this juncture of their history. Gentlemen of the Jury--it's onward and upward.

I heard Robbo on Sportsound yesterday and was very impressed by what he had to say .He spoke with a lot of passion and determination to do well .Has been over the border looking at a couple of new signings but didn't give anything away to jeopardise that . Apparently although he hasn't managed for five years it's not been for the want of offers ,but the right one came up last week !! Spoke highly of our fan base of loyal fans although not huge but hopes that will change . It felt like the backbone is evident once more . Personally I can't wait for season to start and wish him every success and hope he can do the necessary for us . Go Robbo !!!!!

Iam pleased Andrew Macrae is back a very good prospect and now time to step up

I renewed my two tickets on Thursday and they did seem to be noticing an increase in activity.

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

All in all I think we are on the up. Now it is the Fans turn to show a united front.

Recent winners of the Dev league - Ross County, Aberdeen? There was 15 teams in it last year? The current set-up doesn't encourage players to breakthrough, certainly not for us anyway...why not something new? last season we loaned out some of our U20's to HL teams to get them playing competitive football, surely this is just an extension of this? also, why do ICT teams do well upto about the U17 level, then tail off from there? Why are our younger players apparently so much better, but once they get older, not so much?

Kenny's biggest mistake in all this is being too loyal to RF and its a mistake many of us might have made as we desperately wanted him to achieve success. At worst, Kenny let his heart rule his head and the rest is history. He has been at the club for a little less than 2 decades so to say he has a lack of understanding is incorrect. It is also unfair to put the blame on the lack of communication on him. He vacated the building after the final game of the season and what has happened since is in the hands of the remaining directors. I think many of them may have underestimated just how much work Kenny put in at the stadium, how much time he spent there, and how much communication actually went out because of his hands on approach or his availability ... its going to be a steep learning curve for them too, especially the new directors and whilst we are all understandably critical of the transition right now you can be sure there are quite a few folk working their socks off behind the scenes to get things in order.

Sorry for dredging this topic up again but as I have only just returned from our trip to Scotland and Norway I am playing catch-up with all the threads and various comments made ... and this was one thread I wanted to come back to and deliver my own comments. I actually find I dont have to type a huge amount as I echo each and every comment that Davie has made here. Kenny is a man of integrity who had a goal of making ICT better without breaking the bank or bankrupting the club. He put in long hours, mostly for little or no thanks, but at the end of the day he wasnt looking for the plaudits or the pats on the back, he was just looking for ICT to be successful and barring the last season where he put his faith in someone who we all wanted to be successful he has done so. His stewardship of the club has been excellent and the snide or ignorant comments made about him on a personal level by some who don't actually know him or the amount of work he does/did in the background are not only hurtful, but in my opinion close to defamatory. I have witnessed him stand up for our supporters when stewards and police wanted to wade into the North stand because they were standing. I have witnessed him making time for the younger fans and kids. I have heard numerous stories of him being accessible to the fans to the point of sitting down with them for coffee in the stadium or as Davie mentioned, doing the stadium tour ! Heck, look at how he handled that young boy who applied for the manager's job ! Most would just bin the letter, not Kenny, he replied and spoke with the kid ... who will remember that moment I am sure. On my recent visit, I was both gobsmacked and incredibly proud that he asked if my own son would like to be one of the mascots on the last day of the season. My son - who I take to TFC games every once in a while - came to Scotland saying his favourite players were Jozy Altidore and Sebastian Giovinco from Toronto FC ... he left Scotland with the top we bought last year all signed, a new one bought from the Errea trailer tucked in his luggage, and a couple of this year's squad pictures from the reception wall of his new favourite players ... David Raven and Jake Mulraney ! My boy was going to be an ICT fan anyway (if I could help it) but Kenny (and the players) made it a trip he will never forget. I have never seen a club like ICT where players, directors, and even the chairman are as accessible as they are at ICT and that ethos comes from the top down. Kenny - I applaud you for who you are and what you have done for ICT over two decades. As Davie says, enjoy your 'retirement', you deserve it.