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Quite frankly, I'm not convinced that the "ticky box" approach here is necessarily the best one. It has too many echoes of a deskbound approach to a real, on-the-ground sporting problem. Nor am I totally convinced that there is any real solution to this issue for as long as Scottish football is run for the benefit of the Old Firm hegemony (which is another echo of Kingsmills' Weegiecentric principle.).

Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC is delighted to learn today (Wednesday) that it has attained the SFA "Progressive" Performance Award within the Project Brave initiative. This is the result of dedicated work by the Football Development Department at the club, supported by the Management Team and the Directors, who are committed to promoting youth football within the community and bringing through young local players into the first team. http://ictfc.com/news/club-news/2048-ictfc-gain-sfa-progressive-performance-award

Very important that we stay on same level as our neighbours over the bridge who are also in the eight team "Progressive" group but I believe they're appealing and looking for Elite status. Would be a real issue for our ability to attract local talent if we were on a lesser ranking. Out of the 8 "Elite" Academies only Aberdeen outwith the Central Belt which seems totally unfair and biased against the provinces. I guess Malky doesn't fancy the drive North. Poor old Dundee in the third tier!

Marley Watkins made his full international début tonight when he came on as a sub for Wales in a friendly against Panama. Well done Marley!

I listened to the coverage of The Rangers first ever visit to Pittodrie on Sportsound on Saturday afternoon and was struck by two things. Firstly; I could clearly hear vile sectarian singing almost from start to finish including 'The Billy Boys' with it's most offensive lyric. By all accounts the away section was awash with the body fluid of Irish Catholics and the Pontiff was being frequently sexually abused. Such conduct, apart from being grossly offensive, is in breach of UEFA rules, in breach of the SFA's rules, against the rules of the SPFL and contrary to the criminal law. The old club inhabiting Ibrox came to be regularly sanctioned by UEFA for such conduct during European fixtures with the supine SFA and then SPL never taking any significant action. Our supporters have been warned off relatively harmless and non malicious banter with our local rivals in the form of 'The Wheels On Your House' yet this disgraceful conduct on the part of a five year old club who's predecessors brought shame and financial pain to the whole of Scottish football not just for their bigotry but financial impropriety which may yet be established to be criminal seems to be turned a blind eye to. Secondly; I note that the BBC have yet again been excluded from Ibrox presumably on the basis of yet another paranoid petulant huff. The BBC have a contract with the SPFL which provides valuable income to all clubs which, I suspect, stipulates the right to broadcast from all stadia and to pre and post match interviews with players and management. The Rangers are putting the organisation at risk of being in breach of that contract with the potential, if not for damages for breach of the current contract, for any future contract to be negotiated on reduced terms. Rangers caused their own demise and, in the process, caused great harm to the reputation and finances of Scottish football by their conduct in their previous incarnation. Surely The Rangers can't be permitted special treatment to be allowed to do the same again. Scottish football is potentially a great product and could and should enjoy a much higher and more positive profile furth of these shores but until the game is administered and regulated for the benefit of all rather than two large Glasgow clubs, one of which is in it's first season in the top tier, they will always drag us down. The latest manifestation of this bias is the scheduling and venues for the two League Cup Semi finals obliging Aberdeen fans to engage in a 300+ mile round trip for a lunch time kick off whereas Celtic and The Rangers get to play in their own back yard kicking off two hours later no doubt affording two hours additional drinking time to fuel the vitriol on both sides. Time now for the other clubs to put aside petulant threats of boycotts and get together to put an end to the Weegie tail wagging the Scottish football dog.

Given that the capital is Edinburgh, Glasgow is in the provinces although given how Weegiecentric the SFA are you'd never know it.

He is very obviously a confidence player and that goal will do wonders for his confidence which can only be good for ICT.

Well done Jake a lovely bit of running, control and an excellent finish. This man continues to improve with every game, with Doran on one wing and Jake on the other opponents will have a lot to fear and to contend with.