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It may be the easy option but these guys are still quality players. To be honest I cant see many players signing for any team at our level because they are desperate to play for them. Manny Duku wont be signing because he saw us last year and thought he would love to play for us. He's signing because he wants to play football and we offered him that chance. All we can do is hope that any new signing comes in and gives 110% and does his best for ICT. If they do that then I'll be more than happy and have no concerns about where they came from or why they came.

It would appear that you are very much in the minority with such a negative view. Personally, I am more enthused about the new season than I have been for some time.

All signings have reason to develop. Gardyne does not want to retire just yet. Billy will be just as keen to score now as before. McAlear has a career in front of him with an EPL club if he can develop. Duku still has a point to prove. Gardyne and Billy also add much needed experience that will benefit our really good younger talent. All good news and pleasing in the light of the lockdown mentality we have come to accept but now keen to move forward.

and what better way to "get it right up ya" to Uncle Roy and Ross County, who they think dumped them unceremoniously than being motivated in doing really well for Caley Thistle!!!

I’m pleased for Tremarco that he’s got a role after retiring from playing, and I’m sure he will do well. Just a shame we didn’t have a role for him in our set up.

These days for Billy Mckay it’s maybe not so much a case of “He scores when he wants” as “He scores a perfectly reasonable proportion of the chances provided to him and is as good a striker as we can realistically expect taking into account our club’s current league status and limited financial resources”, although admittedly that’s not quite as catchy to chant.

agree with this … I am a fan of the adage that "if you are good enough, you are old enough" but while youth is all well and good, and its great to see players get their chances, you absolutely need some experience and veteran presence to grind out results over the course of a season and to act as mentors to younger players coming through. Pretty happy with how the squad has shaped up so far, and the addition of someone to look after fitness and hopefully reduce injuries is also important ... that's one area where Brewster had us as the fittest team going and I think we competed for the full 90 in those games rather than tiring out and either losing games late on or failing to pressure opponents and get a result that we may have deserved. Its going to be a tough division this year at both ends so anything we can do to be towards the top is great and so far it looks like we are headed in the right direction.

I’m really happy with how the squad is taking shape. We now have a few weeks to complete the picture (couple of defenders required in my opinion, and a goalie if MacKay does not stay), and get them to gel in terms of shape and tactics. Hopefully we are ready for 13 July for the cup ties and flying by the time the league starts on 31 July. We are probably more optimistic in June than we have been for some seasons. Let’s hope this is the year we get back up!

It was good (at times) to see the youth involved last year it's been lacking for too long, but it was some experience we lacked at crucial times in the crunch games.

Great to see us doing so much business, and with such decent players, so early in the close season in contrast to so many years when we are playing catch up in July. That is the midfield and attack well and truly sorted with a decent depth and range of options in both departments. Just the defence to sort out now. Excellent. business so far on such a tight budget.

There's it.

McAlear in on a season long loan.

Off topic but what's a "cinch"? Seen it on most of our transfer articles, and it's confusing the hell out of me

I am not sure that I would describe our signings so far as 'quality'. However, they are all experienced and perfectly able at Championship level and give us a chance of promotion this season. Given current circumstances and our financial constraints, that is probably all we can ask for just now. Definitely grounds for optimism.

Duku has certainly moved around and seldom stays more than a year anywhere, and he’s only signed a one year deal with us. We need his Hayes and Yeading scoring rate: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manny_Duku Interview with Billy Mckay: https://ictfc.com/interview-billy-mckay

You've obviously missed that we are supposed to use three word slogans these days...lets hope it's at least "Mckay. Scores. Another" Was a bit despondent losing Toddy after Daniel had gone, but Walsh, McKay and Duku are all welcome replacements.

That's why Prog was invented. Duku - great signing and a bit of a shock 😮

Pleased to have Billy back (again) although I think we have all learned not to get too excited when a popular former player returns Storey, Vincent etc)

Walking back to the car after the game was the first time I ever made a mobile phone call. I didn’t have my own one in those days so I borrowed one to tell my dad the score - he thought I was winding him up. From him taking me to see Caley in the Highland League to us winning comfortably at Celtic Park, just amazing.

John Hughes: “There was no chance whatsoever that Billy McKay was leaving and there is no chance he’s leaving in the summer either.”