Leaderboard

A wee heads for all of Johndo's mates, friends, fellow Caley and ICT fans, For fans who may know of him but never met the man. The club have agreed to make an announcement before the game and will also have a wee tribute to Johndo on the official site. There will also be a minutes applause at the 6th minute of the game and it would be a fitting gesture for all to join in! Johndo's daughter Isla is making the journey north to be at the game, and i'm she will appreciate this tribute to her Dad.

At the back of my mind all through this has been the thought that the club's failure to engage more with the local community - especially in recent years - may have the consequence that few people in a position to do anything about this will actually lift a hand to do so. Yes I know that there are women's and youth teams, the Community Trust, and so on. But we've also upset local businesses with the concert company shambles, we're at loggerheads with the Council over the battery park, we were going to move the first team to Kelty.... Just how many would be bothered - would even notice - if the club disappeared?

Sorry Robert - the response is nonsense. Its pat you on the head stuff and telling the ST to go away so that SG might consider inviting you to the party. My question there is why SG is still at the party? He was supposed to go home a long time ago! The land is key here. I hope I am wrong, but I cant help feeling that the club is something to run down and make extinct so that everything on that site can be bulldozed and the remainder of the 99-year lease flipped to someone for loads of money based on the designation within the freeport area*. A freeport area, close to major transit hubs, sea lanes and an airport. The Jersey connection makes it intriguing. Who is the shadow behind the front man? Is it someone local to Inverness, or known to the club who quietly wants their hand on the land but to remain faceless for fear of personal or business reprisal? or as speculated elsewhere, is it someone who wants to remain in the background for other reasons. Its all too murky and sketchy for me. Even if things are on the up-and-up then will any of this pass the sniff test with the SFA/UEFA for the owner to be fit to run a club? *I was corrected on another thread about the stadium not being on freeport land. This appears to be correct, but reading the freeport website, it also makes reference to another area "joining" the consortium. With all the corporate doublespeak floating around right now, is it not outside the realms of possibility that the consortium could add more members?

Got the email this morning. The ST, I feel, goes to great lengths to justify itself, trying too hard where a quick sentence would be fine. However the reply is just glib, patronising shite.

Trust the process STFU! Trust the lawyers, they will save us in their due diligence! The Supporter's Trust can push for whatever but most likely the club will do what it always has done and remain incommunicado. They don't want a dialogue here they just want it done so they can GTFO. Fans (as they have been for several years now) are just an irritation.

I'd love to know what these "assets" are that he keeps banging on about "liquidising" to fund the deal. He didn't have any to speak of in his accounts as of 30 September last year. The Factortech fund specialises in short-term (<5 year) loans to SMEs (in this case Seventy7), secured on the SME's assets and on their receivables. So ICTFC's assets will be the security for the loan. I doubt very much if there are "receivables" - ie money owed to ICTFC - in the short term. But note that future transfer fees received, prize money, TV money, etc, could all go (via Seventy7) to Factortech if that's what's required to pay back the loan. The Factortech fund details are here: https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/64f7c0e377d181192992983c/6601ccf202de094025ac1a10_Factortech Cell A factsheet_22.03.24 PB (1).pdf If that doesn't work, go to https://www.factortech.com/ , scroll down and click on "factsheet" under "02 Jersey Longer Term Vehicle". You'll see that the target return, to Factortech and its investors, is 18%-20% pa. The management fee is 2% pa. The performance fee is 35% pa - not sure how this would be worked out - based on the increase in valuation of the business to which the loan has been made? So it's difficult to see how Makwana could make money out of this - and it shows that there will be plenty of money going into other people's pockets should the club ever be profitable. Now that I have thought about it, the Courier interview and the article quoted above are greatly disappointing. First of all, they could and should have gone to town on where the money is coming from - and how it gets paid back. I'd also have asked for details of other things that he is currently involved in, and of past involvements. If the reporter didn't feel capable of asking business questions, then he could have gone for the "human aspect" angle. "Why do you want to own a football club? Especially one more than 500 miles from your home? How often will we see you? How long are you in it for?". And the clincher: "Can you explain the offside rule?"

Why would anyone NOT buy a season ticket because Gardiner hasn’t gone yet.? I will be there Saturday. hopefully see your one man demo at the stadium, I could do with a laugh.

That's the spirit eh, don't support your team when they really need you. Ownership of the club, board membership will be sorted out one way or another but do many of our "fans" actually want the club to survive. Will you be one of the fans watching from the bridge again?. I really do wonder if many fans care whether we survive or not but as long as "they" win the argument and get the board and CEO out, club fail to find a new owner thst they like, they will be happy as they have won.

Never attribute to malice that which can be accounted for through stupidity.

Why would anyone buy a season ticket considering Gardiner hasn't gone yet?

Personally, I doubt Ketan is thinking of running the club down and developing the ground. What comes across is a total delusion about how important and realistic his vision is. For very very few, football is a money-maker. For everyone else, from Real Madrid down, it's a debt pit. I think that's where he's not seeing reality.

This is my main concern. If Gardiner is still in post, then we are doomed. His departure, as soon as possible, must be non-negotiable. You have the likes of Alan Savage saying they will still pump £100K into the youth side but only on condition that the CEO does not get his hands on a penny of it. Thats a pretty damning indictment. Thats before you even talk to staff, players, ex-players, local businesspeople, sponsors or fans. Whilst my initial thoughts on the "new owner" are not positive, and I have watched and shared the various videos and articles, I will reserve full judgement until something is presented. I remain to be convinced that this is not all smoke and mirrors with an ultimate end goal to do a grab on the land the stadium is situated on with a view to flipping the remainder of the lease for large profit based on its designation within the freeport area. Someone that self-admittedly could find no information on the club on google (there are approx. 1.3m hits when you google Inverness Caledonian Thistle by the way) does not strike me as being in this for philanthropic or altruistic reasons. Yes, that's exactly what I thought too. corporate equivalent of "**** off".

The ST have to go through the process of welcoming and offering support to new owners. I see from the email response that Ketan has committed to ensuring SG includes the ST in the upcoming meet and greet when he is in Inverness next. That's a very concrete output, that the ST no doubt fully expects to happen, and a positive sign. While I personally have huge reservations on the particulars of the proposed deal, I understand the need for the ST to be extremely diplomatic at this point.

Perhaps you should direct that comment in the direction of the Hampden day trippers, not those who support the game at the grass roots across Highland Communities.

It is interesting that Makwana said: “I have got a very good relationship with the internal team at Inverness, we have formed almost a unity of trust and transparency". He needs to appraise himself of their track record and remember that it is their incompetence that has got the club into the mess that it is currently in.

…and still no confirmation that SG is oot the door asap!

As well as those noted by IBM, others on Saturday were Jay Henderson with 2 for Ayr and Anthony MacDonald for Brechin. Shaun Rooney for St Mirren in Europe.

D & E Coaches have very kindly gifted us golf for 4 people at Castle Stuart. Raffle tickets now available at £5 each. Purchase through Facebook, on 07462218717 or on away buses.

The company is 2 months overdue in filing its annual return, so Companies House has started its process for compulsory strike off. It’s easily resolved, provided any of the directors know that it is their responsibility - ICT might not be doing it for them now that ICT only owns 1% of this company. Someone needs to act though.

If only the Courier had asked the question about who the "we" is. If that includes Scot Gardiner then its pissing against the wind. This interview gives a few more high-level details and is more positive than anything that has gone before A few select excerpts.

Strike off applied for: https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC732789

The Courier have put their interview with Ketan on line. My phone is not letting me copy the link but it’s not behind a paywall.

I’m laughing, like a condemned prisoner just about given up waiting in (forlorn) hope his pardon is about to come through before he is to be executed! You have summarised it concisely and precisely Achfary, and again I am impressed with the clarity of what you post. So, as I take all this in, I boil things down to the following: 1) The major shareholders have signed up with S7V and have agreed to transfer over enough shares to allow S7V to gain 51% as the major shareholder, (and control) of the club. The reason for the existing major shareholders is either through philanthropic nature in the interests of the club, or their is possibly ‘something in it for them’ in a deal done in the shadowy world of jersey future investment opportunities. 2) The interest from S7V is in the development opportunities in the land of the ground and surrounding area in the Council Good Fund. How S7V allure the Council is for another day/posting. 3) The supporters have already been set aside as incidental to the whole plan. They don’t matter and will play no part whatsoever in the decisions regarding the direction of the future S7V project visioned development of the land 4) The football club is simply a mechanism and hub to pull together the various elements of the plan. It is not in any way an attractive business investment, but needs to be retained. Ie Kept ticking over with the minimal expenditure. If it gains promotion then ‘fine’. 5) To maintain the Council ‘engaged and on-side’ on the projected plans careful and managed communication about community and local benefit to the area must be maintained. Key job and entertainment/hand shaking required. 6) Similarly, whilst not important there will be a need to have some level of interface with the football support Trust. Details to be decided later. Last cigarette sir ?

Would a new lessee / owner generate more revenue for Highland Council were they to lease / own the land? The typical yield is about 7% to CGF, but how much does Highland Council benefit from ICT being the lessee? How much does ICT as lessee develop the Highland economy? I may be landing a red herring, but Ketan tying up with a huge Jersey-based wealth management conglomerate just seemed like serendipity, until he thanked Highland Council.

Great number on the Ford beside the Capri - "R60 World Rally Championship". Across the pond again today. The number plate tells us that it's a 1955 Chevy Bel Air. The bloke in the purple top in the second photo reminded me of the ageing Jimmy Greaves

Therein lies a big part of the problem. The supporters trust have and still do allow the club to treat them like that with zero consequence. As I said already it's weak and passive.

It has nothing to do with whether or not it benefits the club it has to do with whether or not it benefits the common good fund under any prescribed conditions. People forget the club is a commercial entity. There is nothing to stop the cgf looking at other commercial entities to pay them the rent on the land subject to any required planning consents etc.

Based on Alan Savage's comments, the appointment of Panos as interim Chairman, and the extremely questionable status of Seventy7Ventures, there is certainly more to this than meets the eye. The 'deal', as Alan Savage alludes to, could potentially be in-kind as another poster said, whereby carrots from Jersey might have been offered to issue new shares and relinquish others, to cross that majority threshold with minimal financial outlay. The next question would be: Why be so accommodating?. The only real asset/attraction that ICT has is its prime real estate. And the key word is prime. It is worth several millions, more in the right property asset/real estate developer's hands. Given the STV reported Highland Council 2022 borrowing exceeded £1.1bn, with loan charges of £80m, and John O' Groats Journal reported earlier this year that Highland Council needs to plug a gap of £113m across the next three years just to meet its basic obligations. I imagine nothing is sacred to balance the books. Ketan thanked (central) Highland Council and I am still unsure as to what there was to thank.

Buying a ticket for a football match should be the easiest thing in the world but somehow we seem to have turned it into such a chore.

You may have seen it if you are a member, but the ST has shared the text of a letter it sent to Ketan Makwana along with the reply received, in which he has committed to meeting members of the ST Board. He also said that, on the club’s advice, he has done an exclusive media interview.

Thank you once again MrCJ for taking the time to run the NAPs league - so looking forward to being bamboozled, disappointed and humiliated week in week out - cheers

If like you I lived in Nairn I might also find the Nairn Co v Brechin match a more attractive option! Less chance of a tippy tappy 0-0 for sure!

The ST will have had another whiff of the blazer and the boardroom vol au vents. The gullibility of the support has allowed things to get to this sorry state.

Easy if you live in town and have access to a car. But I think the point was that this is no way to treat the fans who are your bread and butter.

I keep reading about "they" in relation to the ST. The ST is in effected us all as supporters and for £5 pa anyone can get involved and influence direction. Don't see how sitting outwith and criticising helps supporters have a meaningful voice and just gives oxygen to our inept CE.

They have credibility due to holding the fans voting right ie shares. So one member or 1000 doesn't matter.

Understand STFU the thrust of your reply. The ST were somewhat behind the ‘curve’ of the fans and were hesitant (a lot) about picking any route that was contrary to the Boards position. That’s said I beg to differ however on whether Kelty would have been binned without the ST finally coming round to what (most -they are still some that think Kelty was visionary), fans wanted. It history and let’s not split hairs. The next immediate battle, (if it’s already not too late), for the soul of the clubs future is proper scrutiny of S7V. With due respect to the ST team, they probably need professional advice on what checks they can do themselves, (because the current board are doing a soap+towel ‘C Whyte’ type of power transfer to cut their losses and head for the hills). A lawyer type person to properly scrutinise the S7V costs money and I’m not sure the ST or enough fans are ‘up’ for such a route?? It’s clear from the posts in this forum (we two excluded), we have some smart and professional people out there. Possibly they could comment?? thruppence worth this time. bc

This just happened to pop up on my timeline today. 9 years ago. "When I die and they lay me to rest, gonna go on the piss in Bucharest"

Has anyone heard that the company that own Norbord, West Fraser is behind the Takeover or they are financing it?

Other than the 2k fans (a percentage of whom no longer even reside in the HC area) would there actually be any real objections if it went to public consultation within the city for a change of use especially if its bringing higher incomes to the council? Its prime industrial land with direct links to the A9 avoiding any traffic through built up areas, easy access to the harbour avoiding urban areas. With GEG expanding in Nigg and ongoing works at Ardisier port there isnt many prime coastal locations with the direct infrastructure (for others that want into that space) - also is additional land around the stadium open for deals (traveler site/HC yards etc) through Highland Council? Throw potential Free port expansion, and terms such venture capitalists with the existing board members signing over shares (which you would assume have caveats) and back slapping for the Highland Council, I think the bigger concern will be which geographical location will we be playing at in a few years and where will HC allow a smaller, low cost ICT hub to be built (if the club even exists which I'm not sure many of the stakeholders involved will even care about if the returns are significant)

How often will we see you at matches?

So, Ketan, are you excited to get started? It's been your ambition to be a football club owner. Are you happy you achieved that? Do you want the fans to get behind the team? Can't wait.

I imagine it will be as probing as the post match interviews with the manager. Am I right in saying the stadium announcer is a journalist and has done these exclusive interviews/articles previously?

I'm sure the in house interview with Ketan will be probing and ask all the hard questions fans want answers to.

They may have some voting right relevance, but any credibility they had in many peoples wider view, was tarnished when they sent out conflicting advice to their membership. How would they use any voting influence they have if they can’t even offer a unified position? A few ST members I know have bought season tickets despite what the position of the Trust, so not even representing some of its own members.

Supporters trust did nothing on the kelty situation. They refused to support a boycott never organised the protest they said they would and even put out a statement saying fans should buy tickets and merch before changing their mind shortly after. They have been weak and passive in all of this. Even the recent statement says they are pleased with the news despite not knowing the first thing about it. Rome is burning and they're fiddling.

Why would any new owner want to meet with the Trust given they have advised not to buy season tickets etc. How many Trust members are there, a few hundred? Definitely not representative of everyone. I bought my season ticket a week ago despite the Trust advising not to. Not a very coherent organisation which has very little credibility!

They ignored the majority view of fans at the last meeting and took an opposing stance. Troubles me to say it but they've shown as much willingness to listen to fans as the club and also only seem interested in membership fees and donations to the fund they're running.

Beat me to it . if it’s season tickets you are looking for it takes a couple of mins to sort out at the shop. Saturday Open 10am to kick off. Buy adult ST get child U12 free. If it’s a game ticket, adult gets U12 free with their ticket. Costs an extra quid if within 3hours of KO. treat yourself and the child, if you are planning watching from the bridge, you are there anyway. if he/she is like my lot, will start asking for food and greggs 20 mins return.