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He left in August

I’m only catching up on these posts now and this one of Don’s, along with his previous one, look very much on the money (no pun intended). I seem to remember that after Tulloch, round about 2017, offered to return to the club the assets it had acquired as part of its 2000-01 bail out, the fairly drawn out process appeared even more so in the case of the car park lease than the stadium itself. Indeed, there was very little clarity after that as to who actually owned the car park lease. That therefore begs the question - specifically to whom did Morrison and Cameron, both established dealers in land, pay money when they became owners of CT Properties and hence of the car park lease in August 2023. And if it wasn’t to the club, as part of ongoing efforts to assist cash flow, then why did they make the purchase at all since there would have been no benefit to the club? (Unless, of course the Magic Money Tree which the Battery Farm and other subsequently deceased schemes would have brought it all back into the club fold.) The other part of Morrison’s interest is his completely separate £1.65M loan and the security attached to it. The Administrator has publicly questioned the validity of this Charge, but I’m sure it was created in the expectation that, in the event of default, Ross Morrison - who is listed at Companies House as a director of no fewer than 19 companies, mainly in the area of development - would have title to a large slice of the club’s assets in addition to his interest in the car park lease. We also have to take account of the fact that it was to a large on under Ross Morrison’s watch at the club that eyewatering expenditure took place that contributed greatly to the level of indebtedness and the need to spend other people’s money. I am not in any way alleging anything but I’m just not entirely comfortable with the fact that Ross Morrison departed after a spectacularly unsuccessful period as Chairman, leaving behind a situation of massive indebtedness and where he had an enormous hold on what is contained within the area originally leased from the Inverness Common Good Fund to allow Scottish League football to take place in Inverness.

No I don't think he can recapture his previous striking ability but from what I've seen he is making himself useful in other ways. He's still a powerful presence on the forward line, and I think he's still got a few goals in him. Don't write him off just yet!

I don't think anyone is saying you can't criticise the manager or the players. What I am saying is don't criticise people for something that is not their fault. The other very important aspect is that players are often criticised because people have completely unrealistic expectations of them. Yes, we are a full time club, but the players we can afford are being paid peanuts in a very insecure employment situation. They are players who are either at their level or who are just starting out in their careers and are learning the harsh reality of life in the Scottish League. Many wouldn't be in the first team at all if others hadn't created the financial crisis at the club in the first place. From our lofty viewpoints in the stands, we can see when the penetrating through ball is on and get frustrated when it isn't played, or if it is, it goes straight to a defender or runs out of play. It is easier to see those balls from the stands than out on the pitch. If a player could spot these opportunities and play the pass with the required accuracy and weight with any degree of regularity, they wouldn't be playing for us and it is unreasonable to criticise players for not performing at an unrealistically high level. Many of our lads will earn less in their footballing careers than the likes of Marcus Rashford earn in a week! Now Rashford and some of his Man Utd colleagues fully deserve all the criticism they get for the attitudes they display on the pitch. But we should expect players at our level to make mistakes and fail to take opportunities. Some people need to get real and be a bit more supportive of our young lads who, I believe, are doing their job to the best of their ability. That is not to say that we should never be critical of the players. Clearly we may have different ideas about what represents reasonable expectations and therefore about when criticism is valid or not, but if people feel criticism is due, then please try to offer constructive criticism. Prior to Saturday's game, the lads had done really well to win 4 of the previous 5 league games. Then we lose to a team who produced an outstanding performance on the day whilst we had a bit of a bad day at the office. On recent form, there should still be a pretty positive vibe about what is happening on the park. The booing and abuse directed at the lads on Saturday was totally unjustified and will do nothing to boost the confidence of the lads. A vital game now against Dumbarton at the weekend. If the boo boys can actually support the team this time, we might get an important morale boosting win.

Credit where credit is due. Cove came with a game plan and executed it brilliantly. They knew that we would come out looking to be positive and they pressed us really hard giving us very little time of the ball and forcing errors. Our approach left us a little short at the back and this was exploited by quick, well supported breaks. It was a high energy, high risk strategy and with just 5 subs on the bench it probably took us by surprise. It paid off for them with 2 early goals helped by some rather panicked defending. Their high energy pressing game was not sustainable and they were happy to sit a bit deeper and soak up pressure after the 2 goals. We pulled one back and had we been a bit more clinical we could have got an equaliser before half time. Had we done so, I would have fancied us to win. Alas it was not to be. We then conceded a very soft 3rd goal early in the 2nd half which knocked the confidence out of the team. Just when the team most needed the support of the home fans, many of our "fans" turned against the team, further denting the confidence. Time and again players would simply pass square, or back so that the responsibility for trying to do something positive was passed on with the ball. Only Longstaff was showing any real attacking intent. Meanwhile Cove continued to press aggressively whenever we did find a bit of space. They also deployed the tactic of feigning injury whenever they were tackled which allowed the rest of the team to have a minute or two to catch their breath. Their attitude was exemplified by Doyle who went up for a set piece late in the game with them with a 2 goal advantage. The ball went out for a goal kick which Musa was looking to take quickly. Doyle got his head down and literally sprinted back into his own half, shouted instructions to his team mates and then won the header from Musa's long kick. We were far from our best today and the way Cove out-thought, out-fort and out-played us will have damaged the players' confidence. As Charles so rightly says, these young players desperately need the support of the fans in this particularly difficult time for the club. Late in the game one of our lads got behind the defence and put a ball into the box. It wasn't a great ball and the keeper comfortably gathered it, but at least the lad had got into the good position and played the ball into the box. Next time, a better ball might result in a goal. Some of us applauded his effort but one loud voice several rows down shouted "You're f***ing useless" at the young lad. How the hell is that going to help anyone? Next time the lad might not run into the space or will look for a safer ball to play so he doesn't get abused like that. If you are moronic enough to abuse your own players, at least have the decency to do it from the South Stand. After all, it only helps one team - and it is not ICT.

I think you’ve hit on the great unknown of this whole thing. Inverness Caledonian Thistle Properties was set up late in 2000 as a vehicle to assist Tulloch’s bail-out of that period and it appears to have been the umbrella company, for the car parks at least, from that date. You may remember about seven or so years ago there was a seemingly eternal process where Tullochs gave the stadium, which was part of the 2000 rescue, back to the club and the car park part of that seemed to take for ever. At this point, there’s a section of “cold trail” where I’m not sure exactly what happened but it would appear that in August 2023, Morrison and Cameron took the opportunity to buy the Propco and hence title to that part of the lease, and the proceeds disappeared into the bottomless pit of overspending that was ongoing. In the case of Morrison, what he has put into the club therefore has very thick strings attached in that he is joint owner of the car park lease, along with the other main player Cameron, and the Charge over his £1.65M. His backside therefore appears to have been carefully covered. Ironically (and I quizzed AS about this at the conference) this situation arose at a time when Morrison was also the Chairman. There’s one further point which could become important. Did anyone notice that the Administrator said that, given the point in the process that the Charge was created, there may be grounds to challenge its validity? That, I think, is a space that may be well worth watching.

Is this £1.6M the same one that Morrison was claiming he'd spent and wouldn't get back? Or has he spent over £3M with half of that an investment in real estate? I'm not sure I'd get away with saying I've no money as I won't be counting my house as I don't have that in my bank account. Is Morrison a fan or someone that invested in real estate? Buying stock is not the same as being a benefactor. Time for Ross to decide. One way, he's a hero with ICT in his heart. The other and he's a creditor that can run the club to the ground. Which one?