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This piece is the editorial for issue 80 of popular STAND fanzine; a football fanzine for the likes of Doncaster. A small number of copies of this issue are still available for a minimum £1 plus postage. If you would like a copy, get in touch at popularstand@outlook.com On being tired of football - February 22, 2016 I’ve found it hard to write this editorial, and I think it’s ultimately because I’m so tired. I’m physically tired because, as I write this sentence, it’s 1:40am Wednesday morning and this isn’t even the last thing I have to do for the fanzine before sending it to the printers, only after which can I go to bed. Ready to get up for work at 7am. But I think I’m also tired of football. Maybe, and hopefully, not the actual game, but I’m tired of so many aspects of it. I’m tired of football’s increasing omnipresence; why do Manchester United need an official tyre partner in Indonesia? Why do Liverpool need an official skincare partner, when surely a decent centre half would be of more use to them? I’m tired of leagues spending so much time rebranding themselves; as if it was the name of the competition stopping the people of Essex turning up in their hordes for Braintree Town against Gateshead. I’m tired of the Premier League’s rebrand and it only happened yesterday. I’m tired of marketing bollocks like this; ‘The identity is a huge tonal shift from buttoned up, shirt and tie, formal, reserved… to warm, human, approachable and informal.’ for what is just a f***ing logo for a football league, not a politician’s futile image makeover. I’m tired of football’s inflated sense of self-importance and finances that have now long moved beyond the realms of anything vaguely sane. I’m tired of people celebrating how much has been spent in a transfer window rather than what it has been spent on. I’m tired of the transfer window, and the indulgence of it all; something deftly summarised by Frankie Boyle’s Deadline Day tweet ‘Your club has bought some journeyman midfielder sexcase for the price of a hospital’. I’m tired of knowing that for most clubs he’ll largely be right. I’m tired of the arguments over ticket prices, particularly in the Premier League, that suggest only now have ticket prices become too expensive. I’m tired of fans complaining of ticket prices at their own club, whilst mocking empty seats at another. I’m tired of being charged £24 and upwards for third tier football, whilst the FSF puts its efforts into capping away ticket prices in the Premier League at a figure less than that. I’m tired of the way I still hand over my cash anyway, despite how tired I am of the ridiculous sums I’m being asked for. I’m tired of clubs attempts to justify these prices by telling me their tickets are cheaper than another club that I had no interest in watching. I’m tired of having to pay more on the day to watch a League match, despite it being a much less labour intensive transaction for all involved. I’m tired of the fury and rage that greets every announcement as if it is a personal affront; sometimes football matches are postponed, sometimes football matches are lost, sometimes players are sold. I’m tired of the constant search for a scapegoat. I’m tired of the childish dismissals of anything a past player or manager ever did for the club as being ‘****’. I’m tired of the twisting of the past to suit current arguments. Paul Dickov may not have been the right manager for the club, but he handed more youth team graduates debuts than any other Rovers manager since at least 1998; I’m tired of that being overlooked. I’m tired of being asked if I support a bigger club. I’m tired of the Liverpool, or Chelsea, or Manchester United fans who ask me this getting all put out when I subsequently ask them if they do. I’m tired of grown adults play-acting. I’m tired of how long a team that’s one nil up takes over a throw-in. I’m tired of goalkeepers pretending to berate their defenders, and pretending to not hear the referee soak up ten more seconds before a goal-kick. I’m tired of players who trot over to the far side of the pitch when they know they’re about to be substituted, so they can eat up as much time as possible walking to the bench. I’m tired of paying £24 or more to watch these same routines over and over again, every f***ing week. I’m tired of the banter. I’m tired of tekkers. I’m tired of the language and the slang. I’m tired of Paddy Power and the f***ing Lad Bible. I’m tired of engagement stats over information. I’m tired of retweeting praise and pretending the negatives never happen. I’m tired of new kits every year. I’m tired of people dicking about with hoops, and treating an away kit as a blank canvas. I’m tired of lazily nicking other clubs’ songs. I’m tired of pyro. I’m tired of parties. I’m tired of all this. None of it is football. None of it needs to happen. Just give me the game. And my bed. by Glen Wilson

Just booked my flights. Conservatively, I reckon it cost me about £60 to £70 more than it would have done two weeks ago, thanks to the SFA's unacceptable delay in confirming date/time. Maybe I should ask them to pay the difference? Fat chance, I'll be lucky if I even get an answer to the letter I wrote to the Chief Exec yesterday. But now I'll just focus on trying to enjoy the match and another day out at Easter Road, hopefully just as a warm up for another couple of visits to Hampden a bit later.

Philip Roberts yesterday signed for Irish club Sligo Rovers. He's been without a team since being released by Dundee. http://www.goal.com/en-ie/news/3909/airtricity-premier-division/2016/02/22/20610292/former-arsenal-youth-philip-roberts-joins-sligo-rovers

Nice to see we got a flag on this - FANS AGAINST CRIMINALISATION

Hibs v ICT on Sunday 6th March at 14:00 on the BBC. Sky taking both the OF matches so why the f'ck have they had to wait until now? Ridiculous!

NEW SUPPORTERS CLUB BUSES RUN BY GELLIONS BAR - INFORMATION: VERY limited seats left for both confirmed buses. Book now via our Facebook or twitter page, or call 07971895858. £20 per person be be paid via our PayPAL - gellionsictfc@outlook.com, or cash to be dropped into Gellions bar. Dundee away on Saturday February 27th (3pm ko) - 51 seater bus departs Gellions Bar 09.30am Hearts away on Tuesday the 1st of March (7.45pm ko) - Mini bus TBC (this is dependant on demand, will be confirmed either way ASAP) Scottish Cup Quarter Final v Hibs on Sunday the 6th of March (2pm ko) - 51 seater departs Gellions bar Sunday AM, departure time still to be confirmed for this one! Bus for our quarter final is almost full and Dundee we have 10 seats remaining at this moment in time. Get you names in or get in touch for more info. Thank you everyone! Ross

TRAVEL FOR UPCOMING AWAY DAYS- Book your bus for one or all of the away games that are coming up soon! Call or text on 07951 309504 to book your seat. £20 adults, £10 under 14s. Dundee away on Saturday February 27th (3pm ko) - departs ICT Social Club, Greig St 9.45am / Stadium 10 am. Hearts away on Tuesday the 1st of March (7.45pm ko) - departs ICT Social Club, Greig St 3pm / Stadium 3.15pm Scottish Cup Quarter Final v Hibs on Sunday the 6th of March (2pm ko) - departs ICT Social Club, Greig St 8.45am / Stadium 9am (times approximate and TBC for this one). Thanks everyone!

Tues 23rd Feb League One Andy Barrowman (Albion Rovers 4-1 Brechin City) English League Two Alex MacDonald (Exeter City 1-4 Oxford United)

But yet in your 3 posts you haven't raised a single thing yourself. As a number of posters have pointed out, it is the SNP who have high jacked the referendum to drum up further grievance for their independence campaign. Only Alex has tried to defend the SNP position by pointing out good reasons for Scotland to be part of the EU, but he seems to miss the point that these are also reasons why Scotland is also better being part of the UK. It would be helpful if the SNP would actually accept the will of the people as expressed in the independence referendum and respect the democratic process that follows. We voted to be part of the U.K. and therefore must accept the will of the UK as a whole. Only when the SNP can show a bit of leadership for a change and honour basic democratic principles can there be any hope of having a proper debate in Scotland on the issues which matter.

I didn't realise he was on loan at Strathspey. He'll certainly get plenty goalkeeping practice there! These are good opportunites for the young players, playing Highland League at the weekend, while still being eligible for the Inverness CT Development League games mid-week. Indeed, he was playing today against Motherwell.

Don't agree. Storey was a much bigger goal threat when we had Vincent playing but just wonder if he is too injury prone. Would liker to keep both though.

Motherwell's parting shot............... 90+1mins: Blair MacLennan has Inverness' first shot at goal the whole game, but it blazes high over the bar and into the stand. Methinks, oh dear.

Full time 1-0 Inverness CT U20s: Hoban, C. Brown, Howarth, J.Brown, Stark, MacLennan, Rennie, Gilchrist, Ferguson, MacRae, Sutherland Inverness CT U20s subs: MacKay, Blackett, Hull, MacArthur

No credit to the bungling incompetent SFA who don't set ticket prices at this stage of the competition but credit to both clubs for agreeing sensible pricing of £20 for adults, £10 for students and pensioners and a highly reasonable £5 for under 18s.

The SFA need to state publicly just why that could not have been announced within 24 hours of the Edinburgh Derby replay finishing. Agreed a disgrace.

Isn't the net supposed to have lots of holes in it?

Yeah after they find out who Sevco play

Nice thought, but if and when he moves to another Scottish club it'll be Aberdeen, surely.

Massive rebuilds work when there's some direction to them. The lower league up and comers that Butcher and Marsella used to scout for example. Some of Yogi's have been like something out of Football Manager! And what about Raven? Pleading for a new deal in the press last month. One of our most reliable and consistent players. Still nothing.

I just don't get our retention policy at the moment. We've been stung with guys leaving on frees before - fine if our squad is buging at the seams and a player is "surplus to requirements", but we have precisely 5 players (one of whom is permenantly injured and another who might well attract interest again from down the A96), and a goalkeeper coach signed for next season. I understand that, to an extent these things have to be done one at a time, so that the budget is kept under control, but we're in danger of needing a massive rebuild next season, which carries enormous risk. I know Draper and Warren are good, but they can't beat 11 men on their own! Give Polworth an offer ffs!

^^^^^^ Without doubt took various hidings from Aberdeen and Hibs when a Celtic scarfer. Probably explains why he's soft in the head now Like jagster says it's hard to believe two thirds of Scottish clubs allegedly have these type of groups Other than the usual old firm behaviour I can only remember a skirmish between Hearts and St Johnstone when both clubs were both in the highlands the same day I assume we are one of the clubs that don't have such a group attached mainly due to our relatively low attendances and the keyboard warriors Dougal

Poised isnt conclusive, so there is still a possibility that is wrong and just a story from weeks ago reprinted. If it comes down to it, id hope the club keep williams even if its at the expense of vincent as he is much more valuable to our cause.

These one-on-ones with the keeper just do not happen for us. Think the last one I have seen was courtesy of Billy Mackay. Do they do them on training ground

Aye! Surprise, surprise! Make's Alex's opening salvo of a 'plea' to 'leave the SNP out of this' look a little naïve! Of course those opportunists (SNP) will use this to their advantage! I imagine they'll (SNP) return a crushing majority win in May's elections - but ultimately be disappointed the following month when the UK agrees to stay within the EU, foiling their 'backdoor' attempt at forcing another Independence referendum, which nobody with a sense of democracy would welcome, anyway. The door slammed on that in 2014. From there, the UK agreement to 'stay', we'll see a gradual return to the status-quo with former Labour voters returning-to-their-roots - and a gradual diminishment in support for the disillusioned Nats, who'll slip to a fringe role in the opposition at Holyrood. Happily, folk are starting to see through them. Councils are being starved of money...Highland Council (for example) are laying-off folk and are having to make draconian cuts. They simply don't have the money! Any attempt to raise more money for the good folk of Inverness and the Highlands would be going against SNP austerity mantra and the Council would subject to sanctions, including a crippling fine. The SNP like to think that a year-on-year Council Tax freeze is a vote winner! For some it may be! But, the Highland Council is hamstrung. It simply can't operate on it's budget without enforced cost-saving cuts. It's really starving towns like Inverness... and preventing us from providing adequate, or better public services!