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I think people seem to forget just how much support the Board actually gave Hughes over his tenure here. When Hughes took over we were 2nd in the league and flying. There is an old saying of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" but Hughes decided he would abandon a playing style which had suited the players and impose his own vision on the team. As a result, in a season when we should have won a European place and could have tasted cup success we ended the season playing some of the worst football ever played by an ICT side and crashing to a succession of record defeats (losing 5-0 at home in the cup to Dundee Utd for instance). In those circumstances most Boards would have parted with the manager forthwith. Instead, the Board kept their faith in Hughes. After a much more successful following season, the Board showed faith in Hughes by giving him the biggest budget any manager at the club has ever had. They then gave him a 2 year extension of his contract and then provided further funds to help out in the injury crisis. Finally, despite a very disappointing season last season and a clear failure in the recruitment of new players, the Board continued to support him by maintaining funding levels. But for Hughes, all of that wasn't enough. Despite the support shown to him, Hughes embarked on a media campaign of criticising the Board for the level of funding rather than accepting any responsibility for his failure to recruit as successfully as his predecessors. I accept that Hughes may well have been annoyed at the Board's refusal to let him talk to Dundee Utd and in my view that was an error on behalf of the Board. But the point here is that having given so much support to Hughes, the Board felt it had a right to expect Hughes to repay that faith with a little bit of loyalty. Hughes clearly sees it differently and his public criticism of the the Board and his abject failure in signing players simply gave the Board no option. As I say, when Hughes arrived we were 2nd in the league. When he left we were 7th. After more than 21/2 years at the club, Hughes has lost several good players and leaves it with only a couple of fringe players that he has signed currently signed for the coming season. The core players that are contracted are Raven (who Hughes didn't want), Meekings, Warren, Tremarco, Draper, Tansey, Draper, Doran and Polworth and are all Butcher's boys. Fon Williams is a Hughes signing but interestingly has only extended his contract now that Hughes is away. Despite record levels of funding, Hughes leaves the club in a considerably poorer state than he inherited it. That is his real legacy and as far as I am concerned it is good riddance. I am just delighted that he's gone.

It's good to see Vigurs signed up. 3rd highest scorer last season with 6 and some very important and composed finishes amongst those. In Vigurs, Draper, Tansey and Polworth we have some very combative mid-fielders who can all score goals. I would love to see Doran pulling defences this way and that with Tremarco and Raven rampaging down the flanks and laying balls back for our on-rushing mid-fielders. Forget Barcelona. With the players we have we should be looking to emulate West Germany and their demolition of Brazil. We do, however, need an instinctive striker up-front in the Billy Mckay mould (Billy himself would be good!). And Fisher may well prove to be a useful target man giving us lots of attacking options. I see the makings of a really exciting counter attacking side taking shape. Acknowledgement: The above analysis was suggested to me earlier today by a 7 year old boy.

He's never heard of Ross County, doesn't even now where it is! As a Palace supporter, who was there on the famous Crystanbul night which put paid to Liverpool's championship, I look forward to Caley giving BR more Red n Blue nightmares

Every manager has brought something to the table in terms of fond memories and success. Unfortunately, the one thing they all have in common (with the possible exception of Christie who stepped down and remained) is leaving the club somewhat acrimoniously in the eyes of some or all supporters. Sergei was on a hiding to nothing having come from one half of our founding clubs, and didnt really have much if any success, but he will always be our first manager, and the man who oversaw many firsts for "CT" in that inaugural season in 1994-95. Paterson obviously guided us through the leagues playing some good stuff and masterminded 'that' result in 2000. Robbo guided us to the SPL and was very vocal in getting the rules changed whilst our chairman at the time was quietly effective in doing the same thing out of the public eye. Brewster had a measure of success and got us the fittest we have ever been, Charlie did well and lest we forget, our first time of finishing "best of the rest" we played all 5 post-split games achieving victory and not conceding a goal - something that had never been done before. Lets set aside Brewster 2.0 and move quickly on ... Butcher also had a good team around him and talked a good game as well as making some good signings and moving us forward and Yogi too will go down in history as the manager to have won us the Scottish Cup and navigated our first foray into Europe. Who should succeed him? I am not sure. The same old names will get trotted out although Owen Coyle might be an interesting addition to the normal list in the merry go round although I think he is more likely to end up in England somewhere. A lot of mentions for Richie Foran in some role but lets not forget that whoever becomes manager MUST have their UEFA badges. Its a UEFA requirement for anything more than a caretaker manager job in the top division of each country. Does Richie have these? Does anyone else who might be promoted from within like Esson or Yogi's assistant whose future is still unclear have these ? I will leave the board to make the right decision. KC and the rest of the directors chose Yogi for the position when he was not everybody's first (or second or third) choice and despite initial misgivings from a sizeable chunk of our support, until recently, where rifts became apparent, it seemed to be a pretty good fit. If KC wants to think outside the box again for a new manager or head coach then I personally am going to trust him on both a personal and professional basis. I have known him for 15+ years and he is a man of integrity, and I know he has (and always has had) the best interests of ICT at his core.

Welcome to the forum but think you are missing the Thistle part from the club's name!.

There is a world of difference between sticking up for yourself and effectively slagging your employer off in public.

Don't suppose it's a coincidence that all these extensions are finally being signed now that Yogi has left the building?

Quite a turnaround for Iain. Without a club, turning out in the Highland League an option, training at DW Sports under the noses of ICT players, crisis at ICT, come back Iain all is forgiven. I think he had a nervy start but latterly has played some outstanding football. With Danny Williams away, his left foot is a key part of our team building. Well done to club and Iain.

I wish we did have 2 Ross Drapers.

He's a Celtic fan. Of course he's heard of us. Probably even has a copy of that Sun from 2000

I would like to see all those 3 signed up for different reasons. Devine has been an important player for us this season and regardless of the Raven issue, we absolutely need cover in defence. Devine is still young and could well mature into a very fine player. Mutombo is a bit of a maverick player. There is no doubt that he can be exciting to watch but sometimes he flatters to deceive. There is certainly potential there and if the new manager can harness his talents more effectively then he could turn out to be a great signing. I haven't seen much of Roberts but he clearly has a lot of quality and is capable of scoring goals out of the top drawer. I would like to see him given a chance. I'm not convinced he is really suited to the Hughes style of play but I do think he can fit in with well with a style which better suits the players we currently have signed. He could well be Yogi's stand out signing.

We always use to offer the players one year deals now we are offering two and three year deals. Was it the manager offering the one year deals?? i guess the board have done fon williams and vigurs ones

There are moments where Mutumbo looks like he should be playing at a much higher level, and others where he looks totally off the pace. Definitely a player in there. Would be interesting to see how he shapes up after a full pre season and run of games.

I hope not!

Ofw raven meekings warren tremarco draper tansey doran polworth vigurs fisher subs:esson horner ... we have a starting eleven now

Just a coincidence they're all signing after Yogi left...? Either way, good news!

An excellent post indeed by D D if you are looking to set out a case for the Board against Hughes. Sadly it is flawed, It reads as if T B was a very successful manager compared to J H which indeed he was not. Yes, he did leave us in 2nd position thanks to the players that had been found for him, and yes following the J H induction period there was a long succession of very poor results but that was because the team was learning a very different but much more effective style of play. We came through the bad period and our style of play flourished so much so that other Clubs tried to follow suit. We were playing great football until the unfortunate spate of injuries started and our squad was becoming more and more depleted as we lost some of our most successful players J H had to find replacements quickly, I'm sure the board responded in the best way they thought they could but the money allocation or the calibre of player for the money just was not there, more injuries came along and things became frantic for a manager who was doing his best to recapture a period of superb play and results. Our play became bitty and we slumped in style and performance. How frustrating that must have been for a manager trying to build back into a successful winning squad. He knew he could work wonders for the Club and he really wanted to prove that. ''If it ain't broke don't fix it'' is a relatively new saying and one which stifles innovation. Our new style when we had the players to operate it was the best we ever had and brought us to the highs we had aspired to achieve. I really believe he would have gone on to even greater heights should circumstances have been more conducive. Anyway he still has my gratitude for what he has done for ICT.

Possibly the most sensible post this forum has ever had

^ not see it a positive that a small club like ours is on the radar of a guy who was manager of one of the biggest clubs in England and Europe, clearly must be doing something right if he's heard of us. It's not always necessary to gave and inferiority complex.

There is no use in trying to sum up all the different posts that have been made on here since all aspects of his tenure here, including his unique personality, seem to have been covered. And it's up to each of us to separate the wheat from the chaff and decide for ourselves what is factual, rational and accurate. As much as anything, I suggest that his public statements, and actions (such as ignoring the fans at the cup final venue when even a casual wave would have been an obvious gesture of both recognition, delight and a SHARING of emotions) often made in a negative-sounding manner, increasingly led to the inevitable decision to terminate the connection by the Board. And not just by the Chairman. IMHO this was a decision made in unison by the whole board. Despite all his achievements he felt that he was entitled to greater recognition perhaps and therefore just had to speak up without due consideration to what the outcomes could be from such bold frankness. Yet he was the Coach/Manager, not the spokesman for the club! The Dundee United affair highlighted his deep frustrations and keen ambitions but whether they coincided with that club's needs, or just were representative of his feelings about his own greatness and capabilities, will always be open to debate. Constantly hammering away at management for more funds to be provided to allow him to implement his grander plans, when he appears to have been advised repeatedly that the limits within this club were finite and had already reached, was one of the stubborn attributes of his personality that did not allow him to contain his emotions and deal with it. Had he been able to present a more diplomatic and gracious outward attitude to the public and the press he would have continued to endear himself to both fans and club management alike, all without washing the dirty linen in public. If he felt that opining negatively in public, however obliquely, he was going to get the fans on his side or sway the Board's decisions on the financial issue then he was mistaken. This Board is not weak as has been previously suggested, but very practical and clear in their goals .... there must be a limit to expenditures in order to secure the future of the club as the first priority, unless some wealthy entrepreneurs come along with money to risk and burn. John really did not appear to be a deep thinking diplomat and relied on outspoken public remarks to attempt to get what he wanted. They may even have been accurate or correct but could hardly have either influenced the Board to meet his terms or disposed them to see him in an ongoing kindly light. He was a rough diamond with talent but IMHO he forgot his place........and humility may not have been one of his strong points. As some other poster put it -- a rift between the Chairman and the Manager as catastrophic as a probable "not speaking" relationship indicates a very serious problem which could not have been allowed to continue, and wasn't. Perhaps future contracts could also be re-written to make certain things more clear to future prospective managers. That is....if they didn't run a mile when they first reviewed it? Meaning, we may need to search for a younger person who has a lot to gain from coming on board on any terms that are clear and rational and make it quite clear to these prospects that the bosses are the bosses who, within reason, need to be accommodated to ensure the survival of the club as the first priority. And that prospects with a future and are ambitious understand that they have to prove themselves before being in a position to dictate anything to the Board of Directors .

D D already we are beginning to see eye to eye, the malt sounds good and so is your last quote re Foran. If things turn out well I may give you a glass...cheers

Definitely great news, and David's comments on the website about everyone pulling together are spot on.

Another thing about the Chairman is that he listens to the players and values what they say. If Foran gets the job we can be pretty certain that the appointment will have the full support of the players. IMHO the "togetherness" that would bring will more than compensate for Foran's lack of managerial experience.

Pleased to see Vigurs retained. He took some stick, particularly early in the season, when he was clearly playing when not match fit. He chipped in with a good few goals, and when we were struggling always seemed to be motivated. If Devine, Mutombo and Roberts do stay, we have kept a good nucleus of the squad together, and two or three new signings will probably do it, hopefully including a couple of strikers, although we have still to see what Fisher can do. i still think the new season will be tough, but at least things are looking more promising. Hopefully we find a Manager soon, and all the players get a good pre-season so we hit the ground running. Time will tell!

Yes. I think we can agree to disagree over Yogi and hopefully we will agree about the great job our new manager will do regardless of how young or old he (or she) may be. Whilst I have never been a fan of Yogi's style, you have been a very loyal supporter of him. Perhaps he will reward that support by dipping into his termination of contract settlement and buying you a decent bottle of Malt. It's no less than you deserve!

From doom and gloom a couple of weeks ago it is starting to look good for new season. Roll on kick off

You're certainly right that most of our squad gave pitched in with goals. I'm personally really undecided about mutombo He can be really exciting beating players then all of a sudden he puts the ball over the roof of the south stand. I would certainly give him a contract but it's almost as if he needs to slow down a little. Instead of beating 3 and wellying the ball into row r he needs to beat 1 and make a killer pass the potential Is there. Maybe he's an excitable person that needs calmed down a bit. He can be exciting to watch at times all the same which is what fans need for sure

Ive never been there so would be more than happy to have them in our draw.

any hints on who they might be We all know that you know if you know what I mean

It was announced that there were two pre-contracts being worked on, not that they had been completed....that's still the case.

Where are the goals coming from? That will be dependant on the style of play but I think there are plenty possibilities as most of the squad have made the net bulge at one time or another. Mutumbo gets a yes from me I like the enigma touch to him too.......very useful.

We've certainly got a manager for the future. If anyone saw the news at 6. Smashing young lad good on him. If his dad's a visitor on here must be proud http://stv.tv/news/highlands-islands/1355480-boy-seven-misses-out-on-inverness-caley-thistle-top-job/ and good on Kenny Cameron for visiting him

Yeah good point, guess it just takes one Mutumbo moment to get the decisive winner. Guess it's not knowing what you are going to get from him in a particular game. From what I saw in the last ten games of the season, thought he was more useless with the ball than useful. Granted though, will be interesting to see if he can sustain a higher level of fitness.

OFW Raven, Meekings, Warren, Tremarco Doran, Draper, Tansey, Vigurs Fisher, Sutherland We have a team!!!

I'm not going to slaughter you everyone is entitled to an opinion, but what does hiding under a car got to do with football ? Getting personal is not the way to go about making your feelings felt.

Hopefully Devine, Mutumbo and Roberts sign their extensions (if indeed they've been offered in the case of the later two) and it's not quite all doom and gloom and would give a good balance to the squad. Just need a couple of decent strikers in and you never know. However infuriating I found Vigurs performances to be at times, I'm glad he's signed a new contract and gives much needed stability on the left and in the middle, came onto a game at the back end of the season. Hopefully the next manager can get more consistency from him.

Maybe he's assuming Foran will be in the dugout....

And sadly, with some of the central belt media's help, some people will believe this about his reputation.

The fact of the matter is that it should never have been a matter of the manager against the board and most certainly never in public.It never has been in the past and should never be so again. Most managers are ambitious and, out our level, will regard the club as a stepping stone which is perfectly fair. The trouble with Yogi is that he took that far too far quite clearly putting his own interests ahead of the club's. Whoever the next manager is it is, in my view, essential that the sense of harmony and working together for the common good that has been a feature of the club for many many years is restored and as soon as possible.

It seems very fair from the outside looking in. However, sometimes you have to step back to go forward, and this may slightly underestimate what Hughes and Latapy achieved. We might never have reached last year's heights had these two not been appointed. We will never know. For a club of our size and with the injuries we have endured this year but possibly through poor dealings in the transfer market we were never going to reach the same peak. The irritation with Yogi is his apparent disloyal exit strategy at a club that has a history of being very loyal to its managers and I believe its players. Yogi probably burnt himself out and after taking real umbrage at not going for the Dundee United job, where he clearly would have had far more contact with his twins and wider family, he committed to ICT but could not then contain his frustrations. It also appears that Yogi parachuted in Brian Rice who had some serious issues in his last job. So Yogi is loyal but clearly something behind the scenes that we may not have seen, triggered this fracture.

I would have liked OFW and Brill to stay and have Esson remain as a coach but I don't think that would have appealed to any of them! OFW and Brill would both want first team games and Esson would potentially fancy his chances to have a run in goals if the opportunity arose. A tough decision to release either OFW or Brill who I think are very closely matched in terms of their ability. I'd be happy with whichever one stayed and sad with whichever one left.

It's early days re new signings and goals. Regarding extra fans through the gate. I could go on for hours, drtl. Celtic, Rangers,Aberdeen,Hearts, County they will swell the numbers. The quick answer. Free tickets for school kids etc, it instills loyalty but what data is being kept, what can be done to convert a youngster turning up with the class infrequently to being a regular visitor. What steps can be taken to get from A to B. Now would be a great time to promote the free season tickets for youngsters before the schools close. Would be good to get email and phone nos though. You can send out umteen flyers brochures etc but it's not until you speak to people you get to create a package, the customers are real people after all, do you pick up on the easy payments, the childrens club, the 10% discount in the club shop. An open adult family ticket where different parents can give the youngsters a day out at the stadium perhaps. A bit of spin. The real deal. Buy 6 get 13 free, yes season tickets are cheaper than an adult taking 3 children along 6 times a year. With an open adult ticket a different parent can take the kids along. Contact the club for details. Pick and mix. Parent/ Relation/ Grandparent season ticket = free under 12 season tickets. A 16-25 year old season ticket averages £10 per game and you can throw in some children for free too. Under 16s averages out at £5:50 per game, posters would be good for the 4,000+ pupils in secondary schools and a different approach for primary schools. Only a few weeks till schools break up.

Maybe a bit left field and risky, but with our reputation for finding gems. I see that striker connor gethin has left Nairn county Hasn't got a bad record of 173 goals in 178 games, Abet against highland league opposition, but still a pretty decent return and with some pre-season and guidance he may be the next billy? Plus as coming from lower leagues, probably wouldn't break the bank on wages

"You really are smarter than the average bear Kenny".

Can you put me down for either leet. I like Lorne sausage.

25 May Toby Agdestein, coming on as a sub, scored a late equaliser for Haugesund in a Norwegian Cup match at Bodo. Match finished 2-2, went to extra time and finished 3-3. Haugesund lost on penalties (Agdestein scoring one of these as well).

... you'll take a pay cut and pay Yogi's compo - ya beauty!

I'm really sorry to hear that Dean has gone. He was fantastic for us, and I'm sure he would have continued to be if not for his injury. I hoped that there would have been a way to keep both keepers. Good Luck Deano and thanks for the memories.

For me Yogi engineered his exit himself . He'll walk away with his reputation in tact while blaming the club for not backing him .

NPL Stats – 2015-2016 Total individual entries: 1771 Total correct HT: 361 Total correct FT: 137 Total correct 1st Scorer ICT: 252 Total correct 1st Scorer Opp: 237 Time of First Goal - 10 pts: 22 Time of First Goal - 5 pts: 251 Time of First Goal - 2 pts: 230 Highest individual points tally: 20 – Kingsmills, Andrew Fraser, crownjaggie, Scotty, Most correct HT: 15 – MrCaleyjag, Andrew Fraser Most correct FT: 7 – Caleyjag, Wanderer, Scotty. Most correct 1st Scorer ICT: 11 – Gringo, Renegade Most correct 1st Scorer Opp: 10 – crownjaggie, RedCard Time of First Goal - 10 pts: 3 – Andrew Fraser, SOS, mcdonnell761 Time of First Goal - 5 pts: 14 – caleydawson. Time of First Goal - 2 pts: 11 – Caley Mad in Berks The 100% club (entered all 47 games):- Caleyjag Gavroche Gringo ICTRoughi MrCaleyjag Mrs Gringo Wanderer But there's only one stat' that really matters.... NPL CHAMPION 2015/16 ANDREW FRASER