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Down Down Deeper and Down After the lethargic jaded performance on Tuesday night comes the visit of second place Raith Rovers, the first of a double header against the Kirkaldy side who we play again next Tuesday night at Starks Park. First up we are at the Caledonian Stadium where points are at a premium for both clubs but for different reasons. This game can be seen on BBC Scotland on Friday night with a 7:45 kick-off. This season has been a disaster on and off the park. The pandemic apart, we are at an all time low being beaten regularly by clubs that have struggled to get points off us over the years through all the divisions. Now we can't beat Alloa home or away, Queen of the South, Morton, Arbroath are all jumping on the bandwagon as we struggle to perform and points are being given away like nobodies business. What's going on? Managerless, aimless, leaderless, goalless, headless, gutless, useless, hapless and hopeless are all being used to describe our demise. At this moment in time I don't fancy our chances in a play-off situation with any club, or Buckie Thistle in the Scottish Cup for that matter. It's time to smell the coffee and get our heads out of our ar5e5 before it's too late. Should the unthinkable happen and we get consumed by relegation then that could trigger the death knoll of our club. Part time football beckons, and with that comes anonymity and even less income. It's a slippery slope that's so easy to slide down but one that's very difficult to climb back up. What can be done to halt the slide? Well, picking up three points would be very welcome but that's not so easy given our fixture schedule and small squad. Another factor in all this has been the stop start season and poor playing conditions. I know I know, it's the same for both sides I hear you say, but conditions like the Morton game levelled out the skill factor in favour of the technically poorer squad whilst ensuring we were brought down to a lower level. Yep, it's clutching at straws, but it's all we have at the moment. We need a leader on the park and direction from the dugout. That's not happening at the moment. Injuries have crippled our season and even Pixie Lott makes us look sh!te. Unfortunately, the league table does not lie and prior to the Raith game we sit second bottom of the table having all but caught up on our games in hand. Pld W D L F A +/- Pts 1. Hearts 19 13 3 3 46 21 25 42 2. Raith Rovers 17 8 4 5 32 24 8 28 3. Dunfermline 17 7 6 4 26 19 7 27 4. Queen of the South 19 8 3 8 30 37 -7 27 5. Dundee 17 6 6 5 31 32 -1 24 6. Morton 19 5 7 7 17 24 -7 22 7. Ayr United 18 5 6 7 22 21 1 21 8. Arbroath 19 5 6 8 17 24 -7 21 9. Inverness CT 18 4 8 6 25 23 2 20 10. Alloa Athletic 19 3 5 11 21 42 -21 14 Saturday games in the Championship, all 3:00pm kick-off. Dundee v Arbroath Dunfermline v Morton Hearts v Ayr United Queens v Alloa Athletic Our record over the years against Raith Rovers is one of total dominance. It's almost 21 years since Raith Rovers last won, a 2-1 win in the Highlands when first half goals by Jay Stein and Ivan Mballa were enough to see off a depleted Caley Jags who replied through Paul Sheerin ten minutes before the end. Since then we have been totally dominant winning eighteen games and drawing just three. Unfortunately our recent demise could result in another team changing the balance of power. Last 10 Competitive Meetings with Rovers going back to Saturday, April 24th, 2004 2 - 0 (H) 3 - 3 (A) 4 - 1 (H) 2 - 1 (H) 1 - 0 (H) 4 - 3 (H) 4 - 0 (A) 1 - 0 (H) 1 - 0 (A) 1 - 0 (A) We played Rovers in a League Cup game at the start of the season and that ended in an entertaining 3-3 draw with Rovers getting the penalty shoot-out bonus point. The second encounter was the first game with fans allowed in. A covid restricted crowd saw Inverness tame the high scoring Rovers and emerge from the game with a deserved 2-0 win with goals from James Keatings and Scott Allardice. We sat 5th in the table after that game, only three points behind Raith in second place. After trouncing Queen of the South the following week at Palmerston we were level with Raith on ten points. There was little evidence of the slump that was about to follow once the postponements set in. We even managed to draw with Dundee, surrendering a lead to a late goal. Then came Alloa. They hold the Indian sign over us recently and if that is our benchmark, then the rot set in after another failure to beat the Wasps. Only one win in ten games since the defeat to Alloa, and that was something of a surprise result at Ayr. That is simply not the form of a team looking for promotion, but it certainly smacks of relegation. A couple of the players have been speaking in the local press, Allardice and Duffy have used the word embarrassing and I can't disagree with that. They are implying that it's all down to the players to dig their way out of this hole. I can't disagree with that. Allardice added we should forget all talk about promotion, can't disagree with that either, he is spot on. I suppose it's good to know that the players realise we have a problem. Let's see if we get a reaction to our dismal performance against Morton where the most disappointing aspect was our inability to create enough chances coupled with some bog standard Caley Jags shoddy defending. Time to change the record guys. Brad Mckay is another who has stuck his oar in as he said "if anyone thinks Inverness Caledonian Thistle doesn’t care about bouncing back from their poor form and fighting against relegation, they’re wrong." Well, the fans are waiting guys, show us you care and let's get a result please, preferably a positive one! Championship Managerial Merry go Round: I see that Morton and Ayr United have made their moves to escape relegation. Morton have dumped Antone McElhone from the gaffers seat since they beat us and in comes the experienced Gus McPherson. Ayr United have signed on former Livingston and Morton manager David Hopkin. Meanwhile, we have under fire Neil McCann still helping out. Arbroath's manager Dick Campbell has been awarded Manager of the Month after a series of great results in February. Three wins and two draws tipped the scales in Dick's favour. Makes our 1-1 draw at Gayfield feel like a result! ***Latest Team News*** Neil McCann will have to decide whether he plays James Keatings or leaves him out against his future employers. Aaron Doran managed some game time against Morton but it was under difficult conditions. Kevin McHattie made the bench with Lewis Toshney on it for the previous game, so hopefully these defenders will be ready for selection soon as we need a steady hand at the back to compliment the brashness of youth. Up front we missed the pace of Miles Storey against Morton. Raith Rovers have been steadily building their squad and have a few to look out for. We are well aware of the trickery of Kai Kennedy, something we sadly lack since he left us. He will be joined next season by James Keatings who has signed a pre-contract at Stark's Park. Hell mend him! Manny Duku was well policed last time at Inverness but he is a goal threat. Raith will be without the services of defender Fernandy Mendy for three weeks as 'Nando' has been called up to play in the African Nations Cup for Guinea Bissau, which means he misses tonight's game at Inverness. More Pre-Match info/video will be added when available... View full article

This guy.

Charlie wasn't offered the job and if he was he would have stepped in to help. Rumours of Charlie not wanting to help out are totally false.

That's 'ard. No Street View was used in the making of this post.

I appreciate a few on here had issues with Liam Polworth, for reason's I can't quite fathom, and that he obviously secured a better package going to Motherwell, but I do rather think we miss him. But I've seen MacGregor, Allardice and Carson do good stuff from midfield, and of course Doran, no reason to think creativity is beyond them

From BBC today Ross County manager John Hughes says Inverness Caledonian Thistle tried to re-sign striker Billy Mckay in January. (Press and Journal - subscription required) Would it have made a difference - perhaps; but last time BM came back he wasnt as prolific as his first stint, so while it may be seen by some as a coup through rose tinted specs I'm not sure being older ad having a team with less creative talent we would have got much more than a frustrated figure cast alone up front begging for decent service. Least it shows for those moaning the club have actually try - but we will assume the fund that would have taken are now going to paying McCann.

This thread must be like having Kevin Wendell Crumb on your therapy couch

Im on a different wavelength here sorry. Not handing over one penny till I know exactly what Im buying which preferably would be in person. No way am I paying anymore for substandard (esp compared to others) streaming. I cannot listen to Andy Bannerman one more second!

This quote from the Duffy article is very worrying and must be angering the coaches. "He made it clear at half time that we were just doing our own thing" Thats the second time this season that this has been mentioned, there was something similar said by John Robertson, I think it was after QOS 1-0 defeat. What's the point of managers/coaches giving instructions to the team if they just don't listen, does that suggest that they, as have been accuse of a few times in recent weeks, really don't care about the club or Robertson/Kellacher because if so, then we really will see a mass clear out in the summer, of that I have ni doubt.

I was at sea all my days not alot of time at home, season ticket holder who only got to half the games, even missed 2 Cup Finals, the latter greatest day of all time. I will still support this club, accept rough with the smooth and trust things will get better. Now that I am retired last 4 years only this Covid has stopped my drive up and down the A96. So yes, I will renew my seat because I support this club and always will.

We cannot continually complain about our financial situation when for the last 25 years the best income we generated was £500k for Ryan Christie .Other than that I'm struggling, to name any others. That is no way a good return on the top players that have left us over the years. Appreciate good contracts cost money ,but longer term they may have reaped the rewards in a decent transfer fee coming back into the club.