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Willie Wonka and the Goalden Tickets

Raith Rovers are the visitors this weekend for Matchday 5 in the Championship, and it will be the first game at the Caledonian Stadium to allow fans in during the covid pandemic, albeit restricted to around 300 tier one season ticket holders. It's a step in the right direction for football and hopefully it will be a successful occasion on and off the park. The game kicks-off at 3:00pm on Saturday November 21st, a date for the diary. It might be a bit like Willie Wonka, but from little acorns and all that stuff...

Inverness won the game but all credit to East Fife for making this a tough tie. It took a penalty save by Cammy Mackay in stoppage time to keep us ahead after Shane Sutherland had opened the scoring in the second half. We had Mackay to thank for a wonderful save in the first half as well and he was my MotM.

It's the final Betfred League Cup game for Inverness this season with the team Fay Fife the visitors to the Caledonian Stadium on Saturday for a 3:00pm kick-off. No no no, not the Rezillos, but the football side from Bayview. Nothing at stake for either side with Hearts heading the group. 

Rovers drew 3-3 with Inverness and won the penalty shoot-out to take the bonus point. Manny Duku scored twice for Raith and Danny Devine put into his own net. Shane Sutherland, a James Keatings (penalty) and Roddy MacGregor got the Inverness goals in what was a good work out for both sides.

Back to league cup duty tonight and it's a tough task ahead as we face Raith Rovers at Starks Park, Kirkaldy, the game has a 7:45pm kick-off. Usual covid restrictions with fans unable to attend although the action can be seen on Raith TV. The other Group A game features East Fife at home to Hearts, and that's the top of the table clash. Who knew?

After a minutes silence for former Hearts player Marius Zaliukas and all the fallen heroes, Hearts kicked-off just after 3:00pm.

There was no scoring at the interval with few clear chances either way, although Boyce might have done better early on. Kai Kennedy looked most likely to unlock the home defence; Peter Haring booked after being nutmegged by the winger. Steven Naismith opened the scoring just after the interval and Nemesis Boyce added a second with twenty minutes left. Aaron Doran scored a late goal for the visitors with a superb header five minutes from time. Inverness pushed hard for a leveller but Hearts held on for the three points.

Most difficult fixture on the calendar coming up this weekend as we head to Gorgie to take on overwhelming Championship favourites Hearts. Another covid restricted game which kicks off at 15:00 on Saturday afternoon with Hearts one game behind leaders Dunfermline and Raith Rovers, having been at Hampden last weekend knocking Capital rivals Hibs out of the Scottish Cup. Hearts will be streaming the game live and I'm sure it will be superior quality to the "linesmans head" guff that we have been subject to at the Caledonian Stadium. However, many fans will draw the line at the price of the Tynecastle stream. £18.50 is taking the pi55. Have a word with yourself Hearts.

Smokies Smoked

 The visitors opened the scoring midway through the first half while Pixellot were looking elsewhere. Apparently Kris Doolan scored somehow. In the middle of a hurricane, Daniel Mackay levelled matters with a header early in the second half. Scott Allardice scored a thumping goal from near thirty yards out to put the hosts ahead. Nikolay Todorov secured the points with ten minutes left for our first win of the season. Well done to both teams for weathering the storm.....

The Campbell's are coming

 Arbroath will be heading North on Saturday for matchday 3 of the shortened Championship season. It's a 3:00pm kick-off and another closed doors game due to covid19 restrictions. Let's hope the sun is not shining on the assistant referees napper this week. I'm certain some punters gave the linesman points in the Player of the Year poll, such was his stage presence last Saturday.

Better late than never, the live stream burst onto the laptop 15 minutes before kick-off and it was game-on. Inverness had the first chance when Todorov headed off the underside of the bar, the ball adjudged not to have crossed the line.

It's matchday two this weekend in the Ladbrokes Championship and the visitors to the Caledonian Stadium are Ayr United who have two former Caley Jags players in their ranks. Tom Walsh and Joe Chalmers joined the Honest Men in the summer and could be in the squad this weekend for the game that kicks off at 3:00pm.

TV sets were barely switched on when Nokolay Todorov opened the scoring in the second minute. He would leave the field injured to be replaced by James Vincent after nineteen minutes. Inverness held that lead until the twenty-third minute when captain Euan Murray headed his fourth goal of the season to level matters. That's how it stood at the break as both sides searched for a second goal. Ryan Dow put the Pars in front with twelve minutes left in a rather turgid second half. Declan McManus scored a superb third to seal the points turning on the angle of the box and firing high into the net. Deserved 3 points for the Pars as they get off to a flyer.

Let there be football

 

It's the start of the covid restricted Championship campaign 20/21 and Inverness travel to Fife to take on Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park. The game is a closed doors event and kicks-off at 3:00pm on Saturday 17th October with live streaming available from Dunfermline or the usual social media outlets via twitter, BBC Sport etc to fill the void of following your team at the stadiums. The steak bridies will be a big miss from East End park as will the pre-match entertainment on Halbeath Road and the general enjoyment of slagging your team off on a Saturday afternoon. It's what 3:00pm's were made for.

Bonus point struggle. Inverness took the bonus point after a penalty shoot out, the game ending scoreless. Cammy Mackay saving twice as Todorov, Deas, Welsh and Allardice fired home from the spot.

Cowdenbeath are the visitors to the Caledonian Stadium on Tuesday 13th October as we play our second League Cup game which will also be a closed doors encounter. Don't forget, this game is an early kick-off at 6:30pm. Both sides sit at the bottom of of their group table with zero points. Hearts are at home to Raith Rovers later tonight with a 7:45pm kick-off.

Betfred Action at Tynecastle

 

An empty Tynecastle greeted the teams for the first competitive game for nearly seven months, the fans deprived of live action due to the covid19 restrictions. Both sides were much changed from last March with Inverness requiring a whole new back four amongst other departures. New signing Kai Kennedy was on u19 international duty but should be available for the Cowdebeath tie next week. Defender Wallace Duffy comes straight into the squad along with the returning Daniel Mackay and Shane Sutherland and newbies Robbie Deas and Scott Allardice. Danny Devine, Lewis Toshney, Kevin McHattie, David Carson, James Vincent and Aaron Doran never travelled down with injury concerns hanging over them all.

Keeper Craig Gordon has returned to Tynecastle. Former Caley Jag forward Jordan Roberts, Elliott Frear, Mihai Popescu and Josh Ginnelly are all new at Tynecastle and left back Stephen Kingsley is a late signing. Christophe Berra and John Souttar are out long term and Michael Smith and former Ross County striker Liam Boyce

 

It will be a step into the unknown as the Caley Jags head to an empty Tynecastle Park to face relegated Heart of Midlothian in the group stages of the League Cup. Many teams will see this competition as another step in the pre-season when the covid disrupted campaign gets underway for teams outwith the Premiership. For teams below the Premiership, it's been almost seven months since their last competitive game. Our last one was a 3-1 win over Queen of the South on Tuesday night 10th of March. The world has changed a lot since then as Covid19 has taken over and as someone once said; "there's life Jim but not as we know it"2.

No goals for six months then nine TEN in the opening pre-season fixture......

ELGIN CITY 3-7 ICT FC (Keating 3, 54pen. Todorov 22, Storey 75, 83. MacGregor 77, 85)


 

 

We are delighted to help publicise a new book by @ICTFC club historian Ian Broadfoot. "Milestones and Memories" provides a wonderful nostalgic trip down memory lane and is sure to bring back many happy memories. Anyone who knows Ian will know how meticulous his fact and record keeping is which makes this a must-have for any ICT fan. In fact, buy 2. One to read, one to keep for posterity!!

#ICTFC #CTO

ICTFC launch new kit & sponsor

Club CEO Scot Gardiner said “I am delighted to conclude this prestigious partnership for the club and having worked closely with the team at PUMA in previous years, I know very well the reputation of this worldwide sportswear brand and the quality of their product.”

“We have looked at the first 25 years of ICTFC kit and we believed that it was time to try and recapture an identity for our home kit in particular. The many people we discussed previous years designs with all seemed to be thinking along the same lines and I hope the fans are in agreement.”

Caley Thistle released a statement today with squad news for the end of season. Some good news, but also some hard decisions taken.

#ICTFC #CTO https://bit.ly/2MoK9Kc

People often refer to an extraordinary, yet fleeting occurrence as a JFK moment. When Inverness CT went in a bowl in Switzerland for the Europa League draw in June 2015, it was hardly a life changing event, but I will never forget where I was when the news filtered through

#TogetherNess - The Caley Jags say Thank You to the NHS and Key Workers

The club released the following statement this morning regarding the current status of the club and their thoughts on the recent voting controversy.

Statement from ICTFC: THE JOINT RESPONSE GROUP CAN CONFIRM THE DECISION OF THE SCOTTISH FA BOARD TO SUSPEND ALL DOMESTIC PROFESSIONAL AND GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE SCOTTISH FA UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.