The Mantis

Good at what?

Donjo, ICT and RCFC arguing about away supports is like two bald men fighting over a comb. Our supports are about the same, usually one busload and some central belters. I've actually been at one or two C(o)unty games (not this season) and I say claims of 350 are rubbish, but if it's true then fair enough. As Luke says it was probably the Falkirk game, and we had some cracking supports ourselves in div 1. One thing I remember, (OK it's 10 years ago) when we played Hearts in the cup in 2002 they actually got County the round before us and I went along with Naelifts as our game was off. They beat County quite easily though it was only 2-1, and County had about 1500 sweetie rustlers who sat on their hands all day. When they drew ICT in the next round they probably thought it would be another walkover. Unfortunately for them, we took 2500 and lifted the roof off the place in the rain. On the park ICT blew the Jambos away 3-1. That's the difference. County are having a bit of glory this season but ICT have always been winners.

Everybody's is dropping though. Scottish football is fecked. The one thing I thought was encouraging about ICT was, we are far enough away from the OF unlike say the Midden. So maybe we'd get a few more through the gates that way. Also we're a young club and around 2004 we got the first wave of fans, who were too young to remember the merger, coming along with their dads. When we went up in 2004 we gained a couple of thousand new fans. Even when we got relegated we held on at around 3000 fans in div 1which was encouraging. However, like I say fitba in this country is fecked, I've been going since 1966 and the standard even in the past 5 years has dropped. The days of small nations achieving anything at football are over. Sometimes I wish we could uninvent satellite tv.

I'm struggling a bit with the maths here. How is 6000 bigger than 7512? And you believed him? Saw their support at St Mirren on TV last week and that was a big cup tie for them. Didn't look much more than we have at a normal league game down there. Another case where you have to remember they count the eyes. No we don't. Maybe the odd midweek game we do, or meaningless fixtures at Killie. They can't expect large away supports at Viccy Park either. Look at some of the pathetic away supports that visit us.

Ironic that in the Sneck, the phrase 'up the Hill' often meant the very opposite........ Only jokeen guys :lol:

I used to nip down to a few English games at the likes of Carlisle, Sunderland, Gateshead, Newcastle, and I got the impression that searching fans, at least away fans, was standard. They often asked you as you approached the ground whether you were a home or away fan, and seemed to struggle with the concept of 'neutral'. At Gateshead 3 of us got no choice but to sit with the away fans - we were turned away from the home turnstiles. Because the away side were high-flying Halifax whose fans had been enjoying a few sherbets on the way, we were aggressively stewarded to a level that made the jobsworths at Tannadice look like amateurs.....

Mantis... put me right on this. Neil happens to be a former pupil of mine, but was Rasper his dad? Pretty sure he is, but not 100%. To my shame I never recognised Rasper the day I took that photo but he was with Roddie Davidson. Neil was playing that day though, so stands to reason.

Rasper was in the same class as Mrs Mantis at the Nicolson in Stornoway (there's a photo of him on my site http://www.caledonianfc.co.uk/players.htm away at the bottom). Neil got a run in the team in div 1 around 2001.

St Mirren's stadium is the worst in the SPL. It may be new and it was bought for them but it's still a dump and it's situated in a dump. Viccy Park will be worse not better if they convert it to seats. Then listen to the cabbagemen having the same moan as we are having now.

Brilliant. Aye feckin right mun, you've made a rod fer yer own back now.

Good idea, and next time we play the green half of the OF at TCS, we get to play with 12 men from the 37th minute

We had years of MacGregor pumping money in and playing a propaganda war to try and make C(o)unty look like a bigger club than ICT. They punch well above their weight but if you ask the real crowd obsessives on P&B like P(a)r(t)ick and Dundee and St Midden they're all very suspicious about how the crowds at Viccy Park are publicised. I love having our neighbours doing just slightly less well than us. But it's a very delicate power balance - if they get up and stay up while we struggle like 2009 it'll be black days indeed for us.

I'm sure they show everything twice but if you're stuck I'll stick it on a disc for you.

Well done that man........ take it from me, your inability to switch off during school holidays guarantees you a breakdown sometime around 2030

Yeah can Hibs sign all these Jets for Wed please.

Well, xmas eve and that's actually the first time I've seen ICT win this season. When we went 2 up it was a good time to get on to the bookies and see if we got a good price to win the game :laugh: However after the Dons got their very cheap goal, the predicted onslaught never happened. They never put us under any pressure at all. Poor game but I'll take the points - we can only be stronger on Wed. Looking forward to it. Happy birthday big man (you know who you are). Hope you enjoyed the Chivas Regal.

Yeah, remember that night when Weir pulled back Proctor and we only got a shy

:clapping: I've been trying (and failing) to put it in a nutshell like that for about 20 years.......

Have a greenie Mr Dee

Disappointing today. Hearts were there for the taking. Excellent first half, dominated possession, faded badly second half. Still in touch at the bottom though. Did anybody else notice the 3 bookings were all goalscorers?

A bit like the Day of the Jackal then. The sniper from Pittodrie 2004 is given a large cash payment to come out of retirement to do another job 7 years later.

:laugh: :laugh: Actually is that no the way the driver would come anyway?

Yeah, wot's wrong with the Diggers?

Simple explanation - he's ICT through and through (almost) but when ICT are playing your 'big' team, something has to give.......

That's Pele's ICT you're thinking about......