The Mantis

C(o)unty in 'finishing derby with 11 men' shocker.....

Motson's just an anorak. He's got loads of knowledge but about as much personality as a packet of Weetabix. Oh, no need for 'us lot' - I'm sure you could manage to lose quite impressively on your own - meanwhile sending the whole North Stand to sleep

In 2001 Dolphin's Manashee was after a certain ICT fan's blood for posting this - some of the names such as Brian (Irvine), Bellshaw, Hooty and greenfinger have long since passed into history. Back then there was no problem with the G word. Ah, innocent times. Dolphin the G***y (or was he a Tink- he could never remember) woke up with a splitting headache. He was lying with his head facing into his wheely-bin, always a bad sign. His legs were sticking out, and they felt soaking wet. The wind from the Cromarty Firth was bitterly cold on his bare feet. Obviously the tarpaulin had blown off during the night. Usually, he liked to lie with his feet in, and the tarp over his head. That way he could see the stars on a clear night, if he looked to the north sky. Southwards was a pale orange glow, from the lights of Inverness, where Caley played. Dolphin secretly wished he could watch Caley every week, especially when he saw the stadium as he crossed the bridge on his way to sign on. He had wished this for years, ever since his dad took him to Telford Street on their old horse, Bellshaw, to see County play, but they had lost 5-2 that night, and young Dolphin had marvelled at the skills of Wilson Robertson. He had mentioned this on the way home, but his dad had started to beat him and stamp on his bare feet with his tackety boots. Dolphin wished he had boots. One day his dad would get a right kicking, and it wouldn?t be from those Ferry guys like last time, for trying to sell clothes pegs down there. So, his head was facing in. Apart from the splitting headache, and the godawful smell, it meant he had been in a state last night. He remembered the Buckie, and the White Diamond, but uneasily he remembered also the pink stuff in the milk bottle which Hooty had passed round, or was it Gudgie? Yes, Gudgie, that was it! He said his science teacher had given it to him, no doubt hoping it would kill the little barsteward. Never mind, Dolphin would kill him later anyway. Yesterday had started quite well. He was going over to the game with his old nag Brian. Brian was ready for the knacker?s yard, and was so old that Dolphin couldn?t remember where he got the name from. The other guys, Hooty, Jailender, greenfinger and Gudgie, were going over to Inverness in the morning, to spend the day shoplifting before going on to punt some of the gear at the match, so Dolphin helped them push the Transit to get it started. It was such a poor starter that they usually pushed it all the way up to Hector?s monument first, then bump-started it on the way down,but today it started second time. Of course they would have to leave the van on the North side of the bridge and walk in- Inverness had some traffic wardens who wouldn?t be fooled by the beer-bottle label where the tax disc should be. The Dingwall polis never noticed this kind of thing- they were too busy trying to find which end of the van would take the hay from their hands, and which end gave you the manure for the roses. Dolphin himself had spent an hour or two rummaging around the shore before saddling up Brian and getting over to the Caley Stadium. Caley, bless them, had still to raise the wall at the away end, so he could hop over for free by standing on Brian?s back. He saw no sign of the others at the game, but heard later that they were caught shoplifting in Inverness but freed after the game as the cells were starting to smell. Caley had won 3-0, though it really could have been about 8. County were so bad they had brought on Boner in the second half, but Caley just brought on Christie and Boner nearly went back off again in a temper. So they had all gathered for a right good bevvy, round the bonfire, by the shore, to drown their sorrows, though Dolphin couldn?t help feeling a warm glow as he recalled how Caley had wiped the floor with County. Caley really were the BIGGEST CLUB IN THE NORTH!

But not Tyldesley.....

Brother of a guy at work plays for Hawick. Says he hasn't spoken to him yet.....

Bit like the highlights from the Alba Cup game though. Can they not show something a bit less biased? Yes, before anybody mentions it, I know we were crap.....

Back on topic - I see that no less than today's Herald refers to 'Partick' in their headline and again in Matthew Lindsay's report. Maybe the OP should start a bit nearer home in his efforts to convert people :(

You have to favour the cock-up theory over the conspiracy theory every time. It's an ego trip getting on the board of a football club. Doesn't matter how incompetent somebody is, they're never going to step down for the benefit of the club.

Feck me, forgot that.

I said earlier Hayes was my MoM. The reason I never picked Ross was like DooDad says - it took the others 25 mins to bring him into the game, then he went off early. I never really rated him at the Brechin game pre-season but now I'd have to say he's a massive prospect. I'd like to see Duff get Bulvitis' place next week. I'd keep Duncan in. I think he needs a couple of games to get match fit, plus he'll be hurting after that display. Plus Duncan never hides. Stratford got about 6 games even though it was obvious he was dross. Also that's twice I've seen Buchanan this season and he's now scored 3 goals plus a penalty against us. They say 10CC turned him down in favour of Patti, is that right? A large part of Foran's game is trying to show how much he's doing as opposed to all the others. It certainly fooled the sponsors yesterday. Mind you, 20 goals is realistic, given that he's now got 2. Big deal though. Why didn't he say 30 if he's our main striker?

Whoo-hoo! From the murky, oxygen-starved depths of the Maryhill basin, the pompous thespian rises magnificently to the bait :lol:

I thought Duncan was poor but singling him out is harsh. Why are people blaming him for the second when the whole back four was halfway up the park and Russell was the only one trying to catch Buchanan. Same with the third - the back four was posted missing and after Archibald tapped it in it was Duncan picking it out the net as again he was the only man on the scene. I would have given MOM to Johnny Hayes not Foran.

Feck me, what a sad git. Must be between acting jobs. I never call them anythng as polite as that anyway.

What's the point of these things, do PTFC fans really want to think there was only one team on the park?

Oor local library has a section B. Probably a bit like the library in Craigneuk which is shut noo, never mind you can get back online at 10am <_<

As was said above, turkeys won't vote for xmas. Maybe the most likely change is SPL 2. I've lived through an 18 team league and I'd love it to come back, or at least 16, but I can't see the middle sized clubs ever agreeing to give up their 4 games v the OF. Shame as the game is slowly dying in this country. Can't compare it with England either. Population is too sparse - clubs can bankrupt themselves with travelling to play in front of a few hundred. Just look at the early rounds of the Scottish to see that. The first time I went to a baseball match over the pond I saw what would happen here 10 years later. A top layer of mega clubs in the Champions league, getting richer and richer on the TV money and selling the jerseys worldwide, then just below, all the others, skint.

I was going to mention that too. ICT is pretty unique in that respect. The young lads who now attend away games and give the team good support, have grown up with the club - they are far better than the handful of oldies like me who attended in div 3 and 2 for five seasons while our peers were still arguing about whether ICT were as good as Caley (or Thistle). I know everybody says Sneck is full of OF gloryhunters, but you should see places like Airdrie, Larkhall, Bellshill and so on. Maybe Inverness is one place where a good few people will decide that supporting the OF is not worth the travelling if they can see a half decent side here. On the down side, Sneckie seems like too prosperous a place TBH. In some of the places mentioned above, they have huge housing schemes where the football seems to be the only bright spot in the week for a lot of people. I'm sure that's patronising and so on, but so be it.

Nah the top is from the ICT Retro collection, it's a sort of polo shirt, had it about 2-3 years. Can't believe how many people have commented on it. Caley100 is jealous as feck but you could buy them in the club shop.

He was a biiiig guy and not really a dick. Who you mean Chris?

Feck me, never saw you there amongst our 'compact' wee group....

Fair do's Oz about post 51 - it was just an afterthought anyway. But I stand by the rest of it. You're a bit paranoid!

Have to agree with the other two posters - Morton were a big physical team and just resisted everything but Dani's goal just knocked the stuffing out of them when they thought they had made it to half time. We didn't look too convincing at times, but I said before - we're not going down, so I'm gonna enjoy the season and hope we can show improvement and challenge for the title.

Oz (or maybe it should be Oztrich). The thread had a decent chance up till post 9. Now away and read what you've written. In your haste to show how prejudiced we all are, you've brought out a whole raft of prejudices of your own and managed to patronise those that contributed at the same time. You can't wait for somebody like Joe to come along (even assuming he's serious) so you can tar us all with the same brush (post 51). And they say Scots have a chip. Sheesh....

Feck me, talk about a self-fulfilling prophecy. You started it and now it's come true.

I just might be on the same train Mary.