The Mantis

23 hours ago, IBM said:

It's back in service arriving in Uig from Lochmaddy.

Thought I recognised Lochmaddy in the photo

Ross Draper in action for Elgin at Bonnyrigg yesterday. Daniel Hoban in goals.

14 hours ago, IBM said:

You picked a bad time to go west Mantis, I hope you were on the Isle of Lewis and not having to cross the minch in the Hebridean Isles 

I think it was handling freight. We went on the Friday morning on the Loch Seaforth and back on the Isle of Lewis on Tuesday. The winter timetable started on the Monday and the Seaforth was away for her annual refit.

I noticed the site issues banner and not been too upset. But I hadn't noticed this thread before and a lot of it is over my head. Just wanted to add my tuppence worth:

1) An issue I had previously has recurred in the past week. It tells me to log in. As Scotty found before, I was never actually logged out, so I just ignore it.

2) I suspect I am no longer a site sponsor but can't recall any reminders. Would gladly renew. There was a previous issue that when I was a sponsor, my admin privileges disappeared.

3) Further to this, I'm getting ads between posts. There seems to be a suggestion above that this relates to not being a sponsor?

4) Occasional problems posting, as reported above. Page freezes and content is restored on refreshing the page. Sometimes takes several attempts. It actually happened while I was beginning this post. Safari on iMac and also on iPad.

Enjoyed the latest pod in the car yesterday. Tokes is brilliant. I’m sure I heard him talking about a game with rain and torrential wind but I could have misheard him

On 10/29/2022 at 10:31 AM, Caleyjag said:

Man alive Scotty that last sentence made me feel old! I had a season ticket for our last 3-4 years at Telford St and it doesn't feel that long ago. Tokely is a couple of years older than me at 43, will he still do a job in the Highland League, does anyone know?

I think big Rossco will be at risk of a coronary and he’s a lot fatter than me from recent photos
I remember playing in a one-off 5 a side game with a load of young teachers when I was that age. They were just running past you as if you weren’t there

On 10/29/2022 at 9:25 PM, IBM said:

What about the old sweetie rustlers who don't have a mobile phone  

I’ve had to cut down on sugar, so I’ve got an app that rustles instead.

1 hour ago, WYNESS101 said:

2nd goal: saved the pen then he looked to go into slow motion for Morton to tap in the rebound 

You have to look at the defenders too. The taker Gillespie is always going to be favourite for any rebounds, but Muirhead is in the box sharpish, holding off Delaney. Meanwhile Duffy doesn't really burst a gut to get there either.

Positives - may as well make several weeks’ defensive howlers in the one game, same as Partick the other week.

Negatives - unless Ram and Duffy, or some other pairing, develop an understanding quickly, we’ll be shipping four every week.

Agree with the statement above, Billy and Oakley doesn’t work. Oakley is better as an impact sub - give Billy an hour first.

Stornoway on Tuesday

26 minutes ago, IBM said:

I am looking forward as well to this game but we have to give 100% right from the start to the final whistle.  Although Mantis won't make it go for 7 out of 7.

Accies give me the shivers. The first time we got relegated we could have stayed up with games to spare if we beat them, but we drew. The second time they beat us 3-0 on a January night in 2017, we missed a pen and everybody knew we were down.

36 minutes ago, IBM said:

You have posted this one before Mantis, I remember the registration number 

IBM Transport - Page 26 - Olde Inverness - CaleyThistleOnline

Your task next week is to find another one in Lewis 

So I did. Auld age doesnae come itsel’. I’ll have a good look. Not much wrong with your memory anyway

Stornoway 1982

Isle of Mull at Stornoway

1 hour ago, IBM said:

You will need to make an effort and come up for the game on Tuesday and go for 7/7 

I’m heading up to Ullapool on Thurs night, maybe you could get the game moved…

Still, a clean sheet, some nice beers, 100% record this season for me, 6/6

That was a hard watch. 

1 hour ago, Robert said:

It’s not due to a strike this time.

There are no trains between Inverness and Elgin for a couple of weeks due to work at the new Dalcross Station.

I think there may be rail replacement coaches but not certain of that. 

Aye, I remember hearing that now you mention it

No. 3 or 3A bus to Cove Bay from city centre. If it says Mastrick on the front it’s the wrong bus. Get off at Altens roundabout. Trains from Edinburgh seem to be running ok but not the Sneckie ones?

Not exactly ferries but this is Wemyss Bay station which is the connection for the Calmac sailing to Rothesay.

A really significant win, with Samuels still to come back. No failures last night, a real team effort against the media darlings. Nice to see Allardice coming back to form and Cammy continues to grow in confidence, as does Delaney. Ridgers could have watched the game on the telly for all he had to do. Even as the clock ticked past the 70 minutes I felt the goal would come.

Dan still pulling off the tricks he's done several times this season and panicking dumplings like McMillan into rash fouls. I was yelling at him to skin Akinola and skin him he did. It was like the old days of us telling Stewartie to lob Hutchison. Roddy is a real gem and I rated him higher than Dan before he left for Hibs. Just needs to follow Dan's example and bulk up a bit. Duffy was decent considering his lack of experience and who he was marking. Deas may well depart in the next window but what a rock, although running around like an angry Rambo makes him (apparently) the most booked player in the league.

Still not sure about Boyd, we got stick from other fans for signing him. A tidy wee player but his decision making is poor. Likewise Shaw. never seen a more awkward looking footballer since Ally Scott appeared for Rangers back in the 70s. Still I suppose we've had other players who have proved everybody wrong.

But finally a word for the legend that is Billy. His 33 year old legs covered every blade of grass on the pitch and given one sniff he took it as you knew he would. Maybe he'll catch Denzil yet.
On to the Balmoral next Saturday then.

Train strikes, roadworks on the M8, what a nightmare. I gave Ayr a miss and watched my local team Bonnyrigg who lost 4-2 to Stenny featuring Nat Wedderburn. Looked a bit slimmer than I remember.

"Loch Dunvegan" and "Hebridean princess" at Kyle, May 1995

One from Dunoon for IBM, one of the streakers, Sept 1989.