snorbens_caleyman

And as an added bonus, here is the Corran, approaching Ardgour on Saturday 4th.

To help you cope with the boredom of the close season, here's some ferry porn. To escape from the Joobly madness, we headed for Scotland, and spent the long weekend based in Arisaig. First time I'd been there - weather, scenery, people, food, drink etc were all fantastic and I loved it. We went up to Mallaig on Friday 3rd June, and these four were all photographed there. We'll kick off with the Loch Fyne. Next, the Loch Nevis. Number three, the Lord of the Isles. And finally, the Loch Bhrusda.

Watching some of our woeful shooting, I often wondered if we were playing rugby.

Not necessarily. If enough people - or, in this case, clubs - want it, then things can be changed. Given that we have just had a lengthy period of no crowd restrictions AND live streaming, then it was the perfect opportunity to investigate whether crowds were adversely affected, or whether clubs actually made more money, very possibly through away fans who wouldn't have travelled anyway.

Very disappointing. I note that the announcement says "we are not allowed to show our home games". The implication being that it was not the club's decision, although there is no clue as to whether the club agrees or disagrees with the decision. Would be interesting to know what, if any, consultation with the clubs took place before any decisions were taken.

I would add a reliable goalscorer - a proper striker. So basically we need people everywhere except in goal

Even stranger, given that Caroline is the feminine form of Carolus, from which "Charles" is derived.

Mrs snorbens and I will mark the occasion as we have done before ... by getting out of the country! Unfortunately, this time we will only be getting out of Engerland, because all of the places we looked at abroad were booked up. It is also - presumably coincidentally - a holiday weekend in Ireland. Last Jubilee, the one where it rained all the time, we had a great weekend in Bruges. Even though it rained all the time there, too. So we are heading up to Sneck on Monday for a few days, principally to see my Mum. Then across to Arisaig, for four days over the holiday weekend. I have never been beyond Fort William, but my wife spent a summer, about 46 years ago , staying and working in the youth hostel in Morar (long since closed). She is expecting to find a few changes! Then it's off to Falkirk to see my sister-in-law, provided she has recovered from the covid that she has just now. And finally to York, to catch the last date of a twice-postponed tour by the guitarist's guitarist, Jeff Beck. He is just short of 78, so there can't be many more chances to see him. I stay in a cul-de-sac of 17 houses, and they are having a street party on the Saturday of the Joobly weekend. Normally we would be pleased to join in - most of them are a great bunch of people - but not with all the Royal flummery attached. We had booked our travels before the party was suggested.

It's not UEFA. Their rules allow national football associations to "request" (ie "enforce") blackout periods, but UEFA themselves don't mandate them. Last time we discussed this, there was only one European country outside of the UK which had a blackout period. Without checking, I think it may have been Montenegro. Somewhere like that, anyway. I had a quick look just now, and came across a recent article which said that the UK is the only place where a blackout is enforced. Not sure if that is accurate, or if the other country has dropped it. Some of the streaming sites have displayed the number of people logged in. Even in small games - not top of the table clashes - I think that numbers were comfortably above 200. If ICT had that, then that would be £3,000 coming in per game, which I would have thought would be enough to keep things going.

At the start of this season, when it wasn't clear if livestreaming would be available to anyone other than season ticket holders, I was perfectly prepared to buy a season ticket for a back corner of the North Stand, which I would never use. I shall be gutted if it goes. The last two seasons have had their ups and downs - and ultimately ended in failure, if promotion is the aim - but it's been a great journey.

I would be horrified if the club just walked away, and I can't imagine that it will. They did what they could to help Robbo last year, and indeed he mentioned that last night. Regardless of the contract situation, I would expect them to make their medical and physio resources available to Shane, to complement whatever he may receive from the NHS or privately. I would also expect the club's legal team to ensure that he receives any benefits that he may be entitled to. There must be an option of paying him a reduced wage - not a full first-team salary - for a few months, to keep the wolf from his door. Then, if he regains fitness, he can decide if he wants to play again and the club can decide whether to re-sign him as a player. Finally, I know absolutely nothing about football insurance. As an employer, the club must carry insurance against its employees being injured, but whether that extends to players in matches - which would surely drive the premium sky-high - I have no idea.

And we need a reliable goalscorer. But then again who doesn't? Despite our apparent inability to score whilst creating lots of pressure, we ended up with the second highest goals-for figure, one behind Arbroath. Third-best goals-against, significantly better than the seven below us. We basically need more strength in depth throughout the team!

Didn't someone say that the SPFL takes 50% of the gate money from these matches?

I hope that the club offers some sort of contract to Shane, or, at the very least, makes all its resources available to him for his rehabilitation. There's a moral obligation to do so.

Or possibly just one match in each round, at a neutral venue, not home and away. Ridiculous to expect a team to come through six extra games at the end of the season. Look at the injuries and suspensions that we picked up in them.

Mel Gibson is.... Billy Dodds. See Caley Thistle mooning St Johnstone before the battle....

Exactly how I feel, too. St J must be favourites, but hope springs eternal ...

I think our most important game ever was the Scottish Cup Final. Followed by the League Cup Final. Two national finals of competitions open to all league clubs (and more, of course, for the Scottish Cup). I, too, was thinking of the Celtic game. Not because of the financial aspect, of which I wasn't really aware, but because it really put the club, and Inverness, on the map. Even down in SE England. My mates knew that I supported some obscure team from beyond the Arctic Circle - all of a sudden they knew where Inverness was, and they followed the team's results after that. But tomorrow's match is obviously one of the most important ever - top ten, possibly top five.

As the Cup Final looms, I am sure that you will all join me in sending the thespians' traditional wish to the most theatrical of referees. Break a leg, Willie!

Agreed. I am sure that Dodds will be emphasising this to our players. I would also emphasise this in every broadcast or print interview before Monday, in the hope that it gets through to the St J players. "They are more used to losing than we are. They are fighting to keep their place, while we can only go upwards." And so on. Mind games didn't end with Ferguson and Wenger

Thanks. I see he did his left knee in May 2017. 6 to 9 months is the usual estimate, but I don't know when he actually came back after that. He's five years older now, though.

Has there been any news on the nature of Shane's knee injury? Haven't seen anything, and an online search gives me nothing - apart from several knee injuries that he has had in the past.

Whatever happened to that other guy who reckoned he was a seer? I actually said at half-time that Dodds should take off Doran and Hardy and put on Samuels and Chalmers, on either side of McKay. Play them from the start on Monday, score an early goal, and then we'll see if St Johnstone have any spirit in them.

Strachan? Sorry, doesn't ring any bells with me. I'd have Chalmers and/or Samuels on the field before Hardy, but maybe Dodds is thinking that it's two legs. As long as he doesn't wait too long to change things if they are going badly. Best of luck, lads!

It's still there, at the link above. You may have to clear cookies from NOW TV and Sky TV to see it, though. Because I had registered earlier, they weren't showing it to me just now until I cleared the appropriate cookies. Hope you get through the covid OK!