buckett

As a result of pretty poor performances in the last 2 home games I decided to give the 3-hour drive to Inverness a miss this time around. I'm sure I wasn't the only one, and no doubt some will avoid the next home game on the strength of what they witnessed today. This is why it is so important for a struggling team like ours to really up their game in front of the home crowd. The income generated from a healthy gate is our bread-and-butter, and consistent entertaining football and some home wins will surely boost attendances in subsequent matches. Kells has got his work cut out!

Was planning a trip to Inverness for this one - so glad I listened to the voice in the back of my head telling me NO!

Loving the new-found positivity here. Maybe we should go into administration more often! Seriously though, although I won't be able to attend this one, my thoughts are with the team and hoping for 3 points this afternoon watched by a decent crowd!

Went along to Saturday's game fully aware there might be a negative reaction after Tuesday's 4-star performance and boy, was I right! We were just so slow and many an advantage lost by pratting around with the ball where a strong run up the park may have been more effective. At our current level I can't help thinking a Mark Ridgers style hoof up the park might offer better scoring opportunities than tippy-tappy. Well we are where we are and the team have done a great job getting us to a position where we will probably survive in Div.1, but just can't help thinking that, as a full-time team among mainly part-timers, we should be pretty much setting the pace!

Well maybe not! Annan stole a lucky deflected goal early on and we've been pretty much camped in their half seeking an equaliser. Their keeper has made some great saves and so far their defence holding firm. Not too worried at this stage - hopefully we can turn the pressure into goals in the second half. Maybe not 8 though!

Going to script so far . . . !

Today's prediction: another 8-1 humping. You heard it here first!

Not very entertaining but at least we didn't lose. Could have gone either way!

A bit like Ross County's first team!

At least our team is mostly Scottish, which gives them a degree of relevance to the town they are representing. Even when we won the Scottish Cup there were a few Scots in the team, although certainly not all. Take a look over the bridge though, where the self-styled "Highlanders" are playing Dundee just now, and have ZERO Scotsmen on the field representing the fair county of Ross-shire! At least they're being urged on by local lad and Caley Thistle reject, Don Cowie!

Just wish our youth set-up could produce players like that though.

Ferguson got criticism for not fielding any of our own trainees. I'm not seeing many highlanders in our current first team. A couple of Lewismen, if that counts. (well, one now!) I suppose with a 15 point disadvantage we don't want to be fielding too many inexperienced players though - hopefully our own youth get their chance next season. If they stay!

Many will see it as a plus that, despite administration we were still able to hold onto and recruit sufficient players from outwith the Highlands and didn't have to resort to fielding our own home-grown players. It is unfortunate that it is so difficult for our own academy players to break into the first team and that they find they have to go elsewhere to develop their careers.

"Unfortunate I lost ma joab through administration" Fortunate for us though!

Good entertaining game and certainly worth the trip to Inverness. In comparison with QoS, what we lacked in physical presence we made up for with skill and teamwork. I'm not one to criticise referees, so I won't! Edge of the seat stuff and Remi Savage my MoM, just edging it ahead of Bavidge. Just one thing though, and I hate to sound negative, but what happened to all the home-grown talent we were supposed to be fielding this season?

What I remember about that game was that early the next morning I had to fly out to New Orleans to join a BP super-tanker and the captain was a Lewis-man living in Inverness and a keen Caley supporter. When he found out I was at the game I had to give him a blow-by-blow account of the full 90 minutes and Billy's late goal.

Wonder what Big Dunc's doing with himself these days

Great memories. Back in the days when the Highlands were represented by Highlanders (mostly)

Nobody's mentioned the Clach park, with a capacity of 3000 or so. Could a groundshare deal be done between Highland League and Scottish League that would be mutually beneficial to both clubs? Certainly more accessible to many by foot than some others being mentioned.

It occurs to me now that I've retired, that I would be of more value to my grown-up offspring if I were to drop dead!

- and hopefully each generation better than the last!

No I don't think he can recapture his previous striking ability but from what I've seen he is making himself useful in other ways. He's still a powerful presence on the forward line, and I think he's still got a few goals in him. Don't write him off just yet!

Billy might not be as potent a striker as he used to be but he's still pretty useful in the final third. Have you ever noticed how well marked he always is? Other teams certainly see him as a threat! His very presence draws defenders away and gives our other forwards a chance of a shot. His ability to hold the ball, and set up other players with a killer pass should not be under-estimated.

I understand your anger and whilst not a booer myself, I can also understand those who are. Professional footballers are paid to entertain. That's why we pay to go and watch them perform. When they appear careless, over-casual and generally disinterested in their performance then the paying audience is bound to be disenchanted and perfectly ENTITLED to express their disapproval. If actors on a stage fluff their lines all the time the audience will make their feelings known. That's the entertainment industry!

A game of 2 halves and we were sh!te in both. Perhaps too much Christmas pud was had by those in red and blue! Couldn't keep possession - either pushed off the ball far too easily or passing to an opponent. Cove came prepared and soaked up everything we threw at them with ease, and with similar ease strolled through our defence whenever they fancied a shot at goal. They wanted it so much more than we did and could have won by a much bigger margin. If this is the level of desire that ICT are gonna be showing then perhaps I should be looking elsewhere for my Saturday entertainment! (For what it's worth, Longstaff and Dibaga joint MotM - that is of course if we exclude the Cove players!)