buckett

GSOH or no - he's still a thug!

How dare they leave early!!! The gates should be locked until the final whistle so that NOBODY can get out until the game is over!

If there's one thing that f@$%*#g annoys me, it's incorrect use of apostrophes!!! GRRR!!!

If Thistle had got into the Scottish League instead of Meadowbank, I wonder if their progress would have been as spectacular as that of ICT, and indeed Ross County. And what of Caley - would they still be in the Highland League? Would the Caley support migrate across the river to watch Scottish League football or would they remain loyal to their Highland League team? Would Caley in the HL still draw bigger crowds than Thistle in the Scottish League? Doesn't bear thinking about!

What's an Alloa? Or indeed an Arbroath? It's a pity that some supporters need to pay homage to the original teams, even after all this time. What a pity we didn't start with a clean slate - a team called Inverness - no Caley and no Thistle, playing in a strip with no blue, white, red or black. As many have pointed out, the younger supporters only know of ICT - they had no allegiance to either of the original teams. They think of ICT as a team in its own right - not an amalgamation of two now-defunct teams, and that's the way it should be. As the years go by more and more supporters will be of this persuasion and eventually this ridiculous carry-on with strip colours will end. Sadly, by then, me and Charles will be long gone!

BRILLIANT!!! ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!!!!!

Isn't the purpose of a forum to enter into discussion on a relevant subject which interests you? And put your views and opinions across? Whenever the subject of the merger comes up, a lively discussion always follows, and Mr Bannerman is perfectly entitled to share his views, as are you and everybody else!

Not a fact at all - just an opinion! And my opinion is that Caley, on their own could have done just as well as ICT have - possibly better because they wouldn't have had the merger baggage. As the only Scottish League team in Inverness they would have attracted just as much investment as ICT have and would have made it into the SPL in a similar timescale, attracting larger crowds as they progressed. Don't believe me? Look at Ross County!! No comparison. ICT have stayed, barring one blip, in the top league for near a decade. Compare when and if RC can do the same. No comparison!!?? Perhaps I'm stating the obvious, but Inverness is a much bigger town than Dingwall, with a much bigger fanbase. And yet, looking further up your post, near the top, where you talk about a part-time team making the odd foray into Div 2 . . . . a few hundred fans! I think our neighbours across the bridge have long exceeded that status! Don't get me wrong - I like the way things have turned out with our merged team. But each of these teams could have gone it alone and achieved as much - no doubt about it!

A very linear and simplistic viewpoint, Charles, which I'm afraid just doesn't hold water. As you're probably aware, many years before the merger Caley had been trying to relocate with a view to Scottish League entry. I think there was a site in Carse which had been considered although the District Council had been very obstructive to this proposal. Had it gone ahead we would have had a Scottish League team in Inverness with a stadium within easy walking distance of thousands of houses and with room for expansion to accommodate the growing support. No need for £4.8M stadium budgets and no need for another team's assets. And with such an accessible stadium, attendances would probably exceed those of ICT now. I mention this because there are so many ifs and buts that you can't just make a statement like "it couldn't have happened without the merger". Of course it could! Also, I have to take exception to your statement that "Caley weren't that popular . . . actively disliked in Inverness." This is simply not true!

Not a fact at all - just an opinion! And my opinion is that Caley, on their own could have done just as well as ICT have - possibly better because they wouldn't have had the merger baggage. As the only Scottish League team in Inverness they would have attracted just as much investment as ICT have and would have made it into the SPL in a similar timescale, attracting larger crowds as they progressed. Don't believe me? Look at Ross County!!

See!? Told you someone was gonna get mad!!!

Ooooh! Someone's gonna get mad!!!!

Clearly the majority of readers the article is directed at will see Inverness as remote. I don't really have a problem with that. Perhaps it's not so much an attempt to belittle the city - more an attempt to put the achievements of the team into perspective. You can interpret such an article any way you want. I don't think there is any malice at all - maybe just an ignorance of how thin-skinned some Highlanders can be!

Quite surprised at the outraged tone of the first few replies to the OP. Stereo-typical chip-on-the-shoulder jocks??? A pretty fair and honest article in my opinion, with a wee bit of humour thrown in. Quite possibly written by the OP.

In the style of the great Topaz MacGonagall

Starchief, I think you have misunderstood Alex Macleod's post somewhat spectacularly!!!

Well, unlike many, I'm so glad the game is on Friday because I'll be able to see it, which I wouldn't if it was on Saturday. I always feel very apprehensive at derby games, and I've really hated the few occasions when we've been beaten by County. But I'm quite optimistic about this one, purely because of our unexpected gubbing of United and I think County will be somewhat demoralised after their 5-4 defeat but so nearly a draw. It's all about maintaining composure in this one - I think and hope that County will be overcome by the occasion and lose theirs!

Load of bulls**t!

Well, I didn't go because I was away on holiday - it's that time of year after all. Wonder if anyone else was away on holiday!

I would very much like to finish above Ross County.

They certainly cause obstruction to pedestrians who are often forced onto the busy road to walk round cars which have been inconsiderately parked on the verge and what passes as a pavement. Issue tickets to them too, I say!!

Naaah - it's only players in opposing teams that dive! Wonder if they'll still boo Rossco now he's a tink!

There's something quite sad about all this. The fact is England has a population about ten times that of Scotland, so England is bound to produce more top athletes. I quite like this Team GB thing where we are all united against the rest of the world once again. What I don't like is this chip-on-the-shoulder attitude we Scots have developed towards our neighbours, where in football, for example, in the absence of quality in our own national team, we are reduced to hoping our neighbours lose and are quite proud of the fact we support whichever team is playing England! I am proud to be Scottish, but whereas Scottish patriotism is viewed positively, we dismiss English patriotism as arrogance.

And not enough Jocks in the GBR football team - that's why WE didn't win a medal!

Excellent article RossP, and I think you've voiced the thoughts of the majority of ICT supporters.