buckett

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.

Agree with an earlier point - we have always lost supporters to Ross County when in the same division and can expect a big drop in home gates too.

The scary thing is that Green seems to think the debts of OldCo should be written off and should not be the responsibility of NewCo. Somebody has to pay these debts, and if it's not Rangers (in whichever guise), it's probably all the other clubs, and you and me! He also seems to think the fans have no right to influence the way their club's upper management vote. Does he not realise that without the fans, there would be no point in the football club?

I reckon darts should be an Olympic sport. I've always admired the skill of these athletes!

And how long until the commentators refer to the GB football team as "England"? Mind you, they wouldn't be far wrong!

Yeah - they have great difficulty with that one - it comes out more like "solly" Surely no reason for years of hostility though!

Perhaps it is prudence, as Nolln Team says and maybe we are in fact leading the way in the much-needed financial rationalisation of Scottish football. If this is the case we will find we are financially disadvantaged this season, on the park, but if we can avoid relegation, this would stand us in good stead for future seasons as other teams are forced into austerity. In any case, welcome to Inverness all you journeymen, mercenaries and prostitutes - I do hope the coming season is successful for all of you, and indeed for all of us.

WHOOOOSH!!

The opening sentence smacks, somewhat, of irony!

Well here we go again. Another pre-season, another bunch of strangers in ICT shirts and quite frankly, I don't like the way it's going. Last season we had the same scenario, but we put it down to much-needed changes,necessary for SPL progress, and sorta hoped that these guys would form the nucleus of Terry Butcher's new ICT and hang around for a few seasons. But they've gone now and our manager has trawled the English lower leagues for another bunch of journeyman, mercenaries, prostitutes or whatever you want to call them. Will they be any good? - I certainly hope so, but I doubt it. And will the same thing happen next season, and the one after? And what is the point of Inverness being represented at football by a team made up largely of players from another country? The thing is, if there are not enough players from the Highlands, of sufficient quality to play in the SPL, then Inverness really doesn't deserve to have an SPL team. And if they're all playing for Ross County, perhaps we're supporting the wrong team!

I don't know him either. But it was quite obviously satire!

You can put a suit on a minger, but he's still a minger!

Mr Beattie in the IRA used to refer to the post of "Hay's Lemonade Lorry Driver's Mate" as the ultimate career non-achievement! I remember these lorries used to come rattling into various residential areas with 2 or 3 very cheerful young men in the cab, all smoking and shouting abuse at us kids as they drove past.