Bridge_Ender

If Rooney goes I'd be very surprised if it was even ?100k never mind ?250k. Got a feeing not much will change for us today and Rooney will be away for free in the summer.

Raymond Mearns is one of the funniest comedians I've ever heard. Looks like a pretty decent night!

Not because he has scored half as many goals but it does put it into perspective. We can't expect to get anymore than 200k for him with 6 months left on his contract. Miller has played and won league titles for the 2 biggest clubs in Scotland, played in the Premiership, played regularly and scored occasionally at International level and in the Champions League and Europa League over the last 10 years. Adam has had one excellent season in Division One and an encouraging start to his first real SPL season. If Miller is worth ?400k with 6 months remaining realistically we'd be doing pretty well to get the rumoured ?100k for him and anything less probably isn't worth selling him for when you consider what he brings to the team (when he gets the service that is).

Do AGM's not have a time for AOB anymore? Agree that they have their own business to attend to first but it wouldn't take much to have an open discussion with members about what would be the best way forward for the trust to act or at the very least agree to make contact with other Trusts and try and organise collective action among everyone. With possibly the most important decision facing Scottish Football being imminent and Supporters Direct, as the umbrella group, providing the evidence of supporter dissatisfaction the ICT Trust is in the strongest position to represent the opinions of ICT supporters. An AGM is exactly the right time to canvass members opinion and then take it to a wider meeting for all fans or announce what action may be considered. Not really, you said that the AGM was there to discuss business matters arising in the previous 12 months and changes/proposals for the following 12 months then said whilst there may be discussion the issue would be better served by a meeting all fans could attend, which the AGM is not. That's not the same thing as agreeing that the AGM is the place for discussion between members and a proposal for action put forward to fans who are not Trust members. L_G - I'm afraid I live in Glasgow and won't make the AGM, will be interested to hear what happens though.

Do AGM's not have a time for AOB anymore? Agree that they have their own business to attend to first but it wouldn't take much to have an open discussion with members about what would be the best way forward for the trust to act or at the very least agree to make contact with other Trusts and try and organise collective action among everyone. With possibly the most important decision facing Scottish Football being imminent and Supporters Direct, as the umbrella group, providing the evidence of supporter dissatisfaction the ICT Trust is in the strongest position to represent the opinions of ICT supporters. An AGM is exactly the right time to canvass members opinion and then take it to a wider meeting for all fans or announce what action may be considered.

I think it is the time for all the Trusts to co-ordinate and arrange a protest. If ever there was a time for them to prove their usefulness now is it. With an AGM at such an opportune time surely the SPL and Butchers comments should be pretty much the only topic on the discussion?!

Couldn't agree more that ICT have stood up and don't deserve to suffer, but how do you protest otherwise with bums on seats? Surveys and opinion polls blatantly aren't considered. Argurably the 'stay away protest' has been happening over the last few years with the decline in attendances but I think it's been too gradual for it to be considered as such. The reasons for people not attending en masse any more are more varied that simply protesting. I said in another thread I'd have to seriously think about whether I want to continue to spend my free time and disposable income on football and that decision includes my season ticket but I'll make a decision on that once the dust settles. Possibly a more effective protest would be for the supporters clubs/trusts across the country to organise 'NO TO 10 TEAM SPL' banners to be displayed in the stands or even something like a mass walk out or late turn up, perhaps after half time, which all clubs/trusts agree to as a day of action. Not everyone would walk out or turn up late but hopefully enough numbers to make the point would and send a message out.

You might recognize him from the Calvin Klein underwear adverts Thought he was advertising CK events when I saw the adverts, did wonder why he was in his underwear, thanks for clearing that up!

Just for the record re: the stewarding, that was the first ever SPL match which was 'Police Free', i.e. no Coppers were paid for by the club to be in or around the stadium. Given the varying standards we've experienced around the country I'm not sure if this is a good or bad development overall but as there were no issues and the stewards were pretty good on Saturday you have to say that on this occasion it was a success. Assuming Dewsbury Dude was the guy who kept taking the photos? He did seem to be on an unnecessary one man wind up mission when the stewards were being pretty chilled out with standing, singing, etc...

I'll wait and see what happens once the dust settles and the facts emerge but I'm pretty scunnered with football at the moment and if the 10 team SPL goes through then I can see my interest dwindling to the point I won't bother renewing my season ticket or attending many, if any, games. This isn't an argument about being a 'real fan' or all that nonsense as I've watched ICT home and away regularly since the 3rd Division days so I've nothing to prove to anyone on that front. There comes a time though when you realise the absolute p1sh is being ripped out of you and as a fan you are of little or no consequence to those who run the game. Financially I can't see how a set up which includes 22 teams makes more sense than one with 14 or how a more competitive league is bad for football and subsequently business. When you add it all up against the hassle you get from Police and stewards at so many grounds, the crazy ticket prizes, the repetitive nature of the games and the generally low quality on display I start to wonder why I should bother sacrificing my free time and disposable income? Self Preservation League indeed.

Is there going to be a collection point for those of us who don't live in Inverness?

Quite enjoyed the game, weather killed it as a footballing spectacle but it was competitive and both teams tried to have a go. We had the better chances and still can't believe Foran didn't score, the finish seemed a formality after running half the pitch alone... Shinnie and Ross were possibly our best players although if Shinnie is going to be taking set pieces he should perhaps learn how to get the ball past the first man... Innes had a good game too, a no nonsense centre half. Didn't think we had anyone who played below par at all and on another day would have won. Having said that, it was a point gained.

Highland League days were nearly 17 years ago which means pretty much anyone under the age of 25 has no recollection of those times and certainly not of the rivalry. Elgin have been an irrelevance to us since 1994 and that was reflected yesterday. I wonder how many of the ICT fans there yesterday were ever regulars at Telford Street or Kingsmills? Not opening a merger fans argument, just trying to illustrate how far the club and the support has moved on since the Highland League days. Not sure what the attendance for a County game would have been, I'd like to think significantly higher, but I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have been a sell out either.

To be fair, that was the biggest game in Elgin's history since coming into the league and we had nothing to gain and everything to lose today. Really was a very odd experience being the 'big team' and was even a bit jealous of the big day out mentality of the Elgin fans. At least a 1,000 of them and they were noisy throughout the game, just like our away Cup games were when we were in the lower leagues. Their keeper had 3 cracking stops, 2 with his feet, and Jamie Duff cleared one of the line which appeared to defy the laws of physics from where we were. On another day it could have been 4 or 5 nil comfortably. The final result was maybe harsh on Elgin given the effort they put in, a replay would probably have been a just reward, but the better and more dominant team won.

This isn't an opportunity to have a radical redevelopment of the SPL, the proposals put forward by the league so far make this abundantly clear. There is little interest in redevelopment beyond making sure that clubs survive economically. The only Unique Selling Point the SPL has is, like it or not, the Old Firm and any TV deal is dependant on as many matches between the two of them can be squeezed out which means that the knock on effect for the SPL is that the 4 games a season isn't going to change. Why would they limit access to the most desirable part of their business, it's simple supply and demand. As supporters we might want 14, 16 or 18, but it isn't going to happen. The real fight is to avoid it going to 10, which would be a disaster both economically and, more importantly, from a football point of view. A 14 team league with some imagination going into the split to ensure as few 'meaningless' matches as possible is the best we can hope for.

Used to think 16 was the best idea but changed my mind to 14 as 16 isn't really workable outside the ideal world scenario. 14 teams have a few different options but I'd like to see the split remain and go 8-6 after 2 rounds then play each other twice again in your group. That would guarantee 40 games for the top 8 and 36 for the bottom 6. By making the top group that bit larger it gives the 4 lucrative Old Firm games as a carrot with the knock on effects on TV money, prize money, etc. for the clubs who make it. For the group in the bottom 6 they are all involved against each other in a very real relegation battle and as we found ourselves, interest and attendances increase when there is something to play for. Automatically 1 up, 1 down with a straight play off between the 12th SPL v 3rd Div 1 and 13th SPL v 2nd Div 1 for 2 other potential relegation/promotion places. They key, for me, is getting as many competitive games which matter as possible. Football is too expensive for people to attend when there is nothing to play for, no matter how many youngsters or homegrown guys are playing that day.

Really? Only started going regularly pre-match last season and found absolutely no problems, one of the few places in Inverness that is full of ICT fans and it's a good focal point for away fans too. Would be an absolute shame for it to disappear although it sounds like efforts are being made to ensure this doesn't happen. I know it is open to non members on matchdays but perhaps they need to get a bit smarter about how to get people through the door? Maybe if every season ticket holder automatically became a Social Club member as part of purchasing a season ticket it would encourage people to use it on a more regular basis through the week?

Say No To 10 Team SPL

Tuffey Tokely, Innes, Munro, Golabek Duncan, Cox Odhiambo, Blumenhstein, Ross Sutherland Esson, Proctor, Shinnie, McBain, Sanchez, Foran, Rooney Strong be experienced foundation but with some fringe guys in the attack being given the chance to stake a claim.

Don't think too much needs to change, it's been a cracking year and it's served us well so far. If anything, the last couple of games have just highlighted how light our squad actually is... and TB has already said that is something to be addressed in the transfer window. Didn't realise Rooney was suffering from a virus, he definitely wasn't his usual energetic and hard working self over the 2 Xmas games but obviously had to play because we don't have another recognised striker in the squad. It might have been a good time to play Sutherland or Foran in the centre forward position and shuffle the rest around? In both games we seemed to go 2 up front in the second half, possibly to give Rooney the extra help if he wasn't 100%? Hindsight is a wonderful thing though. If Rooney isn't at full fitness on Sunday then maybe a front line of Odhiambo, Ross, Sutherland with Foran as centre forward might be worth a try? Ross doesn't seem to have the pace to play wide and is more effective in the middle, I'd like to see Odhiambo given a run out there with Hayes out and Sutherland impressed me on the left against St Mirren.

The best year in the (short) history of the club, simple as that!

16 or 18 teams is never going to happen, the current SPL clubs are never going to vote for less income from big travelling supports. The realisation of the need for change is underway though and the sweetener, if you like, is the First Division becoming SPL 2 and the parachute payments becoming more generous, something we know ourselves is vital given the skeleton operation ICT worked with last year. The rest of the proposals - starting earlier, winter break, play offs, etc. are all good ideas which could definitely help make the game more appealing to fans. I'd love to see Summer football in it's entirety but the problems with the European and International calendars are, realistically, probably too great. One major question is what happens to those clubs outside the SPL structure as there are really going to be only 20 professional teams in the country? What role does the SFL now have if the leagues are to be regionalised? There already are regional Senior Leagues (Highland, East and South of Scotland) so do the clubs drop into enhanced versions of these or does another set up form? Will the long called for pyramid structure become a reality and the top Junior clubs will have the opportunity to progress through the leagues now? With the next instalment of Henry McLeish's report due, it could be a very interesting time...

If the referee wanted to gift Rangers the game he could have given the penalty when Cox handballed in the first half. He was conned by a cheating Beattie for the one that was given. That's an honest mistake. Players aren't perfect and neither are Referees, mistakes will always happen until technology is allowed to be used to make sure decisions are 100% correct. The refereeing standards debate is a legitimate one but it has been hijacked by Celtic's paranoia to the point where the debate isn't about refereeing standards but some completely ridiculous notion of institutionalised injustice... Which is very, very boring...

BBC Sport - SPL Reconstruction Still needs an 11-1 vote so by no means certain to be adopted. Think it sounds pretty positive and could work well, not too excited by the 10 team side of thing but realistically it doesn't change that much from a footballing perspective.