Scarlet Pimple

Sneckboy--nooooo! Who would have thunk it? Did I say that the reference was about our fine new manager?....eh? For me there is only one John Hughes and other invebntions are surplus to requirements. The main point about this video re Pat Stanto is that

In this video that I have just posted above, go to minute number 21 and wait a few seconds. It's about our manager!! You will hear him talk about the time that "Big John MacNamee was going over to kick JOHN HUGHES and they tried to get a hold of him.This is hilarious........ when MacNamee kicks the Celtic dugout walls and they disintegrate.....ha! Ha! Ha!

You certainly did Mantis. And what a fantastic job you did of them. Lads and lasses -if you want to open these links you will see the terracings packed, some great football, great atmosphere and the inimitable Pat Stanton controlling things seemingly effortlessly through the middle. Remember he was a left half but more often than not he was in the thick of things near the goals. As a younger player :- Here's one to make you think as well..." Strangely enough they put me on the left to fill a hole and here I was only yards from (the great) Gordon Smith. I looked at him and he looked at me and smiled and my knees turned to jelly." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_EtVGXbVdo Now, as a man over 60, he has a fantastic sense of humor and in the first video, at the meeting, he has the fans rolling around. in raucous laughter. Me too, the tears were rolling down my cheeks as he reminisced. Thanks Mantis, you have made my day.

A positive post from Doofers Dad--positivity in action. Yessss!

Be careful Alex...many a word spoken in jest, et al. I hae mah doots about Richie coming back in early course. His injury is in the worst body part possible and he might just consider retirement into management to be a strategically- blessed move in view of his age as well. Then I think he might turn out to be a very useful manager away from ICT because ah also hae mah doots that any place will be available to him at Tulloch .

Would love to see photies mantis? With Stanton I can only say that he more often than not looked as if he was on skates on smooth ice in the National Hockey League, just flowing through the game. Apart, perhaps, from Edie Turnbull, Pat Stanton was the only Hibs player that I really remember by name which speaks to the impression he left on me I guess.. There you go......another little bit of back talk from the Workers Compensation Board.

Meekings on 100 appearances. Wow! He sure is meeking progress.

I saw the Manchester United versus Chelsea match on T V . A lot of huffing and puffing without much excitement and clever passing across the park frankly but with few goals. Passing around (including back to the goalie which I generally abhor) but no obvious passionate desire to get the ball forward as fast as possible. The games I just saw on the Scottish highlights today are much more exciting than these English games. Maybe not all of the Premier League teams perhaps but a good number. As I said earlier, more effort, loads of footie skill on display in our Premiership, great pace and fantastic goals. You've got it made chums.

The players were fitter than those of Celtic I imagine to be able to mount such pressure at the end against them. Any opposing views about that? One mistake leading to an advantage to the Celtic players on the ball to allow them to quickly scoot upfeild and score..Pretty tough break, but a very meritorious performance, apparently, overall. Big crowd there at 42,000. Whew! wouldn't it be nice if we could get a bumper crowd like that just once?.

Calibre of players ? Well, there is no doubt about that but, after enjoying all the videos of the other games, a I am gobsmacked at the talent and effort on display. I can't imagine what anyone is complaining about as an excuse to stay away since the games revealed tremendous effort, great ball control and skill and the pace is frenetic - much higher than the games in the NASL where games are improving all round right now. Truly you are getting your money's worth and , based on what I see in these highlights they are terrific value for money . Just look at the goals on the highlights of the Hamiton game-weren't they terrific? Fantastic. Even Dougle Imrie's last goal at the death was a thing of skill and beauty with which the goalie had no chance. If you are treated to games like these shown for this week then you are privileged indeed.

The Record commentator also said that our last away game against Motherwell ( I think he said ) was the best football he had seen in ages and all that ICT needed was continued believe in themselves and a desire to attack.

The local commentator for the Record states that Billy has been physically shattered by too much being expected off him and that is why he was, and sho8uld be dropped?

Well if IHE and me had to pay sixpence to get in to Telford Street when I was a young shaver, I do think that entrance should be whollly restricted to young men who are willing to pay ten shillings..eh?

John H had to overcome more than just the reluctance of players to buy into his methods, he had also the negativity and severe criticism to absorb, consider, reject and stick to his guns. It was his way or the highway which I think shows the mettle of the man. -Courage, tenacity and belief. These are all valuable traits in a person. What I did not particularly care for with Mr. Butcher was a sense that he was insincere and a bit too angry on more than one occasion to be altogether believable. This seemed to precede a revelation of unpredictability and a bit of imbalance, perhaps, in his personality. For sure, the way he acted in the final analysis was so self-motivated and such an awful way to treat both the club in general and the top Management as well revealed what he was all about. With John Hughes I get a strong feeling that what you see is what you get so you can predict with more confidence what the actual goals are for him and how he will react in adversity. I shoirt I have confidence and trust in him. For me that means a great deal.

Positive or Negative ? --each to his own, I say. Or, to put it in short form -- OCH!

Exactly, IHE. I hope this is not faint praise to you is it?

DD, your post is most disappointing all things considered. If not completely depressing it is not exactly uplifting and inspiring coming from a supposed true follower. Why even bother to mention the negative thoughts you may have when the club is joint top of the division and when you can seek out and highlight the positives? Are you still not happy with the progress recently made since the change of management? When will you ever just come out and just say that J.H is doing a great job, the squad has gelled and the players on the bench are highly trained, probably fit as fiddles and just raring to participate. What on earth more do you expect with such poor crowds and a club with such limited resources? The club seems to have got finances under good control, the team and the Management are all on the same page and the Manager, according to the views of many whiners on here still expressing their reservations , has actually surpassed their expectations. Yet the latter comments are grudgingly given and instead of being definitive and robust they are faint praise indeed. As for J Hughes ---when I listen to him I relish the fact that he rarely ever says anything negative about his players and his comments are more often constructive than anything else and should be an example to all of us. I do think that some of you should adopt a more positive approach to the efforts of all employed by and at the club. He gets along well with others and FITS IN for goodness sake. The club are doing all sorts of things behind the scenes to drum up interest that I never knew about, and maybe some of you guys don't either. But they came to my notice recently and I was both surprised and delighted at the several efforts being made to encourage youngsters to participate in activities that will reflect well on ICT in Inverness and several other dynamic initiatives have also been started and implemented on different levels that are bound to bear fruit as time goes along. What this club and our new Manager needs at this point is absolute support and encouragement from positive actions and comments on all aspects of management. Post # 43, above, by Caley Dawson highlights this exactly. When people work hard, try hard and perform to the best of their ability they deserve praise and encouragement to buoy them up and to allow their internal plans, schemes and initiatives and positive juices to flow unimpeded by worry.

Who knows but J H will not countenance backchat or such I am sure. If he withdraws a player then he will have good reason and will not tolerate tantrums etc form any player. just thinking.....? So far he is showing that he is a strong manager with a mind of his own and no one is going to be allowed to stand in his way without very good reason. And that is the way it should be. With his experience in the game as a player etc. he knows more than any youngster does about he game and so far he has proved his shrewdness, I think and there it stands. Good.

Yes, Poor Richie--I knew it wouldn't be an easy road or comeback for him. One of the worst injuries you can get. Good luck, Richie.

Well, it is refreshing isn't it ? I mean the newbie showing up the so -called seasoned old timers? Stops the complacency. And introduces greater competition and new blood into the League? That's all good isn't it? You have to admit that Hamilton's performance u to this point is remarkable and ...refreshing!?

And who is going to help Jonathon then --instead of moaning on here about who is what and why? He comes from Essex and that's a long way away isn't it? Let's face it, every fan who comes into the stadium is a plus and improves the atmosphere. The goal is to get folks into the stadium and not who is better than another. Even if they don't pay full price this is only a one-off probably, so why get so upset? The club is trying hard and we surely have to applaud the effort and not get into negativity again .

I think the crowd , IHE was, 3.700 ------ up is the main thing!!! From the BBC text reporting I got the distinct impression that ICT was much more in command than DU?

http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/29756817 I found this article on the SPL site this morning. Pat Stanton, now aged 70, was aptly described in this article as elegant and decisive. That just about sums up what I saw and admired many years ago. The article shows his outstanding record and I was also not aware that he captained Scotland for a very brief period of time which was after I had left Scotland for Canada. During the six years I watched the Hibs at Easter Road as my "home " team from about 1944 to 1950 it was a bit of a change from East Fife whom Hibs replaced as my regularly-watched team and he was a regular defender on the right side of the pitch and a man who rarely ever lost the ball. He just seemed to stroll through matches, which was deceptive though since his play was always constructive and dynamic. His comments about the gradual decline of Hibernian F.C, are also interesting as are his veiled reference to Management whom he described as '...who shouldn't have been there at all" can be assessed by fans of ICT for whatever they make of it. 'Nuff said. Hope you enjoy this expansive article on one of the game's most outstanding and devoted players in Edinburgh. It's notabkle that he stayed with Hibs for his whole career as far as I know but I am willing to be instructed on this.

I mean Christie has the makings of a highly much as the possibility of it flowing from an intent to hurt at all costs. What's the answer to this over-enthusiasm?