RiG

It was confirmed on the club site ages ago (see bottom of this link). http://ictfc.com/news/team-news/1757-fan-update-player-contracts

He scored one goal v Aberdeen. The rest of his goals, with the exception of one goal against Celtic, came against teams below them in the league (or 'lesser' teams). The kids only 22 or 23 and showed enormous promise in his first season up here. He might not start every week but I would be stunned if he is on the bench 'a lot of the time' given he can play up front or on the flanks. To be honest it seems some ICT fans are going into "Ah well he wasn't that good anyway" mode when a player leaves them for another team.

As per the Aberdeen article his contract expires at the end of June this year.

Makes our decision not to offer him a contract earlier look even more ridiculous.

Some chat on P & B about Storey signing for Aberdeen. If true so much for the whole "We can't offer him a deal because Swindon have first option on him" line we were getting.

I accept that but if you're really unhappy about something why should you just keep lining up each week to face up the same disappointment? Look at Newcastle fans. Infuriated by the way that Ashley runs the club and while most turn up week in week or a large and increasing number don't and they have had several protests which have involved walkouts or just not attending games at all. I'm sure they take no pleasure in not going to see their team but why should they just turn up every week and accept what's going on at their club? I should be clear I am not encouraging anyone not to renew their season ticket just asking the question if you are not happy with something, and clearly some fans are not happy with certain things at the club, why should they just hand over something in the region of £300 no questions asked? Agree with most of this. I doubt most folk are expecting 3rd and a Scottish Cup win every year. But people go to games to be entertained and unfortunately we've had some mind numbingly dull games this season. Off the top of my head beating Aberdeen 2 - 1, Partick 4 - 1, County 3 - 0 and the 4 - 3 win in Hamilton are the only games that got me really excited this season.

McGinn thinks his stock is higher than Dundee and is contemplating a move away from them so I doubt we would be high on his list of top destinations. Given that Alan Archibald has confirmed that Bannigan will leave Partick I wonder if this means a) he is joining us or, more likely, b) he will sign for Aberdeen (they were in for him in January) which would also be good as it might lessen the chances of them coming in for Tansey.

Every time I sway on renewing, and this year I'm really swaying as transport up for games from the central belt is rotten, this is what I always keep thinking of. I'm not happy with things at ICT right now but regardless I've always said support the club rather the manager or board. That said, if you're really not happy with something as a paying customer you'd stop going to somewhere like a Tesco. Is this any different?

Where is it documented that Foran is the highest earner at the club? It would be a shame to see him go but we've not really missed him over the last couple of seasons have we? Whilst it's always sad to see a club icon move on retaining someone like Storey over Foran is what we've got to look to do. If he is one of the higher earners, and I'm sure he is, his wages would be far better spent on a Storey or getting Mckay back i.e. a player not at the end of his career.

Really poor end of season affair lightened up by MacKinnon being a colossal ned and scrapping with his coaching staff as he was bundled off the pitch and one of the ICT fans charging across the stand to celebrate the Williams 'goal' before realising it had been chalked off For some reason, after turning in a wonderful performance against Partick, we seem to have returned to our timid, non threatening, slow passing game. Whereas Draper and others had been snapping at the heels of Partick players winning the ball and providing great support further forward for the likes of Storey we seemed significantly less inclined to attack with anyone other than Storey, Williams and Polworth. Draper and Tansey were lined up exceptionally deep with Meekings and Tremarco seldom supporting on the flanks. It was like we had put the brakes on for this one despite 7th place and some potentially important prize money up for grabs. The best move of the game for us came when Storey scampered free on the left flank and crossed for Williams who finished well but had apparently just drifted offside. Hard to tell from where we were. A quick free kick from Vigurs released Devine and he tackled the ball into the net. Decent finish for a defender. Hamilton had largely been restricted to shots from range with a couple looking like they flew pretty close to OFW goal. Second half was sadly a very timid affair from us in attacking sense best exemplified when Williams had the ball on the right flank and the ICT players alongside him stood completely still. There was little movement off the ball to create space for either a pass or for the player who had the ball. We seemed happy to knock the ball around and protect the one goal lead. Draper (I think) did find Polworth with a superb through ball but he shot right at McGovern. MacKinnon, perhaps the biggest ned in Scottish football, was sent off for clashing with Vigurs. Looked like he threw an elbow in the direction of Vigurs after a challenge which strangely brought only a yellow card before he then mouthed off at the red and was shown a second yellow. As he went off he clashed with the Accies coaching staff and was restrained before appearing to launch himself at however was holding him back. Bizarre. For most of the latter part of the second half we were defending deeper and deeper as we clung on to the lead. Hamiltons best chance came when a clever and quick free kick nearly caught us out but somehow the final shot from an Accies player, from about 3 yards out, was ballooned into the retail park. Not going to complain too much about a win but having seen what the team can do when it is set up correctly it seems bizarre to put the brakes on and reign the side back.

Okay, well, I've not called for him to be sacked, or said he is uninspiring or fit for purpose here but feel free to carry on with your reductio ad absurdum if you so wish. We're not just talking about the ability of individual players here though. It's the approach to the players we are signing like the copious amounts of midfielders we have when we've been needing at least one other striker for over a year. I'm not disputing that some players don't work out. We saw it a lot under Butcher as well where players would arrive and leave within a year, mostly loan signings. But as has been mentioned already Hughes has significantly under performed in his dealings in the transfer market. Both in the quality of the players he has brought in but also the 'types' of players he has signed. The wrong areas of the team have been reinforced over the last few months. And yes, if a player flops then the manager is largely responsible for that. I'm not for one moment saying that Hughes is the only manager to have signed a duffer (look at some of the guff Ferguson signed at Man United like Djemba-Djemba, Kleberson and Bebe (without even seeing him play by all accounts) but, as far as his signings at ICT go, they have been poor and I find it surprising that some posters are so ready to just overlook this.

But none of us are football managers who are expected to at least have some nous in the transfer market. That is part of John Hughes's job and it is not something which he has excelled at since he came to the club. Hughes has been backed by the board better than any ICT manager in history and yet his dealings in the transfer market can be described as, at best, poor. It doesn't exactly inspire you to believe that he can replace someone like Raven if / when he leaves in the summer. It's puzzling that you seem so willing to overlook this without even a second thought.

Interesting... http://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/669042/Exclusive-Dundee-United-face-points-deduction-fine-fielding-ineligible-player-News-Gossip

Is this Hughes responding to those comments from Cameron? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/36255908

A few folk have said we have the smallest budget in the league. Has anyone got the figures to show that we have less money than the likes of Hamilton?

'Amicable decision to part ways' perhaps? It's another dose of telt from the board to Hughes. Can't recall the last time we had this if indeed we ever did.

Blair Alston of Falkirk is out of contract at the end of the season. If Falkirk aren't promoted maybe we can get put an offer in. Saint Johnstone have apparently offered a contract.

Well it's not going to be Osman who has signed a new deal at Partick. http://www.heraldscotland.com/sport/14479574.Partick_Thistle_captain_Abdul_Osman_signs_new_deal_at_Firhill/

First time I've ever seen a steward being thrown out of the ground

Absolutely no chance there were 3,600 there. Everyone in the ground could have fitted in the North Stand. Lucky if there was 2,200 there which I think is the capacity of the North / South stands?

Interesting. You seem to want everyone to take what Hughes says as gospel yet display a very distrusting attitude towards what the board say. I wonder why that is...

Totally hypothetical but would fans prefer Hughes stayed or, given we would get some decent cash for him should he leave, would they prefer to receive a lovely dollop of cash and then use that to retain the likes of Storey, Raven etc.

I'm sure there's a more appropriate thread to boost than this but I'm too lazy to find it. Anyway, reports suggest that Mixu will be sacked by United. What are the chances that they will come after Hughes again? https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/dundee-united-set-sack-mixu-paatelainen-manager/