RiG

Gardyne and Mckay were still playing regularly and performing well in the Premiership last season. Sutherland came up from League 2. Bit of a difference.

Gardyne was still one of Ross County's best players last season and most of their fans wanted him around for another year. He could be an outstanding player for us even if it's just for a season. Doran, Walsh, MacDonald and Gardyne will possibly playing in the wide areas is a lovely thought.

Must confess to feeling similar ahead of the new season. Having already given the club extra money at the end of the 2019/20 season and then paid more money per game than PPV purchasers last season I am extremely reluctant to part with any more money unless I can get to games. Even if the new ICTTV setup is better than Pixellot that's not enough for me. If I buy a season ticket I want to go to games. If there is any chance of not getting to games I don't see myself renewing.

"With a neat little flick and a wink of the eye..."

Deal now confirmed. Three year contract for Mckay and he gets to move back to the central belt. Win win for him really.

He could have some tape or previous reports to look at I guess. Maybe Felitciano Zschusschen can get his agent to send in a YouTube highlights compilation again.

Yeah I think the two will be working together with Robbo making the final call as you say.

So you don't think that Dodds will have any say on who comes in or goes out?

Disappointing that the first time Todorov actually shows that he merits a run in the team he leaves.

Positives - there was definitely an uptick in form when Dodds came on board towards the end of last season and the players poke highly of him during his time working with them. The club must have liked what they saw during his brief spell as a coach. At least it's more "progressive" than going for some of the donkeys on the list including some former managers that were being banded about. Negatives - it seems like an appointment of convenience what with him living locally and being available for buttons and I just wonder how much that factors into our decision making at times. As a coach yes everything sounds good but as a manager I am less sure. He'll have a good bit of work to do in the transfer market over the summer and he only has a few weeks to get things ready before the League Cup group stages kick off. I guess Robbo will still largely handle player recruitment?

It's Dodds.

Plenty of rumours going about. Strongest one seems to be some kind of Cowie and Dodds combo with Robbo overseeing things.

That's an exceptionally selfish attitude. You're essentially asking other leagues to dilute the competitiveness of them just so teams higher up the food training can use them as a training exercise. If you have young players you want to see getting game time play them or loan them out.

The general theme tends to have been the second and first second seed meet in the last game at the 1st seeds ground. No idea about the rest.

We've had Peterhead once before in this competition in the current format (2019/20). Cowdenbeath and Raith are the sides we have faced with alarming frequency. The whole competition is garbage now and weighted heavily in favour of a top few sides in the Premiership. Between this and the way the Challenge Cup has been treated the SPFL have a lot to answer for with regards to the gradual decay of the cup competitions in this country.

I haven't seen anything confirming player departures. I wonder if they are trying to conclude contract talks with some players before announcing anything.

May as well do next years one while I am at it.

Hearts and Cove Rangers drawn in the same group as us for 3 of the last 4 seasons. How incredibly boring.

After being released by us Brad Mckay has pitched up at Falkirk.

Here are our possible opponents: One from the North 1st Seeds - Dundee United, Hearts, Livingston or Ross County Three from the North Unseeded sides - Alloa, Brechin, Brora, Cove Rangers, Cowdenbeath, East Fife, Elgin City, Forfar Athletic, Kelty Hearts, Montrose, Peterhead or Stirling Albion.

The fact that Davidson has to go on some course suggests that there were racial undertones to whatever charge he faced yet the number of games he has been banned for seems light for such a charge.

I think he would do a job for us though we need a good 10 to play behind him. I suspect he will be on the radar of other Championship clubs (maybe even some sides down in England) but if he is pretty settled up in this area maybe we could eek another year out of him before he heads south permanently.

The rubbish about second chances doesn't exactly work either given he's had other jobs since then. It's an utterly tone deaf appointment. If ICT had done this there's no chance I would be attending any game with him as manager.

It's a shocking appointment from Ross County who only a few days ago were preaching their usual birthday card pish about wanting to discover they are and how they are a valued community club. Then they go and appoint a guy who sent racist, sexist and homophobic messages and tried to dismiss it as "friendly text message banter" before ultimately having to apologise "for any offence caused". What on earth is MacGregor thinking?

We can't get drawn with Dundee as they will be a Northern second seed as well (if what I have read is correct).