Scotty

51 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

So they are selling the club to a venture capitalist? 

In my day job I have been involved in IT procurement for 20+ years. I have encountered many companies in that time who have been acquired by "equity partners" or "venture capitalists" and can think of precisely none that went upwards in all that time.

They either trade using the good name of a company while exponentially increasing prices which then causes the firm to crash and burn as customers leave, or they simply asset strip from day one. We don't exactly have a name that's tradeable and we have little to no assets to strip so I am not sure what is in it for this company.     

1 hour ago, hislopsoffsideagain said:

I'm also not entirely sure how they manage to acquire a majority shareholding, unless either there's an agreement to buy out a dozen or more of the people/groups who own the most shares, or if there is a new share issue that allows them to gain equity for their investment?

Short answer is they can't on the basis of what we have been told so far. I think this may be the club using the wrong language again in the same way as the manager uses "new owner" instead of "investor". Charles Bannerman has explained it well a couple of times alongside some number crunching. Major shareholder, yes, majority shareholder, no. 

1 hour ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

https://seventy7.ventures/our-story Maybe this does though!!!

Nope. I had a look, and instant (personal) impression is that the company seem more Del Trotter than Jeff Bezos. Varying entrepreneurial enterprises over the years, advisor to PM in 2012 etc, and a lot of circular speech on the website. If I am wrong, and they bring stability, progress and direction to the club then I will be happy to admit my misgivings were unfounded. I want them to be those knights in shining armour that pick us up and bring us back to the premiership .... 

However, if they hope to retain the currently resigned CEO then they have lost me already. 

2 minutes ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13599988

Looks like they speak a good case.  In terms of due diligence, somebody at the Club must have seen evidence of their capital that is not evident within their small company accounts for what is basically a one man band.

This does not fill me full of confidence. 

17 minutes ago, STFU said:

I'm told Gardiner is to be 're-hired' by the new group.

If that's the case, then we are still shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic.

This man must be gone as part of any deal. He should be gone already, and anything that extends his stay is pure folly. The fans do not like him, the staff do not like him, the players do not like him, and his record at other club's mirrors his record with us. All credit to him for managing to cling on by his fingernails in this situation. I just don't know how he does it.   I do know however that this site, and myself personally, will not raise a single penny in sponsorship nor spend a penny on merchandise while he is employed by it. It is non-negotiable.

2 hours ago, ymip said:

Was today not the deadline given by our illustrious board for the takeover/investment to be concluded? 

Usual tumbleweed scenes ensue.....who'd have thunk it.

I am aware there was a board meeting today ... no idea of the result. 

I'll see Kilmarnock and raise you a Europa League draw song: 

5 minutes ago, big cherly said:

IHE will be remembered long after this board are long forgotten! 

I agree with your post, and he will indeed but let's keep this thread about Johndo. Sympathy and memories.  Anything else can go to its own or another pre-existing thread. 

Scotty

• HT: 1-0
• FT: 2-1
• 1st Scorer ICT: Brooks
• 1st Scorer Arbroath: Dow
• Crowd: 788

CDN Girl

• HT: 0-0
• FT: 1-0
• 1st Scorer ICT: Mckay
• 1st Scorer Arbroath: Murray
• Crowd: 645

SOS

• HT: 1-1
• FT: 3-1
• 1st Scorer ICT: Bray
• 1st Scorer Arbroath: Dow
• Crowd: 699

10 minutes ago, Council Juice said:

Johndo is a legend of CTO and his presence will be greatly missed.

Member #25 .. I will need to look at who pre-dates him, but pretty much in with the bricks on here since 1994 and definitely a cornerstone of the site for decades. Some may try to emulate him in future, but I am guessing none will quite reach that bar (although a large Voddie and coke should be ordered if they do reach the bar). Strangely enough, when I look at his profile, he got his last warning as far back as 2009 and I think that wound him up as much as he wound me up in the previous years where he was forever trying to get under the skin .  

5 minutes ago, L_G said:

I'm sure there will be lots of stories to flow and through the sadness there will be many smiles. I'm sure that's what he would want.

Yes, this thread, whilst sombre at the moment, should be a place we can remember the utter chaos Johndo could leave in his wake. I look at the message I got a little while ago and still cant believe it, also look at his profile to see he was still active on here yesterday, and it just doesnt compute, but when I pause for a second, rather than feel devestated (which I am), i cant help getting a small smile across my face as yet another Johndo memory pops into my head ...   

It is with a heavy heart that I post this message today. Our friend and fellow supporter John MacKenzie, known as "Johndo" or Immortal Howden Ender (and likely quite a few other things to some of you) passed away this morning while waiting for surgery.

More details and tributes to follow from many of us I am sure. 

On a personal level, I have known Johndo since I was a kid in Dalneigh. Johndo was a few years older than me, and he was always one of those you looked at as one of the cool kids.

Quite apart from his role as Dad and Granddad, he was also a hardworking and dedicated mental health medical professional in real life, but outside of that stressful environment, most of us knew him more as a joker, irreverent character,  and a wind-up merchant extraordinaire when it came to the football, whether that was Caley before the merger, or by embracing Caley Thistle after the merger, and inevitably becoming a lightning rod of criticism for those who didn't agree with his choice to follow the new club. 

Above everything else, Johndo was a friend to all who knew him.

If there is a group picture of Caley Thistle fans, be it in Romania, at Hampden, or some far flung lower division ground, Johndo is probably in it, marshalling the support somewhere. 

I am really lost for words of tribute for him right now as I have a thousand memories going through my head ... being led astray in the Tarry on occasions when visiting in recent years, unexpectedly seeing his mug on my telly in Toronto when the fans got interviewed at Hampden, or just reading his pearls of wisdom on here and looking beyond the wind-up merchant to the deep thinker he actually was.

Rest in Peace Johndo. I will miss you my friend. 

Will raise a large Voddie & Coke to you tonight and I know you will be having a sesh up there with Brosno, Big Stew and others. 

... I agree with Dougal  

6 hours ago, STFU said:

He pretty much admitted to this in the end by saying he was only repeating what he had been told.

I refer you to the Brian Conley video above

5 hours ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

 surely many of the current board will remain.  

Many of them should not. They are complicit in everything bad going on around the club, either directly, or by their inaction and silence. Not one of them broke ranks and spoke publicly over the atrocious treatment of staff, players, fans, sponsors or shareholders over the last several years. If one of them had, then perhaps that person could or should be the one that fans could galvanise behind as we try to rebuild our club. 

3 hours ago, highlandexile said:

I Worry that without a protest a low crowd will just be put down to fan apathy rather than a boycott.

100% that is the way things will be spun, but we know the truth, as do those in power and any one of them that wants to blame shift should hang their heads in shame. 

Echo the thoughts of others and wish Mark, as well as any other players pushed out by this Junta the very best for the coming season and beyond. Hopefully, some of our most loyal servants can be tempted back to a coaching or other role within the club at some point in the future when we re-establish a forward-facing community club ethos. 

Scotty:

• HT: 0-0
• FT: 1-0
• 1st Scorer ICT: Mckay
• 1st Scorer Rose: Barrett
• Crowd: 612

CDN Girl

• HT: 1-0
• FT: 2-1
• 1st Scorer ICT: Brookes
• 1st Scorer Rose: Osadalor
• Crowd: 599

SOS

• HT: 0-1
• FT: 1-1
• 1st Scorer ICT: Bray
• 1st Scorer Rose: Rodden
• Crowd: 606

44 minutes ago, ICT Supporters Trust said:

In addition, we cannot call an EGM relating to the CEO as he is not a Director or on the Board, but merely an employee of the club.

Someone better tell him that then as the tail is currently wagging the dog. 

37 minutes ago, STFU said:

I've been told a couple of different versions of this story that he's going nowhere.  It's also backed up by the fact that there's nobody there who anything is being handed over to so he's still in full control of everything and things are running as they have been previously.

Then the supporters Trust as the main group representing fans MUST clarify this, as the public statement by the club is contrary to this story (and I have heard it too). If necessary, the ST must also try to galvanise the support (members or otherwise) into forcing an AGM/EGM where this is the main subject. Secondary subjects to include board accountability for all this bulls*** and for the treatment of players. There should also be a nomination to get fan representation onto a newly elected (or in one or two individual cases, re-elected) board. If this ties in with new investors (not owners) then so be it, but the current state is just a slow decline into oblivion and no-one in authority seems to care. It is just fans who have no power (at the moment) who seem to give a flying f*** !!!   

1 hour ago, caley1 said:

Never will I buy anything of the club until his association with ICT is over . If any new investor thinks this will win back fans they’re obviously not doing their homework and been fed a million lies from him . Our CEO thinks it’s a handful of fans against him.   WAKE UP Scot Gardiner  your hated by majority . 

We sponsored at least one player, sometimes more than one, for TWENTY-FIVE years. We stopped last year for one reason. That reason is working his notice (allegedly). We will think about resurrecting that sponsorship when he has left the building for the final time and handed back his keys and any other ICT property. It may only be a small amount when looked at individually, but that's the same story that we keep hear being repeated ad infinitum when it comes to ICT sales, sponsorship, season tickets and merchandise, so a lot of small amounts soon add up to one big amount! 

There also needs to be a lot of change at board level too. Its not (just) Gardiner responsible for the treatment of Doran, Ridgers, and others, including Shane Sutherland, going back several years. Plenty of blame to go around on that front too and they should not think they can escape it by making SG the lone scapegoat.    

Its strike 3 for me. He needs to be in the car as and when the CEO drives back down the A9.

• Strike 1 - His tactics and what appear to be personal issues with existing players got us relegated. He is the boss, the fault stops at his door. He has doubled down on that saying his tactics won't change. That is insanity. He may have been a good player, and he may even be good in a lesser role at Everton, but as the #1 guy, he is a disaster, and an expensive one at that. 
   
• Strike 2 - He didn't bother his @rse to speak to the players under his management to tell them what was happening. He buggered off on holiday instead. Even in a normal season that would be ignorant as you need to let your guys know what's happening, but in a season where you just got relegated, contracts are ending, players have families to consider, and the club is going through well publicised financial issues, to not utter one word to your employees, or colleagues is so far beyond ignorance that I dont have a word for it! 
   
• Strike 3 - He continues to toe the company line and is blaming fans, and one supposes all the outlets such as websites, podcasts and the supporters trust for encouraging fans to either not go, or to not buy merchandise or season tickets until the CEO has finally left the building. FFS man, you have eyes in your head, use them, read the room, and know that how you choose to lead now will forever define that leadership. Right now, you are merely a cardboard facade. like a Hollywood set., plenty on the front, but no substance behind. 
  
  I think back to Robbo when we achieved promotion to the Premiership. He didn't meekly toe the company line, and say oh well, no 10,000 seats, we are doomed. He challenged the board to make it happen, backing his players who had achieved promotion, and putting the board in the crosshairs to have them find a solution and argue with the league to match the players success that they worked so hard for. He may have lost his shine as the years went on, and his exit was less than glorious but it is also telling that he too was helping to raise money for Aaron. 

I think Brian Conley summed it up best: 

27 minutes ago, Charles Bannerman said:

the business expertise they provided

The importance of this is often overlooked, as is the unheralded/unadvertised provision of staff, infrastructure and even office supplies while things were really rough.  

On 7/7/2024 at 4:50 PM, big cherly said:

Well said bbb!  I’d go further with Scotland. 

Our game, those running it, players, media and fans have been deluding ourselves for decades imho and we simply continue to serve up the same tripe, and hope somehow this will work next tournament, next tournament, next t…………..!

Our game : It has been in steady decline for some 30 -40 years now. I go back to Bremner, NcNeil, Law and Jordan era, but I’ll place the last benchmark at Souness and Dalgliesh days. Whilst other so called lesser countries have improved there game (Isreal, Cyprus, Iceland etc- {teams we would have certainly get the better of}; we have slowly but steady got poorer in the standard of play and ability).  Is it Coaching, lifestyle or mindset ? I don’t know but it’s clearly not working for me.

Those running the game : The blazers at hampden. Too cosy, amateurish and paid too much to be minded to change the game. 
League /Clubs: Stuck with a two team league. They dominate and starve all other teams in the country such that they remain in a comfortable stupor.
The result is stagnation.

Club boards: All finance driven such that maximising the financial return trumps everything else. As such not loosing for most clubs becomes the norm. This chokes adventurous play as the risk of loosing is greater using this style imho.

Managers/Coaches: demands for results dictates that stopping goals against is above scoring again for most teams. Scotland were on the same standing as Portugal in the 70’s. Look at their players ability to ours now and tell me we’ve not went backwards!

Players - Average to poor for the most and lack the basics for most Scot’s players in ability, mental and physical application. (Simple trapping the ball is beyond many). Too willing to elevate their our game above their true abilities.

Media: again part of the problem. They have a cost life and feed of the product and pump out rubbish most of the time. Overrate our players most of the time. Superb this, world class that. Not enough critical focus on poor play when witnessed. 
 

Fans :  Less attending games as other more comfortable and exciting alternatives are available. Average play had become acceptable! Continue to be easily drawn into the Scotland next-time show. 
 

I wish I could present a more positive outlook from me on the Scotland team and game in general, however watching what I consider to be the worst team at the Euro’s, I felt I could not let it pass without having a kick at the whole thing, hoping against hope the next time will show any improvement!!

Rant over!! 
bc

 

Can't really disagree with any of that. 

The Iceland model is a very good read. In 2012 they were 130th in the FIFA rankings. By 2018 they reached 18th. That may have been an anomaly affected by having a golden crop of players amongst the improved infrastructure, but the 3 factors they attributed this to were:  First class training facilities, high level of coach education and a good generation of players.
https://www.ksi.is/library/contentfiles/Why is Icelandic football so successful recently 2018 upd.pdf#:~:text=We can firmly point to three factors to,mentality and culture may also play a part.

Canada is another on a slow burn. The Canadian version of the SFA is a mess. Too many blazers, too much controversy and player disputes over payments and such like, but despite this, the Canadian team continues to try and improve. They were typically floating below 100 in the FIFA rankings on average and hit a low point of 122 in 2014. and 120 in 2017 but since then have steadily climbed to a high point of 33 in 2022 and 48 today. They finished top of the group that went to the last World Cup, dispatching both Mexico and USA, and promptly did a Scotland when they got there! They will undoubtedly climb up a bit after a good showing at Copa America over the last 5 weeks and should really have seen off Uruguay in the 3rd place playoff at the weekend.  In many ways they are a bit like Scotland in terms of the governing body, but what does set them apart - for me - is Major League Soccer!!

Laugh and scorn and call it a retirement league as much as you like, and to an extent that is true, but even in 2007, when Toronto FC joined the league, quickly followed thereafter by Montreal and Vancouver, one of the key criteria placed on all teams (in both USA and Canada) is that they must have and meet certain benchmarks for training of youth and having (functioning) purpose-built academies to foster and develop new talent. It is a condition of entry to MLS. The Toronto FC academy is regarded as one of the best in MLS for facilities and along with both Montreal and Vancouver, who also have highly rated academies (Alphonso Davies anyone!) then the Canadian team are starting to see the benefits of 15 years of development at grass roots level. MLS may have ageing superstars, but those ageing superstars are mentoring the next generation.  Even below the professional level, there is a structure in place to identify and put talented kids on a development pathway at age 13. My own son started at age 4, playing 'little kickers', then as he progressed, he went through various different levels of recreational football, and this past year went from 'House League' (where all teams in one organisation play against each other) to "rep" which is a competitive league across various cities to the north of Toronto. The "rep" team have different levels (white, gold, black) and you progress in those so that by age 13 you are either selected for "skills for life" or "OPDL". Skills for Life is a taditional pathway, but OPDL is the Elite Professional Development program and ends up with kids getting sent to the likes of Toronto FC academy or to universities in the USA and (hopefully) future MLS drafts. We will see how he progresses, but there is definitely a clear pathway and a standardised set of standards and benchmarks.        

Its a bit of a long post, and kind of off-topic and not really related to the "in dunc I trust" topic but I have to admit, its a fascinating subject for me now that my own son is trying his hardest to be as good a footballer as he can be. Perhaps this needs its own topic .... 

I guess it has to be this one .... from the Hibees

1 hour ago, Yngwie said:

What do we want the club’s new name to be - Loch Ness Monsters or Highland Bravehearts FC?

Don't think we could have Loch Ness Monsters ... wasn't that the American Football team in Inverness at some point.

Kind of with @Charles Bannerman on this one though. It would be complicated to have a 'takeover' or 'new owners' given the current ownership structure. No-one, not even the craziest or richest American is going to pay £20m for a complete buyout and control of the festering mess that is ICT right now and the current board cannot agree to 'sell' the club as its not theirs to sell. 

Will be interested to hear the proposals as and when they are available. Tulloch had control of the board for a few years and started by restructuring and getting rid of our debt, then put fiscally responsible processes in place to try and ensure we didn't reach that chasm again. Love them or hate them, and there are folks in both camps, and that's a whole other discussion, but that's what they did. It was only after they departed that we did once again, over the ensuing 7 or 8 years reach that precipice yet again.

If by "takeover" or "new owners" we are talking about a group who have 'control' without ownership and they have a plan to emulate what Tulloch's did, then I personally am broadly in favour of it, cannot really say more than that until we know more details, but as has been the habit for our club, there are no details and no communication to shareholders. 

What concerns me - if we are talking about £2m as reported - is that this may not be enough. We have reportedly lost out on at least £5.1m on just the battery farm and Park-n-Ride schemes and even that would not see us as a going concern for years to come, it would paper the cracks and maybe give us two or three years to try and get back to the Championship, then the Premiership but what then? We were a Premiership side for many years, and if we get back we are realistically always going to be relegation candidates on any given year if we don't get recruitment or tactics right, and even in the Premiership we need cup runs to make ends meet. Add this to the reputational damage we have taken in how we have treated our players and staff over the last 2-3 years and this is a very hard mess to get out of. Does any incoming investor have the stomach for this? 

13 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

Not just that (in his day job i guess), he's a sales agent for a retailer of garden products. Helped me arrange the delivery of a summer house last year. Very helpful and can't fault his customer service or politeness.

now forever known as Ben Greenhouse