Scotty

Jake Mulraney has moved from Atlanta United to Orlando City in MLS. The trade was $200,000 in 'allocation money'* which is quite high for MLS as it forms part of your wage budget and what you can spend on overall contracts in a year ... it may increase to $275,000 based on him hitting performance benchmarks. Didnt realise he had moved until I saw him come on as a sub against Toronto last weekend! 

2 hours ago, Yngwie said:

Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet but our first goal should not have stood. Played should’ve stopped for a head knock and also Samuels was offside (not 2 yards offside like Callum Davidson says, but a wee bit offside).

I could see it stopping for the head knock, but don't think Samuels was offside, not when the ball was played. 

2 hours ago, Yngwie said:

About time we got a wee bit of good fortune from the match officials.

The ref not blowing for the head knock was definitely good fortune. Probably because our guy got up ... but you got to play the whistle and McAlear did just that

... and with Devine and Duffy available for the next leg, therefore strengthening our defence, signs are positive that we can get this done ! 

1 hour ago, standbydave said:

Need a massive team talk at half-time. 3-5-2 is not us

Think the team talk was a good one !

I didnt get to see first half as the source I got was showing PGA Golf ... but found another feed and have been able to watch second half. Sounds like first half was bad but we are definitely not outclassed during this 45. Great build-up play for the first goal and nice finish from McAlear but holy **** what a sublime free-kick for his second. That was in the proverbial postage stamp. World class placement if he meant it. 

6 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

https://protonvpn.com/

The free version includes a connection via the US.

Thanks - but in this case it wont help. My work VPN actually shows us as in California so when I turn it off I can login in Canada from my home connection, login to paramount+ and see basically just on demand stuff available in Canada, no live streaming. When I turn the VPN on, it wont let me logon. Appears that Paramount+ Canada and USA have different login systems even though the URL is exactly the same. Also cant use a USA address and a Canadian Credit Card to signup for USA trial ... and as I am supposed to be working, cant devote too much time to it  

Apparently my only option today is to watch Real Madrid play Real Betis ! 

38 minutes ago, Scotty said:

Apparently we can get this in Canada through the Paramount+ channel or app ... $5.99 a month but a 7 day free trial when you sign up ... not sure why they would have sport when its ostensibly a movie channel but lets hope for a good thriller, few comedy moments, and of course a happy ending in this one and in the sequel next week

or not   USA only it would appear. 

logged in on my Canadian IP address and trial account and going to the page they show in their FAQ

going back to the same page not logged in but using work VPN which is US based ... I see it advertised but 

Apparently we can get this in Canada through the Paramount+ channel or app ... $5.99 a month but a 7 day free trial when you sign up ... not sure why they would have sport when its ostensibly a movie channel but lets hope for a good thriller, few comedy moments, and of course a happy ending in this one and in the sequel next week

I have no problem with the last paragraph frankly. How many times have clubs - not just our club - had ridiculous decisions imposed on them or reasonable appeals rejected unless you have one of the larger support bases ! It may not be right, but there are too many examples to say it is not true. 

Willie Collum has been an incompetent and notorious whistler for years as have many of his colleagues but there is ZERO accountability within referee circles ... FFS even at amateur level you cant question referee decisions. I sat on the committee of the Inverness Amateur association for years and the instruction we got from Glasgow was that the referee report is sacrosanct. It is unquestionable, regardless of what others, multiple others, might say (even when that report is known to be fabricated) and that pervades right to today all the way up the chain to the top. It is one reason why, on the whole, we still have such bad referees. Good referees get jaded or lost in the mix with all the dross, and of course the headlines all go to wallopers like Collum who revel in it and have no repercussions for their self-serving narcissistic tendencies .. and because he is a headliner, then he must be our top guy in organisers eyes .. no he is not the top guy, he is an embarrassment to Scottish football and to the referees association. 

Same with the suits at whatever acronym association you want to quote. Like referees there may a few good ones that come into the association as club reps or as workers over the years but once again, they get jaded or lost in the mix and its the self preservation society and the wallopers that rise to the top. We have played around at changing the names or acronyms every few years but until there is root and branch change - which will NEVER happen - its just shuffling deckchairs on the Titanic. 

So come Friday, yes Danny is out, so lets get on with it. We have turned outrage into motivation before, we can do it again. Lets not get mad, lets get even! The best medicine for these incompetents is for Caley Thistle to do what they do best and upset the applecart when the odds are against us. Anecdotally, Stevie Paterson put the newspaper with the 18-1 odds on his whiteboard in his team talk on Feb 8th 2000 and used that to fire up the team ... a picture of Collum or the letter from the appeals committee might just do the trick on Friday (hopefully).

and yet we still have the likes of Idrissa Gueye who has missed the same game two years in a row because he would have to wear a shirt with rainbow colours on it in an effort to raise awareness of and support anti-homophobia initiatives. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/16/sports/soccer/psg-idrissa-gana-gueye.html

Despite Collum's best efforts we got there ... wow, talk about squeaky *** time! That was really hard watching the scores via an app on my phone in the office  

An area recognised as being for memorialising those no longer with us would be a great idea. Sadly I can think of many people who would be on that memorial wall, both from club and fanbase. 

Thanks all - all luck, no science! Thanks @MrCaleyjag for doing this this year. it was fun. 

Scotty

HT: 0-0

FT: 0-1

1st ICT: Sutherland

1st PT: Bannigan

Crowd: 3879

Yellow Card: Holt

CDN Girl

HT: 1-0

FT: 1-1

1st ICT: Billy Mckay

1st PT:  Jakubiak

Crowd: 3000

Yellow Card: broadfoot

SOS

HT: 0-1

FT: 1-2

1st ICT: Walsh

1st PT: Tiffiney

Crowd: 3105

Yellow Card: Devine

2 hours ago, tm4tj said:

Standing room only today, a testament in itself to the Big Man's character who touched so many.

RIP Big Stew, I'll have a dram or two for you and let's see if we can beat Partick tonight for you.

Missed you :( 

beautiful service, and a testament to the big man’s character that so many attended.  

Scotty: ICT @ 1.90 

CDN Girl:  Queens Park @ 1.85

SOS: Arbroath @ 1.80 

Scotty - **JOKER**

• HT: 0-0
• FT: 1-0
• 1st ICT: Billy Mckay
• 1st Hamilton: Moyo
• Crowd: 1865

CDN Girl ** JOKER **

• HT: 1-0
• FT: 1-1
• 1st ICT: Sutherland
• 1st Hamilton: Lawson
• Crowd: 1955

SOS ** JOKER**

• HT: 0-1
• FT: 2-1
• 1st ICT: Mcalear
• 1st Hamilton: Moyo
• Crowd: 1799

Scotty : Partick @ 2.10

CDN Girl : Stenny @ 2.20 

SOS : Falkirk @ 2.00

Scotty

• HT: 0-0
• FT: 0-1
• 1st ICT: Billy Mckay
• 1st Morton: Ugwu
• Crowd: 1412

CDN Girl

• HT: 1-1
• FT: 1-2
• 1st ICT: Sutherland
• 1st Morton: Muirhead
• Crowd: 1222

SOS

• HT: 1-0
• FT: 1-3
• 1st ICT: McAlear
• 1st Morton: Oliver
• Crowd: 1355

Its so easy to manage a team in Football Manager ... the real world - not so much! 

The reality is that you are dealing with personalities, conflicts, real world stuff ... and employees (players) who will have a good day at the office or a bad one, just like us. Throw in a business operating on a shoestring, and an entire  industry operating in a fishbowl, that has a customer base with very strong opinions based on emotions and tribalism, where today's heroes are tomorrow's villains and once again next week's heroes, and its literally impossible to please everyone, or at times, anyone.   

You don't just throw out the baby with the bath water. There may be a few players who will or need to move on come the end of the season, but moving on an entire team of players is neither practical or sensible. Quite apart from the fact that we cant force players who are in contract out the door, nor can we necessarily afford to terminate contracts, replacing all of these players with youngsters is also at best risky, and at worst disastrous. While I believe in the mantra that if you are good enough, you are old enough, the simple fact is that younger players are neither physically or mentally prepared to play 40+ games in a season and I very much doubt we have 18 youngsters ready to make the step up to first team + subs bench. The best managers have traditionally had a blend of youth and experience and rotated those youngsters in and out of their sides so they gain experience but don't get burned out so that then means you may need 25 of a squad to rotate the 11+7 matchday squad ... we do not have that.     

At last night’s game, his scarf was laid across his seat. A very poignant moment for all involved. 
Thank You ICT for winning on his behalf!
 

It is with heartbreak and sorrow that I must announce the passing of well-known ICT supporter, my great friend for many years, and the best man at my wedding Stewart Anderson.

Stewart, his brother Ross, another friend Calum, and I sat directly above the tunnel from the second season of ICT at the Caledonian Stadium and even if you didn’t know him, you likely knew of him or encountered him. It will always be an unforgettable sight to have seen the big man in full swing shouting “encouragement” to opposition players, managers, and referees!  Those tickets changed hands over the years as paths crossed and uncrossed or personal circumstances changed, but always within people who were a part of that group with Stewart at or near the centre. 

The banter and ‘encouragement’ on a Saturday afternoon were all just football. Away from the stadium, Stewart was the proverbial gentle giant, a 6’5” teddy bear dedicated to family and friends who was also hardworking and conscientious. He would never knowingly do you any wrong and would give you the shirt off his back to help you if needed. 

I had the privilege to know Stewart for nearly 30 years. It started through football but transcended into far more areas of our lives. Stewart became a close friend before I moved to Canada, and when I did, he was the best man at my wedding, his dad Blair was our piper, and his mum Mary and brother Allan were also in attendance. He gave a speech at the reception that made even the ministers blush (we had two ministers – a husband and wife team from Nova Scotia who were very broad minded). I think I still have the handcuffs and blow-up sheep somewhere! 

Over the years we had some memorable times in Scotland at ICT games both home and away, starting or ending in either the Caley Inn or the Innes Bar. He came to Toronto a couple of times after the wedding and we had a fun time travelling through the Rockies from Vancouver to Edmonton, then to Calgary and back to Toronto. Another time he came to Toronto then with us to Cuba where he celebrated mine and my wife’s 5th anniversary in style, looking and feeling equally happy as he relaxed with a Pina Colada and a Cuban cigar at the beach in Varadero or sipping a Mojito in Hemingway’s bar in Havana. He also came with me to a couple of Toronto FC games that year and managed to get an entire pub singing “Bridge and Castle”! (see video). He made friends here in Toronto who still ask for him after all this time. Friends who I will now have to break this tragic news to and who will feel the pain like everyone else.  

Stewart was a bit of a technophobe, who just about managed to work his way around Facebook, so you won’t find him as a previous poster on the site. However, you will find many on here who knew the big man, respected, and loved him, and will miss him dearly. 

I am seldom lost for words, and even though I have a thousand stories I could relay about fun and crazy times with the big man, I am honestly and truly at a loss for more to say right now other than that I am thinking of his parents Blair and Mary and his siblings Blair, Ross, and Alan. I offer them my sincere and heartfelt condolences which I know will barely make any dent in their loss, but hopefully at some point, they can take comfort in knowing that my feelings are reciprocated across thousands of people whose lives Stewart has touched over the years whether from his travels, work, family, or football and every one of us sings the same song about his warmth and generosity. 

To Stewart, what else can I say but ‘Jeezo Big Man - Rest in Peace. I love you. I cherish all the happy memories we had together. I even cherish the times we disagreed. It made our friendship stronger, and you truly were the best man, not just my best man. You were one of a kind and I will miss you dearly.

I and many others in several countries will raise a ‘peedy’ to your memory and look back on your life with great pride to have known you and been a part of it.  Rest in Peace my friend.   //Scott. 
 

Scotty

• HT: 1-1
• FT: 2-1
• 1st ICT: Billy Mckay
• 1st KFC: Lafferty
• Crowd: 2004

CDN Girl

• HT: 0-1
• FT: 1-2
• 1st ICT: McAlear
• 1st KFC: Lafferty
• Crowd: 2222

SOS

• HT: 0-0
• FT: 1-0
• 1st ICT: Sutherland
• 1st KFC: Shaw
• Crowd: 2101

Scotty : Stenny @ 1.85

CDN Girl : Killie @ 2.45 (to jinx them)

SOS : Arbroath @ 1.60

According to the stats from Ian Broadfoot he went to Wick Academy after us.  (click image to expand).

As far as badges go, I would far rather have an ICT badge than any other ... I just wish the border on it was given some thought, especially if it is going on a red or blue area of the strip. If it was a white part, like the 2000 strip then it would not be as noticeable. I have had neutrals say to me - when I have worn an ICT shirt at TFC games - that it was a great shirt but they always comment on the badge.