Scotty

Having watched "summer football" for the last 4 seasons in MLS where the season starts in late March/Early April and runs into October for all teams and possibly to the end of November for those who make it all the way through the playoffs to decide the championship, I would say it would be a bad idea for a number of reasons, mostly to do with global fixture dates. UEFA/FIFA dates are heavily based around a 'traditional' European calendar. For those leagues who shift the timing of their seasons it may bring benefits (weather being one) but it also brings loads of problems. In MLS I think it is fair to say that at least half a dozen times per season, TFC lose 6 or more players on each FIFA or CONCACAF date and most of the MLS games scheduled for those dates still go ahead because of the relative shortness of the season and lack of dates available for rescheduling. One one particular date TFC lost 9 players to international duty and MLS would not reschedule the match despite TFC having to register two of their coaches and to draft in a 39 year old utility player from what would be the equivalent of Clach. If you cannot get the whole of Europe to change to summer football then Scotland, and quite possibly the fans of Scottish teams would potentially be at a similar disadvantage. With regards to players from other leagues coming up on loan ... I think Joe is right. Beckham was a special case as he did it to retain his England place. And although Landon Donovan followed his example a year later by going to Everton there are loads of potential problems in this. The biggest one is the transfer window ? Would we have variable windows ? When Beckham went to Italy in 08/09, LA Galaxy were furious when they discovered he would not be back for the start of the 2009 MLS season in April. He is the "franchise player", and with sponsorship and endorsements galore for both himself and the team based on his presence, whether he plays or not, they stood to lose a substantial sum. The simple reason he could not play for LA Galaxy that year until the end of June ? The European transfer window was closed. The North American one was open, but he couldnt move back until the European one opened. So to use the example of Don Cowie .... when the English window opened at the end of June do you think he would come here for July and a little bit of August until the English season restarted or would he rather go on a well earned break ..... There are also two other things to consider in this equation .... What if his club thought he might be sold to one of the OF in the coming season? He could not play for two clubs in the same league in the same year without special clearance? would they think it wise to go through all the extra paperwork for a 6 week transfer? and what about the chance of injury? At the end of the day I support the idea for change, and moving the season a few weeks earlier to give some leeway for a winter break might also be a good idea, but not moving it by months. I do have a problem with a 10 team league though. It basically means that every single team other than Celtic / Rangers are fighting relegation from day 1 of each season. The 12 team league and the split may well be a farce (and it is), but this season, we would regard it as a tremendous achievement to make the top 6 and play out our season without fear of relegation and with 5 'meaningless' games (in terms of the championship) against the likes of Celtic, Rangers, Hearts etc. I support a 16 team league, in fact 3 leagues of 16 rather than 10-10-10-12. Thats 6 more ambitious teams from the juniors or non-league allowed in and more excitement .... Each team plays the other once at home, and once away, guaranteed. no silly splits and no messing around with the natural way a league should function. 2 teams promoted and two teams relegated from divisions above/below and a further two teams above or below that to be involved in playoffs. teams given 12 months to make stadium compliant with the league above if there is a criteria in place so they can use higher income from that league to offset the costs, bottom league should also allow promotion/relegation to/from the junior or non-league ranks. As the number of league games could potentially be reduced from 36 or 38 down to 30, an enhanced regional cup could also be looked at which would hopefully offset some of the income issues. Fans like their club to win things, and to be involved in edge of the seat nailbiters .... so better structure to the cups, more chances for lower league clubs to progress via playoffs or winning their leagues and less barriers to that progress is key for me as opposed to what will become yet another stagnation scenario.

see: http://caleythistleonline.com/3087-fifas-niculae-decision-overturned What can I say .... other than well done. Well I guess I can be the first to eat humble pie and say I was wrong. Based on all the information released or in the media, I was firmly in the "lets just pay him, draw a line under it and move on" camp. I felt that the whole thing was dragging us through the mud. I guess the club knew how they would play it and their gamble paid off. But does this mean it is all over now ? or can Marius appeal the appeal decision ?

May not have been in the last three seasons but Neil Lennon & Juanjo spring to mind. Lennon went down like a sack of spuds and simulated being hit in the face, the ref sent off our best player on that day ... Juanjo ! Card was later rescinded but the cheating Lennon had no sanctions taken against him. How was he allowed to make the mistake described above without being demoted ?

yup, cant seeDons coming back from that ....

A chance of 3rd today if Aberdeen can beat Hearts by more than 1 goal !!! New Manager bounce anyone ?

It was Beattie that went down too easy though, not Miller ..... third time that Beattie has taken a blatant dive this half

Nice one Ryan ... saving the cheating scumbag's penalty !

6799 crowd

absolute beauty !!! long way to go though !!!

now down to 5 subs !!!! Terry confirms that Nick Ross has been removed from the team lines and sent home with Tonsilitis

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couple of requests from folk so have opened up the map shown above to all contributors .... go here: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&t=h&source=embed&msa=0&msid=103032136244335260965.000496fb5e1697cd6ba7c&ll=25.165173,-28.125&spn=143.382197,270&z=2 and if logged in with a Google account you will be able to 'collaborate'

Possibly. YouTube is not an official outlet for SPL footage so if they (SPL or one of the official broadcast partners like the BBC) complain then the videos will get pulled.

Good idea !! I cannot speak for the list of users that ICTFC may keep on file but I am sure Don already has plans to send out one of our infrequent mailings to let users know. Please Note: for those that do not wish a mailing from us - and I dont see why you wouldnt as we only send them out once or twice a year maximum - there is a setting in your profile to receive or not receive mailings (settings > noification options). When we send out the mass mail we tell the mailer to respect that setting.

Mark McGhee I hope !!!!

i made a comment about his beating Airdrie 7-0 error but other than that, it was pretty good.

no this is not some sex scandal ... but the name of a football blog I came across today (courtesy of a newsnow link) that has a nice little article about TB and ICT ....... http://inbedwithmaradona.com/butchers-bromance/

SPL have just released a press statement ..... our game as well as Hearts -V- Aberdeen and St Mirren -V- St Johnstone expected to go ahead. Accies -v- Hibs game subject to a pitch inspection tomorrow, Celtic -V- Killie and Dundee Utd -V- Motherwell are OFF. http://caleythistleonline.com/3040-spl-postponements

<div align="center"> <iframe width="715" height="600" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" src="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp;hl=en&amp;t=h&amp;source=embed&amp;msa=0&amp;msid=103032136244335260965.000496fb5e1697cd6ba7c&amp;ll=25.165173,-28.125&amp;spn=140.429502,254.53125&amp;z=2&amp;output=embed"></iframe><br /><small>View <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&amp;hl=en&amp;t=h&amp;source=embed&amp;msa=0&amp;msid=103032136244335260965.000496fb5e1697cd6ba7c&amp;ll=25.165173,-28.125&amp;spn=140.429502,254.53125&amp;z=2" style="color:#0000FF;text-align:left">ICT across the world</a> in a larger map</small> </div> As noted in the map, let me know your email address, or confirm it is the same as your account on here and I will add you to the map as a collaborator which will allow you to drop pins on it.

Doresboy in Chicago GordyfromSneck in Transylvania A number plate floating around Chicago .... Oz647 in Bahamas P&B's kids in Orlando Dobber in Gambia Myself and the wife at Niagara Falls Yngwie in Egypt Cant remember ... but its Brazil the original pic we were sent from the Sportsman's bar in Singapore

Yup, its a great story. Remember your pics too Gordy .... let me see if I can dig out one or two from those days. I know I have yours somewhere as well as Yngwie's ... there may be others. If people want, we can re-create a gallery in the gallery section soyou can all post your ICT across the world pictures ? easier than doingit in here I seem to remember that this came up before a couple of years ago or more .... cant remember the full story behind it but seem to remember vaguely about an ex-pat ICT fan living there or something.

Let me see ...... where have I sported my ICT gear in Canada ..... Toronto, Niagara Falls, Montreal, Vancouver, Jasper, Edmonton, Calgary & Windsor in USA .... Buffalo, Detroit, New York, Chicago, Houston, Orlando, Cocoa Beach, Cape Canaveral, and Inverness, Florida elsewhere .... Havana, Matanzas, Varadero, Copenhagen, Stockholm and of course various parts of the UK !!! I think we (myself, Calum and Big Stew) also did our bit in Inverness !!! When the Innes Bar mob were still the Caley Inn Crew, the three of us always kept a spare scarf behind the bar in case one of us forgot theirs or in case it was needed for some reason ... On more than one occasion tourists from various countries who were travelling the canal in boats would find their way to the pub and those who were worthy of it sometimes left with an ICT scarf which one of us would then replace behind the bar next time we went to the Club Shop. so gawd knows in which parts of the world these have ended up.