Scotty

For once we do hope he is Billy 'NoMates' !

While its simple arithmetic if you prefer ... Scotland usually do find a way to make it more of a calculus type question and throw in some geometry and trigonometry for good measure just so we can be sure to find new ways to not qualify. Looking at the tables and the potential 3rd place finishers .... we need to beat Croatia, anything else and there is no scenario where we qualify. Even if we do beat Croatia, there are a few ways it can go pear-shaped for us .... Switzerland are likely in after yesterday (4pts). I guess we will know groups B & C by later today and if results go our way and the 3rd place team finish no better than 3 points then hopefully that might simplify things to "win and in" for us as we can reach 4 points !

makes life - or at least the math - simple. Beat Croatia and we should be in the next round. Get to the next round and every one of the squad makes history as we have never done that before ... and we would have done it at Hampden ..... should be enough of an incentive for any player. Good performance from the lads. gritty and determined and sometimes pretty ... but solid for the full 90. More of the same please. Edit : putting this here with the permutations. https://www.uefa.com/uefaeuro-2020/news/026a-1286c3028f34-c072d2f81d9b-1000--who-needs-what-to-go-through/

and what better way to "get it right up ya" to Uncle Roy and Ross County, who they think dumped them unceremoniously than being motivated in doing really well for Caley Thistle!!!

agree with this … I am a fan of the adage that "if you are good enough, you are old enough" but while youth is all well and good, and its great to see players get their chances, you absolutely need some experience and veteran presence to grind out results over the course of a season and to act as mentors to younger players coming through. Pretty happy with how the squad has shaped up so far, and the addition of someone to look after fitness and hopefully reduce injuries is also important ... that's one area where Brewster had us as the fittest team going and I think we competed for the full 90 in those games rather than tiring out and either losing games late on or failing to pressure opponents and get a result that we may have deserved. Its going to be a tough division this year at both ends so anything we can do to be towards the top is great and so far it looks like we are headed in the right direction.

Usually do a 2 year cycle on each kit .... At first glance I kind of like this one but not sure if it will grow or grate as time goes by. Looks like the badge is also still not the same quality as before with the wide white borders. Based on comments from others about sponsorship and additional money coming in, possibly from the Hydro project on Loch Ness involving ILI and Aecom, I am guessing we are adding the teal shorts and what looks like light elements of green in the pinstripes in a nod to AECOM? Their website features those same colours as their branding.

Thought we played well in parts, but the finishing wasn't there. Came close multiple times, hit the bar, their keeper made some crucial touches, we got in each other's way at times .... all very frustrating and all very "Scotland at a tournament"! I had hoped we would defend well and strongly, like the Finns did in the game against Denmark (before the incident), or like North Macedonia did for much of their game but didnt think that was the case. However, there have been a few heavy defeats so far in this first round of games, so losing 0-2 is not the end of the world given that 4 x 3rd place teams go through ... but taking something from Croatia or England becomes almost required and to be frank, after watching the two of themm play yesterday, I think both might wipe the floor with us .... This was our best shot, and we blew it. Hope the lads prove me wrong!

Think this needs a thread … Watching the Italians do their stuff today against Turkey ... and happy to note that my cable TV subscription gives me all the right channels to watch every game ..... looking forward to 9am Monday morning (my time) for our turn …

If we were able to get away with a basic tidy-up and 'prettify' of that area and ask the SFA/SPFL to use this - temporarily - in the context of allowing more fans into the game whilst making sure physical distancing recommendations were adhered to then maybe that would work. No point shelling out loads of cash we dont have, or jeopardising stadium ratings for no good reason. I know there is a UEFA stadium criteria tied to club licensing and this wikipedia page makes it simple to see the criteria. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UEFA_stadium_categories . I also see the SFA awards are tied to that same UEFA criteria and we are Silver as Mantis mentioned. Page 34 of the document doesnt say we would drop to bronze if we have a standing area though so not sure on what basis opening up the west would cause that? https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/scottish-fa/football-governance/club-licensing/ https://www.scottishfa.co.uk/media/7460/scottish-fa-club-licensing-manual-2021.pdf

Reverse the situation … If Brad had commented on him in the media in a similar fashion would that be venomous? or would we applaud him for winding up our local rivals? Its all about perspective …. Was Charlie Christie venomous when he asked Bone the score and set him off on a course of events that got him issued multiple red cards? We all thought it hilarious. Were some of the comments about Derek Adams from our support about him 'seething' venomous? Nope, also hilarious from our point of view. Was Vigurs venomous in that famous picture of him giving fans the V sign? The fans got on his case and he gave it back, and has given it back - to both clubs. Countless examples of 'banter' that some on the other side of that banter could regard as venomous. Its all rivalry … and there are libel and slander laws (or defamation in Scotland I think) to protect Brad or others if they want to complain about it. At a club level we stick together and try to wind up our rivals, come Monday, whether from Dingwall or Dalneigh we will all be supporting Scotland and likely winding up our friends who may well be supporting someone else from south of the border. As for Gardyne and Mackay - I will leave that up to Billy Dodds .. If Mackay can still score when we want, and Gardyne can add some veteran experience to a squad which, for much of the year, flirted with relegation last season and either can be the difference that sees us challenging next year and perhaps not missing out on the playoffs then so be it. I would far rather have either playing for us as opposed to the current managerial incumbent at Viccy Park in charge of us !

Apart from the cost, the big problem doing anything on that stand is the presence of the high pressure gas line that runs along the side of the A9.

2 videos of this goal on YouTube. composed finish. The official coverage Pitch level view

It wasn't a formal arrangement, it was based on someone at ICT being acquainted with someone at SU in some fashion. Never came to anything. Just like the Arsenal link mentioned at another time in our history. In current terms, its like saying we have a 'link' with Hearts or Rangers just now because of our Sporting director or CEO .... but at least those links have provided players over the recent past.

From another thread on here ....... so I am guessing this may gel with the info from @Mr Eager

Happy with this. Like others, I was not necessarily a huge fan prior to him helping us out last season, but things took a turn for the better when he did come in and whether it was his impetus, the results of McCann's coaching starting to take effect, or some combination of the two, we finished the season a lot stronger than we had been the previous few months. Now its time for the real work to begin .....

Whoever it is, it seems likely that they had a playing or coaching contract that expires today.

Club just sent email for a press conference tomorrow: "The club will be hosting a press conference tomorrow at 11am, which will be regarding the announcement of our new Head Coach. "

Club just announnced a press conference for tomorrow ......

Someone mentioned Christophe Berra a while back and I note from Hearts Twitter today that he is one of 11 players whose contract ends today .... Wonder if our target is in the same boat with a contract expiring on May 31st and we have it all sorted just cant announce anything until tomorrow .... or we are taking our time, or we are slow off the mark ... in other words, I have no clue either!! just hope we get it right.

Got this in our Facebook inbox .... feel free to drop some memories in here and/or send message to me for the email address & phone number if you want to talk to him directly. My own memory of the night is surprisingly clear ..... We had organised a bus from the Caley Inn to the first game that got postponed just as we turned onto London Road! One of my pals from work phoned me and told me before we heard it on the radio and I thought he was winding me up. We were devastated when we heard it was true but made the best of it with a few (friendly) pints in the Celtic club nearby! I also ran one of the buses for the Feb 8th game when these were provided to the club. Got interviewed on 5 Live after the game and just about managed to not swear (I think my word of the night was F...F..antastic!), then down to Glasgow that weekend for Off and On the ball sandwiched in between a limp defeat at Love Street. I have a weird coincidence surrounding this game too. Later that same year, I was visiting Toronto (before I moved here) and scored tickets for a pre-season ice hockey game involving the Toronto Maple Leafs ... got talking to the person sitting next to us at the hockey and it turns out they had been visiting Scotland at the time and had also been at that game with a Celtic supporting friend. Small world! I still have the 'Ballistic' newspaper in a frame on my wall next to a game worn shirt from that night, the program, and my ticket.

remember walking through it with my mum from Trafford Avenue to get to Frozen Foods when I was very young. Our next-door neighbour also worked there from what I can recall.

Or that they already know who they want and are just testing the water to see if anyone else bites ....

That was my first thought too ... Chairman, CEO, Sporting Director, Head Coach, then assistant coach and more under that with ex-players also in coaching roles ... all seems a bit top-heavy and potentially expensive if we have little revenue and no cash pot to draw on. My second thought was that he is not really the 'first' sporting director because it appears to be just a rename of the 'Director of Football' role that Graeme Bennett held .. or perhaps not, I guess it depends on the structure and responsibilities of the role. Putting all of that aside, I think the concept is a good thing for the club. Robbo is synonymous with us and does seem to have a good eye for bargain basement signings and if his remit as sporting director is to liaise with the manager and the board to make that happen then it could be a win-win. We still dont know what was going on in his personal life, and we have no right to do so, but slotting him into this role does seem like a way to keep him involved and associated with ICT but relieve him of some of the stresses and strains of day-to-day management that clearly, he was not able to deal with at the moment. In that context I am happy that the club put his mental and physical health first and did this. As for his successor - I would assume we would first talk to NM and BD about this opportunity and gauge interest. If neither want it - or we can't afford them - then who might be a good candidate? Would Robbo be a suitable mentor for anyone already at the club - like Kells, Esson, Wilson? or do we look externally. Who is a realistic target externally? Who is perhaps in a lower league looking to step up, or a player working his way through the coaching badges that could lean on Robbo for support and experience ..... bearing in mind that a head coach has to hold or obtain various coaching badges under UEFA club licensing.

Well done to @IBM. Completely random arm's length draw on randompicker but pretty fitting given how much hard work you have put in this year in getting our player information up to date on the site. I have sent you a message with relevant details needed.

Here are the draw results for 2020/21 season to see who receives Cameron Harper's signed shirt from this season just past. WINNER - SIGNED SHIRT : @IBM The names in the hat for each of the seasons are based on the members who joined the sponsorship group each year (see topic linked below). The draw itself is conducted using a random generator website (www.randompicker.com). We have used this same site to conduct all our draws over the years and have also successfully conducted several test draws on the current data that completed without any issues. The draw is completely and utterly random and no-one on CTO or within ICT has any influence or control over the names that come up. This is important to note as there are people connected with the club and with CTO who have subscribed and are therefore eligible and who will not be excluded from the draw. If anyone has any concerns or questions about this process, please feel free to PM me or mention it in the thread below. 2020-21: List of participants 2020-21 Draw Result on the randompicker website