Scotty

Tragically Bronson is not the first site member of ours to have passed away over the 25 years the forum has been active, and unfortunately he wont be the last, but the news this weekend seems to have affected a lot of us deeply as we have known him a long time even if we all had different degrees of closeness to him. I have been thinking about things a lot since I heard about this and would like there to be something positive to come from his passing. The Bronson Legacy referred to in the title of this post if you will. I do not know what fits, how best to phrase it, or even if we are able to do something lasting and beneficial on the site but FFS we need to look out for each other somehow .... I have seen comments on Facebook and elsewhere where members of our site have posted the offer to be there for others who might need to talk. I also hold my hands out and say the same thing to anyone on this site whether we know each other or not and whether we have crossed swords or are best of buddies. If you need to talk, I am here. If you need to vent, I am here. If you need a second, third or fourth opinion, I am here. I am no expert or psychologist, but I can do two things quite well ... listen and give an opinion. Many of us are the 'strong silent type' and that stoic Highland reserve is how I used to deal with things as well. It's a man thing, it's a Highland thing, and it's most definitely a Highland Man thing. Over the last two years my personal life has been less than perfect. 2018 started (on Jan 1st) with the suicide of someone I knew from the Toronto FC supporters group who didn't realise how much he was loved and revered (and still is). After watching an uncle die from Prostate Cancer, I was then diagnosed and treated for cancer myself and will live with some side effects forever but the crucial thing is that I will live. I also lost my mum in June 2019, two days after returning to Canada from our last visit to see her. Through it all I had the support of friends on both sides of the Atlantic, family and colleagues and this helped. I was in a dark place a few times but someone was always there with encouragement or a quick word. Its amazing how even asking how someone is doing can be uplifting and bring you out of that slump. It also helped me shed that stoic reserved approach. I now view life as too short and bottling stuff up is less of an issue now. I now participate in Movember each year and one of the key cornerstones of this is mental health (along with Prostate and Testicular cancers). I have talked openly about my cancer and told colleagues at work that if anyone is scared to go for testing or wants to know what happens after a diagnosis, I am here. The same applies for trying to remove the stigma over talking about mental health. I have added the MikeysLine link to our site pages over the weekend and there are a couple of other links below to sites that may help or form the basis of some small thing we can do for our little community here .... because thats what we are, a community, and community means looking out for each other even if/when we dont always get along. Please use this thread for comments, links or brainstorming anything you think we can do here. https://uk.movember.com/mens-health/we-need-to-ask https://letstalk.bell.ca/en/ways-to-help

It is with heavy heart that we must post of the passing of Simon MacDonald (Bronson). We have heard the news from multiple sources this morning. Simon was a stalwart of this forum from the very beginning and we offer our deepest sympathies and sincere condolences to all friends and family. Rest In Peace big man.

Scotty HT: 0-0 FT: 1-1 1st ICT: White 1st Opp: Doidge Crowd: 10689 CDN Girl HT: 1-0 FT: 2-1 1st ICT: Doran 1st Opp: McNulty Crowd: 12333 SOS HT: 1-1 FT: 1-2 1st ICT: Keatings 1st Opp: Allan Crowd: 11555

THE MATCHDAY THREAD Discuss ICT & other games in this thread as they happen Hibernian -V- Inverness CT PREVIEW 28th February @ 7:45pm, Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Media Coverage AUDIO COVERAGE BBC Sportsound BBC Sportsound [UK Only] LIVE TEXT (ONLINE) Sporting Life BBC VIDEO LIVE ONLINE [UK Only] : https://www.bbc.com/sport/live/football/51633608 SPFL YouTube Channel ICT Official YouTube Channel TEAM LINEUPS TO FOLLOW Tweets by @ICTFC Tweets by @ICTFC

There is a hole in our stats but only in the early years ... Before today Aaron Doran has made 273 appearances and scored, 46 goals https://caleythistleonline.com/stats/playerstats.html/

Scotty HT: 0-1 FT: 0-2 1st ICT: Keatings 1st Opp: Dow Crowd: 2665 CDN Girl HT: 0-0 FT: 0-1 1st ICT: Doran 1st Opp: Paton Crowd: 2552 SOS HT: 1-0 FT: 1-1 1st ICT: White 1st Opp: Nisbet Crowd: 2701

Scotty : Dumbarton @ 2.25 CDN Girl : Peterhead @ 2.00 SOS : Montrose @ 2.00

THE MATCHDAY THREAD Discuss ICT & other games in this thread as they happen Dunfermline -V- Inverness CT PREVIEW 25th February @ 7:45PM, East End Park, Dunfermline Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Media Coverage AUDIO COVERAGE BBC Sportsound BBC Sportsound [UK Only] LIVE TEXT (ONLINE) Sporting Life BBC VIDEO SPFL YouTube Channel ICT Official YouTube Channel TEAM LINEUPS TO FOLLOW Tweets by @ICTFC Tweets by @ICTFC

Precisely zero I would think. The anonymous figure who fell on their anonymous sword and will never appear on the list for future anonymous panels will remain anonymous .... nothing to stop them from being selected for an anonymous role in future if no-one knows or admits to who they are. The whole thing stinks and needs to be reformed regardless of the fact that ICT will hopefully get the correct result here.

The panel have decided to not be anonymous this time and one of the members has already denied his allegiance to a certain team from Glasgow.

If the referee has acknowledged he is wrong - in the end - then fair enough but he too has been on the end of pressure to change his mind because - if the papers are to be believed - he maintained his position until after the outcry at the review panel decision had gathered speed. I actually feel for referees who are on a hiding to nothing during a game. In many cases they are unsighted, or the action is moving too quickly for them to get everything right but they are expected, without technology, to come to the same conclusion as we do or as commentators do when watching on TV or from a far better vantage point. That's why we got VAR and that's why it can work well when the referee sees it as a valuable tool. MLS referees are the same as Scottish referees and no doubt countless other countries. We have good ones, we have bad ones, we have ones who admit mistakes and still others who cling onto the belief they can do nothing wrong as they are in charge. We have those who let the game flow and those who want to make it all about them. MLS implemented VAR 3 years ago now I think and for the most part it seems to work well. It is used not for every decision but for 'game-changing' events such as goals, penalties, offsides, red card offenses, or where the 5th official (VAR referee) has indicated something within criteria may need to be looked at. When it works well, and the ref uses it as a useful tool to help him officiate then VAR has seen consistent results, but when you get a ref similar to Aitken then its only as good a tool as the tool using it ! What MLS also does well is to routinely review controversial plays over the next week with its disciplinary committee and hand out fines or additional game bans as well as reducing punishments. This is not a specially convened comitte, it just quietly goes about its business getting stuff done. It publishes the name of the chairman and some members, it routinely posts decisions on the league site and on its twitter feed and does Q&A sessions often .... the SFA could learn a lot from them ! : https://www.mlssoccer.com/league/official-rules/mls-disciplinary-committee-principles-and-parameters

so the un-named and anonymous panel member has been forced to fall on their sword so the SFA can say the decision was invalid and reconsider. This un-named and anonymous panel member will no longer be a part of future panels with other un-named and anonymous members (yeah right!) .... spin, whitewash and squirming to what is hopefully the correct result. If you happen to believe the SFA statement (and I take it with a full salt mine) .... If the function was simply to review video and decide if the card was merited, does them not fulfilling the duty mean they didn't watch the video in the conference call ? How else would you not fulfill the obligations of the panel ? Work not done though - these panels have to be reformed and made transparent. They cannot be anonymous and need to be able to explain their decisions . The comment earlier from Radio Scotland I think, that this panel apparently was made up of one ex-ref and two "non footballing" people beggars belief. Why are two non footballing people making a decision about the rules of football ?

Scotty : Morton @ 1.90 CDN Girl : Dumbarton @ 1.90 SOS : Stirling A. @ 1.90

Scotty HT: 1-0 FT: 1-1 1st ICT: White 1st Opp: Shankland Crowd: 7288 CDN Girl HT: 1-1 FT: 1-2 1st ICT: Doran 1st Opp: Shankland Crowd: 7777 SOS HT: 0-1 FT: 1-2 1st ICT: Todorov 1st Opp: Shankland Crowd: 7551

THE MATCHDAY THREAD Discuss ICT & other games in this thread as they happen Dundee Utd -V- Inverness CT PREVIEW 21st February 2020 @ 7:05pm, Tannadice Stadium, Dundee Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Facebook Media Coverage AUDIO COVERAGE BBC Sportsound BBC Sportsound [UK Only] LIVE TEXT (ONLINE) Sporting Life BBC VIDEO LIVE ON BBC SCOTLAND [UK Only] SPFL YouTube Channel ICT Official YouTube Channel TEAM LINEUPS Tweets by @ICTFC Tweets by @ICTFC

For my mind, common sense needs to prevail. They need to reverse this farcical decision. Everyone can see it was wrong but the referee and these anonymous appeal 'judges' persist with the charade. Thats all about ego and having the strength to admit your mistakes! They need to make these tribunals transparent. If you are going to make a decision on someone's career, even if only for a game or two then they should have the stones to be visible and defend or explain their decision. IT should not be some anonymous conference call as has been alluded to. They need to be consistent and unbiased and apply the same logic to each case regardless of the teams involved. If there is a conflict of interest, or a pre-existing knowledge of a panel member's personal leanings they need to be excluded from the panel for that case to preserve their own, and the system's integrity.

I stand corrected Gary Warren, what a guy.

A lot is being made of the Rangers kid applauding the decision ... I see it a little differently (although I could be wrong). Look at the kid's face when the whistle is blown. He is thinking 'oh f***' and probably wondering if he is getting a card or if the ref maybe thinks its in the box and is going to give a penalty. The applause is a little self-serving i think and based on relief not on bad sportsmanship. However, knowing the player was going to get a red it may have been more sportsmanlike to say to the ref - 'i did catch him, but it was an accident' but lets face it, no player is going to do that these days. none. regardless of the strip they are wearing. Would be nice if Rangers could say something through the club to side with Keatings but again, cant see that happening. At best the ref is incompetent - something backed up if you search google for his name - but for the panel to uphold the original decision is not incompetent it is something far worse. Who is on these panels? Why cant we know who is on it? If you are going to make a decision that will deprive a player of appearing in a cup final at least have the f***ing balls to stand up and be counted and say why you came to that decision.

signed and shared with my ICT and my TFC accounts

The club have taken pelters in the past for bullshit or nonsense statements, but this one is an absolute belter. Nailed every word of it from start to finish. Extreme credit where it is absolutely due on this occasion to shame those who made the decision. I can only conclude incompetence or corruption in this decision. If its incompetence then resignations should follow ..... but I wont hold my breath on that one.

I was on the committee of the IDAFA for a good few years and the simple fact of the matter is that you were basically not able to overturn a referee decision at that time. If you did, and your decision was sent down to Park Gardens (that dates it!) you would literally get an angry letter back telling you to sort it out or be summoned to appear in front of them! I was witness to an incident where the ref was a complete ****hole and as a member of the local committee I stood up in the meeting to side with the "accused" who had received a red card. The committee were mindful to believe the truth, which was not reflected in the referee report, (we are talking full on lying about the incident here) but still had to impose the minimum punishment that came from the SAFA because they knew if they sided with the player or were lenient they would get letters galore. Big George Davidson, as secretary fought an almost permanent battle with them to try and preserve the dignity of the local scene but overall, on a national level, it was rotten to the core in my opinion. I actually like VAR - when used correctly. The World Cup in Russia was a decent showing and in MLS, where we have had it for several years it is pretty good and does not delay the game too much (most times). The biggest problem with it is that it is only as good as the referee who is in charge and some are reluctant to change their minds believing it shows weakness rather than strength. If VAR was independent of the ref perhaps it would be better .....

Its UEFA ... which would explain why virtually all of the EPL has been on Canadian TV on a Saturday morning .... although this year more of the games seem to be on a subscription channel. The associations themselves define the hours and dates - which is why for example a 3pm Scotland game can be shown, or the Cup Final etc. https://www.uefa.com/insideuefa/news/newsid=19817.html

Thats down to either UEFA or FIFA (dont recall which). Clubs can do nothing about that.

two of the biggest stats we are missing is Denzil's goal tally and Rosscoe's appearance record .... we have the data, just not the time or volunteers to get them all entered right now .... myself and CaleyD spent a long time with a lot of the older games from Ian Broadfoots records but running the site and keeping things ticking over took us away from it too frequently .... so step forward any volunteers that want to help enter the data. A few folk did volunteer at the start of the season but have been posted missing.

The other version was ..... Low lie the fields of Longman Drive Where once I heard a young man cry Through the wind and the drizzle We will follow Caley Thistle At the fortress on the fields of Longman drive