DJS

Don, clearly our views and recollections on these matters are poles apart and discussing them any further on this forum would serve no purpose in my view, so this will be my last contribution to it. Perhaps, a blether over a pint some time might be more appropriate. Clacher - while the Trust is delighted to obtain these shares I don't think we are patting ourselves on the back. It is pleasing to see this thing brought to a conclusion but nobody should think they simply came gift wrapped from the club. Les, in particular, has put in a heap of work involving many meetings, innumerable phone calls and several lawyers. So, getting back to the initial purpose of this thread AN ICT SUPPORTERS' ORGANISATION THAT ANY ICT FAN CAN JOIN NOW HAS A SIGNIFICANT SHAREHOLDING IN THE CLUB. IF YOU FEEL THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD THING AND LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS WE ARE DOING COME AND JOIN US. http://www.ictsupporterstrust.co.uk Over and Out

Got to be the footie. Egg chasing does nothing for me.

Don, I fully understand the view you hold about membership fees. However, what was very clear at the meeting you mention was that all who attended the meeting shared the board's view that there should be a membership fee. You were very much on your own regarding scrapping the membership fee. Being part of the trust does me the power of good. When we organise a bowling night for families to play with the players and you see the look on the kids faces as they bowl with Dods, Dargo & Morgan you can't help but get a buzz out of that. When we hold our boxing night next week, which is a sell out, and then pass on a cheque for several thousand pounds to ICT Youth & Development I'll feel good about that. I could go on but haven't the time. However, the 12% shareholding is remarkable in Scottish football and having spoken to the club chairman he has made encouraging noises about the Trust adding to that in the months and years to come. The trust board also must expand in size and we are talking to a small number of well known ICT fans who we would like to co-opt onto our board whose skills and enthusiasm would make us stronger. The future's bright and definitely not orange.

Bus Spotters. What are they like! :015:

I will give a more measured response later in the day but in the meantime I must head off to my shrink who is helping me sort out the damage. :017: :016:

This event is now sold out but as there is always the possibility of the odd cancellation, anyone interested in attending can still get in touch.

The following press release has been issued jointly by the football club and supporters trust. It's taken a while but we've got there in the end. :003: Inverness Caledonian Thistle have given their Supporters Trust the biggest slice of shareholding in SPL history. Caley Thistle's Supporters Trust now own 12 per cent of club shares -- with Dundee United next in the SPL with 5.6 per cent followed by Hearts (3.5%) and Falkirk (3%). The football club board has approved the transfer to the Trust of the shareholding from the Members Club, which now dissolves. The Members Club was a legacy of the 1994 merger between Highland League sides Caledonian and Inverness Thistle which allowed the new team to be born. Caley Thistle chairman Alan Savage said:"The directors are very happy to agree the transfer to allow supporters of this club a significant stake, which makes the Trust one of our larger shareholders. "The Members Club has passed into history and we applaud their recognition that it was time to move on. It makes sense that the shares go to those who actively support Caley Thistle now. Many of these fans were not associated with the former Highland League clubs. "We're very pleased that our supporters now have more influence than those at any other SPL club. The Trust has shown a very positive and sensible approach and we look forward to closer links." Supporters Trust chairman Les Kidger said:"It's another major milestone in the Caley Thistle story and our members are delighted to have such a strong voice at the table. "We hope this feeling of ownership will help widen the club's fan base.We intend to work very closely with the board, which is clearly heading in the right direction. "We're grateful to former Caley Thistle chairman David Sutherland, who encouraged us a couple of years ago when we first sought to untangle the legal and prcedural situation with the Members Club. And incoming chairman Alan Savage has shown equally strong support and enabled us to deliver what is good news for club and fans alike." The Trust's shareholding will dilute to 10 per cent if the club's available for sale shares attract new investment. But Mr Kidger said:"It is the principle that matters more than the amount. We would still be the most democratic club in the SPL."

There's three words you rarely hear together in the same sentence! :015:

Maurice Johnston or perhaps even Saint Johnstone. :015:

one man's rationality is another man's nonsense. :006: :023:

There is no point taking somebody who might be up to speed after "a few months in training". Whatsmore he would be cup tied and no use in the Scottish Cup. What worries me more is defence - a couple of injuries there and we are in big trouble. All season we have worked with the regular back 4 and Caff. After that there is nothing.

I don't know about small town mentality but we were happy to play for a draw latterly with no urgency to keep the game going. When Duncan was subbed he ambled off at a snail's pace. With this approach in mind we most certainly did defend deeper and deeper and were asking for trouble. THis was a shame because for the most part we played very well indeed.

and I thought it was Jim Holton. Could have been either I suppose. Dennis Law Dave MacKay Jimmy Johnstone Jim Baxter

ICT struggle to sell the hospitality they've got so I can't see the point myself.

Could be pursuaded. Quite like to see Cowie in action again.

Any word on what colour the shorts and socks are or are we going to play without them next season. That might get the ladies and Elton John in.

At the last meeting with the Trust the club said they were going to contact United to try and come up with an attractive pricing structure for this game. I believe this has now been done but the Arabs were having none of it apart from agreeing to a bit of a discount on concession prices. I have to say that is disappointing but I believe it is not ICT's fault.

A Hibs poster on one of their message boards is suggesting some of our fans were calling him an Arab barsteward and this wound Benji up. How they could tell this all the way from the south stand is beyond me! :015:

Forfar - from whence he came - might be another possibility.

The Supporters Trust Boxing Night which was postponed from last year has now been rescheduled for the evening of Friday, February 9th at the New Drumossie Hotel. This will be an international contest between Scotland and Cyprus. Tickets are priced at £50 and this includes dinner. Due to the postponement, some who had originally booked tickets are now unable to come. Consequently, some seats for this event are now available. Anybody interested should contact the ICT Supporters Trust on [email protected]. All profits from the evening will be split evenly between the Supporters Trust and ICT Youth & Development.

If Mark gets much of a game at Celtic - and that's a pretty big if - it will be interesting to see whether the weak areas in his game improve. In all his time in Inverness he did not improve at penalties or with the ball at his feet, so if we were to see improvements from Mark in these areas then the coaching he received while with ICT would have to be called into question.

Malkowski from Hibs :023:

My sources tell me that the deal is OFF following the medical. Apparently, Celtic doctors discovered that Mark has two left feet. Despite their initial excitement at the the prospect of having a double left footer on their books, they have now seen sense and pulled out.

Looking ahead, ICT must acquire another keeper before the month is out. Mike Fraser deserves his chance but we must have some quality and a bit of experience to back him up. The young lad Smith is indeed wee but has virtually no experience at reserve level never mind the SPL.

With a name like that I hope his shoulders are broad. :015: