IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER

And then change the name back to Caledonian FC, move the Stadium back to Telford Street, chuck the thistle off the badge, double the size of the Eagle and welcome back 6,000 pre merger refuseniks to the home crowd

First things first - have to buy this and sponsor the team.

Answers to Lonsana Doumbouya - C/0 SKN St Polten (Julie Andrews Land)

FORFAR 5 EAST FIFE 4 (1964) - BUT THEN - SUPERCALEYGOBALLISTIC (2000) Back in 1964, when I was a mere, pre-Animal, pre Royal Ordnance, Caley whippersnapper - John Alexander Gordon announced the all-time cult score line – probably only surpassed by THE newspaper headline on February 9th 2000 !! I am sure that Mantis will remind me but I am sure that I have been to Station Park as a Howden Ender. Otherwise my only attendance in Loonsland was the last league game played between Forfar and ICT (20/03/1999). We strolled to a 3-0 win that day with a brace from Scott McLean and a Paul Sheerin scorcher. That put us top of the league on goal difference. We partied like it was 1999. Livingston overtook us that season but we went up automatically in second place. Forfar was never a happy hunting ground for us in the lower leagues. Our only other win there was the previous season when we sneaked a 2-1 win. It was Sheerin who grabbed a brace that day before a late Forfar penalty had us holding on. Our only ever Cup encounter at Station Park was in the 2001 Bells Challenge Cup. Goals by Charlie Christie and Martin Bavidge looked like sealing it but Forfar hit back and we went through with a Paul Ritchie clincher in extra time. I can recall being on the terraces (the days when you could change ends at half time) at Forfar in 1999. There will undoubtedly be enough room this week. The average attendance at Forfar last season was 654. That was in a very good season where they gained promotion and demoted Putridheid in the process. They have no chance of progressing after a 1 point draw against local rivals Brechin, a home drubbing by the Binos and an away drubbing at Falkirk. The Loons will pick up the wooden spoon. We are struggling to qualify also but I think that Robbo will demand a performance at Forfar – “There are some players at this club who are still feeling sorry for last season, they had better get over it". On paper we should not have struggled in a group comprising of Bairns, Loons, Binos and Hedgehogs but the finished Robertson Championship masterpiece is a canvas in the making. I am taking my grandson (Leighton) to his first ICT game and then the real brainwashing process commences !! It is a quaint wee ground and has a covered terrace opposite the Main Stand , handy if the heavens open (unless it is driving into yer faces !!). There is a bar in the Main Stand but unsure if it is open to Away supporters – but Palmerston had the only ground based tavern that was any feckin good anyway. I will initially be heading to the Plough Inn on Market Street for the traditional pre-match libation. So back into the here and now and the second John Robertson era. I am looking forward to seeing a number of new faces and they had better be fearful and prepared to face the brutal IHE Smileymometer. (Also spared of wee red dots as well ). Following recent posts I am especially looking forward to seeing Colin Seedorf and FCZ. Hopefully it will also be a reunion with Dave the Rave and Ryan Esson But as Bob Dylan once said to me – “Johndo lad, the times they are a changing” – so I may also get my first peep at Mark Ridgers, Joe Chalmers, Matthew Elsdon, John Baird, George Oakley, Riccardo “Jim” Calder, Alex Cooper, Mitchell Foy and Liam MacDonald. It really hits home what Dylan sang as that is ELEVEN ICT players that I have not seen and those ring the changes since the last game that I attended at Rugby Park on May 13th, a mere 10 weeks ago !! Possible 12 if we play the Buckfast striker Kevin Fraser as a trialist. As for Forfar the names in their squad comprises mostly of unkowns to me – exceptions being Simon Mensing and Eddie Malone, two journeymen defenders. I thought that Mensing was serving pies in the Paisley Alamo. At least they went on a mini-spree against Nairn County, hammering them 6-1 a couple of weeks ago. Perhaps their danger man might be Matthew Aitken who fired in a first half hat-trick. I reckon that John Robertson will be calling the shots during the week and I am very confident that we are going to come away with a confidence building result (Seerless prophecy of course). I know that some will disagree but I think that he has to be feckin brutal to sort out the mess created last season, possibly cultivated over the last two seasons. I also seerlessly think that we will be in a play-off spot at least by the end of next season. If we get there as a form team we will (unfortunately) be back in the top flights. I AM GOING TO CHERISH MY VISIT TO FORFAR AND I AM ALREADY LOOKING FORWARD TO TRIPS TO A NUMBER OF OLD HAUNTS AS WELL – WITH OLD AND EVER-AGING JUANJO AWAY BUGGERS.

Lets face it and it is backed up by the majority of predictions. I seerlessly cant see the top five being anything other than us, the Arabs, Stain Midden, Dumbfarmlife and the Westfield Wummin.

Looks like the Plough Inn (Market Street) for the Loons encounter ?

Fer fecks sake - getting in to a football game should simply be - get there in enuff time and walk through a cash turnstile. If you are one of those come at the last minute Innes Bar patrons then you have no rite to complain

Have a Green feckin Dot lass (I presume). Spot feckin on.

Foran's main excuse was certain players influencing others in a negative manner. It would appear that these "excuses" may still be around. Robbo is rightly flexing his muscles and the clear message is "Cut it out, play for the shirt or ship out". Nothing wrong with that in my book. It is no wonder that there is no fluency or apparent cohesiveness. That will take time. This is a different league, a different approach, a new management and practically a reformed squad. From my perspective we need to stay in the hunt in the early part of the season. I fear that Kenny and Foran left a bit of a mess.

Early Days - Lets just hope that we are learning and adjusting. Far too early to judge.

Now lets really see what we are made of ?

Now lets see what we are made of ?

"At the present time" - DOH

Robbo still sussing out but given it is Falkirk then I would suggest that this may be his favoured 1st X1 at the present time ?

Being a kindly seer I thought I would forewarn you ?

Lets face it - Polworth has more of an opportunity to progress than Vigurs does. Vigurs is coming to the end of his career whilst Polworth is peaking. At Championship level Vigurs' experience and undoubted skill level should shine through - even if it is limited to the odd goal and the execution of at least one killer pass per game. Polworth, to me, has to be played in a more effective, preferred position and the bottom line is that - if he does not shine in the Championship - then he aint going to progress at all. Deja Vu RIG ?

Lets face it - Polworth has more of an opportunity to progress than Vigurs does. Vigurs is coming to the end of his career whilst Polworth is peaking. At Championship level Vigurs' experience and undoubted skill level should shine through - even if it is limited to the odd goal and the execution of at least one killer pass per game. Polworth, to me, has to be played in a more effective, preferred position and the bottom line is that - if he does not shine in the Championship - then he aint going to progress at all.

Gawd - It is the feckin degree of talent wearing the feckin shirt,badge etc., etc. that feckin counts. Looking forward to a Bannerman Smileymometer, journalistic report on the Extraordinary meeting of great minds.

It has therefore become a "Hoping Day"

That may well be one idea that could actually work.

Yes attendance figures are pretty crucial from a financial perspectives. This season may actually attract slightly increased away followings to the Dump as I suspect that many teams will be looking forward to a day out in Sneck. And I also suspect that our away support may be maintained as there are plenty old and new venues to visit. Again, from my perspective the "drop" may get rid of the annoying who whinge at the least fault.

Always appreciate trustworthy onlooker comments on newbies Chris. My concern was that FCZ was just another walrus. Hopefully he is given game time to develop. We also appear to be relying on the Big 5 experience base of Warren - Mackay Polworth - Vigurs - Draper Hopefully we have the fullbacks not overdoing the wing-back style and having the pace to cover back in more traditional full back style. My concern is about how we play the three in midfield. We seem to have the same dilemma as last year, even without Tansey. We have to make that threesome a consistent but effective unit. In the Championship I can see Vigurs in the role of playmaker yet, like Tansey last season, he needs to be 20 yards further up the field to produce the killer touch. I have never liked Draper deep as he tends to drift forward, as does Polworth. Draper, to me, is most effective in the no 10 role but then who defends the midfield. Are we falling into the trap of trying to accommodate those three at the expense of a more solid, wider system. Are we looking at the Championship as being don't concede and hit on the break ?

In frustration ?

Craig Dargo didn't think that - Falkirk is now a clear indication of our progress.