IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER

And the there were more welcoming,traditional and football orientated pubs to gather at prior to games. My favourite was the old Royal Ordnance.

Yes it was a fact that attendances at Inverness matches tended to be counted as non-alien individuals or Cyclops whereas the Gypos counted all the mutant breeds of Ross-shire. But my suggestion was that this would not have been the case if Caledonian and its healthy core support and family institution culture had been followed from the off - which is what Dougal was attempting to succinctly point out.

Yet another excellent point - stewards were seen and not heard in pre merger days. jhesus it's getting worse and worse.

I have to admit that my first summer job in circa 1971-1972 was helping deliver Burnetts pies to the football grounds and pubs of Sneck. Perhaps my pie embellishment was tasted at Kingsmills !!

Can't believe that Humphrey has chosen PNE but that shows you the difference in wage systems. It is also highly likely given the managerial merry-go-round that we could also be one of the few clubs maintaining their management structure. By the way your last attempt at trying to be seriously funny was greeted by a deafening silence. You must have an extinct life if you assumed that your unbiased opinion wasn't a pretty ugly attempt.

Becos education is important. Anyway three England based signings prior to the start of pre season training and it may not be far away from my earlier predictions. We could be the first SPL side by miles to have its squad together and that is a major improvement and shows that lessons have been learned.

Apologies but it does remind me of the Snack Shack at the old Kingsmills. And that is being serious and means that I will not be accused of bringing humour and light relief to this forum. It is probably more popular in its present position and ambience than putting it out of sight inside the stand or the ground. Quirky and accessible can often be the best.

Another excellent point - the pies from Burnetts were of a considerably higher standard and even the offerings from th wee wooden red and black shack at Kinsmills were healthier fare.

From a diagnostic perspective I would suggest that you may have a Dissociative Identity Disorder - join the feckin club !! - I also considered whether you had Possession Syndrome due to spending such a long period of time in the Jeggie culture and its belief systems. I suspect that most Jeggies have been possessed and that could be a source of the apparent delusion that they were the equals of Caledonian FC. Strangely it also appears to have affected other pre merger individuals - a prime example is Charles Bannerman - he masquerades as a Caley man but there is clear evidence from his vernacular that he has been possessed by the dead of Kingsmills and the cultural chaos of Ross- shire.

My cow is not pretty but it is pretty to me - and why should I not be proud of the ancestry of Caledonian FC and extol its virtues to the extreme boundaries of vanity - if you have got it flaunt it - are you sure that you are not Lady Tremaine or perhaps Delanira from the Women of Trachis.

This wouldn't have happened in the pre merger days.

A very good point - it is becoming more like the Howden End or Caley Away game by game - it could have been like that18 years ago.

I don't see how it would be debatable becos IF Caley had been given the same financial backing then there is no doubt that the fan base would have grown much quicker and the " fairy tale" would be based on a club similar to an historical institution which would have attracted families of Gringos from the Midlands, Berkshire would be crammed full of OAP's catching the cut price flights and there would be more Supporters buses leaving Chorley than leaves Sneck. The only reason that some people feel that this thread has turned in to a cringe is becos it has turned into a reality orientation and at least the yoof are getting to know exactly what they missed out on becos of rigged ballots.

It is not political ??!!

Is that graffiti ?

Expecting him to fill Shinnie's boots is way too much expectation for a start. He is certainly worth the gamble as he has definite potential. My expectation initially is that he shows enuff that he hits the bench early doors and is a worthy replacement and that if he does break through that he does enuff to hold his place.

Looking forward to Keith and Wick (NOT) - looking forward to a big test home game or away trip on 27th June.

I really do not think that we should be extolling this youn lad to this extent as he will suffer from high expectation. He may well be extremely skillful but football is far more than that. It may be cruel but if he was that special he wouldn't be in the ICT squad next season. Hopefully he will fit in at that level and he learns from the experience. I suspect that he will initially be warming the bench.

Even if Lizi and I show ya potties ?

He reminds me of myself in the Welfare League.

I suspect that we may have had had different agendas LOL - what was yer gear like ??!! - I can just imagine ya in a min skirt and a leather hat !!

We all need to know our ancestry and the yoof of today would be clambering in with the "Animals " in the Howden End and the original "CaleyAway" crew - lets face it in the late 70's we were feckin rocking the Highlands and the closest I have felt to the olde feeling was at the final game at Dungwall - and that was without my Oxford Bags, my DM's' the Caley scarves round my wrist and ma belt and going to the Strath afterwards,

It would be like a Jeggie being kicked in the air - I may just wear that with that vision.

The other thread has actually reached a point where a few "facts"are being dismissed and we are having the most sensible discourse ever. Why not join in that thread instead of prolonging this Jeggie paranoia - unless of course you are really another IHE personna ?

It is merely becos he knows that the Merger reality differs significantly from his memories and writings.