Kirishima

Well, I hope it is uppermost in everbody's mind. Lost a lot of respect for the Courier over this, they are quiet pathetic (sic) really and obviously in the pockets of their advertisers. Hope that there is a bandwagon coming I can jump on, else I'll start building one of my own...

Not a peep from the Courier on the stadium. Lots about Alan Savage's lady friend suing him,which of course is much more pertinent to the folk of Inverness. But no questions about the stadium, one sees. A Free Press? Maybe The West Highland is the only Free Press nowadays. Poor.

Maybe someone had a word with the reporter or maybe even the editor or maybe even the owners. :001: Well, either it is very poor reporting or very underhand meddling. Its one or the other, and personally, I'm not of the opinion it's the former. Things like this happen all the time, a wee phone call, chat, words such as "unfortunate", "regrettable" muttered and that's that. If anyone from the Courier is reading this, then i have a few words for you. Journalists you are not.

Either way nothing in the Courier. After running the story about sacking the stadium announcer, I would have expected a follow up story or pursuit for a statement, clarfiication, fact, or spokesman denial/comment...nothing of the sort. Why not?

Well, despite things looking rosy on the pitch, I hope that the board, as im sure they would wish, doesnt think people will forget the one question on people's lips. Yes, DS saved the club, yes, he put in money, yes he will always be remembered for that, for making ICT and a large part of its illustrious history. But we can't live on past plaudits forever. Look the answer may be straightforward, above board, whatever...but if it is, why is it not fortcoming? Why is their no evidence of a stadium in a trust company? Why are we raking through public documents and getting nowhere? Is the stadium in the trust company or not? Simple.

Something like 3 players under contract for next season and no management team is what we have. It is time to sign up Butcher, Malpas, and co, and make sure if we dont go up this season, we are ready for next with the same squad, but a few more of Terry's favourites. Otherwise, it will be groundhog day.

I wouldn't be making a scapegoat out of the young policeman, he made an error of judgement, as many do without the hindsight of 10 20 or 30 years that most of us have on him. The actual investigating officers and procurator fiscal need to be looked at much more closely. A 19 year old did not take this to court, there were numerous adults who should have known better but didn't. Don't just go for the easy target eh?

Pull my finger you're pulling my leg!!

It's not a witchhunt. A witchhunt is "panic-induced searches for perceived wrong-doers" There is no panic, there is a malaise. It is not perceived, it has been in the courts, in the papers, everywhere, except face-to-face.

If I had to guess what was going on at ICT I would say this: The club's policy is to discourage dialogue with the fans. I doubt it is an accident, oversight or coincidence any longer. There is no point, no point, in trying to come up with ideas, initiatives, etc, under this current climate. All I want to know is why. Why have the club gone down this road? Surely, if as David Sutherland stated recently, that the board are all wealthy, successful, great people, they know you can't treat shareholders and customers with disdain over and over without some eventual repercussions? So, the only assumption left is they are trying to detach the club from the supporters and in turn the supporters from the club. For what reason I cannot yet see. The board know they are antagonising the supporters, they know it's causing rifts, they know it will eventually result in action of some sort, so it's not a case of reminding them or pointing things out as once was the case. It is not ignorance. They are not fulfilling their roles as they should. List all the things they have messed up on and it becomes a little bit embarassing.

Contact them in writing? Anonymous spokesman via press? What is this? It's a farce. I'm sorry but if Darren wants to retain some semblence of respect then he had better start showing some. I'm afriad i've heard far too much from the press, and far too little from Darren to be regarding him in any way different from the board. It is a slightly pathetic and juvenile administration at ICT. I'm usually very careful with my words, but, ach, it's beyond repair now. Waste of time.

I haven't come across any information from the supporters trust on this matter. Could someone point me in the right direction if there is something stated by them over this issue. I would say the channel should be supporters - supporters trust - Darren - board - answer. Are we at the stage where the supporters trust are asking an official question yet? If not, why?

Yes, Don fell on his own sword, that much is clear. But if no one (Supporters trust, Inverness Courier) asks any questions then the game's a bogey. The club (as in fans, players) need a statement from the board assuring them that the stadium (land) is not an asset, to be sold, and unless questions are asked by the supporters trust and inverness courier, then they too will be tarred by the same brush. This issue won't go away, however much DS would like it to, it's gone beyond that now, thanks to the wall of silence eminating from Longman road...

Ewan Murray's piece was as sycophantic as one could get, no demanding questions asked, no new information forthcoming, rabbit in headlights stuff. Poor show. "But we have a pretty focused and wealthy board in place at Caley Thistle now." (David Sutherland)...really, and how is that the case? Focused on what,exactly? Wealthy as in buying players such as....? Great journalism, rollover and be tickled.

"...he indicated that he would rather have the right to free speech as opposed to being announcer. We have acceded to this request." (Courier) Acceded to this request, i.e. you go along with it! That it's either free speech or a volunteer position, but not both. Who was the spokesperson...the same one that drew up Marius's contract? Can't believe they have the gall to try and justify this one...no, sorry I can completely understand it, as itis par for the course. Yet again, the club is in the paper because of stupid actions, David Sutherlands Supporters Trust rant, the ridiculous court case, and now this. The list is getting longer...I wonder if they know they are incompetent, or believe they are pretty smashing chaps all round?

Ah yes, i missed that...thanks! Not much of a response after having had all of the tabloids covering the story, and threatening, wrongly, to fine a 16 year old a huge amount of cash, to just say "we have given permission." Yon Grant fellow makes scrooge look like the tooth fairy

Yes, I saw it in December, and the Highland League responded by saying they would hold a meeting "in January" to discuss it. I assume this meeting has taken place, so I wonder what the outcome was...I imagine it would have been a medley of brushes and carpets.

The Highland league said they were going to meet in January after the League secretary, John Grant, threatened that school boy with a fine of 5 grand for videoing Buckie games and putting it on You Tube, even though it was not illegal and he had the clubs backing. Does anyone know what action the highland league took? Are they suing a 16 year old?

Not much else to be said is there. The board are the Borg, resistence is futile, assimilate...or die/get a phonecall. Though im in China, it makes me proud to be from a country where free speech, democracy, freedom, accountability, openess, justice and fairness are the cornerstones of society...oh :)

Thing is Croylo, no contract and voluntary work don't seem to garner any respect more than a phone call, despite Don having put more effort into the club than any other fan. Are the club trying to drive down attendances so they can justify administration, winding up order, and the final stage of the great stadium swindle? Sounds ridiculously far fetched, but when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth? There's no money to be had at ICT anymore, but there's money to be had without it.

Probably a mixture of DS V DJS, Marius, and the stadium...the club don't like it if you give the manager stick, but whatever you do, don't go any higher than that with your criticism, else you are likely to be punted out. What a joke. It really is. Thing is, they can do it, can't they? No one does anything about it. We are all too heilan' and would rather talk it to death, rather than do anything about it. No jibes there, I'm in the same boat. I'm just getting sick of them to be honest. Love the club, love the team, love the manager, but i'm just so disillusioned by those above that. It's not just this episode, it's been a multitude of things, for a long time, and the realisation the club isn't a fans club as we thought, it is David Sutherland and co. They aren't scared of the supporters opinions because they know we are all too spread out, divided, apathetic to do anything.We don't have a voice, whichever way you look at it. We have a soft supporters voice and a club with a hard perimeter, thus giving the club carte blanche to do what they like, like firing volunteers on hearsay.

Don, you didn't do anything wrong. The senior executives have taken to acting on forum posts from the internet to sack not just a volunteer but someone who many would regard as a representative of the fans by phone without any due process, discussion or explanation. Don't lose sight of that fact. It's as irrational and ludicrous as it sounds.

Well well, the board are at it again. You know, I live in China, and I hear about these things time from time, but,as I said, I am in a country that has no elections... I'm very disappointed about this, it is petty, sad, and wrong Petty: This is a forum, visited by ICT fans, it is not the Houses of Parliament, or The One show, it is a member forum, and independent from the club. Should CaleyD have written in the matchday programme, or the official site, yep...bye bye. But he didn't Sad: A phonecall? That's it? And going so far as to cancel the SRU game? Sad. Wrong: You do not treat your customers badly. What on earth do they think they are running? ICT is not a gulag! People choose to go there. Im furious. Darren, if you or someone who took this action is reading, i have a question. What do you think your job is? Is it to alienate fans? Is it to lose season ticket holders? Is it to make a mockery of ICT? Is it to embarass everyone associated with the club? If so, job well done. I'm not going to ICT anymore. Period. (Haven't heard the other side of the story....never will...no point waiting for it, is there?)

I have just finished it. Quite a book, quite a story. It was very open and frank, and showed the culture of football back then was as far away as you could get today. The Japanese saga was particularly sad...I wonder what would have happened had he not been addicted to gambling? Great book, but difficult to read - no happy ending yet, I hope it is yet to come! Even more my hero now.

Yes, Im sure Tam had thought about how to do it, and that he let Stevie know what he was going to ask, and that it was the style of the show, rather than any personal slant. I think it is ok, but then i cant hear it, so please let me know how it went, etc, as I hope I am correct in assuming this is done in a tasteful kind of jibe, rather than an offensive one - I like them both, but Stevie far more of course.