CaleyD

Away fan numbers are on a massive decline already across the country, have been for years, and that's just as much on a Saturday afternoon as it is at any other time. Just look at how few fans Ross County take to our place these days. I'd need to check, but I actually think the best crowd they've brought in the last 5 years was a Friday night! There are far more practical things that can be done to improve the atmosphere at games than encouraging large away crowds (which inevitably bring larger stewarding costs etc as well). Even when we were charging away fans less than home fans last season it did little to improve the numbers. The argument for encouraging youngsters is a fair shout...I think!! I have a slight reservation on it because clubs have been trying for years to grow the game on the back of being "family friendly" and it doesn't seem to be working. I wish I could find it, but I have a paper somewhere from a team in Germany (I think) which showed that getting players out into the community regularly did more than free/cheap kids tickets etc. Not suggesting we abandon promoting the game and making it accessible to youngsters, but we do need to look at whether or not we are doing that in the right way....possibly a subject of its own for discussion elsewhere.

As I said in the OP....it's only ludicrous in relation to what happens at the moment. If it we didn't have this fixation with wanting large numbers of away fans at games* then it suddenly isn't so ludicrous. Ourselves and County are perhaps a little different because we both have good numbers of fans who have moved South for education/work etc who attend games....but a Friday night match down there is still going to be more convenient for them than a home match up here at any time! *I have nothing against away days or people attending away days...I quite enjoy them myself...but whilst it's normal in Scotland, it's far from normal across the rest of the globe other than for the "big" games....and even the big games in Europe (from what I can gather) only give visiting teams very small (relatively) areas because there's not normally the demand for anything else. That doesn't make our norm wrong...it just shows that there are other norms (arguably more successful ones) that could/would come about if things changed.

Travel for existing fans who live out of town and relying on public transport is something there's no easy too. It would also take a brave person to make the call to sacrifice that support in the hope that the decision would generate a larger support from closer to home!! FWiW...I don't actually think that season tickets do clubs any favours and would get rid of them (in the traditional sense) tomorrow if it was within my power to do so. If not for the fact that clubs, even the bigger clubs, have become so reliant on that pot of cash at the end/start of the season, then the business case to get shot of them would be an easy one...but that's a whole different conversation...lol

Is setting off at 10:30pm for a journey home really any worse than setting off at 8am for a journey there? Swings and roundabouts. Most games postponed as a result of frozen pitches are because, for a 3pm game, the decision is being made early in the morning before pitches have a chance to be prepped. With a day of sun daylight on them and time for ground staff to do proper prep, then there's possibly an argument that it would be less likely we'd have call-offs...summer football would certainly reduce the chance even further.

I'm not talking about shifting to a Friday night to accommodate TV. However, we have to accept that televised football is the norm and has been for a long time now. Remove TV and the associated money and we'd be part-time (at best) and playing in the lower leagues in front of 700 to 800 people down the park (as we couldn't run our stadium on that). I don't buy into the theory that people are sitting at home watching a game instead of heading along to local matches. If they are, then it doesn't matter when we play games as you can get football on the TV pretty much 24/7. The fact that we've had pretty healthy crowds at TCS for Friday Night games in the past would suggest that's not the case. Not saying Friday Night football is the only option...but I do know that banging our head against the same old wall, time after time, isn't the answer. Like it or not, we need to find a way to work with TV now that we're so reliant upon it. See previous comments about away travel.

But if we sacrifice 150/200 away fans for 250 more home fans...surely that's a better scenario for the club?

I just posted this on Twitter but thought it might make for an interesting discussion on here..... As much as I think moving the Ayr v ICTFC match to a Friday night is ludicrous...I only find it such in relation to the current "norm". I'd actually support a move to shift the entire Scottish Football Calendar to Friday Nights...but I would make kick-off later! Some of the best (home) atmospheres we've had were at Friday night matches, and there is something a bit special about playing under floodlights, but that's not the main driver for the above view. It ultimately boils down to the fact that football, for all but the largest of teams, is struggling to compete with other interests at weekends....so why keep banging our head against that wall? There is an argument about a drop off in visiting support, but if the move put enough on the home gate to counter that, then all the better. In terms of our fans travelling to away games...meh! I enjoy an away day as much as the next person, but the idea of prioritising putting money in the pocket of competitors ahead of what may be in the best interests of the game as a whole (or even just ICTFC, from the point of view of ICTFC fans) would be a bizarre argument against the idea. Discuss...!!!

Oh yeah sorry, Samoans would have been a ridiculous suggestion ?

It's up there with the Samoan Rugby Player idea from a while back!!

Yogi's apparently looking for a job overseas, but wouldn't rule out a return to the SPFL either.

Far too many letters in Kaepernick for there to be any profit in putting his name on shirts ?

ICTFC have had a good few players over the years who were on "£1 a week" type deals. However, there was a bit of a hullabaloo over it (throughout the game) when the minimum wage thing kicked off and I don't think it's as common/acceptable these days.

Choice

Imagine it will be a case of players having to leave in order to bring in anyone new. If we went that route in order to bring in Bolt, then we'd not have a starting XI..!!

Hi Scarlet, You can get the playlist with all the highlights at the following link...(latest will always show first on the list). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZF5X-AtKYk&list=PL4nOlV_ZDIcjEic9tdQQqfPlTQ6QLyRen As there are new people looking after the uploading and communication of highlights etc, then it might be worth contacting slo@ictfc.co.uk to see if they can do anything more to help you, or to ask what has changed that is giving you issue when trying to find what you are looking for. There's not much more anyone can do from this end, unfortunately. D.

When I put myself forward for election back onto the board of the Supporters Trust it was with the objective of presenting it to the next AGM as a society that was fit for purpose...and that objective has not changed. Other items have cropped up since then which have required some attention and they have been dealt with as necessary, but they cannot be allowed to distract from what needs to be done for the long-term benefit of the ICT Supporters Trust and the community it 'should' represent. If others choose to let their thoughts on me as an individual stand in the way of that, or if they refuse to work with any group/organisation because of my involvement with it...then that says more about them than anything I might say. So, in short, not getting involved in any associated discussion, arguments or tit for tat is not 'killing' me at all. Should the Supporters Trust board and/or members believe I am doing (or not doing) anything which is damaging to the society, then procedures exist for my removal. If anyone would like details of those procedures, then you can email a request to secretary@ict.supporterstrust.org

Psychologically, I think that I'd prefer winning 1 in 3 to 3 draws. In the first scenario, you have one game to celebrate...in the latter, there are 3 draws and do people really get excited about and celebrate draws??? In the draws scenario, it's also very easy to get caught in the mindset of it being more important not to lose than to win because you don't want the streak to end. Having that thought in your head, even subconsciously, can't be a good thing. Nobody is saying that the unbeaten streak is bad...just that there are scenarios which would have been an improvement. Let's just upgrade the unbeaten streak to a winning streak and everyone's happy ?

I've said elsewhere that I think Robbo is the right manager for us right now, so good news that he's tied up for a little longer.

There will be more than 2 spaces to be filled. The current board has 2 co-opted members who, if they wish to continue, will need stand for election. There is also a requirement for one-third of the elected board to step down...they too can stand for re-election if they so wish. The exact number of spaces will be advised when the official AGM notice, agenda etc are issued next month. We would be delighted to have enough members interested in serving on the board to bring it to the maximum permitted number...in fact, more than, in order to generate the need for a full election. I'm sure you're familiar with the saying about volunteers and their worth compared to hard-pressed men (or women).

Every cup is a diddy cup...until you win it!

ICT SUPPORTERS SOCIETY LTD - BOARD NOMINATIONS & ELECTIONS The ICT Supporters Society Ltd, in accordance with its Rules, is seeking nominations for board members to be elected at the upcoming Annual General Meeting on 6th December 2018. There are currently 8 board members on the society board however, we will be looking to increase that to the maximum permissible level of 10. Numbers were previously limited by the level of valid nominations received and not by any decision of the Society. If there are more candidates than places available on the Society Board, details of the ballot process will be issued along with ballot papers and copies of candidates' election manifesto. If there are as many or fewer candidates than there are places, an affirmative ballot shall be held at the AGM. Further details can be found in the Election Policy document. People willing to contribute and serve on the Board must Be a fully paid-up member of the Society, Be nominated by two fully paid-up members of the Society, An election nomination form (attached) must be completed and returned to the Society Secretary no later than noon on 6th November 2018. A link to the election policy, rules and standing orders for general meetings can be found through the 'Documents' section of our website at https://ict.supporterstrust.org. Any queries should be emailed to members@ict.supporterstrust.org in the first instance. Regards ICT Supporters Society Board ictss_board_nomination_form.pdf All members will be sent copies of the Board Nomination request by either email or post. If you believe you are a member and have not received notice by Monday 15th October, please get in contact via members@ict.supporterstrust.org .

The amount of water put down on the pitch before a game and at halftime will, in the majority of instances, be determined by the manager/coaches. It will be done to affect the speed the ball moves across the surface...I believe the thinking is that a ball will move more slickly over a wet (so long as it's not waterlogged) pitch.

Rodgers is right, the SPFL should go back to Plan A......make them play at Hampden on the Saturday ?

Just read that Robbo has been linked with the Utd job. Hope that doesn't happen. I'm a believer that clubs need certain types of managers at certain times. Robbo is what we need and capable of getting us back up, IMO. My only worry is that if we are in the hunt come the turn of the year and could do with a player or two to push on for the run in, then we won't have the funds to back that. If he knows/feels that, then he might just think it wiser to move on now!!

You're right....I hadn't realised that. Only a couple in a board of many, but interesting all the same.