CaleyD

Alex, we have hundreds of stadiums all over the country where safe standing takes place week after week. What's more, unlike England where there's laws about allowing standing, the SPL stance on it is one of their own making...and could just as easily be one of their unmaking. It's not even in the SPL rulebook and would take nothing more than a decision by the SPL executives to get rid of the problem.

Jingle Bells, Dingwall Smells Adams is a C*nt Roy has stopped his Credit Card So C*unty's going Defunct

Nothing sinister, and much of it probably fuelled by just the kind of thing that we are seeing on this thread where we have a few people who still get their knickers in a twist over references to the team as "Caley" or, less often, "Thistle". Also things like the strip designs which still seem to be decided on the (now defunct) entry in the company articles which stated that it must have a certain make-up. The total non-existence of any kind of "retro" club memorabilia which celebrates the pre-merger clubs. Suggestions that we should have recognised the 125th Anniversaries of both clubs being totally shunned at the time. It all seems a bit backwards to me and it's as if , unwittingly, we keep the stuff we need rid of and fail to embrace the stuff that we should be celebrating. This whole merger conversation has been had many times, but for the first time (that I recall) someone has mentioned the word "identity" and the more I think of it, the more I find to support the idea that ICT probably does lack somewhat in terms of having an identity upon which we can hang everything else....and maybe, just maybe, that lack of a quantifiable identity and something people can really buy in to, is why supporter levels etc are not what they could be....and not just in terms of strip design.

I don't think the game on 2nd January will have any impact on our average attendance whatsoever.

I don't disagree with that, and as I alluded too, I think the club actually still fear drawing that line and saying "this is our image" because they think it might upset someone or other....even though those people are very much a minority. Red and Blue stripes would be great, IMO. Not because it's 50/50 representation or any of that nonsense though....just because I think it looks good and, as you say, would develop that identity we so definitely need.

The sooner we all realise that the vast majority of those purchasing and wearing the strips these days have little or no concern for how much either of the merger clubs are represented, the better....and I include the club in that. I'm all for remembering ICTs roots and recognising the merged clubs histories as part of our own, but I do fear that there exists an underlying fear of upsetting one half or the other of the merger contingent in many things which holds us back as a club. As I said above, those people are a small and ever shrinking proportion of the current fanbase and it's ridiculous that they should still hold, or think they hold, any sway with what should be happening today.

Dougal photographed whilst asking Santa if he can be a mod....

Anyone else think that Mckay sticking the second one in from the ground saved the referee from having to make a penalty call and possibly red carding Douglas?

Scorer for Dundee was definitely announced. The feedback is appreciated, in fact if you were up for it then perhaps you'd like to have a crack at doing the announcing for the St Mirren game? Fully hands on so that you can get a real understanding for what's involved and thus be able to give more informed feedback. Serious offer as I'm all for letting fans experience some of the things that go on "behind the scenes" as it were.

I'm 36 and my big team has always been Caley/ICT...never supported anyone else.

Take a close look at his shots and ask yourselves where the power comes from? We had a close look tonight and there's very little draw back on the leg from the hip...it's all generated from the knee, and it's quite outstanding.

A96...amen brother

Fanoffooty, I had a word with the announcer and he apologises for getting a little over excited and screaming into the mic a little more than he should. He also reassured me that he is amply fed...in fact, maybe a little over fed!!! He also told me that he would announce the other results if not for an issue with the wireless connection in the announcers box...but this is being looked in to. He also said that you really must be a bit of a tit if you're watching ICT this season and are more caught up in such small issues instead of relishing what is being achieved on the pitch.

Its a cut and paste from a legal eagle site. Currently under the FIFA Transfer Regulations a football player is unable to play for more than three teams in one season. This applies whether the player has been transferred or simply is on loan with that club. This also applies regardless of what country that player has plied his trade in, whether that is in Europe, Africa or South America. As long as a player has represented a club in a league under the adjudication of a FIFA Member Association they will only be able to play for three different clubs. However, this does mean that a football player is free to represent a total of three different clubs in any league in the world over the course of one season. As can be seen the rule is three teams in a season so Russell could play a game or three then join another club. That would make more sense....allowing for a move during each window.

He was only on a 6 month contract and, as far as I am aware, we don't know who's decision it was not to extend that.

If he's a free agent then signing for the HL outside the window is not an issue. Just that if he only plans to play a couple of games before moving on again then he would then possibly fall foul of the "2 clubs a season" max rule that I have a very vague recollection of.

You didn't know I had the original, did ya

That would be a strange one as I'm fairly certain you can't play for 3 different clubs in the same season.....unless there's some loophole which would allow him to play as a trialist.

We've got a few on the verge of coming back, so not overly concerned about cover. Butchers comments on the winter break being like a new signing, I believe, were in reference to getting some of these guys back.

Only ever went to one cricket match in my life. Spent the whole time in the bar and never saw any of the game....wasn't a bad day out all in all!!!

Think he was sidelined with injury for most of the time.

You're talking out of your hat and far more deluded than I imagined if you believe that 83 likes is in any way whatsoever an indication of the number of refuseniks not attending TCS. For a start, you seem to be working on the assumption that a page such as this would hold no interest to any existing ICT fan and as such they would not have liked it, and would have no place liking it. What's more, having had a quick squint at who likes the page it appears that a good many are ICT supporters and DO visit TCS...which is not surprising as I'm sure it will be a curiosity to many...just as it was to myself until I realised that it's not actually about On A LSM, not really.

I kinda did a quick sum up in my head the other night of what I thought a top 3 finish and 2 cup semi finals could be worth in terms of additional revenue to the club and it fell in to the £1 Million mark. When you then factor in potential future income from europe and the likes, as well as increasing the value of the clubs "stock" in terms of attracting sponsors etc, then it's not beyond the realms of possibility that you could then be looking to at least double, if not treble, that guestimate. Don't think it would be too far off the mark to suggest that the treble would more than double the clubs turnover.

I know a few who claim they don't attend ICT "because of the merger"....but when pushed on the subject it transpires that they rarely ever went to the football pre-merger anyway, so would hardly count as a lost fan. It's almost as if it's just a convenient get out clause for many local OF supporters when challenged on why they don't support their local team as well. The truth is, as I pointed out, the real "stay aways" are few and far between and are certainly have no significant impact on current crowds.