CaleyD

You mean the period for Motherwell where he started with a totally depleted squad, no money and was relying almost entirely on young lads? I seem to remember that included a league cup final and two top six finishes!!! Yeah, I really hope he doesn't manage anything like that here!!!

Club Statement

Just received the following from the club and thought it best posted here in the first instance and not delayed in order to prepare a frontpage news article....

Before posting, remember that some of the information in this thread is only rumour at this stage. I've no reason to doubt the posters or source, but until it's confirmed it may be best to avoid making any comment you may regret if anything turns out to be untrue.

You need a faster grapevine....Butcher confirmed that's exactly what would be happening in his press interviews last week!!!

Undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable matches I've witnessed as an ICT fan (and there's been a few). Was also a very strange feeling at the end of the match because, despite being beat, the manner in which the team fought back and bagged 3 goals made it very hard to feel disappointed....in fact, it almost felt as if we'd won and/or taken something from the game. Was always something a little bit different about our games against Livingston in terms of how the team went out there and played and the atmosphere that existed around the game. In fact, it felt far more like a local derby game than any match we've had against our near neighbours over the bridge. Not sure I would go so far as to say I would rather lose in this way every week than win a boring game 1-0, and I do think we all tend to look back through slightly rose tinted specs, but I understand the sentiment and do think that we should perhaps go back to the days of full on attack....one entertaining win and two entertaining losses would be a helluva lot better than 3 boring draws.

It was all suppose to be announced (winner etc) at the Celtic game that was postponed. Last I heard they were hoping to do the "follow up" in conjunction with the launch of the new Away Strip design, so hopefully we'll hear something in the not too distant future.

I don't care if a players has been here 10 years or 10 minutes. If he is good he should be playing, it's as simple as that. Butcher has come out about how "all the players are playing for the future". I don't believe that. I reckon he has a good idea who he wants rid of and it won't make a difference how or even if they play. I believe Duncan falls into this category. He seems to have wanted rid of him since the moment he arrived. Again, I don't care about what a player has been like previously. I care about the team now, and where it's going, and if Butcher's serious about building his own team and making it the best it can be, then he ain't going to find a better play than Duncan to play a part in. If he thinks that a better team next season will include Kevin McCann and not Russell Duncan, then next season will be his last. Getting rid of Duncan, could potentially be one of the biggest mistake Butcher could make. No need to have a coronary. Duncan would be one of the first names on my teamsheet every week as well and I wasn't saying I agreed with any decision that MIGHT have been taken to move him on (or otherwise), I was just making the point that there's little sense in keeping a player on the books if he's not seen as part of the plan for the future.

Not saying that I like to see such things happen, it's never pleasant when someone who has been a good servant to the club is moved on, but we probably have the tightest budget in the league and can't afford to keep players just because they are nice guys or have long service, they need to be contributing. It's part and partial of Butcher building his own squad. Players may suite the way we have played now or in the past, but the Manager might have a different view of the future, one where these players don't fit or are not required. As fans we can sometimes find that hard to swallow, but that's life when it comes to football.

We are playing Celtic in our re-arranged SPL game on Wednesday 4th May with a 6:00pm kick-off. AS THE GAME IS AN EARLY KICK-OFF - PLEASE TRAVEL EARLY AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO ARRIVE AT THE GAME. Due to the change of date and time, we still have some HOME tickets available for sale: North Stand - Adults ?25 Concessions ?20 Main Stand (availability very limited) - Adults ?30 Concessions ?25 Family Enclosure - Uncovered Section A available These tickets are available now from the Club Shop to personal callers or by phoning 01463 227451. The match is all ticket - there will be NO cash gates or ticket sales after 4:30pm If you already have a ticket and are unable to attend, you must make your refund claim by Wednesday lunchtime. Note that these are HOME END tickets and are available to Home Support only. The Away End is completely SOLD OUT. In accordance with our Ground Regulations, stewards will refuse entry to anyone with a Home Stand ticket wearing Away Colours.

Just signed a 10 year pro-contract for VVV in the Netherlands.....at the age of 1.....crazy!!!

I don't see anyone denying that it's harsh on the kids. Keeping kids away from school, and out of the country, for a day longer than planned without proper parental and/or school consent.....and you don't think anyone would have a problem with that? Perhaps one of the teachers who post on here will oblige and enlighten you as to what the consequences of such actions would be. Anyway, after you've come on here ranting about how ICT did this and didn't do that and how they should be hanging their head in shame, paying out compensation and all sorts. I bet all those people who were quick to jump on the bandwagon and green dot you for your opening post are feeling more than a little stupid right now!!!

From reading the Highland News Article the key points would seem to be....... Tournament Organisers are accusing ICT of a late request to bring the final forward by a couple of hours. Counter-claim by ICT that they informed the organisers on 25th February of travel arrangements and had been assured that should they reach the final then it would be brought forward. ICT had already beaten the team they were due to play in the final 5-0 (the host team) earlier in the tournament and the problem only arose at this point in time. The organising committee seemed happy to pull the final forward but one individual who seemed to carry more sway than others told them he would not let it happen. Keeping the players there longer was not feasible as it could have resulted in them missing a day of school on their return (could you imagine the uproar if they had done this?) All in all I get the impression that one member of the Dutch organising committee seems to have taken the huff at ICT beating his team 5-0 earlier in the tournament and as a result has made things difficult (impossible) for us as a result. I see little, if anything, more ICT could have done given the position they were placed in. I also can't imagine for one minute that Charlie Christie would have deliberately taken the lads over to a tournament knowing that they could not play the final if they qualified that far.

It was a genuine question....from someone who is no stranger to asking difficult questions or making criticism when I think it is warranted!!! I know a lot of people have criticised my past actions in bringing stuff up on the forum, but I never do so without a bit of due diligence or trying to get answers from the proper people first......something you may have benefited from doing in this instance. I've yet to go get my Highland News this morning but I believe it has some rather important details on what happened which are omitted from your account of what happened.

I'm guessing you must be one of the parents given how peeved you are....have you taken your complaint up directly with the club?

Basically any time after the final league fixture and at the SPL Boards discretion.....

If you are in any doubt that these guys think they are building something more than just a fantasy league then google "the real spl" and check out some of the conversations westcoastdon has been having on other sites/forums.

I feel like I've entered some mad parallel universe...either that or I'm getting something totally different on my computer when I visit the website than what others are getting.

madsooz, did you actually read the whole thread and look at the site before you posted?

That's still excluding the OF. You call yourself "The Real SPL" yet your entire idea/site is based around pretending two teams just don't exist...is that meant to be some kind of irony and I'm somehow missing the punchline? The foundations upon which it is set will only serve to give the powers that be something else to use to undermine the word of the fans and anyone who tries to give it any kind of legitimacy will only serve to do more harm than good. By all means, have your fantasy league. On that basis I think it will draw interest in terms of curiosity or novel distraction, but it is certainly not an idea on which to base any kind of serious campaign. What Scottish football needs right now is for people to be putting their time and effort into campaigning for proper workable ideas and solutions to the problems being faced....a league without the OF is about as far removed from that as you can get right now.

No idea, was just asked to let everyone know that they had been reducing some stuff.

Looks like someone has been busy!!! Lots of reduced items in the club shop and online - Away Shirts, Goalie Shirts, Training Tops, Polos, Tracksuits and all got money off them from what I can see. http://www.ictfc.com

Ticket Prices for Aberdeen Game on Saturday Adults £22 Concessions - £16 (Under 18, Full Time Student, Over 60) Accompanied Kids (Under 12) go for £1 Advanced purchase only by phone 01224 631903 or by visiting the ticket office at Pittodrie.

Give me a break!!! Reminds me of the time I got pulled up for playing "Another One Bites the Dust" because it was viewed as winding up the opposition fans. Of course it was, just as Sammy the Tammy did what he did to wind up the opposition fans and just as Neil Lennon did at the end of the OF game to wind up the Rangers fans. It's getting so as you can't breath at a football match without someone taking offence....and they wonder why crowds are falling!!!