Sneckboy

Young player who was on loan at Buckie Thistle last season but who's been recalled.

I had Nigeria HT/FT for the first game at 1/2. Had been planning on that bet for weeks! It was an absolute 'cert'.

I remember getting annoyed when I heard some pundit - probably Billy Dodds(!) - claiming that Hibs coming back from 0-3 to win 4-3 against Falkirk in this years cup semi was (paraphrased) "surely the first time in Scottish Cup history a team has won from 3 down" !!!

Gringo_jnr, is there any truth in the rumour that ex Caley Thistle star, Liam Keogh has pulled his boots on again and is playing for Auldearn? I can't remember where I heard the rumour but just in the off chance you've heard anything! I'm also aware that Auldearn play in the Inverness Welfare (I think) and not the Forres/Nairn league that you perform in; so I'm really clutching at straws!

You're right, Yngwie! I'd forgotten about that game! I must have drunk too much West Country cider - not that I'm stereotyping!

What a great fixture! London beckons for ICT. Furthest South the club will have played I reckon?

Roman Golobart looks to have scored with a lucrative 3 year deal at German club FC Cologne. Although in the 2nd Bundesliga, they're a big club and German football seems to be the place to be at the moment. Shortly after getting an FA Cup winners medal he goes and gets a move like this - good on him! I was always a fan of his and I reckon his 'style' might suit playing in Germany.

I'm struggling to find much sympathy for their plight. You reap what you sow...Hearts have been on shifting sands for some time now. It still irks me to look back to the League Cup semi and Hearts wheeling out 2 new players, Ngoo and Wilson who - although we could and probably should have won - had a significant impact on proceedings. Yes, it's old ground, the Wilson saga and should be put-to-bed but in light of just how much financial plight Hearts obviously were in, it does annoy me. That said, I don't wish the club to go under. Although I don't attend many away ICT games, the few occasions I've been down to Tyncastle have been great days/weekends out!

Indeed. In fact, I've just read that Man Utd are in the USA playing a glamour friendly that same night! The team they send north will be unrecognisable!.

i believe theres plans to regionalise the north juniors first and second divisions into east and west starting this coming season. I've just seen that. Got to think that there's a great opportunity for Inverness City to get promoted this coming season, especially if their ground's ready in time!

I don't think the Highland League needs to change. If any tweaking is to be done then I could go along with a 16 team set up. It might not need to change at all. But if so, that would mean, for example, Strathspey Thistle and Rothes dropping into the league below. Or whoever it maybe! Fort William or Lossiemouth, perhaps. All hypothetical. Conveniently, the 'level' below the Highland League is the North Juniors Premier division which has 14 teams; that would effectively make them a 16 team Highland League 2 (or some similar name). Effectively: Highland League (as it is less 2) 16 North Juniors Premier (as it is plus 2) 16 North Juniors First (as it is plus 2) 16 North Juniors Second (as it is plus merge with North Caledonian League) Amateur & Welfare feeder leagues into tier 4

Kowloonatic, you'll definitely get to see a game even if we're ( Inverness CT) away. Ross County (SPL) are in Dingwall not far north and likely to be scheduled home if Inverness are away (trains from Inverness go there - the Wick/Thurso service). Then as you suggest, Clachnacuddin. Local Highland League team. Short walk from the centre of the city. Nairn County and Forres Mechanics are also Highland League and they're on the train line to Aberdeen from Inverness. Just out of interest, what team do you support?

Granted Mantis, Spartans missed out on the East of Scotland League this season to Whitehill Welfare! They've come good again after a few years of under performing. In all seriousness though, there's a large geographical area of Scotland unrepresented in the national leagues down in the South East of Scotland. No teams from Midlothian, East Lothian or the Borders. A club like Whitehill (Rosewell, Midlothian), Preston Athletic (Prestonpans, East Lothian) or Gala Fairydean (Galashiels, Borders) would be welcome. And the planned railway from Waverley to the Borders can only help. But the days of having to apply for membership to the leagues, once in a blue moon, are hopefully now gone.

Fixtures for Inverness Caledonian Thistle aren't out yet but the season will have started by then so you might be lucky and your trip coincides with a home game of ours! Not sure about the nightlife as I don't get out much - but it shuts earlier than you'll be accustomed to in London! Inverness is a small city and has most things - apart from a casino! - A real gap in the market... Oh, and there are now lap dancers, allegedly!.. I was told. I read it somewhere, I mean. And of course, you'll want to see the monster! - it goes by the pet name, 'Derek', and was last spotted slithering seething up in Dingwall. (sorry, that's an in-joke)!

The introduction of a pyramid system is, for me, an exciting but overdue development. It's something that I've wanted to see ever since I went to my first Highland League game back in 1982 at 'Thistle Park'. It might not have the same resonance for younger fans due to having always had a team to follow on a national level, but having been brought up following a team that couldn't progress further due to the narrow-minded closed-shop of the Scottish League is something I've always found unjust and an affront to meritocracy. This is truly historic. Despite Inverness having long since been accepted and have flourished spectacularly since their admission to the National set-up, I have still yearned to see the opportunity afforded for other clubs to progress. We can look forward, over the years, to clubs like East Stirlingshire being replaced by progressive outfits like Cove, Spartans or Formartine.

I was looking at place of birth. Aberdeen have guys like Clark Robertson, Russell Anderson, Cammy Smith, Ryan Jack, Andrew Considine and youngsters Jordon Brown and Craig Storrie. I won't count Barry Robson (Inverurie), Jamie Masson (Fraserburgh), Chris Clark (Elgin) or Peter Pawlett (England) but who went to school in Aberdeen. Interestingly, they've gone down the same road as us in terms of having a squad based entirely from the British Isles.

I think Cheyne is from Aberdeen. Talking of which, there are far more Aberdonians in the Dons first team squad than we have Invernessians in ours.

I stand corrected on the Pot 4 seeding being confirmed for the Euro 2016 qualifiers. I've read conflicting reports but most news agencies are reporting that it's been achieved.

Dani Sanchez has today been released by Wellington Phoenix. He had 2 years in New Zealand. Probably not what we're looking for though.

It will do our seeding rank for 2016 some good, ensures we will be in the 4th pot as we were in danger of slipping even further. Delighted with the result!Delighted i was so far off. Great result but I'm not sure it does 'ensure' any pot 4 seeding. Surely those are decided at the end of the qualifying campaign? We're still very much in danger of finishing the bottom or staying 5th which would put us in danger of slipping into pot 5 for the Euros 2016. Even if we were to remain in pot 4, it's nothing to get excited about. Not so long ago, we were pot 2 regulars....then fell to pot 3 fodder which is why we find it so hard to qualify nowadays. Pot 4 teams like Scotland are just making up the numbers.

After a promising start he did certainly go off the boil somewhat. The penalty miss would affect anyone's confidence, especially one so young. I remember reading a stat - I doubted its authenticity (but it was true...I checked) - after his first 19 appearances for Inverness, Philip Roberts had never been on the losing side. Then he got dropped or injured which coincidentally coincided with the start of our post New Year indifferent form. People were quick to flag-up stats like that when comparing Esson to Reguero!

Yeah, they had a good run towards the end of the season, elevating them into 3rd place (and Europe) despite not having been there all season. We were 2nd or 3rd since November only to be pipped on the last day. However, we only gained 3 points after the split whereas they picked up 10. I suppose, grudgingly, they deserve it. It won't stop me from masochistically looking on with interest at who they're paired with in Europe!

Stick

He rightly got a couple of awards in 2001/02.

I remember the TV Series Blue Heaven about 10 years ago! It showcased the cream of the young crop of players from Rangers. A team I remember from a couple of years ago... Anyway, only one of those boys forged a career of note - Charlie Adam. Often young potential doesn't equate to future success. I should know. I played for Crown Primary and then once for Millburn. Turned up in trainers for a game (instead of football boots) and never got picked again by PE teacher, Derek Dewar. That's as good as it got. I'm honestly not bitter. *bangs computer*