Sneckboy

Westminster MP for Inverness, Drew Hendry, obviously relinquished his seat on Highland Council when he was elected to the Commons. Yesterday saw the by-election for his vacant seat, in the ward of 'Aird and Loch Ness'. An electorate of just under 10,000. Counting will be conducted later today.

Tonight: Highland League Andrew Greig (Huntly 2-3 Brora Rangers) Zander Sutherland (Huntly 2-3 Brora Rangers) Michael Finnis (Fort William 1-2 Clachnacuddin) Garry Wood Hat-trick (Formartine United 5-1 Nairn County) Daniel Park (Deveronvale 1-3 Cove Rangers) Dennis Wyness (Buckie Thistle 2-6 Forres Mechanics) Stuart Soane (Buckie Thistle 2-6 Forres Mechanics)

It's Marcelo Bielsa, former boss of Chile and Argentina.

Welsh Premier League Jason Oswell (Airbus UK 1-4 Newtown)

....and

I'm sure he is very good at saying positive things about the Caley Thistle team. (compliments v complements) A couple of months ago I was heating up a tin of Baxters soup, and while waiting for the microwave 'ping' I had a look at the description on the label...and was astonished to discover that they'd sourced some talking herb! Apparently the thyme complimented the chicken! Perhaps, "good day, sir - you do look terrific, not at all fowl". Obviously, they meant 'complemented' - i.e...go well together... One swift e-mail (seriously!) and later that week, I received Baxters vouchers in the post and a letter assuring me that the error would be corrected in he next 'print run'! Sometimes, it pays to be a pedant! But, obviously, at the expense of a normal life.

Pity there's an international break now! But, on the resumption, we've 3 home games in-a-row which is great. Definitely hope we can get Storey on a season long loan - but I honestly don't know the rules about extending loans outwith the transfer window, particularly as it's a cross-border loan, which often involves its own particular rulings etc. But, he does seem to be out of favour at Swindon, and is out-of-contract at the end of the season - perhaps we could be looking at a permanent move? The team's looking good presently - and although we've still a few players on the treatment table, I reckon the only one who would automatically get his place back would be Gary Warren. No slight on Dean Brill either, but it's hard to drop a player who's done little wrong. Very assured 'keeper. He paints a picture of calm authority!

Revised draw, after replays: Formartine United v Clyde Brora Rangers v Arbroath Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale v Montrose Elgin City v Spartans Huntly v East Stirlingshire Fort William v Cove Rangers Stirling University v Queen’s Park Nairn County v Wick Academy East Kilbride v Forres Mechanics Clachnacuddin v Linlithgow Rose Turriff United v Fraserburgh East Fife v Stirling Albion Annan Athletic v Berwick Rangers Edinburgh City v Buckie Thistle Cumbernauld Colts v Auchinleck Talbot Inverurie Loco Works v Edinburgh University

...posted at five-minutes-to-one!

Owain Tudur Jones was the same! Everybody, me included, used to pronounce it 'Tewdor', when apparently it was 'Tudd-eer'...but I'm sure they've long since given up correcting folk!

Hamilton v Celtic is tomorrow.

Yeah, Tuffey got capped for Northern Ireland while with us. Davide Xausa also played for Canada - same era as Hastings, I think. Andrew Shinnie remains our only Scottish cap; with Marius Niculae being arguably our highest profile - featuring at the European Championships for Romania, while still on our books.

...except they haven't lost here in over two-and-a-half years and are unbeaten in their last 3 visits to the TCS.

I'm not sure Owain Fon Williams (and Hennessey) would be too pleased to be described as 'getting on a bit'! Particularly for a 'keeper, 28 is approaching peak age.

2nd Round draw (ties on 24th October) Formartine United v Clyde Brora Rangers v Arbroath Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale v Montrose Elgin City v Spartans Huntly v East Stirlingshire Fort William v Cove Rangers Stirling University v Queen’s Park Nairn County v Wick Academy or Whitehill Welfare East Kilbride v Forres Mechanics Clachnacuddin v Linlithgow Rose Turriff United v Fraserburgh East Fife v Stirling Albion Annan Athletic v Berwick Rangers Edinburgh City v Buckie Thistle Cumbernauld Colts v BSC Glasgow or Auchinleck Talbot Inverurie Loco Works v Edinburgh University

Brilliant post ICTRoughi...! Yeah, no surprise to see Dundee United 'sniffing around' our manager! Obviously I've no idea if Yogi and Kenny Cameron have held negotiations regarding a contract extension, but this reported interest may just be the catalyst needed to tie something up and keep hold of Hughes! But perhaps, behind-the-scenes, talks have been held and John Hughes (knowing that his 'stock' is high) has held-out for an improved offer - aware that almost inevitably, a rival club would come in with a request to speak to him at some stage. He can now leverage the 'threat' (of leaving) to his advantage financially, to secure the remuneration he feels he's worth.

He's approaching two-years in the job...indeed tomorrow he'll have been at the helm for one year and 300 days. His contract runs until the end of this season.

Excellent! Bet365 had it as 0-1 on their live streaming...

F/T Inverness Caley Thistle 0-1 Kilmarnock

Talking about singing, I've just seen the prices for the Rod Stewart concert at the stadium for next June. Eye watering! I've no intention of going, so it doesn't affect me, but does the club make any money out of this? Or does Rod pocket it all himself?! Even 10% of the ticket price receipts would be a windfall. But even if he trousers the lot, it could still be an opportunity to cash-in on the hospitality / refreshments side. If say, the expected 20,000 fans spent a fiver each... The tickets are £125 (limited), £95, £75 and £55 plus the inevitable 'booking fee'! Using £75 as a guide, 75 x 20,000 = £1,500,000. (one-and-a-half-million quid!). Sailing? He should be flying, earning that for one evenings work! I don't wanna, talk about it....

Open to debate - but I'd put a League Cup quarter-final win marginally ahead of a win in the Scottish Cup last-32.

It really is! Inverness CT v Ross County! As I mentioned above, it'll be the biggest cup game between the sides. The biggest County-Inverness game ever? We played them a couple of years ago in a match that could have seen us qualify for Europe, but lost - however, this time the prize is the same for both clubs. So, it's the biggest one yet! Just when we thought we'd seen it all!

The ties are due in the midweek of 27th/28th October. If we are at home, then we'll have three home games in a row at the end of the month. October 24th (Saturday) ICT v St Johnstone October 27th/28th (Tues/Wed) League Cup quarter-final October 31st (Saturday) ICT v Dundee If I was a manager, I'd be trotting-out the narrative, "...I don't mind who we get, but would like a home tie...", but privately would be hoping to get Morton! County would be a great draw too, and would be certainly be the biggest cup match to date, between the teams.

^^^ Good result for Whitehill, getting a draw at Wick. For me, the stand-out score of the 1st round was Fort William's 3-2 win at Preston Athletic. Fort's first ever win in the Scottish Cup!! Draw for the 2nd round is on Thursday. Teams in the hat: League Two Highland League Lowland League Juniors East of Scotland League Annan Athletic Arbroath Berwick Rangers Brora Rangers BSC Glasgow or Auchinleck Talbot Buckie Thistle Clachnacuddin Clyde Cove Rangers Cumbernauld Colts East Fife East Kilbride East Stirlingshire Edinburgh City Edinburgh University Elgin City Formartine United Forres Mechanics Fort William Fraserburgh Huntly Inverurie Loco Works Linlithgow Rose Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale Montrose Nairn County Queen's Park Spartans Stirling Albion Stirling University Turriff United Wick Academy or Whitehill Welfare

After our win at Livingston, we're in the hat for the quarter-final draw. Today at 2.30pm from Hampden. The draw is unseeded. There's the potential for a Highland derby, plus Edinburgh and Tayside derbies... Inverness Caley Thistle Ross County Hearts Hibernian Dundee United St Johnstone Celtic Morton