Sneckboy

H/T
Inverness CT 3-2 Hamilton Accies

5 minutes ago, izzy said:

Definitely not very choice words exchanged between JH and Rice yesterday .Certainly not a happy atmosphere in or out of the dugout .Not very encorouaging for fans .

Och, even the best of friends can find the atmosphere strained and can even fall-out at times when they're away on holiday!

5 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

I didn't hear it.  I don't know why it appears not to have been published but it was certainly a very poor crowd.  It would not surprise me if that was our lowest ever top flight league crowd at TCS.

From what I can garner from 'looking back' through the records of our SPL/Premiership home games, it is indeed a record low crowd - for the Caledonian Stadium.

Obviously, there have been lower crowds for some Cup games - and we dipped below 2,000 on a few occasions when we were using Pittodrie as our home.
But, reliable figures from our first period in the SPL are difficult to source - so I've reluctantly used Wikipedia's entries for that period. So could be subject to error...I'm happy to stand corrected.

But, for now, the 2,228 is the record low crowd for a top-tier league fixture at the TCS.

The crowd was 2,228 according to Soccerway.

Penalties taken for ICT. (Most recent: Greg Tansey (scored) v. Kilmarnock - 24th April 2016)

Match penalties
Greg Tansey Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y (100%)
James Vincent Y (100%)
Richie Foran Y (100%)
Iain Vigurs Y (100%)
Aaron Doran Y X (50%)

Penalty shoot-outs
Ross Draper Y Y (100%)
Aaron Doran Y Y (100%)
Iain Vigurs Y (100%)
Greg Tansey Y X (50%)
Richie Foran X X (0%)

Combined total (* = penalty shoot-out)
Iain Vigurs (100%) Y* Y
Ross Draper (100%) Y* Y*   
James Vincent (100%) Y
Greg Tansey (92%) Y Y* X* Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y
Aaron Doran (75%) Y* Y Y* X
Richie Foran (33%) X* Y X*

 Of course!
It's the same with left-backs...Stuart Golabek, Richard Hastings and Graeme Shinnie are the only guys that spring to  mind. Possibly Kenny Gillet - and Lionel!
But, It shows that players have made these positions 'their own' at the club for a number of seasons - and we haven't been chopping and changing all the time.

Continuity is particularly important in defence, which is all the more reason to feel disappointed that Raven is probably leaving!

I was going to start a Poll asking who the fans consider to be our best ever right-back. But, it would clearly be a bit of a 'loaded' question with an obvious agenda, in light of the recent reports surrounding Raven's likely departure!

But, I was also struggling to recall enough players to justify a Poll.
I've not had the chance to look up former players, but off-the-top-of-my-head, I've only got:

• David Proctor
• David Raven
• Mike Teasdale
• Ross Tokely

Obviously, players like Graerme Shinnie, and Josh Meekings have slotted in there at times - but who am I overlooking? Somebody obvious?

Another pic of Raven in happier times!
Looks like the last 'survivor' from this photo is also on-his-way. This photo is from just 12 months ago (almost to the day!)

Aye, it's gutting. Raven just loves it up here.
Please, not Aberdeen! - their favoured right-back, Shay Logan, has hinted he'd be keen on a move back down to England.
I can see McIness raising-an-eyebrow at this news and showing some interest.
 

Update:
Since the last list, I've noticed that U20 player Chris Blackett is on loan at Forres Mechanics.
And today, it appears that there's to be no contract extension for David Raven. Not confirmed officially, but there are quotes attributed to Raven - so I'm going with it. Would be delighted to edit his contract status here, if anything changes - but not holding my breath.

Signed until the end of season (2018-19):
• Gary Warren
• Ross Draper

Signed until the end of season (2017-18):
• John Hughes - Manager
• Brian Rice - Assistant Manager

• Ryan Esson

Signed until the end of next season (2016-17):

• Richie Foran

• Greg Tansey

• Josh Meekings
• Carl Tremarco
 

 Signed until the end of this season (2015-16):

• Dean Brill

• Aaron Doran

• Danny Williams (Pre-contract signing for Dundee)

• James Vincent (Pre-contract signing for Dundee)

• David Raven (not being retained)

• Danny Devine

• Ali Sutherland (on loan at Brora Rangers)

• Liam Polworth

• Lewis Horner 

• Calum Ferguson

• Cammy Mackay

• Nat Wedderburn

• Jordan Roberts

• Owain Fon Williams

• Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo

• Iain Vigurs
• Alex Fisher
• Ryan Williams
• Liam Hughes
 

On loan until the end of this season (2015-16):
• Miles Storey (from Swindon Town)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Development Squad players available for this season (2015-16):

• Calum Howarth

• Jason Brown  

• Jaime Wilson  

• Kane Hull (on loan at Fort William)

• Struan McArthur 

• Blair MacLennan 

• Chris Brown

• Stephen Rennie (on loan at Fort William)

• Chris Blackett (on loan at Forres Mechanics)

• Daniel Hoban (goalkeeper - on loan at Strathspey Thistle) 

• Alasdair Stark  

• Andrew Macrae

• Cameron Gilchrist

Today at 6pm
Partick Thistle v Inverness CT
(at Airdrie)

This is our penultimate game of the season, and last away fixture.
One match left after this, home to Hamilton Accies - provisionally next Tuesday.

114 years for Hibs, in fact!

On Friday night, Toby Agdestein finally scored his first goal for Haugesund! http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=56447

53 minutes ago, KirkieRobRoy said:

'All kick-offs are 3.00pm unless stated ' should probably read 'Your match probably isn't at 3pm or even on a Saturday unless it says so and it serves you right for not being a corporate sponsor or TV company you unwelcome non-OF supporting little oik - signed, Neil Doncaster'

Eh, Celtic haven't got ANY Saturday 3pm kick-offs!

10 minutes ago, Caley Mad In Berks said:

What a pity our defence of the cup failed so tamely a few weeks ago, against one of the ultimate finalists.

Anyway, it must be encouraging for all the other teams to see two 'diddy' teams from the lower leagues reach the final.

When did that last happen I wonder?  Actually, I don't wonder that much, otherwise I'd look it up!

Has never happened before!
Two non-top top-flight teams in the final! Also sorry for East Fife. Their famous record will no longer be a quiz question!

14 minutes ago, jaggiesoverstaggies said:

Looks like wee billy's just done what he did in the league cup final again...

Penalties aren't the strongest aspect of his game! I had a gut feeling he was going to miss. Although he's slotted-away a few for Dundee United this season, I think he missed 5 of his last 7 for us.
And again, one-on-one's were never his forte.,,as demonstrated today.
He's a poacher, an instinctive finisher in the penalty box - and is deadly when he goes on streaks of goals. But he has his weaknesses.
All that said, I'd have him back at Inverness in a heartbeat!

Adopting the same methodology as the study being discussed, the percentage of Scotland attending football, using my attendance figures is 3.76%.
This is largely consistent with the 3.68% sated in the above survey which was using only 2012 data.

Now, without the 'Old Firm', that figure reduces significantly to 2.12%. But, it still holds-up well compared to other nations. Scotland would be identical with Denmark, and still in the top 10.
But, there are major flaws in the study. For example, Spain is only counting 2 levels of football. The Spaniard we released, Lopez, is playing 3rd-tier there, in one of many Regional Leagues at that level. I've no idea what the crowds would be like there, or the many levels below that. But none of them being included, does make the survey less than robust!
Still, I've always had a keen interest in attendance stats, but there are always so many variables at play.

If my arithmetic is correct, taking away the 'Old Firm', Scottish attendances as a percentage of the population, don't fare as badly as I was expecting!

I can't find any reliable sources for 5th level attendances, so am only going with the figures for the 4 SPFL divisions. So the actual figures for Scotland would be slightly better.
But that could be argued for all countries - as not every league is included in the stats.

The average attendances of the 42 clubs, over 3 seasons (season ending by year):

5 hours ago, 12th Man said:

I read that Robbie Neilson is going to appeal the yellow card for simulation in the box. Is there a new rule out regarding yellow cards? As far as I'm aware you can't even appeal a red given from 2 yellows.

I thought that, too. But, it seems that yellow cards for 'simulation' CAN be appealed - although they can't be appealed for anything else.
However, the deadline passed at the SFA without any approach from Hearts, so they've effectively 'accepted' the punishment!

Dani Sanchez has signed for Finnish level 2 club, FC Jazz.

He's one of the 7 players signed for next season:

Signed until the end of season (2018-19):
• Gary Warren
• Ross Draper

Signed until the end of season (2017-18):
• John Hughes - Manager
• Brian Rice - Assistant Manager

• Ryan Esson

Signed until the end of next season (2016-17):

• Richie Foran

• Greg Tansey

• Josh Meekings
• Carl Tremarco

16 hours ago, Scotty said:

The MLS figures are nonsense.

Seattle has the highest attendance in MLS and last season they set a new average attendance for the season at 44,247 which was a new record high for MLS. They have huge support there in the north west and a bunch of games over the years where they have over 60,000 attending with 67385 being the highest (2013). Montreal had an average attendance of about 17,700 last season and 17.400 the season before and have never been one of the top crowds in MLS. They are sitting something like 14th out of 20 in MLS for average attendance but they are increasing thanks to the "Drogba" effect. They have had +60,000 for a game in Montreal one time when they played LA Galaxy at the Olympic Stadium rather than their own stadium and 61000+ in the same venue for the Champions League semi-final game against Mexican side Club America last year but those were one-offs rather than the norm.

 

    

Those are impressive figures. 
I should have given the source...http://www.sportingintelligence.com/2012/04/02/revealed-the-most-dedicated-football-nations-the-faroes-iceland-cyprus-scotland-and-england-020403/ (the publication is a little dated, from 2012)

MLS consists of 'only' 20 clubs, plus the study goes down to just two-levels for the USA (the NASL is also included).
Even if they all sold-out their grounds every week, in an enormous country of 300+ million, it's going to 'return' a relatively small percentage of the US population attending.

I think the 'flaw' is in the methodology.

Finally, as well as Europe - Scotland has the 4th best football attendances in the world!
A completely different study by an American based company, conducted a survey of all the world's leagues, and the top European nations come out top.
Again, it's Faroe Island's top, followed by Iceland, Cyprus and Scotland.
But, make-of-it-what-you-will...however, there is a consistency towards Scotland having remarkably good attendance stats - relatively!

20 hours ago, TheMantis said:

It's already been done in this book 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B006PVZ3LE/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

previously called "Why England Fail" this expanded book is now called "Soccernomics" and if Sneckboy doesn't already have it I'll be mighty surprised 

 I'm aware of the book, but haven't got it!
As soon as I read the OP, I immediately thought of Scotland as 2nd behind Albania - same as Kingsmills. I think it was a widely held assumption after a 'study' a few years ago.
There have been numerous studies done over the years and Scottish attendances are some of the very best in Europe and the world.
Regardless of the study, Scotland is always one of the top countries. Albania has slipped somewhat, however. Not even in the equation now. I can only assume the 'Albania' stat was from around 2011, when their domestic attendances were significantly better than now. It's virtually halved over 5 years since then, with an alarming year-on-year reduction. http://www.european-football-statistics.co.uk/attn.htm

The website above is the favoured resource for stattos as it's usually spot-on with its accuracy, despite covering all of Europe.
For ictfcsince94, this would be your best bet for comparing us to Real Madrid etc.

An interesting statistic from here https://theballisround.co.uk/2012/06/12/the-most-passionate-football-nation-in-europe/ has Scotland at 4th in Europe, although, none are specifically for the past few seasons - but the trend is the same; folk in Scotland attend football at a pro-rata rate more than those of England, Germany etc...

We're ranked just behind the Faroe Islands, Iceland and Cyprus,

Another study concludes the same: except this time, we're above Cyprus, but still behind the Faroes and Iceland.
The darkest colours again showing Cyprus, Scotland, Iceland and the Faroes as the top football supporting countries