Sneckboy

Incredible to think that we'll be lining-up for our first Euro adventure in just 45 days time! Everybody at ICT deserves and needs a break now, but there are still contract negotiations outstanding for a number of players. As for the European game, I imagine the squad would have to be in for 'pre-season' at least 10-14 days before that - no idea if we'll have any 'bounce' games or friendlies - it's very much new territory! But, it's a very short break for the players. And for Graeme Shinnie, it's only 31 days before Aberdeen's first competitive game!! He may be 'excused' the dons' opening Euro tie - but, I guess, that's not our concern. Let's hope we can get some of the out-of-contract guys to stay. Ironically, winning the cup may be the 'catalyst' for some to bow-out-on-a-high, but the lure of European football may also be a reason to commit to staying longer!

Remember the 'crazy guy' pointing at iain Vigurs a few years ago? Was watching the game back and the camera briefly scanned the crowd - Bingo! There he is...still looking like a cross between Liam Gallagher and a hit-man!

There is an Istanbul team lurking in the next round, so if we can win our Qualifying round 2 tie, there's a chance!

They also put 'Football Club' after the names - so it's a lot for the engraver!

Jugs116 - If you read it properly it clearly says it will NOT be an open top bus nor will it be a TOUR! I'm also reading it as Open Top Bus Parade! The open top bus will travel along a pre-planned route from the Tulloch Stadium – Stadium Road – Longman Road – Shore Street roundabout – Chapel Street – Friars Lane – Bank Street – Ness Bridge – Ardross Terrace – Ardross Street concluding at the Northern Meeting Park.

Probably because, InvernessDawson...sorry, CaleyDawson, you'd feel a 'little pull' towards your former club, if in 50 years time, football, as is likely, is a different animal, less supported or relevant, and simply a part-time game for many clubs. Say, we're merged with Ross County to sustain viability in the north. Inverness County FC are in the cup final - the boys from Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon etc are giving it 'big licks' about bringing-it-home to Ross-shire..and although it's true, wouldn't you also feel it's significant to mention that Inverness also had some input in events?!!

It's an 'old chestnut' but will always be part of our history. I get irked (and will no doubt again when I watch back the recorded TV coverage of the game), when we are often patronisingly referred to as this new club, as if we literally sprung-out-of-no-nowhere 21 years ago! Almost like Inverness decided, as a growing town, to suddenly embrace football and create a team to fill a vacuum and apply for a Scottish League vacancy. Caledonian and Inverness Thistle were clubs that existed from 1885-1994. A rich heritage, that combined with ICT, dwarfs the existence of other Scottish football clubs. Unlike The Rangers (couldn't resist it), who are legally an entirely different entity - our 'bloodline' has never been broken. ICT can be viewed as a continuity of both Inverness Thistle and Caledonian, albeit in a merged team. However, I think it's naive for anyone to think that there's no 'divide' anymore. And I'm not referring to the refuseniks! There are still many, who are very regular attenders who refuse to 'acknowledge' the club by any name other than the one they previously supported. I 'used' to be like that, and for years refrained from calling them 'Caley' and absolutely would not join in with that 'song'! But similarly, few former fans of Caledonian FC ever refer to us as 'the Jaggies', 'The Jags' or even 'Thistle'! Inverness City, in hindsight, may have been a good option!

Imagine if Collum's just given Tansey a straight-red or Falkirk snatch the lead bang on 3-minutes....and we all start applauding!

I'm still waiting to see what Maarlon's got to offer....Inverness Cup Final

And let's not forget Craig Brewster! Ryan Esson's been with us for so long, that he was actually a Brewster signing!

Inverness has considerably more than a population of 45,000. The 'Inverness area' (as of 2013) has 79,415..probably 80,000 now. http://www.highland.gov.uk/info/695/council_information_performance_and_statistics/165/highland_profile_-_key_facts_and_figures/2

...that's the seventeenth time, Graham!!

I don't see why Falkirk need to 'stay' anywhere..being only 27 miles from Hampden!! Approx the distance between Forres and Inverness.... Using Google Maps distances, Mar Hall is about 16 miles from Hampden. That's like Forres Mechanics preparing for a big game in Inverness by booking into a hotel in Nairn!!

I really thought this week was going to drag - but here we are at Thursday! The team's already in Glasgow (or wherever they're staying) and many ICT fans will be arriving in Glasgow tomorrow...it's very close now!

I really don't think it would even threaten the top 40, let alone making no.1 !! The don's fans had a concerted, orchestrated effort to get 'Peter Pawlett Baby' to no.1. Northsound played it constantly, Facebook pages were dedicated to it, it was being played on local radio stations around the UK; Steve Wright was singing it on his Radio 2 show, BBC News had an item on it and was on the front-page of their webpage....a fans representative travelled to Sheffield, where The Human League are from, encouraging the public to download the song. Threads were cropping up about it on all manner of forums across the web. The timing of when people would purchase was decided to 'concentrate' the sales into one big week's assault on the chart. I think it was the very definition of something 'going viral'! Fans were buying it multiple times to bump-up the sales etc etc - yet it 'only' got to no.19!!!! I think you were maybe getting a bit of 'Cup Final fever' there 12th Man!

Statto?! Aye, he made my coffee! That was a wonderful program - un-miss-able! (no catch-up TV or YouTube then!) Skinner & Baddiel... and Statto!!! Fantasy Football League! Phoenix from the flames....legendary!

Will post the 'breakdown' in a second. Apologies for errors and/or omissions.

However, on a 'most overall accurate' system, the winner would be lukemackay. (despite having only 2 correct!) This, despite being the only person not to have Celtic winning the league!!! This system is quite simple - the fewer points accumulated, the better. e.g. ICT finished 3rd. If you predicted they'd finish 5th, you'd accumulate 2 points. lukemackay's pre-season forecast: ICT Celtic Aberdeen Dundee utd Motherwell St Johnstone Dundee Partick Hamilton County Killie St Mirren

Not only has AJS 'penned' a song for ICT's final - he's only gone and won the prediction competition!!! He had the most correct 'finishing positions' from the pre-season predictions, with 6! A few others got 5, but nobody beat AJS! 1. Celtic 2. Aberdeen 3. 4. 5. 6. Dundee 7. 8. Partick Thistle 9. Ross County 10. Kilmarnock 11. 12.

Hope we win on Saturday to make it into the 2nd Qualifying Round - although I'm guilty of looking at possible opposition in the 1st Qualifying Round! Whatever the outcome on Saturday, I'm with Yogi on this one - from a recent interview, he suggested that a 'winnable' tie would be his first hope from our Euro adventure; followed by a tie against a 'name team' coming to Inverness!

PerfICT - stick it on the list!

Next fight is against John McDermott - the current holder of the English Heavyweight belt. It's a final eliminator for a tilt at the Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship. I've certainly heard of McDermott and looking at his record, he's been in with some big names previously. He's been 'inactive' in over a calendar-year so doesn't feature in the current UK rankings. Cornish is now at no.7. 1. Tyson Fury 2. Dereck Chisora 3. Anthony Joshua 4. David Price 5. Hughie Fury 6. Ian Lewison 7. Gary Cornish Edit. The fight is on July 3rd.

Hearts in 2011/12 lost 5-0 at Parkhead in their final league game before going on to win the Cup!!

It true, Falkirk FC are indelibly woven into the fabric of ICT's history. If Inverness win, the Bairns will have been the opposition on both occasions of my highest and lowest moments following ICT! Not sure if it's been mentioned on the forum, the quirky cup winning link they have with Aston Villa. I'm not big on 'omens' in football, but it's quite a coincidence. Falkirk last won the Cup in 1957. Aston Villa last won the FA Cup in 1957. Falkirk's only other Scottish Cup win was way back in 1913.....the same year that Villa won the FA Cup. And here they are in the Cup finals in the same year....(but I think they'll both lose)!!