Sneckboy

That's a great link, thank you! Oh, god - what have you done....I'll need to get the ready-meals in!

On the Highland League website, I noticed a link to a table 'ranking' their clubs popularity by Twitter 'followers'. Up to 28th January. I don't do Twitter, but neverthelessfound the results interesting. By way of comparison, I compiled a table for the rival Lowland League clubs. They've all got Twitter feeds! And finally, as a control, I've included the 3 clubs now in the SPFL who were formerly in the HL, plus ICT. These are figures from the clubs' Official Twitter accounts. Check, Ross County!

Signed up until the end of season 2016-17: • Gary Warren • Richie Foran • Greg Tansey Signed up until the end of next season (2015-16): • John Hughes - Manager • Russell Latapy - Assistant Manager • Dean Brill • Aaron Doran • Danny Williams • Ryan Esson • Ryan Christie • Carl Tremarco • Ross Draper • James Vincent Signed up until the end of this season (2014-15): • Daniel Devine • Graeme Shinnie (going to Aberdeen) • Nick Ross • Marley Watkins • David Raven • Josh Meekings • Liam Polworth • Lewis Horner • Jaime Wilson (Development Squad) • Kane Hull (Development Squad) • Jason Brown (Development Squad) • Struan McArthur (Development Squad) • Blair MacLennan (Development Squad) • Calum Howarth (Development Squad) • Chris Brown (Development Squad) • Ali Sutherland (Development Squad) • Stephen Rennie (Development Squad) • Cammy Mackay (goalkeeper) (Development Squad) • Chris Blackett (Development Squad) • Daniel Hoban (goalkeeper) (Development Squad) • Calum Ferguson (Development Squad) • Ryan Baptie (Development Squad)

Okay, I'll play 'devil's advocate' here. Perhaps it could be viewed that it's Billy who's being the mercenary here and chasing the money in going to an unfashionable club in a dreary town whose sporting significance is their rugby league team - whose football manager may also not be there in the near future - and a club who are clearly on a downward spiral after some remarkable recent success, with little-to-zero prospect of those days returning any time soon...or winning silverware. Billy could, next season, find himself back at the level he was at before he came to us....He can do better! Whereas, Shinnie has arguably shown more ambition by turning-down considerably more lucrative offers down south and moved to club who are clearly on the rise and challenging for honours. They've got their key players signed up for the next few seasons and have a shrewd manager who's got Dons fans more optimistic than they've been for 20 years. Sorry, but Aberdeen FC are a bigger club than Wigan Athletic.

It was refreshing to read one of your (Wigan's) fans forums about the impending arrival of Billy. Not one patronising reference about 'it's only in Scotland' which is often bandied about by supporters of English clubs regarding players from our league. One stat I can give you about him is his record at Inverness in competitive games from the penalty-spot. Netted his first 7 but more 'recently' missed a few! Billy McKay (67%) Y Y Y Y Y Y Y X X X Y X

It's always at the 'bottom' as the last-resort in the criteria for separating teams who are level on points in football qualifying groups - after goal difference, goals scored and head-to-head record - but to my knowledge has never actually been required. Certainly not in a major tournament. The current African Cup of Nations has delivered just such a scenario after a bizarre set of results in one of the groups. All but one of the games ended 1-1. Guinea and Mali are having to wait until this afternoon to discover their fate!

I hope McKay had an uncomfortable night 'sleeping on a decision' after being shown around the facilities at Wigan and no doubt discussing personal terms! Maybe, there's just something that he saw that is making him have second thoughts - maybe even the prospect of Wigan being relegated - anything! However, more realistically, with the medical being a formality, I do expect an announcement that he's signed. Disappointing, of course, but as with all the players who leave after serving us well, I hope he succeeds at his new club. This coming on the back of the Shinnie news is a hammer blow. I would go as far as to say that not only are the pair key components of our current set-up, but they would both be included in my all-time ICT 'dream team'. Shinnie would be my obvious choice for the left-back position ahead of the likes of other stalwarts Stuart Golabek and Richard Hastings. Although we've had some terrific strikers over the years, Craig Dargo, Dennis Wyness, Paul Ritchie, Iain Stewart, Adam Rooney etc. I'd be picking McKay for one of the 2 or 3 forward berths. That's the high regard in which I hold these guys - both are all time greats, and will be difficult to replace - certainly in the short term.

Hooper, Griffiths and Stokes also all over 40 in that timeframe - but nobody even comes close to Billy's 54 league goals.

I don't follow/do Twitter, so no idea of the credence of this 'tweet'! Has he got a credible 'track record' of breaking stories? Pre-contract agreement or leaving now?! Billy was always leaving in the summer, at latest. But we need to keep him until the end of the season! Our challenge for Europe will be severely weakened if he leaves now!

I agree with the OP's selections. I too think Devine should be retained as he's the natural replacement for a centre-back berth if (and when) Warren or Meekings has to miss a game or two. Draper can slot in there too, but obviously prefer him utilised in midfield. I'm still 'torn' though, about Polworth! I remember when he made his debut as a (16?) year-old, and assumed he'd develop into a regular starter in the side. He's become a bit of a fringe player recently but has undoubted talent. As he's an Inverness boy, I'll let sentiment rule my head - offer Polly a one-year-deal!

I'm not surprised that Calum Ferguson scored again today - he's probably still 'smarting' from finding out that while he was away, Alistair Sutherland made his first-team debut and he now owes Ali £20!

This month's Wikipedia 'page views' for Graeme Shinnie. Something happen yesterday?!

In fact, it would put us to within a single point of Celtic!

We may already have our future long term left back at the club. I think it was Renegade who suggested, on some thread ages ago, that Ryan Baptie was likely signed with a view to being an eventual replacement for when Shinnie inevitably moved on. That could well be the case, time will tell.

We lost 3 of the 4 games we played in September including going out of the League Cup! That was after a run of 4-1-0 in the previous 5 games that effectively won the award. Bizarrely, the exact same fate happened last season when we started 4-1-0 which saw Butcher get the August award. We then lost 3 of the next 4! And the August before that, County started their first 'SPL' campaign and got through the month unbeaten to extend their run to over a year and 38 matches without defeat. Derek Adams award preceded the inevitable start of a losing run in the very next game! To be fair, there are probably countless examples of teams continuing their good form after getting the award - but that doesn't make for a good story!

I remember something like that as well. He did attend Aberdeen games occasionally though apparently. I'm sure it was a game before we played them once and the interviewer said something like "So Graeme, do you have any feelings for your hometown team" and he said "Eh, not really". Found a quote “I went to watch Aberdeen a lot as a young boy because I loved football and Pittodrie was our closest ground, even if I didn’t exactly support them." From: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/league-cup-final-inverness-star-3248507 I must apologise about my assumption about him supporting a big Glasgow club - he could well be a St Mirren, Raith Rovers or say, Montrose fan!

DoofersDad. I'm not sure he's even a Dons fan, despite being born and bred Aberdeen! I'm certain I read an interview of his a while ago when he conceded his football heart was with one of the Ugly Sisters!

The 'like' is for the 'scoop' RiG, obviously not my reaction to this breaking news. I'd resigned myself to the fact he was leaving, but really hoped he'd head down to England. To join a direct rival (both competitively and geographically) is disappointing. The Dons fans will be 'creaming' themselves at this as they've been courting him for a few seasons now. He's an Aberdonian guy, so there was always that 'lure', plus there's a fair contingent of ex-Inverness players at Pittodrie. He could have earned more money going to the English Championship, I'm sure, but i'll respect his decision and wish him well. What bugs the hell for me though, is that we've progressed the player over many years - including a loan spell in the Highland league and will receive nothing in compensation - while Dundee United get nearly £3 Million for a player they've had for a year and had zero input in his development! Aghh! Gutted.

What does it actually say? I've not been able to 'find' it word-for-word on the internet. I understand it's a 'cheap' dig at Rangers being a new club and this is their first ever meeting. Which is true. Although, not cheap in a financial sense as that 'advert' would have cost a grand, I'm sure! I had a look on the Bears Den forum and the thread was locked as 'there's no point discussing it' as 'it's been proven that we're the same club'!!! Let them get on with it. Despicable pair of clubs. However, in saying that, I used to dislike (stronger words available) both of them equally, but more recently, I've actually found myself more averse to the Ibrox lot. Glad I won't be out in Glasgow over the weekend!

Noooo...the award is a curse, give it Aberdeen or Dundee Utd Getting the MoTM award for January...and then carrying on in the same manner, must be the ultimate indicator of a good manager! A good win against a side desperate to get back to winning ways...hats off to Yogi for using plan B in the second half, it sounded a bit of a struggle in the first half. Another golden double for me this weekend with my other side winning away from home as well Eagle4Caley, you could be on for an FA Cup / Scottish Cup double!! Some of the results in the FA Cup yesterday were insane! Delighted that Filip Morais played a big part in defeating Chelsea yesterday. Although he was only with us for a short time in Inverness, I always thought he looked quite useful. Interestingly, the 3rd goal was scored by Andy Halliday - who the commentator, on the highlights, said was Scottish. As I'd not heard of him, I looked at the internet, and his wiki page suggests he started out at Ross County! Noticed Bristol City v West Ham on BBC1 at the moment. If that was an artificial surface it would resemble a Subbuteo pitch with the 'scoring area' line!

I'll PM you them all, in order, one-per-day. Like an advent calendar!...yesterday's game will reach your inbox 900 days from now, on Friday 14th July 2017.

That is indeed the case!

I rarely go on the P&B forum, but had a look earlier, to see if anymore could be gleaned on this. It's true, it appears the away end's numbers were swelled by Lanarkshire based 'Old Firm' fans, with The Rangers game off and Celtic up in Dingwall. However, according to the OP, the 'culprit' in his case was wearing an ICT scarf.

Five wins in a row equals our best at the top level! Last achieved in 2007/08 and also the season we won all our post-split games under Charlie Christie (2005/06). Another record could come our way next week if we beat County! As noted by Caley Mad In Berks, Hughes simply must get Manager of the Month for January! It is tempting to start dreaming about what this team could achieve this season - but for me, for now, that's top-six certainly clinched! Worrying about Deano - I suppose the prognosis depends on how much ligament damage has been sustained. I don't think we need to be making a panic goalkeeper signing in the remaining days of the transfer window, young Cammy Mackay can be the bench 'keeper.