Sneckboy

I was also at that home game v Berwick (in dark glasses a hat and trench coat) and was also at the Inverness Thistle v Spartans game - round about the same 'time' (both 1-1) IIRC. So we can include Spartans as well! (or 'old' Thistle) Two can play that game! Rival, if Celtic win the league and Scottish Cup, the runners-up in the cup get the Euro spot. However, if the runner-up (which could only be ICT or DDUtd) has already qualified through their league placing, then 4th place will get it! With so many lower league teams remaining, if they keep getting drawn together, one of them might sneak the Euro spot!

Fabulous win and what an open competition this has become! Publicly, most of the managers will give it the old 'want a home game' or 'take who we get as you've got to beat them eventually' line. But privately, and naturally, everybody wants Spartans/Berwick!! The draw on Monday is crucial - we're 'due' a home tie - but it rarely works that way! Just had a look at some other fans forums and a recurring theme is that these clubs don't want Celtic or ICT! We're in such a good position on two front's for securing an historic European spot. Obviously, we can achieve that aim by finishing in the top 3 but the cup permutations will become clearer after Monday's draw. If Celtic do go on to win the Premiership...and progress to the Cup final, their opponents in the final, win or lose, will get a Euro spot. I'm getting carried away and should know better! So, for balance, and as a reminder to myself that there's much work ahead, our most recent Scottish Cup outcomes against the likely (I'll go for Dundee United and Rangers) remaining teams are: Celtic - Lost Hibernian - Lost Queen of the South - Lost Rangers* - Lost *arguably not played Spartans/Berwick - Never met either club Dundee United - Lost Falkirk - Lost

Richie Byrne has now signed for Horsham, a level 8, Ryman League club. As mentioned in a previous post by Renegade, Byrne is a fitness instructor but at only 33, he still likes to play football part-time. http://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/sport/horsham-fc/richie-byrne-brings-professional-skills-to-horsham-campaign-1-6564578#.VNTkVyxner8.twitter

As nobody was interested able to get the third 'pair' - the answer was David Raven and Carl Tremarco at Tranmere Rovers!

It's a pity our Twitter doesn't cover Development League games. Even if we're the home team, any line-ups, scorers and updates are to be found on the opposition's Twitter!

That is 'Gold'! 'One Of Us' had to start it! It may go 'On and On and On'. Clach v ABBA? I assume ABBA were 'The Visitors'.... "SO I SAY, Thank You For The Mugging...the coins I'm losing...."

*quickly deletes comment*

Duncan Shearer! I also recognise Alan Stevenson, Good photo, IHE.

Devine hasn't played for Chester, so...No!

Correct! Vincent and Tansey often played together in the midfield at Stockport County!

Correct, Yngwie! Drapes and Tremarco did indeed feature together in the Macclesfield team!

Pre-Partick Poser.... Which 3 'pairs' of current ICT players have played together at another club? By 'pair', I mean (for example) Ryan Christie played with Gary Warren at Brechin City. Obviously that's wrong - but that's the format! Not just looking for 'common clubs' but actually 'pairs' who played together in the same match. e.g. Esson & Watkins have both had spells at Hereford - but didn't ever play together. All 3 'answers' actually started games together - not just a 92nd minute substitution.

Here we go...

Caley Thistle manager John Hughes will step up talks to secure the future of seven players who will be out of contract at the end of the season. Defenders Josh Meekings, David Raven and Danny Devine and midfielders Marley Watkins, Nick Ross, Liam Polworth and Lewis Horner will be free agents at the end of the campaign. The Caley Jags lost leading-scorer Billy Mckay to Wigan Athletic for £150,000 last month, while captain Graeme Shinnie agreed a pre-contract with Aberdeen. Hughes’ priority is to ensure no more players move on and he said: “It’s about time, within the next week or so, that we get down to business. We need to know where we’re going and the players need to know where they’re going. “It works both ways. They might say someone has offered them a deal. We don’t want that. “The players have been very hard-working. We know what we’ve got and that’s important.” Although the transfer window is closed Hughes remains keen to add to his squad, but must now look to the free agent market. He will not be rushing any deals and added: “We’re still working very hard to add one or two. “I look for good footballers. If any of our players want to sit back and rest on their laurels and I see a better footballer, no matter what position, I’ll try to bring him to my club. “I like good footballers, but character is massively important and I know how hard these players train. I need to bring in people with the right character. “It’s a special squad and I don’t want to bring a bad apple in. “We have to be very careful, but we’re getting there. The strategy is in place. “My phone’s been red hot. As soon as I identify a player, the first thing I do is a look at his history. Ten times out of 10, I will find someone who he’s worked or played with and get on the phone for a character reference.”

If the rumours are correct, suggesting Kilmarnock's Allan Johnston will be sacked this morning, John Hughes will remarkably be the current 5th longest-serving Premiership manager at just one-year and two-months!

Dani Sanchez has moved to Florida and signed for Fort Lauderdale Strikers. Their website describe him as 'veteran' - he's recently just turned 30! http://www.strikers.com/news/detail/uuid/cai8al05d2df1j8xf9rdjflr9/strikers-sign-spanish-midfielder-dani-sanchez#.VNNydWdybDc

The floodlights from Kingsmills also went up to Harmsworth Park, Wick - although they've since been upgraded. I assume the old Thistle enclosure has also now gone.

The home team keeps the gate receipts in the Europa League. I'm sure we'd get a big turnout for the first ever European tie in Inverness/Highlands. But, it seems UEFA no longer regionalise the draw, so we could end up with a trip to the likes of Armenia or Azerbaijan - who share a border with Iran, or a trek to Kazakhstan who have a communal land border with China! Motherwell and St Johnstone were 'hit' last season with unfortunate pairings. Some interesting quotes from the mamagers here: Motherwell manager Stuart McCall believes the Europa League should be regionalised to minimise travel costs for smaller clubs. The Fir Park side travel to Russia to face Kuban Krasnodar for next Thursday's third qualifying round second leg. St Johnstone have had a similar trip to Belarus for their tie with Minsk. "To be having to charter planes, it's going to cost more than we're going to receive from the ties," said McCall. "Something that's been put forward is regionalising. Certainly, in the early stages of the Europa League, it makes sense. "I'll just concentrate on the football side of it, but it is a point that we'll possibly be losing money. St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright agrees with McCall's concerns and believes that small clubs are being "financially punished" by long-haul Europa League trips. The McDiarmid men flew out to Belarus on Wednesday for Thursday's first leg against Minsk in the city of Grodno, 140 miles west of the former Soviet state's capital, while Minsk's Dinamo Stadium is redeveloped. Saints chairman Steve Brown has been forced to pay out a £4,500 bill to cover the cost of fast-tracked visas for his squad, while a larger sum will be due after the club had to charter its own plane and then pay to keep the tiny Grodno Airport open until after the game so they can return home. "I know from my time in the Irish League some of the trips that part-time clubs are asked to make and financially it was costly," said Wright. "Getting into Europe should be looked upon as a reward for doing well. But it's as if you're being financially punished because you get some horrendous trips."A lot of the time there is no chance of going through either, because of the clubs you are up against. "So I do agree with Stuart, it should be regionalised. But then again, we only work in the game, we don't run it." "For the players and the staff, these things don't affect us," he added. "Would all the hassle it put me off getting to this stage again? No. It might put the chairman off but not me."

Well said, sir.

If booze is allowed back for consumption in football grounds there could be a great drinking game when Collum is ref. (hypothetically, PC brigade!) Down a nip (or a half pint) for a booking, and double (or a pint) for a red card! Safe to say, you'd be 'refreshed' by full-time! But seriously, I'd forgotten about his 'flea-in-the-ear' from the SFA and a two-week suspension for (I assume) 'over-zealous' use of cards! Since his return, he's officiated twice - and as opposed to his usual, he's only put his hand in his pocket for a card, once! Once in two games - Willie Collum!! But, now he's shown 'remorse', he'll be itching to send someone off on Saturday!!

It's frustrating, as fans, being 'left in the dark' with the progress or otherwise of the contract negotiations. But, I can understand how little is revealed until anything concrete has been decided. However, while I can appreciate the lack of transparency there, I feel the club could be doing more in letting us know the current injury status of Foran and Brill. Will the 'keeper be back this weekend or is his injury long-term? The club captain hasn't played in nearly a year - is he anywhere near a comeback or will he miss the rest of the season? Is his injury career-threatening? If so will his long-term contract be honoured? etc! The second most recent 'team item' posted on the website was in October - Ibra Sekajja signs! We're 3rd top of the Premiership, yet some Highland League and Junior teams keep their fans better posted. It's not being told what's going on that's causing this wave of unease. But, for balance, there's still a lot the club does right. For example, just yesterday, CaleyD posted on here a timely acknowledgement that the Development game was postponed - even though it would likely only affect a few folk. Kudos where it's due.

Can't be that, as Andreu is still at the top!

That's unfortunate - but they must have been cheap Tesco crackers - some of the more expensive ones have useful, fun items like a plastic moustache...!

There probably never was a contingency plan. It was just a cheap soundbite to appease the fans. Perhaps it was anticipated that we'd get someone in and the chairman could claim "told you so". He'll possibly now claim that the plan was to promote from within - i.e. integrate our two young strikers into the first team. Ali Sutherland and Calum Ferguson.