Sneckboy

How can you just name another club's player so dismissively, and call it a 'punt'? As if it's a right to take who you want! It's not Football Manager or whatever it's called these days! Would you be pleased to read on the Hamilton Forum a speculative post suggesting - Draper at inverness - should we take him?...worth a punt? Disgraceful post. Edit. And another poster has jumped-on with the arrogant assumption that he can be our player if we simply snap our fingers!

Great posts. Absolutely right that's a record fee for an ex-Inverness player, £2,000,000!!! Indeed, despite having just 4,% of the population of Scotland, it seems that today's transfer deadline-day has seen the most column-inches taken-up by Highland boys - Stuart Armstrong and Gary Mackay-Steven!!

I think the step up from Highland league to Premiership might be too big for a stop-gap replacement. Not sure if Yogi personally knows Steve Paterson, but 'Pele' knows the Highland League scene inside-out and is in a great position to recommend who could likely 'make it' jumping to such a high level from the semi-pro Highland League - but it's unlikely there are any ready-made players there who could instantly adapt. But that's just my opinion!

Despite the 'window' being open for a month, most of the activity happens between now and midnight! Let's hope we get someone in. There is the possibility of still getting-in players after today - if they're 'free-agents' as no transfer is actually done. But, to be honest, they're usually 'free-agents' for a reason! Realistically, any strengthening of the squad, for the rest of the season, needs to be done in the next 8 hours. Something will happen at the Caledonian stadium shortly - I should really start being a ****...(assuming that's the name given to folk who tweet?) **** = That Word Assuming Twittership

I'm still chuckling at a post I read yesterday on another forum about a player being booked for reminiscing with the referee! I assume the poster meant 'remonstrating'! 'Hey ref, mind those sherbet dips, black-jacks and fruit-salad chews we used to get for a penny - great days!' You can't talk to me about that! It's 'funny' when we reminisce on our favourite games - that semi-final probably holds more memories than the final itself. And despite having seen Inverness in semi-finals, a good number of Quarters and numerous last 16 ties, my favourite ever Scottish Cup game was the win at Parkhead - despite it being a 'modest' last-32 tie!

I don't normally like to criticise referees but I thought the whistler at Hampden yesterday was poor. I imagine the SFA put their 'top' ref in for the potentially heated Celtic-Rangers game but I thought he made some basic errors and strange decisions. I dislike both the Glasgow teams so was able to observe it from a neutral perspective. Perhaps the assistant-refs (linesmen or lineswomen, nowadays!) should also be held to account, as they can raise their flag if they spot something the ref has missed). As for our own 'penalty' incident with Watkins - after seeing it last night on TV, particularly the behind-the-goals angle, I apologise if I inferred in a previous post that I thought Watkins had 'made a meal of it'. I assume the ref would have awarded a penalty if Marley had gone down instantly at the contact. But, in an instant, he had to make a decision and in his mind 'played advantage' to give Marley the chance to slot the ball in, but after he tumbled, the 'advantage' had gone. Interestingly, in rugby, (I think), when the ref signals a penalty, he allows the attacking team to play-on for the current passage of play, allowing any advantage to stand - like a try, for example. But, if the move comes to nothing, they go back and take the penalty. In yesterdays prominent incident, (Rangers-Celtic), when Brown was fouled but still managed to release Griffiths one-on-one with the 'keeper, he could have allowed the move to play-out - and if Celtic hadn't scored or in his opinion hadn't gained and advantage, brought play back to the half-way line and a free-kick to Celtic.

Let's hope he wasn't the contingency plan!

Who?!

I'd overlooked that the Dundee United game id scheduled for the week they're now in the League Cup final. That leaves us only one definite home game from yesterday, 31st January, to 4th April!

Ignorance and incompetence.

Dean Brill's enforced absence means that Josh Meekings is now our only ever-present in all-games this season. Notably, for a centre-back, in all these 27 games, he's only picked-up one yellow-card. Well done Josh! As for the game, I thought Esson looked a bit match rusty, but he made an important reflex save at 0-0 to keep us from going behind. I didn't realise County's goal was a handball at the time although Raven was complaining to the ref about something... The Watkins incident I need to see again before calling it a 'dive', but in real-time it appeared he fell too late! I admit I'm no referee, but as mentioned already in this thread, It's puzzling how the game can just resume after such an incident as if nothing happened. It should have been a penalty or booking! But what do I know. The pitch is in poor condition but fortunately we've only one home game in the next six weeks. (barring a replay against Partick Thistle). However, we've got 3 or 4 Development games due at home in that time frame - although only this Tuesday's fixture has a confirmed venue - the TCS at 2pm! That should surely be moved! I have to say, County may not yet be doomed. They were better than I expected but are now detached now at the bottom - but I was looking at their recent results and was intrigued to see that they've only lost one of their last 7 away league games. If they can start winning a few games at home, the Highland derby could remain on the fixture list for next season!

Yes, I agree with you. I'm sure we do put clauses in place, for number of games played or future sell-on fees - it's just that we don't always hear about them. I think we got a 'windfall' (although the actual figure wasn't disclosed) when Barry Robson moved to Celtic from Dundee United.

I don't think we can take any credit in 'nurturing' Billy! Sure, he found the best form of his career with us, but he'd already been with 2 clubs in England before he came to us. Shinnie's moving to Aberdeen - at the age of 23 - I'm sure you'd agree that if he moved on in 3 years time, the Dons wouldn't/shouldn't be entitled to compensation for 'nurturing' him. It's the same age Billy came to us at. I suppose it could be a grey-area which is why FIFA have ruled that compensation for 'nurturing' ends at 23. I doubt we'll be privy to the finer details of the transfer or future clauses. There's a lot of 'undisclosed fees' etc nowadays - who knows, perhaps Northampton Town or even Leicester City were due a decent slice of the reputed 150k we got for Billy!

He got on in the 78th minute for his debut, but I'm sure his next target will be a starting berth.

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.

Wick, perhaps?

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!