Sneckboy

Former players Graeme Stewart and Lewis MacKinnon have been placed in temporary charge of Buckie Thistle after the club sacked their manager.

last night: Highland League Dale Gillespie TWO GOALS (Strathspey Thistle 0-7 Brora Rangers)

Scolds

He scores in almost every game! Obviously an eye-for-goal. Undoubtably one for the future!

I'll be amazed if you even look as good as that, after your celebrations this weekend, IHE!

75p to go to a game in Nigeria! Probably cheaper flying there from London than buying a few pints in Knightsbridge then attending the Chelsea game, govner! Great stats from Alex & Renegade! I've always been aware that the English Championship was better supported than many county's top leagues, but didn't realise it was as high as 12th in the World! It does bug me when folk 'go on' about how Andrew Shinnie must 'regret' leaving ICT to go to Birmingham City! I'd be gutted if Graeme went to Aberdeen or Rangers - the English Championship is far bigger than the Scottish Premiership. Those attendance tables show the Scottish Premiership to be performing quite well - the per-head-of-population stats consistently put us 2nd. But they're hideously distorted, but nonetheless accurate, due to Celtic and old-Rangers!

Do the SPFL have any say in what prices are charged by the clubs? I'd assume we'd have had to advise them of our plan to go with a 'pay-what-you-want' fixture? Maybe they 'recommend' say, a minimum price depending on the level - ie Elgin would be instructed/encouraged to charge £10 in the fourth-tier, whereas we'd be expected to set prices at a around £20 in the top-flight? I agree with Davie, that the gate receipts are the life-blood of teams in Scottish football. It's different, down south - the SKY and BT Sport deals are paying absolute fortunes to the clubs. I can't remember which Chairman it was - but one recently, candidly revealed that with the annual sponsorships from (particularly) TV money, shirt logo, pitch-side etc that gate receipts were 'no longer terribly important'! It's unfortunate that we share a border with the country with a league that's become little more than a grotesque business with Arab billionaires and Russian oligarchs treating it like a play-thing.

It seems Motherwell won't have a new manager, as I'd thought they would, by the time this game comes. They usually make life difficult for us when they come up here but even without Draper, I think we can win on Saturday and remain 'joint top'! Agree with Roughie's selection - the back 5 pick themselves - ahead of that we've options. Doran could also feature.

English League Two Alex MacDonald (Wycombe 1-3 Burton Albion)

Jason Oswell netted today against Bangor City in the Welsh Premier.

I'd totally missed that one! Went out to watch the Scotland game in the pub on Friday night and was oblivious to other games - and eventually, much of everything else, to be honest!

The Lowland League in conjunction with a group called ‘Groundhop UK’ have partnered for one weekend next march, to innovatively schedule the Lowland League’s fixtures for that weekend in a sequence that would allow ‘groundhoppers’ to notch six venues in one go! Groundhoppers are individuals or groups who like to visit as many different football grounds as they can – ‘doing’ obscure grounds and the travel plus the often complex accommodation arrangements are all part of the genre. I understand it can become quite an obsession! Ordinarily, for an English groundhopper, a trip to Scotland to ‘notch’ a ground is expensive and time consuming – and for the most part, hoppers tick-off grounds one-by-one. To do six over a weekend is a rare opportunity. From what I’ve read, it’s not just half-a-dozen anoraks – but literally many hundreds who are coming up from England for this – within hours of the fixtures being announced, 3 buses from London and 2 from Manchester were fully booked. The clubs, regardless of the day or kick-off time, are going to benefit, as will local pubs, restaurants, hotels and B&Bs. Staggeringly, East Kilbride v Whitehill Welfare has already been designated as ‘all-ticket’! Friday 20 March (West of Scotland) 7.45pm East Kilbride v Whitehill Welfare Saturday 21 March (Borders) 12 noon Vale of Leithen v Preston Athletic 3.30pm Selkirk v Spartans 7pm Gala Fairydean Rovers v Stirling University Sunday 22 March (South-West Scotland) 12 noon Dalbeattie Star v Edinburgh City 3pm Threave Rovers v Edinburgh University

chess

League One Rory McAllister HAT-TRICK (Ayr United 2-3 Peterhead) Highland League Andrew Greig TWO GOALS (Huntly 0-8 Brora) Dale Gillespie (Huntly 0-8 Brora) Martin Bavidge (Inverurie Loco Works 3-2 Rothes) Martin Laing (Inverurie Loco Works 3-2 Rothes) - (goal after 2 minutes on his debut) Stuart Soane (Fraserburgh 1-2 Forres Mechanics) Zander Sutherland TWO GOALS (Huntly 0-8 Brora) English non-league Robert Eagle TWO GOALS (Lowestoft Town 3-2 Tamworth) Aidan Chippendale for Stalybridge v Barrow

I really hope that's the case. We're his only club - he joined ICT when he was 17-years-old. He had a timely stint at Forres in the Highland League as part of his development - his progress through our ranks has been well managed by the club. It would be disappointing to lose him for nothing! I made a pst earlier about him possibly being lured to his home-town club, but I hadn't realised that, despite being a regular fan at Pittodrie, - he wasn't a Dons fan! He just liked football! Not sure I'm buying that! More often or not, one's first fixtures, particularly 'home town' games, tend to set the habit. I reckon he was just being diplomatic (ahead of the game v. Aberdeen) in that article! (posted below) Could work either way. Wants to 'prove Aberdeen wrong' by making-it with them (?) or alternatively, snubbing them to move to England. http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/league-cup-final-inverness-star-3248507 I hope he doesn't go to Aberdeen or The Rangers - I'd still wish him well, but would prefer seeing him in the English Championship..or even the Premier League!

Valid point , Alex. My 'back-of-an-envelope' calculation did indeed fail to account for season-ticket holders - although, I doubt Albion Rovers have too many! It would be great to see the full 'breakdown' of money taken at the gate at the St Johnstone game - but I fully appreciate that such 'transparency' is unlikely - sensitive business figures and all that!

hamlet

Looking at the Albion Rovers 'experiment' mentioned above, although on a smaller scale, they claim to have doubled their gate and increased takings by 160%. I assume they do mean they increased their takings by 160% and not that they're takings were 160% of what they'd normally expect. e.g. If they doubled their attendance - and folk paid the 'going rate', they would increase they're takings by 100% (and have 200% of 'expected' receipts). On a doubled-gate, if Albion Rovers got 160% of their normal takings, people would have, on average, been paying less. But, if as they claim, they increased their takings by 160%, the punters, on average, were paying more than the standard price. It's a great initiative - I'll be paying a fiver, I reckon - and getting a taxi to-and-from the game with the money saved! (probably only joking)

Had to smile when I say this exchange on a Dundee United forum discussing Shinnie - such utter garbage ! "Canna say ive ever noticed this guy being a stand out before." "I'm with you on this one. Can't say I've ever noticed the boy at all. Other ICT players have stood out last time we played them at Tannadice their wee no 8 ran the game." The wee number 8? That would be the diminutive, shy and retiring, 6' 5" Ross Draper!

And Brora have already beaten them 3-1 in the North Cup final this season - although 8 of Elgin's team had been playing Berwick away the previous day.

Former youth player Stuart Leslie has left Nairn County to sign for Deveronvale. He's also had spells at Clach and Elgin.

I wouldn't be surprised if he signed a 'pre contract agreement' with some club in January - and we'll lose him for nothing.

Those quotes from his agent have confirmed that he will be leaving. Gutted, but it was inevitable he'd move on at some point. I hope he goes to England but I suspect he may fancy playing for his home town club, Aberdeen.

Apologies. The sentiments remain the same - I would love to see Richie back in the fold for ICT.

Foran speaks!...naturally tipping his country to do us over! http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30026747 I happily accept that - he's a proud Dubliner after all - but I really hope we see him playing again for Inverness, and that his shoulder injury hasn't prematurely ended his career. He always seemed to keep himself fit and at 34, has hopefully got another 2 seasons, but playing he'll have lost the proverbial 'yard of pace' now, one would expect - but he could still be effective in central or left midfield. But most likely, off the bench. We're not stuck for players in that role - and, sadly there's no room for sentiment. Just checked, I'd forgotten we've got him signed until 2017!! If he doesn't make it back, then a coaching role within the club would be a natural step.