Sneckboy

Ouch! Cheers for the updates, though.

Already a thread.

I think the all-seating ruling has negatively impacted on singing at football - apart from the huge clubs where like-minded individuals are grouped together. In the Inverness Thistle days, I'd be standing with a group of guys and we'd chant occasionally, but nowadays, in seats, the group-bond has been neutralised. you're spread out along a row of seats. My mate, Dave, for example, who 20 minutes ago was sitting next to me in the pub, is now 6 seats along in the stadium - the banter goes stone-dead. (it usually does with me, but you get my point!) There's often a woman on my left who is more interested in getting some of her son's mate's cousin's photos transferred to her bloody I-phone than even showing a passing interest in the game! And that's me being polite and politically correct! if I stood up and put my arm around her and bounced - only two things would happen! Arrested or a bondage game in South Kessock! There are many and varied reasons why football has changed, SKY, more saturation, stadium regulations, disparity in wages between the working man and the players etc. even the fact it's become more 'family' oriented - certainly, in my Highland League days, a woman at football was something peculiar! Not standing anymore, is a huge obstacle to singing. One normally stands in churches and for national anthems. It's physically easier!

Very reluctant to drop Billy. He's the type of striker, who like many, will go on a 'run' when he grabs his first after a drought. He's still an integral part of our team even when he's not necessarily scoring goals, if that makes sense! Silver-lining...I doubt so many clubs are now eyeing him up in the transfer window!

Wasn't the small seating area (opposite the main stand) 'built' as a result of frequent cries for a 'singing section'? When push came to shove, it wasn't utilised.

Not including Mark de Vries then. I agree with that. I think it's actually 80 different nationalities now, Rene. Hopefully, Serbia and French Guiana can be added soon. But after that, we could be waiting a while! Unless we qualified for Europe! (and didn't draw a team from Wales or the Faroes!)

Bumping this thread as these ties are due this Saturday. (East Stirling v Pars is Sunday) The Edinburgh City - Brora game is the 'stand out' tie for me. Got to say, Elgin have a horrible tie ahead. A classic 'hiding-to-nothing'! I can see Bo'ness giving them major problems. And although I don't know much about Hurlford, apart from their clinical wins over Clach and Locos, Stirling Albion could come a cropper in Ayrshire! But, even for folk who have little interest in lower-league football, this is when the cup really starts - we could draw any of these teams in the next round. East Fife v. Berwick Rangers Forfar Athletic v. Cowdenbeath Edinburgh City v. Brora Rangers Stenhousemuir v. Brechin City Hurlford United v. Stirling Albion Arbroath v. Nairn County Elgin City v. Bo'ness United Ayr United v. Alloa Athletic Spartans v. Clyde Peterhead v. Stranraer Dumbarton v. Rangers Queen's Park v. Albion Rovers Morton v. Airdrieonians Annan Athletic v. Livingston Linlithgow Rose v. Raith Rovers East Stirlingshire v. Dunfermline Athletic

I always felt that he should be judged at the turn of the year. So far, he's surpassed my expectations. If we continue in the same vein, I'll happily concede that I got it wrong about Hughes. Indeed, come Easter, if we're still performing as we are, I'd not be surprised to see the board offering a contract extension to JH.

This game completed our October fixtures. Got the 7 points that were 'targeted'. November has some tasty ties. The hardest fixture followed by home games against the Lanarkshire duo (separated by an International break). We also start our Scottish Cup campaign: Celtic (away) Hamilton Accies (home) Motherwell (home) Scottish Cup (round of 32) If offered, I'd take Scottish Cup progress plus 5 league points.

Next game is tomorrow (Tues 28th) away to Kilmarnock @ 2pm. We're still without an away win this season, so this presents another opportunity. It surely won't be too long before Richie Foran makes his long awaited return in one of these games.

Delighted with that - effectively equal top! Yes, it's after 11 games of 38 but we've had wonderful start.

Och, the formatting makes that a rather ugly post! Guadeloupe, Martinique and Reunion are the only countries without FIFA recognition. But like Gibraltar, they're recognised by their regional Federation and compete in their respective regional competitions. Guadeloupe and Martinique play in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Reunion are eligible for the African Cup of Nations. So, they're legitimate international sides. My example's of appearance are just that - examples. Not necessarily that player's first or last appearance - just an appearance to trigger the 'claim' for that country! I agree that Ryan Baldachinno shouldn't be included. Similarly Pia - I can't find any record of him playing, and it's likely that if he did, it would have been away to a Highland League side! We tend not to play friendlies at the TCS unless it's a 'bigger' game. There's a decent chance that Marc-Antoine Fortune will play for French Guiana - he's been called into their squad and they've got the Caribbean Cup coming up, where they'll likely want to play hm. Mark de Vries is a tricky one! Are we likely to get another player from Suriname?! Since you started the thread, Renegade, I'll go with your decision on whether to include de Vries or not! If you think he qualifies, I'll add him to my database, if not, he stays off!

Algeria Madjid Bougherra For Rangers - December 2010 Angola Jose Quitongo For Dumbarton - August 2006 Antigua & Barbuda Zaine Francis-Angol For Motherwell - August 2013 Argentina Fabian Caballero For Dundee - April 2005 Australia Scott McDonald For Celtic - October 2008 Austria Thomas Piermayr For Inverness CT - August 2011 Barbados Paul Ifill For Sheffield United - July 2006 Belgium Thomas Buffel For Rangers - August 2005 Bosnia-Herzegovina Sasa Papac For Rangers - December 2010 Brazil Samuel Camazzola For Hearts - September 2005 Bulgaria Stiliyan Petrov For Celtic - December 2005 Cameroon Thierry Gathuessi For Inverness CT - January 2009 Canada Richard Hastings For Inverness CT - July 2009 Cape Verde Islands David Silva For Kilmarnock - March 2012 Comoros Fouad Bachirou For Morton - November 2013 Croatia Dado Prso For Rangers - August 2005 Curacao Dyron Daal For Ross County - July 2008 Czech Republic Rudi Skacel For Hearts - September 2005 Denmark Thomas Gravesen For Celtic - January 2007 DR Congo Calvin Zola For Aberdeen - April 2014 England Gary Warren For Inverness CT - October 2012 Estonia Henrik Ojamaa For Motherwell - November 2012 Faroe Islands Gunnar Nielsen For Motherwell - April 2014 Finland Markus Paatelainen For Inverness CT - February 2008 France Kenny Gillet For Inverness CT - July 2011 Gabon Daniel Cousin For Rangers - January 2008 Gambia Pa Kujabi For Hibernian - April 2012 Georgia Zurab Khizanishvili For Rangers - December 2004 Germany Andreas Hinkel For Celtic - February 2009 Ghana Prince Buaben For Dundee United - March 2011 Greece Georgios Samaras For Celtic - November 2011 Guadeloupe Mickael Antoine-Curier For Hamilton Accies - January 2011 Guinea Bobo Balde For Celtic - March 2005 Honduras Emilio Izaguirre For Celtic - August 2012 Hungary Gabor Vincze For Livingston - January 2006 Iceland Eggert Jonsson For Hearts - September 2011 Israel Gil Blumstein For Inverness CT - August 2010 Italy Manuel Pascali For Kilmarnock - August 2011 Ivory Coast Sol Bamba For Hibernian - November 2010 Jamaica Chris Humphrey For Motherwell - November 2012 Japan Shunsuke Nakamura For Celtic - February 2009 Kenya Victor Wanyama For Celtic - August 2012 Latvia Pavels Mihadjuks For Inverness CT - February 2009 Lithuania Andrius Skerla For Dunfermline Athletic - January 2005 Macedonia Bajram Fetai For Inverness CT - April 2005 Mali Amadou Konte For Hibernian - December 2005 Martinique Yoann Arquin For Ross County - October 2014 Mexico Efrain Juarez For Celtic - August 2010 Montenegro Nikola Vujadinovic For Aberdeen - January 2011 Montserrat Junior Mendes For Ayr United - February 2010 Morocco Hassan Kachloul For Livingston - May 2005 Netherlands Glenn Loovens For Celtic - August 2010 New Zealand Chris Killen For Celtic - December 2007 Nigeria Sone Aluko For Rangers - February 2012 Northern Ireland Jonathan Tuffey For Inverness CT - March 2012 Norway Thomas Rogne For Celtic - February 2013 Paraguay Ronald Huth For Liverpool - August 2008 Poland Zibi Malkowski For Inverness CT - May 2008 Portugal Filipe Morais For Inverness CT - January 2009 Republic of Ireland Richie Foran For Inverness CT - December 2012 Reunion Didier Agathe For Celtic - August 2004 Romania Marius Niculae For Inverness CT - October 2007 Scotland Ross Tokely For Inverness CT - October 2011 Senegal Ibrahim Tall For Hearts - September 2007 Sierra Leone Mohamed Bangura For Celtic - August 2012 Slovakia Felip Sebo For Rangers - December 2006 Slovenia Jure Travner For St. Mirren - December 2010 South Korea Cha Du-Ri For Celtic - August 2010 Spain Juanjo For Inverness CT - November 2005 Sweden Henrik Larsson For Celtic - March 2003 Switzerland Stephane Henchoz For Celtic - March 2005 Togo Yoann Folly For Aberdeen - October 2010 Trinidad & Tobago Marvin Andrews For Queen of the South - March 2010 Tunisia Hamed Namouchi For Rangers - December 2004 Turkey Nadir Ciftci For Dundee United - October 2013 Uganda David Obua For Hearts - September 2011 Uruguay Fabian Yantorno For Gretna - September 2007 USA Maurice Edu For Rangers - August 2011 Venezuela Miku For Celtic - February 2013 Wales Owain Tudur Jones For Inverness CT - August 2012

I've actually kept a list that shows 80 nationalities! I'll put it up shortly - it includes an 'example' of each country claimed. Quite sad really!

I didn't realise the Halifax game was so soon - I'll be looking for that result, later. It's a War of the Roses game - Lancs v Yorks. A 2000+ crowd?

I hope Draper doesn't read this forum - he'll probably be out walking the dog this afternoon!

I also noticed that the last match day thread 'ended' at a grand total of 2 pages. An away win, no less and with a sending-off, a penalty and countless bookings! Although to be fair, home games should attract more comments, with folk being more likely to post their observations if they've been in attendance at a game.

Not sure if we can count David Silva of Kilmarnock. He played at the TCS in March 2012 and then in January 2013 he got his only cap - playing for Cape Verde Islands in the African Cup of Nations (as a sub against hosts, South Africa). We probably should count him as Cape Verde will otherwise never get 'ticked off'!

Martinique Yoann Arquin for Ross County (October 2014) Not FIFA members but they are members of CONCACAF

Premiership Jonny Hayes (Aberdeen 1-0 Motherwell)

I think that's Draper on 5 cautions this season in the league - It might be 6 before a suspension? And sometimes the ban doesn't come in immediately! So I'm tentatively thinking that Draper will be available for the United game... Yeah, it's confirmed as only a one-game ban for Christie. No other players suspended.

Gregory Tade played against Astra this season - he got 2 goals! They're no great shakes! But, as much as it pains me, it's to our advantage for Celtic to do as well as possible! I know you know that, but I agree, it's sometimes difficult to stop the heart over-riding the head!

Technically speaking, holding a season ticket, also 'does the club out of revenue'! It irritates the heck out of me that season ticket holders seem to adopt a moral high-ground. as if having one demonstrates some sort of 'extra' affiliation to the club! I pay full fare when I go, and over a season it translates to more than season ticket holders pay. More fool me, obviously - but I do it because I love the club. It's reminiscent of disgruntled customers approaching me, in my former work, with an opening salvo of "I'm a shareholder here so..." or in my current employment with " I pay your wages, so..." Being a season-ticket holder doesn't make you special, and insulting those who aren't as "fans" is just daft - every body we can get inside the stadium helps! Our recent return of a five-figure sum as profit could easily be six-figures. We lost 500 fans per game last season x 19 = 9,500 spectators. Multiply that by just £20 each = £190,000!! It's significant! I really take issue, DALNEIGHCALEY, at your suggestion that this could lose us money! Nobody going is suddenly now not going to bother! - it's all extra money in the till - albeit a small amount - and maybe a few extra fans! I think it's a good initiative by ICT, even if it sticks in the craw of some season ticket holders!

I know a guy at work who has been to a bar in New York called Don's Bar! That's maybe as close as you'll get!

Highland League Ross Tokely (Brora 6-0- Fort William) Daniel Park (Cove 4-1 Huntly) Martin Bavidge (Keith 1-3 Inverurie Loco Works)