Sneckboy

Without having researched it, I may well be wrong, but I'll bet they took the suffix 'Caledonian Thistle' as a quaint, Scottish-sounding alternative to just 'Thistle'. "What'll we use as the 'bit after' Hamilton.....United?...City?...Wanderers?...Rovers?...Thistle?...yes! ...NO!...even better....Caledonian Thistle!.. After all, Inverness use it!" Typical, ignorant central belters!

Anyone remember Hugh Robertson? Ex-Aberdeen & Dundee, a left-footed player we had on loan in the late 90's. He's been appointed as manager of North Junior king-pins Culter FC - where he's been playing the past few seasons.

04.54am - 12th Man still buzzing with enthusiasm! At a game once, they guy who sold me my programme looked very similar to the man I saw later, busily taking the hot pies out of the oven - who bore an uncanny resemblance to the fellow who poured my pint before the game! What was really uncanny was the lad sweeping the stands as I left the ground looked just like the above mentioned - who also happened to be the out-of-breath chap cashing up In the club shop, before almost knocking me over as he pulled on his high-visibility steward's vest on his run to the car park.

Ben Greenhalgh's confirmed departure is the latest activity, leaving the squad at present: Signed up until the end of season 2016-17: • Gary Warren • Richie Foran 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): • Greg Tansey • Daniel Devine • Graeme Shinnie • Nick Ross • Marley Watkins • David Raven • Josh Meekings • Billy McKay • Liam Polworth • Calum Ferguson • Jaime Wilson (U20's) • Kane Hull (U20's) • Jason Brown (U20's) • Struan McArthur (U20's) • Blair MacLennan (U20's) • Calum Howarth (U20's) • Chris Brown (U20's) • Ali Sutherland (U20's) • Stephen Rennie (U20's) • Cammy Mackay (goalkeeper) (U20's) • Chris Blackett (U20's) • Daniel Hoban (goalkeeper) (U20's)

Dean McDonald has left Whitehawk and signed for Dulwich Hamlet. Level 7 in the English game.

Yeah, it normally is and will likely be the case for that Clach game. It looks like the Highland League programme's starting earlier this season due to the potential end of season play-off scenario re. SPFL qualification.* But, as the North Cup fixture coincides with our pre-season, I thought it would be 'eligible' to appear in the list. * I note that Brora are undergoing a series of ground improvements, including upgrading their tannoy system and increasing the 'lux' (brightness) of their floodlights, to comply with SPFL regulations. A strange development for a club who allegedly have no interest in the Scottish League (according to certain fans)!!!

If we're to take the recent confirmation as literally true, I suppose it still leaves open the opportunity to sign a player after the season starts, as the 'window' is open until the end of August ( I think). We've lined-up a good few pre-season games - taking in a few trialists would surely make sense? Nothing to lose.

Wed 2nd July - 7.30pm (Grant Street)...Clachnacuddin Sat 5th July - 1.00pm (Claggan Park)…Fort William (ICT U20’s) Wed 9th July - 7.30pm (Mosset Park)...Forres Mechanics Sat 12th July - 3pm (Borough Briggs)...Elgin City Wed 16th July - 7.30pm (Dudgeon Park)...Brora Rangers Sat 19th July - 1.00pm (Mackessack Park)…Rothes (ICT U20’s) Sat 19th July - 3.00pm (Stark’s Park)…Raith Rovers Wed 23rd July - 7.30pm (Princess Royal Park)...Deveronvale Tues 29th / Wed 30th July - (7.30pm)? (Grant Street)...Clachnacuddin (North Cup - 1st Rnd) Sat 2nd August - 3.00pm (St Andrew’s stadium)...Birmingham City ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sat 9th August - Season starts

Good find, Renegade. As you say, not a friendly as such, but still a pre-season game, so I'm going to add it to our list! I note County have forgotten their roots and elected not to compete! North of Scotland Cup draw Elgin City v Strathspey Thistle Thurso v Brora Rangers Lossiemouth v Fort William Rothes v bye Golspie Sutherland v Wick Academy Halkirk v bye Clachnacuddin v Inverness Caley Thistle Nairn County v Forres Mechanics

According to yesterdays Courier, Yogi's maintaining his stance regarding not bringing in any new faces. The Inverness manager said he has not made any additions to his squad over the summer and does not plan on making any before the start of the season.

My replies aren't showing up correctly, caleydawson so i'll just post the link. https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/sport/216747/cove-sign-daniel-park-on-three-year-deal/

Ah, that answers my query, cheers Yngwie! You beat me to the 'return' button! But on the topic of TV pundits at the stadium - Neil Lennon. There's a water bottle still floating about in the firth, last seen passing Cromarty!

Nice hotel but an odd venue for a football match. Typo aside, I didn't know that about Lineker. Can you remember the year? I have no recollections of seeing Leicester City up here.

In that vein, I'm sure when the players return for pre-season training they'll enjoy reminding Yogi of his prediction from this short clip! http://sport.stv.tv/fifa-world-cup/news/278615-scottish-premiership-managers-give-stv-their-world-cup-predictions/ The 2 minute clip ends with Strachan's customary sarcastic put-down to a journalist - I don't think it was because a female asked the question - it's just Gordon! On a side note, well done to Cameroon. Not many had them down to reach the same stage of elimination as Spain!

Getting a tingle of anticipation looking at the fixtures! As much as I enjoy the World Cup, nothing beats the weekly gamut of emotions of following your league club - for me anyway! Those games will soon be here. We've a full month of pre-season friendlies coming up, starting in just a fortnight. Looking at our fixtures, we start with a bang, playing 3 games in 8 days, followed by two home matches, taking us up to the end of August. Then there's an International break and we don't resume until mid-September. Those 5 games could be viewed as the first 'checkpoint' - I hope we'll be on at least 7 points.

Yeah, that game will steal all the media attention on the opening day. And The Rangers fans will, I'm sure, take great glee in letting us all know they had more supporters at Ibrox that day than the entire Premiership put together.

Daniel Park has signed a 3 year deal with Cove Rangers. From this archived thread, it seems he was highly rated as a youth with us but suffered a serious injury which probably hindered his development.

What a lot of drivel! Reguero was a good keeper for us and effectively ousted Esson from the No 1 jersey. He left of his own accord. We certainly didn't want rid of him! I agree that County have had a number of ex-ICT players through the years, but it works both ways. There are loads of guys who've played for both clubs and we've taken a fair few from them ourselves! We maybe more 'guilty' than them - not going to check, but off the top of my head, we've had ex-County players that include: Barry Wilson, Nicky Walker, Lionel Djebi-Zadi, Roy McBain, Richard Hastings, Steven Hislop, Gary McSwegan, Don Cowie, Andy Barrowman, John Rankin, Richie Hart, Stuart Golabek...

They're playing Buckie Thistle and Brora - that's it. Then they go to North America.

Oh dear, oh dear, Od-eon!

Wed 2nd July - 7.30pm (Grant Street)...Clachnacuddin Sat 5th July - 1.00pm (Claggan Park)…Fort William (ICT U20’s) Wed 9th July - 7.30pm (Mosset Park)...Forres Mechanics Sat 12th July - 3pm (Borough Briggs)...Elgin City Wed 16th July - 7.30pm (Dudgeon Park)...Brora Rangers Sat 19th July - 1.00pm (Mackessack Park)…Rothes (ICT U20’s) Sat 19th July - 3.00pm (Stark’s Park)…Raith Rovers Wed 23rd July - 7.30pm (Princess Royal Park)...Deveronvale Sat 2nd August - 3.00pm (St Andrew’s stadium)...Birmingham City ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sat 9th August - Season starts

Wow! That's a belter...well done to the club on getting this arranged. I'd say it's our highest ever profile fixture, south of the border. Could it be due a little-known clause in the Andrew Shinnie deal? Perfect timing too, the Saturday before the competitive stuff starts.

Reluctant to 'bump' this thread, but stumbled upon this article when looking for something else ICT related. It's not your usual Barry Wilson or John Robertson piece in one of the 'Red-Tops', but rather our from our old stalwart Mike Noble doing an article for The Daily Telegraph, no less! Granted, it was in the lead-up to our League Cup final but nevertheless gives an interesting insight, from a (then active) player's perspective, into the mood at the time. Were there really 'no go areas' in Inverness for the players!? Inverness Caledonian Thistle should be embraced by the people, says Mike Noble Inverness Caledonian Thistle's first final is a source of pride for their former midfielder Mike Noble Back in 1994 Mike Noble was a well-regarded midfielder with a wealth of experience in the Highland League, where he represented Inverness Caledonian. On Sunday he will be at Celtic Park to watch Inverness Caledonian Thistle, the club created when Caledonian merged with – you guessed it – Inverness Thistle – take on Aberdeen in their first major cup final. Yet Noble reveals that the decision to pool the two clubs’ resources two decades ago was fiercely opposed at the time and confesses that he believed that the experiment was doomed to failure. Indeed, he was convinced, when the new entity was admitted to the Scottish Football League, that implosion was more likely than promotion. “Twenty years ago I never envisioned us seeing the end of the season, let alone reaching a cup final in 2014,” said Noble, who played in their first-ever senior fixture, a 2-0 League Cup victory away to East Stirling. “It was a difficult time for the club and the first couple of years were tough. When Steve Paterson came in and got better players on board that turned things round and then he got that iconic win over Celtic in 2000. “But the support wasn’t there that they envisioned we would get in the Scottish Football League. I think they expected us to get figures of around 1,500 but it was less than a third of that. So it was difficult. “We also had a really small squad and it was difficult when we got injuries. Without Dougie McGilvray putting his own money in we could have gone under quite quickly. “There was a lot of hostility between the club and the supporters. There was a pitch invasion and a sit-in when we [inverness Caledonian] played at Rothes. “It was a really difficult time but it wasn’t the older people wanting to keep the status quo. The older guys were looking at the future and the younger guys fought the merger. “It got nasty at times and, on a night out, there were no-go areas for players. It was that bad. There were certain establishments you knew would be full of people who were against the merger. We knew not to go to those places. “That alienated a few players. One of them, Alan Smart, who went on to play for Watford, got particular stick for it. “I remember our last final for Caley in 1993. Alan scored the only goal and got booed by the anti-merger fans, although we beat Forres Mechanics 1-0 to win the North Cup. “That summed up the strength of feeling. The fans were against the merger, but they still came on the pitch at the end and tried to get our tops!” While Aberdeen were able to sell over 40,000 tickets for Sunday’s final, Inverness have struggled to reach the 7,500 mark and Noble attributes that meagre figure to the simmering resentment to the merger which still persists in pockets of the town. “There are still fans who go to Dingwall and support Ross County instead of Caley Thistle,” he said. "It’s one of those things but, for me, there is no point in looking back. “It’s done, it’s dusted and where the club has come in a short period of time is remarkable. The club should be embraced by the people of Inverness but it’s not really happening that way.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/inverness/10696616/Inverness-Caledonian-Thistle-should-be-embraced-by-the-people-says-Mike-Noble.html#disqus_thread Edit - adding link

Confirmed on the County website. Blimey, has Prestwick airport been moved! The 'Caley curse' strikes again. He becomes yet another player to be on the books at both clubs. Little to choose in the goalkeeping departments between them and us, although I marginally prefer Brill/Esson over Brown/Reguero.

That actually rings a bell with me! I'm sure you haven't dreamt it!