Sneckboy

Initial observations. Decent draw for Pele's Formartine, away to a currently poor Keith side. Quite a number of all-North games came-out there - including two of the Highland League's weaker sides (Rothes and Strathspey) going up against the two big Aberdeen Junior clubs (Banks O' Dee and Culter). Clach have an interesting game against either Edinburgh University or Scottish Junior Cup winners, Hurlford United. Such is the strength of Auchinleck that I'd have Buckie as underdogs going down there. I'm sure they lost to Talbot recently. Lots of intriguing ties but the stand-out for me is Fraserburgh v Linlithgow Rose. That's a tie that could be anything from 5-2, 3-3 or 1-4! not a game I'll be putting a correct score bet on!

Lossiemouth v Turriff United Clachnacuddin v Edinburgh Uni / Hurlford Golspie Sutherland v Dalbeattie Star Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale v East Kilbride Preston Athletic v Threave Rovers Forres Mechanics v Civil Service Strollers Edinburgh City v Coldstream Auchinleck Talbot v Buckie Thistle Rothes v Banks O' Dee Cove Rangers v Hawick / Newton Stewart FC Fraserburgh v Linlithgow Rose Keith v Formartine United Selkirk v Bo'ness United Whitehill Welfare v Girvan Culter v Strathspey Thistle Huntly v Wick Academy Gretna 2008 v Gala Fairydean Rovers Deveronvale v Nairn County

tone

There's no chance of Celtic getting made to play in Kazakhstan at such short notice! I doubt the European Court will rule in Legia Warsaw's favour, anyway. But, if they do overturn UEFA's decision, and Celtic are suddenly forced into the Europa League play-offs, I think they'd be well within their rights to seek a postponement. Celtic have done nothing wrong. Their 'crime' was being outclassed over 2 games by a superior opponent who inadvertently broke the rules. i.e. cheated! I despise Celtic as much as everybody else - they're an odious club - built on bigotry and rooted in family histories of sectarianism, prejudice and frankly, scum. Nobody can dispute that. But to be fair, they have earned their right to be having a crack at Maribor and a place at the top table of European football. It does us all a great service! I remember the days of Scottish clubs commanding 5 and even 6 places in Europe. We have finished 4th and 5th the last 2 seasons, Ordinarily, we'd have been in Europe - but we're all guilty of taking glee in our 'rivals' stumbling in Europe. We must wish Celtic well in Europe, for our own future good. I'd love us to beat them at the weekend, though! Although it matters little in the title 'race' whether we beat them or not on Saturday.

0-5 v Dundee United is 'better' than 1-5 v County!

I agree, to an extent! The win back the certainly seems 'relatively' better. But...there has to be a 'definition'...and in football, it's goals! For example, our 'worst ever' home result in our history is the horrible 0-5 to Dundee United. Yet, if we were knocked out of the Scottish Cup this year at home to Rothes, 1-0, that would clearly be our worst ever! But the record books - every single one, on every football database, would show the Dundee United game as our 'worst'. There has to be a standard. No big deal. It's universal across all football clubs at all levels.

Not quite - we actually recorded a 4-1 win back in 2006/07 when a certain Richie Foran was in Motherwell's team! Grant Munro, Ross Tokely, Craig Dargo and Rory McAllister scored our goals that day. Not quite, we beat Gretna there 4-0 in 2007/08 season Wyness, Cowie, Wilson and McBain the scorers Good call! Anorakism at its finest!

How did Malpas come across? From what I'm hearing, he was a good co-commentator. Obviously, Maurice is ideally placed to provide an analysis on Well v ICT, having been assistant at both clubs. Was there any hint of a 'fondness' towards Inverness or was he impartial? Terry was always the mouth-piece when they were here - and for that (probably wrong) reason, always saw Malpas as quiet and unspoken!

I didn't know that - cheers. It's interesting with the University teams. As you say, they haven't 'got back' to Uni yet. I read in the P&J that Cove were going to be facing a team largely cobbled together over-the-phone for the game - they do play regularly in the amateur scene in Glasgow and the University Leagues, but obviously haven't played a game this season. Normally, they'd have given Cove a sterner test. The same could be said of Aberdeen Uni who are now in the North Juniors. Bookies favourites to win their division in their inaugural season - but they'll have to play 'catch-up' as the team they're able to field at present isn't doing too well. Stirling University are a very strong team but will also have to overcome the handicap of starting before their regular players return. They're currently the best University side in the UK but have made an inauspicious start to their Lowland League campaign - sitting bottom! The same scenario must apply to Edinburgh Uni, so Hurlford should still be favourites to eliminate them. Can't beat the Scottish Cup. The oldest trophy in the football world!

No 'shocks' materialised, yesterday. Cove and Fort William's games resulted in a heavy win and a comprehensive defeat, respectively. Maybe a slight raised-eyebrow from ICTPAISLEY with Hurlford not seeing-off Edinburgh Uni, but they can still win the replay, I'm sure. Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 3-0 Burntisland Shipyard Amateur Auchinleck Talbot 5-1 St. Cuthbert Wanderers Glasgow University 1-9 Cove Rangers Vale of Leithen 0-1 Gala Fairydean Rovers Hurlford United 2-2 Edinburgh University Edinburgh City 5-0 Fort William Newton Stewart 2-2 Hawick Royal Albert Wigtown & Bladnoch 1-2 Civil Service Strollers

Have to mention this. While I was checking the stats for the clean-sheet record, I couldn't help but be struck by the different look the SPL/Premiership has now, from 2006. Only half the teams from then are playing in it now!!! Teams from 2005/2006: Aberdeen Celtic Dundee United Dunfermline Athletic Falkirk Hearts Hibernian Inverness Caley Thistle Kilmarnock Livingston Motherwell Rangers

That's 418 minutes without conceding!! It'll be very difficult to keep Celtic quiet for a full 90 mins next week - but if we can....we'll be close to our all-time shut-out record! Let's say we do keep a 'clean sheet' on Saturday - that will be our current 418 + 90 = 508 minutes. Tantalisingly close to our record of 513! That was set back in 2006. Livingston 2-1 Inverness (9) Motherwell 0-1 Inverness (90) Inverness 1-0 Dundee United (90) Livingston 0-1 Inverness (90) Inverness 2-0 Falkirk (90) Dunfermline Athletic 0-1 Inverness (90) Inverness 1-2 St. Mirren (54) 9+90+90+90+90+90+54 = 513

Not quite - we actually recorded a 4-1 win back in 2006/07 when a certain Richie Foran was in Motherwell's team! Grant Munro, Ross Tokely, Craig Dargo and Rory McAllister scored our goals that day.

At 19, Ryan Christie is a player with huge potential. Danny Williams, on the other hand, is nearly 27. In the short career that is football, I'd say that he's now too 'old' to be described in those terms.

We'd get ripped-off as usual! No way will we get £1,000,000.

My voting form arrived on the doorstep this morning. After, months and months (and years for some, and 'centuries' for others!) of debate, it's now become very, very real! There will be an actual vote on Scottish Independence in a little over 4 weeks time. It's a massive question..an enormous call - do we want to break up the United Kingdom and go it alone? It's a once in a life-time opportunity to vote for this. There's no point moaning in a couple of years time, or even 5 or 10 years from now. Make that 20 years or 50 - or more. Westminster will ensure that there are no further referenda on Scottish Independence - by hook or by crook. Certainly, the rules will be changed to prevent or hinder any further 'attempts' from us Scots trying to 'break away' or better ourselves. It's effectively now or never. The UK parliament will be swiftly 'changing' their statute books to ensure this opportunity never, ever occurs and embarrasses them again. Don't think, "I wont vote for Independence this time - but, next time, I probably will!" There will be no next time! Regardless of preference, it's the biggest vote in many generations; and certainly the most important ballot we'll all have in our lifetimes. Good luck to those who are campaigning over the next month. I hope we can get 80% turnout! Game on.

Sounds like a reaching-the-end-of-my-career move - where can I get the most money?! ! I've never heard of them - but I doubt he had either, until they showed interest. He certainly wouldn't have heard of us before signing, but money talks! I always felt he was lazy with us, although at times you could see he had class.

I'm counting the final game of last season here. Why not?, they're consecutive matches. So, we're on a run of 3 premiership clean-sheets! The last team to score against us was...Motherwell...at Fir Park.

No time stated yet on the SPFL website. I bet it's 2pm though! CaleyD mentioned on the Development League thread () about the distance-to-travel rule. (post #6).

I've just looked at the 'Development League' fixtures and there is only ICT v Hamilton (next Tuesday) before the transfer window closes in a fortnight. I'd imagine they'd get a game there to see what they can do in a competitive environment - even if they're impressive in training, it would be foolish to commit without seeing them in an actual game. There are instances where players can be signed outwith the transfer-window, of course. I don't know the exact stipulations but if these guys are without a club then it may be possible to sign one after the end of August.

He's signed-up until the end of next season!

I think they're part-time. He'll have to get some 'body double' work again!

Some high scoring games in the cups last night: North of Scotland Cup - Quarter-finals Dale Gillespie (Halkirk United 0-8 Brora Rangers) Zander Sutherland TWO GOALS (Halkirk United 0-8 Brora Rangers) Dennis Wyness (Rothes 1-8 Elgin City) Shane Sutherland FOUR GOALS (Rothes 1-8 Elgin City) Aberdeenshire Cup - Quarter-finals Martin Bavidge (Fraserburgh 4-2 Inverurie Loco Works)

My most recent post on here was about Aiden Chippendale signing for Conference South club, Stalybridge. I thought to myself, that's quite a drop from playing in the 'SPL' - but this news about Greenhalgh! Maidstone are even a standard below that - level 7! But he'll still have the fancy coloured boots, slick haircut and swagger. Some of the teams Greenhalgh will be facing this season include, the Metropolitan police, Witham Town, Peacehaven & Telscombe FC, Bognor Regis and East Thurrock United. Yet he'll still think he's God's gift!

Not one to live long in the memory - instantly forgettable. But to be honest, tonight's result is largely unimportant when we take into consideration the bigger picture on this historic day. Exactly 20 years ago (13th Aug 1994) the club played it's first ever league game - a fixture with Arbroath that we won 5-2. Look at us now! Forget tonight - it's of no consequence in the grand scheme of the ICT journey - remember how far we've come in a short time! Happy Birthday ICT. In 5 minutes (from posting) the club moves proudly into its third decade!