Sneckboy

Scotland haven't had many reds in friendlies either. In the last 30 years I think the only one was 1995, John Spencer in Japan (2 yellows in the 1st half, game ended 0-0). Prior to that it was Willie Johnston in Argentina 1977 (1-1) unless you class the British Championship as friendlies - Joe Jordan got one in a 2-0 defeat in Wales in 1981. Good point, Yngwie. It seems true that frendlies tend not to see so many orderings-off. Indeed, Scotland have only ever had 3. (in frendlies) I suppose nowadays, it's also 'easier' to get sent off with the 'double punishment' (as I see it), of a defender chasing back a striker and challenging him inside the penalty area. If the referee interprets it as a foul, he has to award a penalty - in the 'old rules' that would be a sufficient punishment, but now, as well as the penalty, he has to order the defender off.

Tommy Smith?

Can this be correct? I've just read that, before last night, England had only ever had one player sent off in a friendly match. Ever! Considering Scotland and England contested the first International back in the late 19th Century, that's a truly amazing statistic. The only previous dismissal was in 1977. Trevor Cherry.

Gibraltar recorded their first ever win last night, beating Malta 1-0. They're definitely not going to be 'just another San Marino'! Scotland should get 6 points from them in the Euro qualifiers, any team 'dropping points' to them in our tight qualifying group will rue-the-day. They have to play their home games in southern Portugal as their stadium isn't yet up to International standard. Fortunately, we play them away in the last game, with their visit to Glasgow being their 5th match in the qualifiers - hopefully they'll have been 'softened up' a bit by then! Point of note- they use 'God Save The Queen' as their anthem which will go down a treat at Hampden... (sorry to resurrect this painful thread, Yngwie!)

Glad to hear he had another good outing last night. He should be in the frame for future squads after his performances in South America. And despite losing both games, Northern Ireland have probably enhanced their reputation over the two games. I thought they could have easily taken heavy losses in those games. It's maintained the unenviable record of NI having failed to score away from home (in a friendly) since 2006, but the experience gained will be invaluable to those players - more so than games against say, Malta and Andorra where they would likely have scored. Well done Billy! His season is now over. Have a rest. We're playing Clach in 4 weeks!

Marius Niculae played for Romania at Euro 2008 against France who fielded 2 Barcelona players, Eric Abidal & Lilian Thuram.

Yeah, I'm sure there'll be more added in the coming weeks. I think there are plans to have a couple of home friendlies. If Barry Wilson had still been at Wick, I'm sure we'd get a game up there - still could be an option!

Much less high profile than Neymar, but a good penalty was netted on Sunday in the Junior Cup final. It wasn't a thing of beauty, but Stewart Kean's shot went in-off the post. Not even Buffon or any keeper can 'reach' as far as the upright, so for me, it was effectively an 'unsave-able' effort! Thinking about pens, when was the last time a penalty was missed wide of goal? It seems to be so rare! Missed penalties (that aren't saved) are usually put over the bar, or hit the woodwork, rather than being knocked wide right or left of the goals.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/inverness-boss-terry-butcher-says-1488870 This article from only 18 months ago claims we only spend £800,000 on wages! Who knows what to believe?!

£2000 a week in Scotland?! I suppose the Celtic wages bump up the average. I agree with Renegade, £700 - £800 a week on average for our guys. But obviously that's the average as some will earn more than others. I think our annual wage bill is just over £one million. Was Niculae not on some ridiculous amount? partly funded by Orion Group? £2,500 a week or something, which must have been a real blow to the other boys in the changing-room! As much as I liked having him at the club, due to his high profile, he wasn't actually worth it!

I thought he had a good game. Will have done himself no harm at all, his work rate was terrific. Didn't get ant clear cut chances but got himself into good positions. He got subbed after 80 minutes but I'd say he was Northern Ireland's top outfield player on the night, although I find it difficult to be impartial when I'm 'supporting' a particular player/team!

I was wrong - it's a made-up trophy by the Uruguayan broadcaster. A bit like the Scotland-Nigeria game could have been for 'The BBC Scotland Trophy'!

I'm wondering if it could be the Unofficial World Championship! I'm serious! Uruguay are the current holders. Normally, the holders retain the 'trophy' in the event of a draw, so not sure why there may be penalties. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unofficial_Football_World_Championships

Blimey, the commentator must be on this forum - he's literally just answered my query! Grandparents from Belfast!

Great to see him getting his first start - playing in the number 9 shirt tonight. I've never really thought much about it before but how does Billy actually qualify for Northern Ireland? I know he's English-born but the name 'McKay' is quite common in NI - I assume his dad must be from there?

Check the state of St Mirren's new home kit!

I see The Rangers are coming north for a week-long pre-season 'training camp'! Not sure if they're staying in Inverness. Thankfully we're not playing them. I don't want anything to do with them until we have to play them. They've games lined up against Brora and Buckie. (appropriate!) Then I read that they're jetting off to the USA and Canada for a 4 game tour! Are they not currently getting-by on loans? Or are they already dipping-in to season-ticket funds? And they wonder where their money goes. They just don't learn.

I love looking at stats and was interested to see this STV link, but disappointingly it's littered with errors! The 'where the goals came from' section has some clubs totals out by 4 or 5 goals. Even accounting for own goals the figures literally don't add up! And the right foot/left foot/header goals also doesn't tally for some clubs. But what I do accurately know is that it's now been 91 games since we last scored from a direct free-kick!

It's absurd to even try to pretend that our league compares favourably against England's. We've got about 9% of their population so can't expect to compete with their strength-in-depth. Our 2nd tier has some part-time clubs in it, while even most of England's top non-league clubs are full-time. For example, Dean Brill walked straight into our team despite being deemed surplice to requirements (as 3rd choice keeper) at a non-league side.

They actually won 2 games at home this year! Hearts were beaten at Easter Road on 2nd January and County lost there in February. Still, a very poor return. But we shouldn't be complacent. We only won 2 games ourselves. Partick Thistle and a St Johnstone team on the last day (a team who had made 7 changes and were simply going through the motions with the Cup final 6 days away).

Still no concrete news on Greenhalgh? I suppose we're like all football clubs when it comes to this sort of thing. Plenty 'fanfare' and triumphalism when a guy signs up....but an almost reluctant silence when they're later moved-on! Reminiscent of newspapers with front-page headlines screaming out that (for example) George Michael and Alex Salmond enjoyed an illicit night of gay sex - then a few months later (after being taken to a libel court) they rescind the claim, realising that at the time, Alex was at a conference in Stirling while the singer was on stage in Philadelphia! Not to worry, a grovelling two-line apology buried at the bottom of page 12 will do. Come-on media team! There's no word on our pre-season games yet from the website - yet the likes of Clach and Deveronvale from the Highland League have our games listed on their sites! Sorry to rant, I'm just a bit frustrated as I've spent the last few hours tediously 'transferring-across' and amending our club's wiki page for next season and have had lots of it 'rejected' by (admittedly correct) officious mods due to my lack of credible sources. However, I managed to locate material and it's all in place now. Sadly, none of it was from the official ICT website, which is still a relatively poor information source, particularly for a top-flight club!

I agree and also think it'll take Hibs a few years to get back up. There's simply far too big a rebuilding job to be done for them to have any realistic chance of bouncing straight back to the top flight. Even the following season, there's likely to be a rejuvenated Dunfermline Athletic side the Championship, so promotion may elude them for a number of seasons. That said, there's a chance they could get 'lucky' and despite being well 'off the pace', end-up in 4th place and scrape into the play-offs where 'anything could happen'!

Matthew Cooper has signed a two-year contract at Elgin City.

I had the fortune of watching the highlights without knowing the score! I'm still trying to digest the ramifications of this development! A stunning outcome.... Butcher looked a broken man in his post-match interview! And Petrie looked dismayed, embarrassed and angry. I wonder what he's now thinking re. Terry?! As much as I loved Butcher at Inverness, I feel no pain for his predicament - a situation that's significantly of his own making. Schadenfreud!!! I loved Terry 'talking up' our club, Inverness and the Highlands in general. He was a boon and certainly increased our profile - I'll always be thankful for that. Steve Paterson went to Aberdeen which was utterly gutting but grudgingly forgivable as managing the Dons was a long-held ambition of his. John Robertson went to Hearts - a 'Jambo' legend! Craig Brewster to Dundee United - Huge United icon (at the time!) But Butcher to Hibs? Absolutely no connection! Sheer greed and a misguided perspective of potential success with a club rotten from the core - so no sympathy from me! I wonder if he's got the stomach to carry on? Or, one day, admit he made a big error of judgement. Rumours that he's going to quit will now grow. His managerial career may well now be in tatters. A job-for-life at a progressive club, with a life-style the envy of many. The renewed respect of his work in Inverness from a football community who still found him 'relevant' enough to invite onto network TV England games. Cowdenbeath and Alloa is now the reality for Terry, If he still has a job!

Latest addition - Deveronvale (away) Wed 23rd July, 7.30pm http://www.deveronvale.co.uk/clubnews.asp?DB=clubnews&sea=1314&cat=1#2023 Wed 2nd July - 7.30pm (Grant Street)...Clachnacuddin Sat 12th July - 3pm (Borough Briggs)...Elgin City Wed 16th July - 7.30pm (Dudgeon Park)...Brora Rangers Wed 23rd July - 7.30pm (Princess Royal Park)...Deveronvale ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sat 9th August - Season starts