Caley Stan

Not quite. Brechin initially received a fine and were ordered to replay their fixture when it was thought that they had played one ineligilible player. Once it transpired that they had played two they were kicked out. The bulletin is on the website for all to see: List of Suspensions Dunfermline's excuse is that they looked at the wrong list: Cup Cautions It's a poor excuse really, beacuse that list clearly states at the top of the page: Providing clubs had been informed that they have to check these lists on a weekly basis, then Dunfermline don't have a leg to stand on. Correct decision.

Although i was at great pains to dampen any attempt to link him with Scotland job, i actually think he'd be a very good manager for ICT. Can see him getting a bigger job in Scottish or lower league English football though. Surely this job is made for Angus.

Sometimes the power and influence that comes with owning a club means more to these guys that the actual money they may or may not make from the club directly.

Lionel is the only player who is suspended for the Motherwell game. His name has been sitting on the SFA's List of Suspensions for nearly a year now so i hope someone at the club is aware of this. Dunfermline really have no excuse. Calum Woods' name has been sitting on the same list for the same amount of time. I hope the SFA punts them out - and a trip to Ochilview in the next round would do for us.

OK... I've just come back to this thread after several days and I see that it has had further activity. Initially, please note that in my original post I deliberately placed the term "Trust" in inverted commas to acknowledge the fact that there are varying viewpoints on the nature of this arrangement. However I would have to emphasise that, in almost a decade now since the "arrangement" was made, I have never really been aware of its precise nature being an issue among ICT fans. For instance it's not exactly the kind of thing that groups of scandalised people sit around discussing over their post match dram in the Social Club week in week out, nor is it the talk of the terraces Saturday after Saturday. Yes, a certain view of the arrangement does exist, but apart from one or two people on here it really seems to be a viewpoint which, despite having being stated very forcefully by those who subscribe to it and having had a decade to gain currency, has spectacularly failed to do so. I think the take of most fans (and this is my take as well) would tend to be:- * In 1999-2000 Caley Thistle's financial situation had become dire in the extreme. That threat to the future of ICT was removed by a transaction involving the Stadium. * In 2004-05 the extreme need to return from playing SPL football in Aberdeen to a 6000+ seat capacity stadium in Inverness was met and financed in a very short timescale. And it would appear that, in the view of the vast majority, these vital ends are what matter while very few people seem to feel "disadvantaged" or "cheated" or "done" or whatever by the means of achieving them. What a disappointing response to the very important points CaleyD has raised. Your conclusion seems to be that because Sutherland has helped us out a couple of times, we shouldn't really be asking any questions about how and why he did it. While I don't have much knowledge of the financial history of the club, it seems from what i'm reading on here that CaleyD has established that the deal which wiped ICT's debt in 2000 did not involve transferring the ownership of the stadium to a "charitable trust", as we were told, but actually involved David Sutherland buying the stadium and charging the club rent on it. If this is a fact, then a lot of significant questions arise from it - like these: If this was to be reported in the media, and these questions were to be put to our esteemed majority shareholder, then i think it is highly likely that this subject would soon become a major point of post-match discussion in the Social Club.

First Division title. 5 years in the SPL. 2 Scottish Cup semis. 6 wins over the Old Firm. Not many would've predicted that level of success 10 years ago. It's been a great decade to be an ICT supporter. Now we must be punished.......................

Great post, Charles. It's good to be reminded of all three of those special games at Telford Street. The Airdrie game in 1990 was the night that i fell head over heels for football and Caley. Does anyone have video footage of the game to post on tinternet?

Cracking steak pie yesterday x 2.

Both the Dundee and ICT websites are saying that the game is on, bar heavy snowfall.

Still no sign of last weeks highlights...whatever you do, don't try.

Win or lose on Saturday, i would love to see Butcher stay and try to develop this team. I think that 27 points out of the first 18 games isn't bad going when you consider how many new, largely inexperienced players, he has brought into the team. I predict that we will pick up more than 27 points in the second half the season and finish comfortably in the top 4 without ever threatening Dundee's romp. To me, that would constitute a decent season in the circumstances, and contract extensions for the management team and a few of the young players would be in order. Unfortunately, as Caley D has outlined, financial problems may prevent us from building in this way.

I don't think that the fact that he hasn't won anything in relevant. He's spent the vast majority of his career in charge of Hearts and Dundee United during a decade that saw the Old Firm split just once. The challenge for managers in that league is to build a team that can challenge in the upper reaches of the table as consistently as possible - winning things almost never comes into the equation. In the this context, Levein's SPL record is excellent. His time at Hearts, which saw them finish 3rd in 3 out of 4 seasons, seems to get overlooked too often. Consecutive 5th place finishes as United may look less impressive on paper, but it's worth remembering just how sh1te United were prior to that, and of course, who his predecessor was. While his time in England was disappointing, 14 months at a Championship cub making cut-backs in not enough to judge his potential down there. I'm going to judge him on his 7 years in the SPL, and on that evidence, this is a great appointment.

A double for Rory in Brechin's 3-0 home win over Peterhead takes his tally for the season to 16. People will be making comparisons with Barrowman soon......

Cox, Hayes and Rooney are good young players.

I see your point completely stevico, but if Barry comes back then the wages will be spent on a coach for the furure. If, as many seem to be suggesting, Butcher goes at the end of the season to be replaced by a managerial team that includes Barry Wilson, then this move could well be the first step towards an orderly transition.

Cracking finish. Cowie is all over these Highlights,

2001/2 St. Mirren 8th 45 points 2002/3 St Johnst. 3rd 67 points 2003/4 N/A 2004/5 Partick 9th 39 points - relegated :014: 2005/6 Dundee 7th 43 points 2006/7 Livingston 6th 45 points 2007/8 Dunfermline 5th 51 points 2008/9 N/A So, of the 6 teams that have been relegated in this period, 5 have finshed in 5th place or below and none have been involved in challenging for the title.

Rooney's in the middle of a three-year deal so if anyone wants him they'll have to pay. It would great to see Hayes and Cox offered new deals. In response to the OP, i don't think it would be wise to add any more young players to the first team when we're already blooding the players Alex has listed above. I'm not fussed if they're from our youth system or not, as long as we are showing signs of building a team for the future. Unfortunatley, the prevalence of short-term deals suggests we aren't.

Bob feckin Harris. Yet another IHE prophesy comes true.......

Before it was pointed out to him that you don't need to pass through Leith to get to anywhere apart form Leith. I'm enjoying Des McKeown. He paints a good picture of the game.

Both of those groups are easier than England's. There is every chance they could finish 2nd before going out to Germany on penalties in Round 2.

Saturday's game

I agree with that prediction completely. I'll also predict that we will finish at the back of that group in 4th.

Albion Rovers for the same reason. Cowdenbeath would be laugh though as would any non-league team, particularly Wick which would require a serious carry-out for the train.

...............and so the SatNav trials begin. I might come if you don't take the feckin SatNav. :P