dougiedanger

9 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Actually, I agree with CB's analysis - in fact, I remember that I wrote something similar quite recently.

Where I diverge from him is that I think that a merger is not inconceivable.  I think it will inevitably happen, quite possibly in the next few years.  CB may be reluctant to say that, because he was crucified when he said so in print a while ago (I can't remember how long ago).

That is assuming that neither club goes bust before a merger can be arranged.

It's no more inconceivable than Caley and Thistle merging!

Absolutely no one would support such a daft idea for a team.

The recurring problem is people proposing ideas with no knowledge of how real supporters feel about their clubs.

6 hours ago, Charles Bannerman said:

I’ve come to the conclusion over the last couple of seasons that’s a complete U-turn on what I strongly believed 30 years ago… which was that it was essential that both Ross County and “The Inverness Bid” secured election to the SFL. That also seemed like a good idea for a long time after that but, after both moved rapidly upwards, I’ve now come to the view that the inner Moray Firth is unable to sustain two “large” football clubs. Both County and ICT are now struggling to maintain their previous status and that’s despite Faustian arrangements with wealthy parties which have resulted in what I would estimate to be a very rough total of £30 million of other people’s money (County £20M, ICT £10M) having been spent since 1994. County may seem the more stable entity at the moment, but that depends solely on one man’s ongoing support. ICT’s equivalent ship - Tullochs - sailed a long time ago.

And there is NO alternative to the current scenario of TWO fundamentally loss making clubs just 15 miles apart. We are therefore only reading the middle phase of a story that started 30 years ago and has several uncertainty-packed chapters - possibly relating continuing decline in both cases - still to run.

On the other hand, Dr Faustus only got 24 years of life from his arrangement… Caley Thistle and Ross County have already had 30.

No one really cares what you think mate, neither then nor now. 

sign here, folks:

https://chng.it/rBRcPMHKGx 

And tell them to take their boots.

The arrogance and entitlement are appalling again in that statement. All the emotive language and the general toys out of the pram attitude will win no one over and is no doubt a major cause of this calamity.

Gardiner no doubt thought that Sevco hordes would snap up the Orange kit to complement their Sevco rags, flutes, etc.

Another genius wheeze to add to the list.  

This email campaign is a great idea. 

1 hour ago, Yngwie said:

To what extent are councillors likely to vote as political blocks, as they normally do, or do they get a free vote on matters like this? 

It would be nice to think that the SNP and Greens, who form the government whose policy encourages approval of these schemes and is committed to net zero etc, will stick to their principles and not suddenly become NIMBY hypocrites. Likewise the other main parties are always falling over themselves to stress their green credentials.So it’ll be a walk in the park, right? If only…

Oh aye, your guys only have 10 there.

That last paragraph is an absolute mess; the first sentence does not make sense, and the whole things is brimming with a sense of passive-aggressive entitlement.

2 hours ago, wilsywilsy said:

Deary me. Are these club pressers written by Morrison or Gardiner after a couple of shandies? Yokel bumpkin chat. 

It's just amateurish waffle peppered with passive-aggressive threats you might expect from a disgruntled fans' group, where the spokesman is the only one with the O Grade in English.

2 hours ago, Charles Bannerman said:

I have tried for years to be optimistic as I can about the financial future and, while several factors have been operating, I think there is one huge and probably unavoidable fundamental - the Inner Moray Firth plus some hinterland is an insufficient base for two “sizeable” football clubs. It was fine at the start in the Third Division with an added novelty factor, but as Caley Thistle and Ross County both grew and moved up the leagues, that progress was only made possible by £5M from Tullochs and some very good club and football management in the case of ICT and repeated subsidy of Ross County by Roy MacGregor. In County’s case, their latest loss of £579K has been announced today and that has been written off, as it tends to be annually, by their “holding company”. And even that level of ongoing subsidy is JUST keeping the club in the Premiership.

In the case of ICT, the factors I mentioned there worked through the system some years ago and since about 2018 the club has been substantially loss making and dependent on ad hoc emergency handouts as it now clings to second tier status. There have also been other factors and members of the business community tell me that Inverness Caledonian Thistle is not flavour of the month in many quarters - especially since the collapse of the Concert Company where the club netted a large stadium rent before the company went bankrupt, leaving local traders out of pocket.

The bottom line (personal view) is that the local area is unable to sustain these two clubs ant current levels and, should Roy MacGregor’s support of County end, the deficit would be even greater. However, in a football environment there is NO way out of a situation where two companies are fundamentally loss making in the same marketplace, unless one shrinks massively.

It would appear that the battery farm might well be another short term fix, and a big one, but here there is a dilemma. Much as we would love to see this latest income source realised, the Councillors who will be making the decision are obliged to do so solely on the merits/demerits, practicability, safety, environmental implications etc. That the football club has a substantial financial interest cannot be a consideration in a completely isolated planning situation.

Of course a decent-sized place with a long and proud football history like Inverness can and should be able to support a competitive, full-time senior football club.

The reasons for the ongoing financial failure of the club are of course deep-rooted and well-known.

Don't worry, guys, Action Man above is on hand to dish oot some bonnie layings on.

Even has eagle eyes.

It will all be a big laugh doon the ludge.

How he duped the glaikit teuchters for years.

You have to commend these hard-nosed business people, having spent whole careers accumulating wealth by various means, and now foregoing all that to SAVE THE PLANET.

Hats off to these climate warriors.

I guess the whole concert saga has not helped their case.

Dunc?

What’s with all the Orange associated with the club?

It’s appalling.

Better get the Tardis looked oot.

1 hour ago, tm4tj said:

Mixed yellow and red. 

The favourite colour of some on the board, repeatedly lauding ‘Billy and the boys.’

no place for this kind of thing in the Highlands.

That away kit is a disgrace, wonder how they come up with that colour scheme?

'Billy and the boys'

19 hours ago, DoofersDad said:

In its ticketing information, the Club is rightly highlighting the following text.

IMPORTANT – These tickets are strictly for ICTFC fans and anyone attempting to sell any tickets to outside parties will have ALL of the tickets they bought cancelled and rendered unusable on the day. Similarly, any non-ICTFC fans found in the Caley Thistle section of the Stadium will be removed by stewards immediately.

I think it is important that we all support each other in ensuring that any Celtic fans in our section are identified to the stewards and that the stewards promptly do what they have been instructed to do.

given the low average attendance, there will be many 'non-ICT supporters' in the ICT end.

Tory scum, what an embarrassment for the club.

The boys in white:

Kenny Duncan, John Munro

Graham Dawson, Donald MacDonald

Ian Campbell, Gary Reid (?), Mikey Noble, Michael Pieraccini, Peter MacLeod (Bleep), Ian McIness, Steven Swanson, Steven Forbes (?)