ALSY

Thought about this more than once this season while sitting through another yet depressing performance. As an "away" rather than a "home" supporter, I kind of enjoyed the smaller, more die-hard atmosphere you got in the SFL, and the greater variety of trips - places like Dumfries, Perth, Kirkcaldy, Ayr, even Arbroath at different times when we were in in Div 1. Rather that than trekking to Fir Park or restricted view at Celtic Park yet again. However, I worry about the impact it could have on the structure of the club. We've grown and developed sensibly rather than doing a Gretna or a Livi, so in theory we should be able to cope with going down a division, but could we cope with a sudden, big loss of support? Pretty alarming to see that Livi had only a crowd of 751 for a game earlier this season - they always had crowds of a similar size to us when they were on the up. I hope we wouldn't lose that sort of support, but if we had a first season back down like Dunfermline this season, or like Partick have had in the past, then it could happen. If we had to make cuts and sell a lot of players, would we be able to get in good enough quality to ever get us back up again? On the basis of our history so far, we wouldn't be able to rely on our youth set-up to produce players that'll do it for us. And of course, the grass is always greener. No doubt by November of the first season back in the first division I'd be sitting in the rain at Palmerston watching a 2-0 defeat and dreaming of Tynecastle...

Any word yet on tickets being available at the ground? The sticky says they're only available from ICT, but the last couple of games I've been to at Celtic Park that's been changed at the last minute and I can't see us getting anywhere near our allocation. If I get enough done at work I might head down (more in hope than expectation...).

Might be wrong about this, but I'm pretty sure Andy Webster was in our end on Saturday, and if it was him, and not a lookalike, that's the second time I've seen him in among our fans at an away game this season (I think the other was Gretna but can't quite remember). Anyone know if he has any family connection with ICT or any close friends among our players. Or have I been having one too many pints before the games and started seeing things?

Is this the first player of the month award the club has had since joining the SPL? Can't remember another. :024:

All this nonsense about us being unable to keep out penalties... Does no-one remember the landmark away game at Falkirk in 2000 when our keeper heroically saved 2 penalties? The custodian in question? Les Fridge! Who, I might add, I put a couple past at a church fete "celebrity" beat the goalie in Sneck around the time he signed for Chelsea... Don't know how this helps us solve our current crisis, mind you - Les as specialist penalty coach? Mikey to do some community service at church fetes around the Highlands until he sharpens up those relflexes?

On that subject, pretty sobering stat from the Livi game on Saturday - their home crowd was only 721 against QoS. I don't think they ever had crowds that low even in the third division and I'm pretty sure we've never had a crowd that low for a league game. Shows, I guess, what a rapid slide down the league can do to a club, although God forbid if we are relegated at some point, I don't believe our crowds would diminish that much.

Can see the principle, but I don't think it's making that much of a difference. The real damage to the Scottish youth system was done about 10-12 years back when all the top league teams started buying cheaply from abroad and spending the money they saved on transfer fees on inflated wages. The damage that did to clubs like Dundee, Livi and to a lesser extent Aberdeen and even Rangers (and is still doing to Hearts) means we're unlikely ever to reurn to that sort of philosophy in Scotland. I think young players will continue to come through in their own good time if they're talented enough, even if we get rid of the U-21 rule, especially if we use the loan system wisely. Certainly worked for Barry Robson and hopefully it'll work for Zander too.

Normally I'd agree with this but this season I don't actually. After yesterday I'm more convinced than ever that we're in no danger of going down - Gretna are miles below anyone else and it doesn't look like Mileson's going to bail them out this time - but equally I don't think we've got much chance of a top 6 finish. Utd finally look like they're going places and I can see Hibs, Aberdeen and Motherwell (!) being the others beneath the old firm this season. So, this is the season for concentrating on a trophy. Celtic and Rangers are looking a bit preoccupied by Europe and the closeness of their competition for the SPL and the CIS Cup is the least of their priorities. With the right attitude and our strongest and most settled team, we're capable of beating any of the other teams left in the competition. Those semis against Dundee and Dunfermline, frustrating and heartbreaking though they were, are still among my favourite memories as an ICT supporter. It's ages since I've felt a sense of occasion like that, and I want a bit more of it.

I noticed that the Sunday Herald had given Marius MOTM as well. Slightly surprised by that. As I said above, he had some great touches, but his play still lacks the cutting edge and I don't think he was directly involved in the build up for any of our goals, although I may be proved wrong by the telly. Wonder if this was the first time the reporter had seen him play a full game? He certainly looks a class act when you first see him. However, after the sixth or seventh time of watching him you do begin to wonder if he will ever really start to run the show for us up front? Given the chance the club has taken on him, you'd hope that when he hits top form he will be as talismanic for us as, for example, Fernandez became for Livingston.

Had "Your Call" on on the way back from the game last night and a Gretna supporter phoned in to complain about their stewards. Apparently a supporter who'd been making his feelings known about the performance as the team went off at half time was pointed out by one of the players at the start of the second half and thrown out. Several more were apparently thrown out during the second half for the same sort of thing. Guy phoning in said there was no obscene or threatening language being used and that the people ejected were just exercising their rights to tell their team they weren't very good. Which, in fairness, they weren't. So in more ways than one it could be worse - we could be Gretna.

Might be in line for a recall from Cardiff after today's result... Poor old Svennis.

Same as today definitely, as long as Blackie's fit. Last week's game against the Dons didn't give us any reason to think we can't beat them (unless you believe in jinxes) and there was no shortage of confidence in today's team performance. Just hope we don't defend so deep this time.

Fantastic result, a performance that at times was fantastic and at other times frustrating. Gretna are far and away the worst side I've ever seen in the SPL. Perhaps they were knocked off their stride by the early penalty, but they could barely string three passes together in the whole of the first half and although they had one or two players who looked comfortable on the ball, we were able to bully them off it when they were in possession and mop up. I thought we looked like we were almost too aware of how bad they were and at times our approach looked a little too casual. The Cowie goal came at the right time, because we weren't doing a great deal just before that and they might have started getting back into the game. Second half was a similar story. They came back quite up for it and for the first 20 minutes we looked too casual and gave away possession too easily by passing into crowded areas of the midfield. Then Barry scored and it was all over - we strolled the last 20-25 minutes. This isn't meant to sound like a moan, because sometimes our passing game and slow build-up produced some really classy football - from where I was sitting, Barry's goal looked like the product of total football, with Granty in the unlikely role of playing the killer ball. But the very slight cause for concern is that against a better team, some of our slacker balls and poorer decisions might have been punished. No real negatives on the playing front, although Granty and Russell were probably more responsible for conceding easy possession than anyone else. Mikey was solid - one excellent diving save to his right in the second half (although it was probably going wide anyway). For me the pick were probably Cowie and Wyness again - both were confident, creative and hard-working. More of the same from Marius - some great touches and turns, found space well but didn't have enough pace to get away and create more clear-cut chances for himself. He's often nice to watch but I still wonder whether he'll ever be a player that can actually makes a significant difference to our results, which I assume is what we're paying him for. Perhaps by the end of the second round of matches that'll be clearer. Anyway, six points clear of Gretna, a massive swing in our goal difference and a banker to come next weekend at Ibrox. Not a bad day's work.

Not encouraging. We didn't play at all until the last ten minutes of the first half. First half hour of the second there was some nice football, but the last fifteen looked disorganised and desperate. Pretty bad error from Malkowski for the first. He didn't do much wrong after that but didn't have that much to do, to be honest. Young should have been closed down better before he got a chance to get a shot in. The whole defence was far too deep for the second and although Roscoe got out-muscled jumping for the ball with De Visscher, it wouldn't have gone anywhere near the goal if the whole back line had been six yards further away from goal. Positives? Dennis looked sharp, Cowie creative and Duncan solid, and I thought Hastings made a good return to the side, with more presence in defence than McBain and showing more going forward than he did at the start of the season. Negatives? Blackie was dominated by the Aberdeen midfield and didn't show his usual composure on the ball, and also showed a wee touch of petulance (which he got away with) when he had a kick at Severin. McBain had some nice touches but also looked prone to getting bullied out of it. Most worrying for me is Niculae. I've been keeping my counsel on him, but that's ten games in now, and it's the same thing every time - one or two nice touches, but he looks too slow and far to quick to give up when he's challenged. It can't still be a lack of match fitness, can it? Maybe he's just not suited to our game and our league. Overall, I worry about us when we can only play fluently in patches, and can't make it count when we are in control of a game. There's not enough solidity at the back and not enough pace and cutting edge up front. We won't go down but it will be our lowest SPL finish yet unless Brew can make some changes fairly quickly.

Anyone got any views on what the team should be? Same again? I thought we lacked a lot of fluency againsy Killie and was particularly concerned with the left hand side - McBain lacked presence in defence and I think Wilson is weakened by having to either cut in or cross with his weaker foot. Rankin must be desperate to get his place back and although he had a very poor start to the season, it's maybe time to give Hastings a chance to repeat last season's form. Central defence was also a concern but there are fewer options, so I would risk going: Fraser Tokely Munro McGuire Hastings Cowie Duncan Black Rankin Niculae Wyness If it's not working, Wilson and Brewster would bring great experience as subs. Your thoughts?

I'd have an even better feeling about it if a piano fell on Steve Lovell some time between now and 2 pm tomorrow... Good news that Hart's out though - he's been good for them over the past couple of seasons - not that Pele got much credit for resigning him when he was there.

Hope I'm not being pedantic or denigrating anyone's hard work, but I'm not crazy about the choice of photo for this one. For the regular supporter who's likely to be going anyway, the significance of using CB in an advert for a game against the Dons is obvious, but for tourists, first-timers or occasional attenders, whom the poster is presumably aimed at, it may not be so obvious. Looked at without prior knowledge, the image of a grey-haired fortysomething with banks of empty seats behind him might not be the tastiest carrot for people considering gicing this football thing a go. Are there any good stills of Russel's goal against Falkirk with the main stand in the background? That might make a good poster for the next home game.

Heartfelt apologies if anyone wasted an hour of their lives tuning into that - it was a right lot of pysh. Predictable little barb from Traynor saying he's "not sure if he'd go so far as to describe Richie Hart as a footballer", other comments to the effect that "it's not as if it was an old firm player" and no points made that haven't already been made better on this board.

Not really sure if I should be giving this the oxygen of publicity, but apparently the Richie issue will be discussed by Jim Traynor and colleagues on Radio Scotland's "Paper Talk" from 8 tonight. They will be focusing on - oh irony of ironies - media intrusion into players' private lives...

CaleyD - I take your point, although I suspect that by now Richie must be feeling a certain amount of remorse, even if it is simply remorse triggered by getting caught and seeing his career potentially over. However, as I said above, the damage to his career, whether terminal or temporary, could be used usefully in drugs education, and it would do Caley Thistle no harm to be seen to be addressing the issue openly, quickly and practically, using their serving player, Richie Hart, to get the message across. Or maybe I'm just finding excuses for him because I'm looking into the past and thinking, as someone else posted, "there but for the grace of God"...

CaleyD, much as I respect your point of view, I can't agree that sending Hart out to schools "insults the intelligence of sensible thinking folk" - in fact, isn't that a slightly insulting dismissal of the people who have tried to give considered counterpoints to your own views on this thread? My experience in teaching is that a lot of kids have a very negative attitude to heroin use but see cocaine use as comparatively risk-free and a much cooler recreational pastime. Someone in Hart's position might be a valuable resource in teaching them of the danger of "lesser" substances. At the very least, a footballer who has been convicted of cocaine possession might be in a position to disabuse them of the notion that there is little risk involved to career by taking coke (let's face it, even if Hart isn't sacked, he's unlikely to become a first team regular ever again, nor to be signed by anyone above the First Division). His experience might also convince those kids who have serious ambitions to become professional sportspeople that it isn't worth risking even a one-off encounter with any illegal drugs.

I can see why the club feel they have to sack Richie if he's been dishonest with them. However, I don't think a player should be summarily sacked for possession of a controlled substance. In response to the people who have spoken as parents of impressionable children (and I applaud Birdog for his candidness while probably disagreeing overall with his opinion of what Richie's fate should be), surely the club could do more good all round by requiring Richie to get involved with some sort of community education programme which will alert children to the risks of recreational drug use? I teach in a school in one of the poorest areas of the UK, where an alarming number of pupils come from familes where one or both parents have substance addiction problems. These kids are very aware of the dangers of drug use but certainly don't appreciate the demonisation of drug users or a holier-than-thou attitude. They respond far better to open and sympathetic approaches which demonstrate the dangers of drug use without resorting to kneejerk condemnation. The police and PSE teachers ask people with histories of drug use to come in and talk to the pupils about their experiences and these speakers tend to have more impact on the pupils than teachers trying to educate the pupils on the same issue. Such a high-profile arrest in Inverness demonstrates how widespread Class A drug use has become in Scotland, so why not allow Richie to make reparation and educate himself and others at the same time by getting involved in a schools drug education programme? It certainly wouldn't do Caley Thistle's image as a community club any harm.

I think it was mostly Wyness and Niculae that were going over, but a couple of other players slipped and all. Think I counted seven or eight falls due to the pitch during the game. Glad there's a bit of consensus about the game. I was waiting for someone to come on here and tell me I was talking out of my @rse in that post, because I was fairly pished by kick off too. Got considerably more so after the game in the quaintly-named "Fanny by Gaslight". Would recommend it actually - good music on and only one minute's stumble from the station - although we did have to put up with a bit of interrogation from a local bam. Also enjoyed a bit of banter, of the sheep-shagging ******** variety, with a group of disappointed huns exiting the station as we were running for our train. They're so creative in their insults...

Just found the following in my inbox :003: Greetings from London Rd Jail Awrite Rockets? Wit a nite man, never again. Pur mental so it wiz. Started off drinkin at 11am in the Goose on Union St. ?1.20 a pint. ?6 later an am pure steamboats man an its only 1.30pm. Decide I need some scran so a popped into KFC to see ma wee mate Coco and he gies us some freebies or 'Nuggets fur nuggets' as he calls it Anyway, 2pm head up the Gallowgate, but it's gettin kina expensive up there, so just bought a carry -oot and went to a burd a knew from college's hoose in Shetleston for a bit o blow and a wee shot on the playstation. Played Fifa 2006 and Sellic beat Milan 11-2, A pure sign o things to come , if ever a saw it. 6pm head oot again to savour the atmosfear and buy a couple of bottles o buckie. By 7.30 I'm pure steamboats, I mean ah've pished masel and everything. God knows how I git into the game? In the ground every carrot ignores me. I fink I must be invisible. So, I start shouting things, pure random like and nobody reacts, so this convinces me I am. Anyway, game wiz, shampooe, fae wit a kin remember, which isnae much. Sellic ur ok and Inter urny much better. I'm hinkin, its okay Boab, Henrik ull score soon like he alwiz does. Sure enuff does the wee man no day it just as am aboot to head oot the ground? Bedlam. By now I decide to use my invisible powers and try and join in the celebrations over at the Hugh Dallas Stand. I pass unseen by the wee speccy security guy and then decide it wid be a pure crackin laff to pull doon the Inter goalies troosers. Anyhoo, I think he knows black-magic, cos he wiz the only wan to spot me comin oan. He tried to grab me but I tickled his chin and ran away, I had a quick look aroond and he's lyin knocked -oot on the grun. I realise I have now goat super-human strength. This night is getting better. I wave to the crowd, but nae carrot notices me...I remember im invisible and after celebrating I head back into the stawn and oot the ground. Straight home for this mad mental nutjob si it wiz, for a well earnd sleep, I look forward to signin on the morra. Wake up 10am, an ma heid is fumpin. Get a bit o scran and ooot I go. I grab a Sun an there ah um oan the front page. I'm famous at last! Get me on you tube now! eff signin oan, ahm away to Parkheid to see if anyone recognises me. As approach the tickety bit, everyone is pointing and they dont seem too happy. Next thing a know some big guy in a security coat has me in a headlock and the polis ur everywhere. I get banged up in London Rd, with nothin but the internet to amooze me. Fames no all it's cracked up to be rockets! Now I know how yon Pete Dockerty feels. Robet (27)

Just can't make up my mind about this. Forget the mistake for the opener; I thought Fraser looked very shaky at cross balls yesterday, his kicking wasn't great and, as Div1309 pointed out, he took some ridiculous risks with the ball at his feet, almost as if he was trying to show that he hadn't lost confidence. One great save with his feet that I remember, when a Killie attacker was clean through. My initial response was that he was at fault for the second, but my mate thought that Granty was more to blame for letting Nish in. I've never been all that impressed by Fraser's all-round game, but whether it's right to drop him because of the sort of blunder that every keeper has now and again, I'm just not sure. If he's only staying in the team, however, because the alternative is such utter pysh, then that's not a very good omen for the club. Maybe Malkowski's career could be resurrected, a la Dargo or Dods, by the wonderful healing power of ICT?