absent friend

Talking about income, I see that Setanta are not in a position to pay out last year's money to the clubs, never mind the increased amount for this year coming. Maybe this is the year to be out of the SPL as far as Setanta income is concerned i.e. 100% loss of zero would not have payed many players! I hope the clubs left in the SPL are not relaying on this potential income, past season amount plus the increased figure in their business plan, with their bankers, for the year to come to keep them afloat!! Maybe, maybe, this is the year to spend as little and survive in the SFL and then make an effort to move into the SPL when the cashflow improves.

I think it pretty much confirms to me that Sutherland doesn't give a flying f*** about the football. The club has to make a saving on our outgoings by ?2million this year and you suggest what...to keep them? I think it pretty much confirms to me that Sutherland doesn't give a flying f*** about the football. and also states how much i am beginnign to hate Graeham Bennet! And he can do what? Lets be grown up here - you are an agent for a player and you are not going to do your job and make money for him and yourself, by moving him?? It is financially correct for the player's agents to 'sell' their wares to the highest bidder and it is the agent, not the player that is the mercenery, by doing his job correctly. I have full faith in us having a good squad come the start of the season but for Heavens sake stop lamenting the waygoing of our better players, at this time, for higher money. Our squad next year will consist, in my opinion, of good journeyman players, younger talent making their way and, God willing, players trying to showcase themselves with a team in the higher reaches of the 1st div. The latter we will only pick up when their agents has expended all avenues to the higher placed clubs, so they will be late signings. .

Really!? :) You beginning to sound like Wyness 101!!

This is the start of that wonderful WINNING feeling again - that will prevail all season. Get used to it folks, it has been a long time coming. ICT 7 Montrose 0 SPL Magic against a 3rd division side!!

They need ?300,000 rent money by June so are asking season ticket holders to get their money in pronto and for others to make a donation to raise this amount. 'Good money after bad' comes to mind!

He would also, more often, be playing against St Johnstone, Hamilton and Falkirk instead of Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal - no contest! He is a hero where he is now and will be a hero until he drops a point if he went to Parkhead. He and his family would live a life looking over their shoulder in case of assult, verbal or physical from you know who. Read Billy McNeil's bit in today's press, his wife, Liz, has still not forgiven him for moving her back into the OF firing range when they left Aberdeen all those years ago. Coyle has stated his wife is happy where she is so maybe it will not just be down to club v club.

Now this is not a positive as, speaking on behalf of the Aberdeen(shire) ICT supporters, our 'home' games are now 60 miles away, in Dundee and our easy points at Pittodrie will have to wait till next year. The Bon Accord Golf club expressed their disappointment at our relegation, the super ICT support V the Falkirk support (a minibus full that carries their own Buckfast) is how they are thought of. They, the Bon Accord, have curtailed their expenditure for 12 months until we are back again!!

Johnboy, I think you have the wrong end of the stick!! Nobody is stating that they will definitely take us right up - YOU are stating that they will not!! If there is any proving to be done, I would suggest that it is by your goodself and one year from now you can post a big 'HA HA, I told you so', to all the posters that said that we would definitely be back up - not many, I would suspect or post a big 'I'M SORRY' if we make it. To be continually negative regarding our current management team seems a tad disrespectful considering we almost managed to survive. Don't give me the Rossco-out-of-position crap as your choice for centre back would have given away 2 penalties - now you prove me wrong!! Now I accept that our manager came on here with negatives coming from his sojourn in English management but on the evidence of his short stint at ICT, I would suggest we saw more positives than that shown by his predecessor (I also grant you that would not be too difficult) Maybe it is a time for both sides to stand back and see what the management team are made of. .

I'm sure there are many RossP's on other club's threads, disappointed that their favourite player is not being retained by their club despite, in their opinion, having the talent to remain. There will also be a Johnboy miscalling management even on the Man Utd thread today - nature is like that. We are in unusual times in the footballing world right now with playing staffs being slimed down and I would expect a large number of players will be looking for clubs and they could very well have higher ability, in our managers eyes, than the players that have been off-loaded. The capture of the correct players, at the correct price and turning them into a competitive force in ICT colours, is the task for our management team over the Summer. To therefore doubt, at this time, our management team makes me think of that old adage 'fools and ...... criticise a job part done'. .

I think offering the suggestions as shown, are all things WE are doing. Maybe if they throw up an idea that will make money for the club/ increase support/ improve enjoyment of the day - this can all add to the coffers of the club and maybe the fun for the fans, young and old.

I dont think anyone's suggesting Butcher is going to Aberdeen . His name has been quoted along with McGee, on the radio, as possibles.

So no exposure if you advertise at the ground - so no income from that source - so a lower income - so poorer wages - so poorer players - so Highland League here we come!! OR We make a rapid return and everything is rosy again.

I would suggest that as you have taken the mantle of spokesperson for the redundant people at CTS, maybe looking deeper at the cause for our plight would be more sensible than getting an apology from the current manager, for a players iffy tackle on the park!! I feel you must have Mystic Megs ball to know where my thoughts are at this time, re redundancies at ICT!!

I have a history on here of blaming players, on the park, for their behaviour on the park. I accept that you, if you were a manager, would be able to influence your players behaviour on the park, from the dug-out, but you see Butch is only human! Maybe the plaudits given to Rossco, when he previously played in this position, were given by ignorant supporters and not your goodself. Ask the management team to offer an apology for a players behaviour on the field of play, regarding an iffy decision by the ref?? That is not an neggie - it is absolutely absurd and smacks of an need to establish blame. Why not an apology for the forwards not scoring goals, the keeper for letting goals in etc etc.

Monday morning and guess what? I'm still alive! Having felt the life ebbing out of me on Saturday and that followed by my fear of reading the Sunday press, almost ashamed that we went down. Some rational views on the new situation. It is without doubt my biggest hurt is the attack on our management team. They took over a football team (can we call them that) that was disjointed, dispirited and lacking in tactics and they almost kept us in the SPL! Every game was firefighting for the management team - sure IHE can come on here, like others and suggest this formation or this players be included/excluded BUT the management team did not have that luxury. They had to make the most of what they had and do it on the park, not hypothetically and indeed we are not privy to what they had in the way of players. i.e. the players behaviour behind the scenes. So much for history, they now have the opportunity to put into practice what the armchair pundits are calling for - a season with their management stamp on it, against some lesser teams and I did say some, hopefully making progress towards the SPL next year with a new, disciplined and tactically aware, team of players ready to do us proud. In the interim we will, as fans, get back into the mode of accepting winning as the norm and we will also carry this into the top league next year. A battle lost but the war is still to be won. I now await all the neggie comments. .

Take your point but we have a 50% record of NOT losing against their 12% record of winning!! It's in the bag!!

So Falkirk will have 12 men on the pitch on saturday Eddie Smith a good fare ref anyone know??? Despair, comes to mind!! (Re content)

All the season ticket holders will be there though :'( or should we just throw them to other areas of the stand to make way for the ones who WILL actually mak some noise At six foot four and sixteen stone, throwing me anywhere could be a problem for you. The loudest noise could be my size 11 in your a**se, sending you back into the kiddies section. The season ticket holders have all the right in the world to sit in their seat where they have sat at ALL games!!

Stolen from P & B - A Falkirk fan writes to fellow Bairns:- Here are some facts for you: We've played 18 away games this season We've drawn 6 We've lost 9 We've won 2 We've conceded 32 goals We've scored 17 We've never won a game all season after going a goal behind, in fact we've only fought back and gained 3 points - home and away We've not scored more than 2 goals during an away game So, if ICT score first the liklihood of them losing the game is virtually nil. Now this does not sound very positive to me so we are on a winner - according to them! I think he means they played 17 games so if that is the case, they have failed to win 88% of their away games or they have only won 12% of them. This surely means, even from our low position, that we mathematically have a great opportunity to stay up!! .

That could be a 'goer' with the sweetie rustlers!

The very fact that our manager discussed the situation re 'going down' (I find it difficult to see that expression as a negative) in the P & J on Monday or Tuesday and he therefore does not appear to see the subject matter as taboo. Sometimes one has to accept the hard knocks in life and respond in a very positive way. I do realise that this should not be on this forum but there is every likelihood that Mr Hughes, his team and the fans are reading this and I therefore felt it was only fair to offer them the above words of wisdom!

Obviously still on target then, Don? Pass on best wishes to them (and you) and strength to ignore their sore spots and I feel sure that many more, on here, have them in their thoughts as they tackle the final and most difficult, miles. Lets hope the team on Saturday can reflect this 'ne'er say die' spirit and give us all, the marchers and the supporters, the biggest hangover on Sunday....... EVER!!.

I suppose like many others on here, I am with you in spirit and wish you all the best for the rest of the walk. I watch the weather forecast on TV with all you lot in mind and hope that nasty wee/big cloud is just to the side of you and not above or even, God forbid, Heather the Weather has got it wrong! Any update?

There is no argument that is correct, however, even for me a Lionel fan, he does lack concentration at times and this, I think is what frightens his attackers on here but he has improved. I would suggest that Grantie has cost us as many goals since Butcher has arrived, as Lionel has. I would also disagree that he finds Lionel a problem playing alongside him. I think, like Rossco, Lionel is his own man and maybe Grantie is the weaker link at the back, not always covering for the left, whereas Rossco still covers for the right. .

Those in the ticket office are always very professional and any shambles - if it exists - is usually further up the food chain !!! When i booked my tickets they were very helpful and had a good laugh to them on the phone too so i have no complaints about them at all Considering all the positive posts, re tickets being ordered and arriving on the doorstep the following morning and the joking with the staff when ordering - there is only one negative post and Brian decides to get onto that band wagon. It must be so demoralising for the staff that someone can attack them over one neggie and give no credence to all the positives. RANT OVER!!