absent friend

And to top it all off, I'd like to nominate Cliff Richard. Very boring and harps on about his religion every Christmas. And the worst of all, Daniel O'Donnell. Just awful, hopefully someone will soon remove him from Planet Earth, doing us all a favour.

Isn't strange, they pack ever venue months ahead, where ever they play and yet they appear to only have a love/hate relationship with the public. Don't say I know I love to hate them but one wonders if today's say, heavy metal, 'talent' will be around, packing them into venues in, what is it, an average of 35 years on, from first appearing on stage.

HT:2-0

FT:4-0

1st Scorer ICT:Barrowman

1st Scorer Opp:Storey

Crowd 941

As it isn't an important fixture, I'll change it about a bit:

Esson

Cox Duff Hastings McBain

Tokely Stratford Duncan Eagle

Rooney Djebi-Zadi

Subs - Allison, Proctor, Ross, Imrie, Munro

Just change the midfield to 3 and move Tokely up alongside Rooney!!

Now wait for their defence to head straight for the subs bench when the first attack takes place.

Can you imagine our big two bearing down on you as you decide to maybe pass back to the keeper, slip your man and move on upfield or...maybe I'll just kick it out of play and run like fun away from this man mountain!

Well at least this team selection gave my mind a treat. Thanks.

.

Oh Damn!!

Oh the shame, erring instead of earing, could blame the fingers, could blame old age, could blame the old eyes but all that would be rather fishie - it was just a good old fashioned ****-up!!

That will make me use spellcheck in the future!

Nobody gave me a nudge out of my Summer slumbers so I have missed the start and gave you lot a headstart!

Here's to the rest of the season, (I looked for a wee man with a glass to insert here, could not find one, so just imagine it)really looking forward to the games with the new teams and, I feel, higher scoring than the last few seasons, for us of course.

One area for debate - no, two and I will start with the second one first!

Scotty, those young ladies definately dilute your offering, keeping my eyes on your written word is very difficult, however, maybe I am at a funny age!

My main point is, why can the team raise their game v Utd and play such crap in the cup game? I was not there last night but by all accounts we offered Utd a good test and we looked good ourselves even making many posters happy for the upcoming season BUT their performance only highlights how crap they were on Saturday - what happened in that 48 hours?

As Rig pointed out it was only a friendly and if our performance mirrored that then we would be more understanding - up for the cup, not too bothered over the friendly - this was the opposite!

I have always been believed that the erring in the (male) Gypsies ear was also to cover funeral expenses should death occur at a 'credit crunch' time for him.

This belief always makes me smile when I see (male) mega stars with their erring in.

Maybe because of the above I do believe that gypsies/sailors wear their erring well - in a masculine way - but...........

I had a motorcycle experience on Saturday that gave me a few more grey hairs.

I am mature but not known for hanging about when driving and I like to think that I am 'switched on' behind the wheel.

I came up to a T junction and noticed a car parked on the right (the two people with the car were putting up a 'Happy Birthday' sign opposite the T junction) which meant that I would have to negotiate around it when I emerged onto the road. I therefore took extra care as this maneuver would mean I had to make certain the road from my left was free for me to so do and also the road to the right allowed me to do this. I suppose the point I am labouring here is that I took extra care in every way....I Thought!

I had just completed my return to my own side of the road when a motorcyclist came up along side me.. an unhappy bunny... and was of the opinion that I should not have came out in front of him. He and his gang were a dot on the horizon when I started my maneuver but I was supposed to assess his/their speed from this dot.

They must have been clocking a mighty high speed to have covered the distance they did in the time they did. They had excellent visibility as all was happening in front of them, say over circa half a mile, but I would suggest they were along side me in seconds, maybe 10/15 seconds.

In fairness the road conditions were excellent, weather bright and therefore ideal for opening the throttle BUT a major T junction off to the left, a parked car at the T junction, people on the bank at the junction and this did not spell 'watch out' to them?? Maybe hitting the ton + at this time is a bad idea?

Biggest disappointment for me?? They were all hairy ar*hed bikers reliving their youth who should have known better. Teach the young? Some older ones want to get a grip!

.

good post and I totally agree with you. Anyone who thinks ICT are going straight back up are probably a bit over confident. with us coming down many teams will see us as the team to beat. The main thing in our favour is that Dundee are "favourites" to win the league. Do Butcher and Malpas have 1 year of a contract left at the club? I seriously think that if butcher can't win the league he should give up on football management

Well I think the above highlighted remark is symptomatic of many ICT fans - 'win the league or we will change you for........??'

Wait a moment we have possibly the best managerial duo we could hope for in our current situation! I also think they have provided us with a reasonable pool of players.

Maybe if TB and MM decide to leave us and Foran etc follow, this will make the recruiting of a new manager so much easier! Aye, right!

The favourites to win our league, in their game against Aberdeen, put out NINE subs at halftime and they were still the better side. Yes, of course, TB could also do that - I don't think so!

Now please reply to this and give me YOUR reasoning for your above comment!

QUOTE (RiG @ Jul 27 2009, 02:05 PM)

"Not aimed at you are anyone in particular at all more at the attitude that seemed to develop within the supporters on here whilst we were in the SPL which was that we were as good as shoes ins for the top 6 and relegation was never a likely scenario"

Well I for one felt we had a 'right' in the SPL - not the top six but the top of the rest.

Our fall into the SFL was only considered a possibility, by me, in the final two games of last season and even now I am in a state of denial.

On P & B I have difficulty going to Div 1 as our position, in my stupid mind, is SPL.

Delusions of Grandeur ? You Bet!!

The areas at the front of the North stand are poor in the respect of watching the game. You are sitting at ground level and with the curve of the pitch it is very difficult to see the other end of the ground. Try it sometime to see if you would like to watch the game from there everyweek.

All any fan wants and "your disabled" fan is no different is to be able to see the game in comfort.

Dunfermline is probably the best ground I have been to. The small things, any helper get in free thus not patronising some one less fortunate that the rest of us. At half time a cup of tea and pie on the club. Saves the dilemma of the helper having to leave the person they are with to go and get any refreshment.

Every person who I have ever met who is "disabled" all have one thing in common, to be treated the same as everyone else.

Not only is the viewing area poor but the morons/non thinkers that decide to leave their seats 10 mins before the game finishes and then stand in front of this area ready to make a hasty move to the exit. OK for them, they are watching the play but the less fortunates are left watching the rear ends of the said morons/non thinkers - wishing they could land a size ten thereon!!

What a super idea re the tea and pie provision! Maybe, now that we are aware of it, this can also be persued.

Where wheelchair users are located and the quality of their matchday experience/view of the game is something that the Supporters Trust have had ongoing conversations with the club over for quite some time now and as I understand it the club are to reintroduce the area in front of the main stand which, I am led to believe, offers a better view of the match than being in front of the North Stand.

This is indeed better news and will provide additional enjoyment to all concerned. Well done to the Trust if this comes off.

On the subject of trialists, they appear to be from England, Ireland, France, Spain etc.

Where are all our players wanting to play under Butcher's watchful eye, hoping for a move into the Scottish setup?

Sean Evans and Michael Barnes.

2 Man U youngsters that came in. Both looked like hard workers and also looked more than capable of regular football. Brew was ignorant enough to weive away Alex Fergusons suggestions.

Sean Evans is currently playing for Ludlow Town in the West Midlands Regional League 2 (The equivalent of the tenth teir of league football in England) and Michael Barnes is with non-league english side FC Halifax town (The equivalent of the eight teir of league football in England)

Edited to add the league info

I would say looking at the above reply that Brew got it 100% correct, in both cases.

I realise that he does not enjoy the best of reputations on here but at least credit him with something he got right!

I think it could be quite a high scoring match maybe 7-0.

Not really fair on wee team but players must look to shine to catch the managers eye.

The club must have a plan in place for a main stand overspill.

Wonderful Courier headline all the same

CROWDS LOCKED OUT AT ICT'S FIRST MATCH

Stand down caley rule, I was posting at the same time as you were, to kencar's post, I should have used the reply to kencars.... :(

CaleyRule, Whats been said about Sanchez then, why dont you think he's been offered?

Maybe he has been offered but the terms did not suit him.

Don't forget it is a three way deal - club, player and player's agent and the latter very often pulls the strings.

.

Hi Charles, re Monty, he gave his support to the European Tour and therefore, with his world standing, allowed the tour to be financially better sponsored. Faldo and co did well here and buggered off to the USA and left our tour sponsors with a headache - not so Monty.

When he did go to the States he did himself proud, did not win but was a nearly man and therefore his standing in World golf was recognised. Would he have done better slimmer? No doubt about that, we can all recall him, shirt stuck to his skin showing his lack of fitness, in the heat in the States. However he took on their big boys, in their own back yard and as I said almost made it, losing it on a play off.

I have a theory that golfers do not go off the boil as they get older, I think it is their eyesight that loses a wee bit of focus and that is sufficient to lose the 2 strokes per round that separates the winners from the also rans. They then start adjusting their game to try and correct this and go all to pieces - this happened to Lyle, he started wearing big glasses went back to his old way of playing and hey presto, now plays at a much higher level.

Sam Torrance is on record this week, stating that Monty could be in the hunt at the Open if his putting returns as his striking, in Sam's opinion, is as good as ever.

I live in hope, maybe it is an age thing, that he has one big one left in him and fingers crossed, it is this week.

Sorry, you completely lost me after the second line! I was just commenting that, in contrast with the physical condition which is demanded more and more of professional and indeed amateur sports people these days, Colin Montgomerie's "physique" suggests that golf must be an activity where that maybe doesn't matter so much and you can still make a great deal of money out of it without worryng too much about pies and fitness. However I'm quite sure he's a very nice man though and at no point did I suggest otherwise.

It's just that if for instance Ross Tokely, Roy McBain or Russell Duncan turned up for work in that state, expecting to earn a fraction of what Colin Monrgomerie earns they'd probably be fined and told to come back when they were in a sensible physical condition. Similarly there are lots of guys with day jobs who compete at a whole variety of sports in their spare time who wouldn't dream of allowing themselves to get into a condition like that.

It's just that when Mr. Montgomerie comes on the TV you can't help thinking "Bloomin heck, this guy is the captain of the British and Irish team in one of the highest profile sporting events in the world!"

My reply to you was only in the first two lines - the rest was related to the posts above as to who would be the contenders for the Open title and a throwaway remark re Lyle and Boo Weekly.

On the subject of Colins size, when you see the fitness regime the young bucks now follow, it is not surprising that he is no longer in contention. My young favourite for the event has even been on TV showing his warm up routine and I fear Colin would need a hoist just to try some of the guys moves.

However Colin has been blessed with the finest swing in pro golf bar none, even Tigers, IMO.

or is golf not your cup of tea.

Colin Montgomerie looks to me as if he's been consuming a whole to more than a cup of tea. Are pies a favoured delicacy among golfers? I always find it a bit bizarre that a "big laddie" like that can earn millions from an activity categorised as sport. What a fine role model for a Ryder Cup captain, eh?

Well Charles, come on down to Nairn and the membership will introduce you to both a sportsman and a gentleman.

He has been extremely kind to NGC in many ways so, when you arrive, tin hat at the ready!

My money on the Irish sounding boy Be Javiours(!) or whatever his spelling is, although I suppose the Tiger will be there or thereabouts on Sunday.

You can watch all the golf, all year, on many courses BUT this is the BIG one!

Golf throws up a few characters over the years but I think this BOO guy takes some beating. " St Andrews the home of golf" Nope didn't know that! "Lyle a Masters winner" Nope didn't know that. "Played golf from a young age?" Nope, felt work was too difficult, other sports needed too much energy, so took up golf!

Mentioning Lyle above - shame he spat the dummy out and showed his disappointment at not getting the Ryder Cup Captains position, in such an obvious way. One of my heros with a slipped halo at the moment.

Anyone reading the above and suggesting a blue pill at 60/65 to solve the problem - think hard about that - the demise of your favourite football team.

When I first read this I thought you were recommending Viagra for pensioners.......

Funny, you should bring this up!!

I wonder how hard it would be to get it through the House?

Would the Members stand for it?

Sorry off topic!

Taking a big positive from the above article, we can even learn from a club going down the pan!

'Hope to have the kit out in time for the Summer holidays to spread the name around'

Now how aware is that for marketing - by the time ours is normally out for the new season, the holidays are over and the advertising days are numbered as heavy clothes are being worn.

Maybe our club should also aim for the final game of the season to launch next season's kit.

Do people honestly expect to be seeing expected line-ups any time during the pre-season?

On that subject, I am just disappointed that we did not substitite one ICT keeper with another last night - in the Clach goal!!

I fail to see how the new keeper could shine without being under pressure and therefore idle in our goal was no comparison to being under fire in Clach's goal.

How does the average support as a % of population compare to the likes of Aberdeen for example?

The SPL may be the highest league in Scotland but it is by far the most boring and predictable out of all. You know who's going to win it and you usually have a fair idea of who's going down. While being relegated was quite a bitter day for most here i can't help but think that at most a season in the 1st Division where we are described as a team to beat will do us good. With us having kept most of our squad intact it will give us a chance to see the football we want to see and we won't have to spend the season looking over our shoulders. Unless were at the top

I think you may have been on your own there unless you thought 'any one from five'!!