CELTIC1CALEY3

We might set a new record for the Group stage with goals conceded. Currently no news on how the few contracted players have responded to the Kelty change to their contracts. No news about new signings other than a lot of central based players are were being lined up to wear the once famous ICT strip if they can train in Fife.

The podcast was very good. The Chairman is in many respects sincere in supporting ICT FC as you would expect. However, he is absolutely bogged down with fingers in many pies. On the Club website they write ' ROSS MORRISON CHAIRMAN Ross has a background working in the financial sector prior to setting up a property development company. He has interests in the whisky industry as well as owning several public houses, offices, shops and residential properties. Ross has a very deep and longstanding devotion to Inverness Caley Thistle, through thick and thin, having supporting Inverness Thistle from 1974 with his allegiance shifting to ICTFC in 1994. Ross is passionate about his cars, plays five a side football and has a gym membership which he uses sometimes!' If you Google him you discover that he has multiple active Directorships. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/IzQsY6lLw0n4CPAvlJPtNe0iR80/appointments To me that explains why he has become dependent on a day to day Chief Executive. Am not sure he could operate without his right hand man.

Excellent research Achfary.

Surely making Ferguson, Bolan and Gardiner redundant would not be that expensive? Restructuring the club changes roles which can necessitate redundancy.

Yngwie - With regard to the Planning Appeal (and the apparent delay in submitting it), surely ICT Battery Storage Ltd with one share in the name of ICT FC was controlled by the FULL BOARD of Directors of ICT FC. When that Company was changed so that just THREE Directors were allowed to take decisions surely the appeal became more problematic with civil servants wanting to see evidence to re-assure them that there was no change? There would be a board minute authorising the change. You mention 'presume' but it would be essential. The first question the civil service would ask 'is why change the power structure in the company which placed the application to Highland Council....just after it refused the application? The minute would explain.

What the Chairman did say straight after the Battery Farm project was rejected by the Council was “We want to thank the hundreds of Caley Thistle fans and the businesses and organisations who have been entirely supportive in our quest to improve the club’s financial model and the city’s energy security. “On behalf of the board and as we move into our historic 30th year and a crucial end-of-season period, we need to show that by sticking together and sticking to our values, by backing Duncan (Ferguson) and the team, nothing can stop us getting to where we want to be this season and in our next 30 years.” A few days later announcing Scot Young's appointment they said ' Scott will continue to facilitate dialogue on key matters between the club and the supporters.' As we now know there was no dialogue about the Fife project.

If you think about it, the proposed change to their contract is MATERIAL. If anyone else was asked to work 135 miles away from their centre of duty for a significant part of the working week, this would have consequences for the contract. Some almost certainly have young children to consider.

Details about Inverness Caledonian Thistle Properties Limited are here https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/SC212228 The last balance sheet is dated 31 December 2022 and shows a net liability position of £4.2m. In terms of a going concern, this was based on support from shareholders.

Out of interest, have you seen the Articles of Association and Memorandum of Agreement that categorically states '..set up WHOLLY to benefit ICT FC ..' After the Council rejected the Planning Application, as you state, Companies House indicate that at least 25% of shares were then allocated each to Cameron, Munro and Morrison. However, the planning application made it clear 'For the avoidance of doubt, it should be noted that Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club (ICT) is the applicant, owns the land and is the sole shareholder of ICT Battery Storage Ltd. ICTFC has been a member of the Scottish Professional Football League for some 29 years. The Club was founded in 1994 with the merger of Thistle FC and Caledonian FC, each over a century old. This demonstrates in part the importance of the club to the City and fan base.' The shareholder is a corporate body based on that statement. However, three Directors now have significant control. When the Company was set up the football club was the sole shareholder : Initial Shareholdings Name: INVERNESS THISTLE AND CALEDONIAN F.C. LIMITED Address CALEDONIAN STADIUM STADIUM ROAD INVERNESS SCOTLAND IV1 1FF Class of Shares: ORDINARY Number of shares: 1 Currency: GBP Nominal value of each share: 1 Amount unpaid: 0 Amount paid: 1 However, after the failure at the Council meeting things changed on the 27th March 2024 with Companies House indicating (for all three Directors)

At this rate replacing Ferguson with Derek Adams looks highly likely.

Ferguson's roots are in or near Stirling. Driving back from Inverness to Liverpool from his Loch Ness chalet adds a few hours to his journeys after home games. Presumably given the fact he is never at the club . quote unquote, that suggests Gardiner does not live in or near Inverness.

Important to see who approved this move - https://ictfc.com/the-board/

What will instalment 3 contain? I suspect what we hear next will be even more exciting. This decision would have been taken some time back. Gardiner believe's like Alan Sugar that the club should think outside the box. In his mind 'Poor home form because of poor atmosphere. Let's build on our good away form. Let's drive anyone living in the Inverness area on a massive journey for coaching or training to meet up with others in a new alien environment. Who cares if we lose masses of supporters at home games. We will soon be rich. ' Duncan Ferguson with a Freudian slip recently said something like ' given our poor home form we plan to drive the team on a D and E coach out of the Highlands and bring them back as if it were an away game.....' Let's hope Ross County beat Raith.

If there are serious financial reasons for keeping Ferguson, hopefully Bollan can be released. If Essen were number two, Ferguson would need to rethink and adapt to Scottish football.

We will have Cameron Ferguson as our Centre Forward. It is likely he will be signed on a long contract to ensure we make a small fortune from the subsequent transfer fee.

Did the Club mean 'Bored'? 11am and Gordie still has not been given approval to release his press release. Sometimes 'no news is good news......' but equally silence is deafening if you are a sponsor or supporter or employee.

Sadly there seems as though redundancy will be discussed. I cannot imagine any team needs a highly paid Chief Executive in League 1. However, if he is to leave, it has to be done fairly...'You must be selected for redundancy in a fair way, for example because of your level of experience or capability to do the job'. It is likely that the Club's legal advisers will be present to advise on the next steps. Company accountants key as well.

Montrose do have a lot to lose....win and they could be playing Championship football next season if they win the 'final'. Wrong to assume they have nothing to lose. They no doubt believe they can replace their neighbours Arbroath.

Curiously there is an 18 game rule after which a player is automatically suspended if they reach 6 cautions. I have been through the BBC records and by my count Sean played 6 games for us in the Championship. When Inverness played Queens Park at Hampden in early April it was his 13th game for them. He then played in their final three games without missing a game.

It is a big straw and surely valid? Why should one club headquartered at Hampden not be subject to scrutiny?

Robert - Sean was also booked playing for Inverness against Ayr in the 3-1 win away. I am assuming the two yellows he received in his sending off equalled one red. He served a one match suspension for that. In the Championship this year he had one sending off and a further 7 cautions. By any stretch of the imagination that leads to a further one match suspension in April 2024. By definition he was ineligible to play but who is responsible for enforcing that suspension? Is it the SFA or is the club liable for not seeking guidance from the SFA?

Queens Park kept poor records last year which resulted in ICT gaining a three nil win in the Scottish Cup because they played an ineligible player. Sean Welsh joined them in January 2024 and was soon sent off. He served a one match suspension on 27 January 2024. He was then booked on the 24 Fbruary against Dundee United. Booked on the 9 March against Partick. Booked on the 16 March against Raith. Booked on the 23 March against Ayr. Booked on the 6 April against Dundee United. Booked on the 13 April against ICT. That's six bookings and the SFA rule is ' 1 match dated suspension Effective from 14th day Accumulation of six cautionable offences in (For every further accumulation following date of match when the same Competition (including cautions of six cautionable offences, sixth cautionable offence incurred under Part D below) the suspension applied will be occurred and to be served in extended by one match.) the same Competition.' By my calcu;lation, those 6 cautions means he should not have played against Arbroath against whom he scored? The SFA have only just published suspensions for April with his suspension not listed. Does anyone know if it is the clubs responsibility to keep accurate records of suspensions and if so take responsibility when making a team selection?

There will be load cheers in the Highland Council after they receive news that we have reached the playoffs this year after narrowly missing out last year.

Sympathy for Doran. Samuel and sometimes Billy, would get more protection from referees if they played rugby. Being grabbed round the neck is deemed very dangerous but in football it seems referees often give the benefit of the doubt to the perpetrator. Dunfermline is now very important to our survival. On our previous visit we were pretty poor with Dunfermline unlucky only to get a draw after hitting the woodwork 8 or so times. Sean McAllister is likely to be our match winner this time I trust.

Looks like Big Dunc has had the desired effect in getting Arbroath fired up. Excellent psychology. Hope are lads are ready for the fight tonight.