FourFourTwo

That's the back four confirmed then... Proctor (or Cox) / Tokely / Munro / Djebi-Zadi with only Duff and Hastings as recognised defenders as cover. At least Duff can play RB or RCD, with Hastings being able to adapt to either on the other side. Met Phil a couple of times in the gym - nice guy, just on too much money for the 1st Div!

He's joined St Johnstone as a coach dont know if its youth coach though

Jackie Sutherland?

No (serious) offence to the guys in senior positions at the club, but the best clubs in the world shop around for staff at all levels, Managers, Directors (Peter Kenyon) and Players. Staff they feel have excelled at other clubs so have developed experience and expertise that can influence the development of their club. We dont seem to be as procative. maybe this is down to finance - cheaper to employ 'local heroes' who have an affiliation to the club.

Eh? Garden??? Great team otherwise!

Aye, right! this is what's wrong with ICT, from the board right down to the support! Best ever... Our best ever players are those that were...gee, let me guess...the best players, not those that were around during memorable times! Thats why this clubs 'jobs for the boys' policy is so wrong, on both a football and financial front, just because these guys were around at times of joy doesnt make them the best guys to move the club forward. I hate this opinion in football that prospective players and management should be chosen from previous 'heroes', CC, BW, JR etc etc etc, do you see these guys in demand at other clubs...no...and why i might add...because they are deemed not good enough...this is where we are so so so wrong! Our best ever players are those who showed that they were better than ICT...Cowie, Black, Brew, Robson etc. And for that matter, when the managerial job does come up, shouldnt we be competing to recruit the in-demand, talented guys, or will the usual happen on this site and we should ask for JR, CC or BW to be appointed, the guys nobody else would touch with a bargepole!!!!!!! I thought this was just a nostalgia thread? Why don't you take the negativity to the disillusioned thread or one of a similar mood? There's no need to have all the threads making us feel down, feel free to carry on bringing the mood down, that is your choice, but be ready for CaleyD to jump on you for his inbox filling up with complaints about the mood of the forum. Fair point. Duly noted. Apologies. I just really worry for ICT at times, I look at other clubs and feel that we are very much in the dark ages....not just reliving old glories...which is fine...but assuming we will return to them if we 'stick by' our so-called heroes. I was merely pointing out, in relation to this thread, that our greatest ever players should surely be the best players that have hallowed the turf, not the favourites! Sorry if i have depressed anyone....but out of interest....does anyone agree with me?

Aye, right! this is what's wrong with ICT, from the board right down to the support! Best ever... Our best ever players are those that were...gee, let me guess...the best players, not those that were around during memorable times! Thats why this clubs 'jobs for the boys' policy is so wrong, on both a football and financial front, just because these guys were around at times of joy doesnt make them the best guys to move the club forward. I hate this opinion in football that prospective players and management should be chosen from previous 'heroes', CC, BW, JR etc etc etc, do you see these guys in demand at other clubs...no...and why i might add...because they are deemed not good enough...this is where we are so so so wrong! Our best ever players are those who showed that they were better than ICT...Cowie, Black, Brew, Robson etc. And for that matter, when the managerial job does come up, shouldnt we be competing to recruit the in-demand, talented guys, or will the usual happen on this site and we should ask for JR, CC or BW to be appointed, the guys nobody else would touch with a bargepole!!!!!!!

I thought Ryan Esson was every bit as good as, if not better than Mark Brown - he could even save penalties... Shame that Butcher seems to think he can manage without him. Fair enough, although I do feel Brown was better. But Dods has NEVER been replaced, and i dont think we will ever be as fortunate to get a striker of Brews quality and experience unless we go down the player/manager route in the future. Yes, good players have come and gone, and Brew was class. As a Manager, he wasnt good enough, and made some very strange decisions, but as a player, possibly our greatest EVER. Others were good servants, but in MUCH lower divisions, and why would we want them back in our fight to regain SPL status - im not including Robson, Black, Cowie, Niculae and Dargo in that statement, but others...and I include Wyness in this, wouldnt make us any better!

THE 3 players we have struggled to replace most........fact! Darren Dods Craig Brewster Mark Brown

This is just a guess...and it has just come to me. I was wondering why Danny would 'decide to leave' - even on a reduced salary it would have been a decent pay and a good job...so: Wasn't Danny Alex Smith's Assistant at County, and since Eddie May has left a hole to fill as Head of Youth....maybe Alex has given Danny a shout!!!!! Maybe I should put a bet on this!

Does anyone know just how many staff ICT have had to cull? From what I've heard, I make it: Danny Mac, Alec Cleland, Scott Kellacher, Jim Falconer, Tommy Wilson?, John Docherty, Jackie Sutherland........

He certainly wasn't worth what he was getting here and I doubt very much if he will get as much at County! I have to agree here...i heard that he was paid a ridiculous amount of money...and as the creator of Team ICT or whatever the youth dept was called, he may well have awarded himself that wage. Nice guy, hard working, but CC could easily fill his shoes on half the money. When CC took the job as Head Coach at ICT, DM was actually better Qualified but said he did not want the spot light job as he loved the youth side of thing and didnt want to lose his ICT job, prompting CC to ask what would happen if things didnt go well, this is why he was Head Coach and not Manager, If it didnt go well he'd just step down as coach and not have to leave the club...... Danny still holds more qualifications that CC? And I also this you will find CC is on more money now and even back then than DM, so CC doing a better job that DM for half the money is a non-starter?. You are certainly right about Danny being the most qualified coach at the club in his time there, the question I would ask you is how much coaching he ever did at any level during this time? Your right. I heard that it was a bone of contention at the club, that Danny Mac was the most qualified at the club, but wouldnt actually get himself on to the training ground and coach the kids - unless the SFA were visiting - since he was probably listed as the main coach for funding purposes. Also, heard on the grapevine that John Doc was given his jotters yesterday....another one bites the dust!

He certainly wasn't worth what he was getting here and I doubt very much if he will get as much at County! I have to agree here...i heard that he was paid a ridiculous amount of money...and as the creator of Team ICT or whatever the youth dept was called, he may well have awarded himself that wage. Nice guy, hard working, but CC could easily fill his shoes on half the money.

Cant confirm, but also Stuart Garden - Full-Time Goalkeeping Coach? Wasnt there a rumour going that Les Fridge would replace him on a part-time basis. It would be nice if we were kept up to date with all staffing developments, not just on the playing side - not are we are kept up to date much on that side either!

According to the News of the World yesterday, the Chester Chairman was so impressed by Malky during his time their as Blobby Williamson's Number 2, that they want him to become Manager in his own right, taking over from Mark Wright. If this is true, and he's given the opportunity, good luck to him. I remember a rumour that Grassa asked him if he'd be interested in the ICT job instead of going to United with Brew and the other boys that left.

Im not delighted at seeing guys like Zander Sutherland get released, but remember (and aplogies if this has been discussed elsewhere) SPL clubs were FORCED to hang onto guys - even if they felt they were not quite good enough - due to the ridiculous Under 21 Rule which meant that you had to have 3 players under 21 in your matchday 18. No such rule applies in the SFL, allowing ICT to operate with a more streamlined, cost-effective squad of players, lets just hope that we retain enough however to challenge for the title.

Selling off my collection of 3 signed ICT shirts. Check them out: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=170319735760 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=170319736849 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=170319737892

John, I would like to thank you for your frank and honest reply to my message. Apologies if what I said seemed harsh, and I accept that you are a genuine fan. I do enjoy listening to you on the radio, you speak very well, both in general and about ICT. You werent my first choice for the job, no offence, and I suppose I saw your appearance on here as a method of trying to get the job. But you know what, even if it was (which you have siad it isnt), who cares? Its a tough world/business football! I have decided that when I have had a bad day at work...rather than take it out on this board...ill just give the dog a beating instead! .........I am joking, all you animal lovers!

John, you have really gone down in my estimations for posting on this site. I can imagine that the previous and current Manager would be perturbed to hear that you were doing so also. The timing of your postings couldnt have been more obvious - when people start to notice that the ICT fans may have some influence over the board, you try and win them over. Ive always liked the fact that sites like these are for fans to vent their opinions, not the players or (prospective) management of a football club. Lets imagine you did get the job. How would you feel about TB, and CB for that matter, coming on and posting their thoughts on players, and who is deserving of a start in the team. Wouldnt it also be strange if they also referred to ICT as 'us' and 'we'?

It's a cut-throat business. Wonder if he will be able to survive on his pay-off? Likley to be in excess of ?10m!

Totally disagree. For me, the 'Jobs for the Boys' problem at ICT has been in the staffing side, never in the playing side. Im quite happy to see Managers bring in players they have worked with in the past. He, and MM know their strengths/weaknesses etc, TB has brought in 3 players to fill gaps that we have in the squad, these are not meaningless signings because they are mates! Would you rather he signed boys he had not seen play. 'Jobs for the Boys' relates to GB, CC, JD, DS, MN (guess tha names) etc etc etc but that's another matter altogether!!!!

My sentiments exactly...keep up people! No full backs...or wing backs against Rangers???? We would be destroyed. Stick to the day job!

If you'd ever had the pleasure (sic) of meeting him you'd soon realise , absolute erse of a man . Kick a man when he's down why don't you! Lovely guy. Great enthusiasm. What he may of lacked in experience, he made up for with a bubbly, positive attitude. Alex Mcleish gave him jobs at Hibs then Rangers, so cant be all that bad. Hopefully he will go on to find another youth development job, where he excelled. Less pressure, and less chance of the sack...again!

Don Cowie certainly isn't lazy. I remember a discussion with the Fitness Coach who worked for Brew at ICt & United when he named DC as one, if not theee, fittest player he had worked with. He will run all day for the cause, though his enthusiasm did seem to drop when things werent going well lately. Best Position = In the hole just behind the striker(s), makes great runs, and his vision to pick out a pass is decent

No it wouldnt. Im sure he would count himself very very fortunate to get a job back in football at a club he supposedly loves. Anyway, i wouldnt want him back at the club, and i wish people would stop posting who managers should appoint as their assistant. Im tired reading that Pele, Dunc, CC, Barry etc etc should all have roles at the club. Lose the 'jobs for the boys' mentality. Yes, we would all rather have someone who had a 'love for the club' but football doesnt work like this. Get the best man in for the job, and let him appoint the man he feels will best support him doing his job. Butcher might be delighted to have Robbo as his assistant... and I agree that Robbo would be very pleased to get a job back in football again. Maybe. But who are we, and by that I mean ICT, to decide. Let the Manager pick his own right hand man. Couldnt care who the assistant is, as long as the manager trusts him.