Rasczak

The game was part of the deal in Shane Sutherland's move from Academy to ICT, which IIRC was re-arranged from last season as it was previously postponed due to a waterlogged pitch. I am sure that you would be the first to complain if one of the central belt teams had fans talking about wasting money coming up to "teuchter country" or similar. Others are trying to widen the appeal of ICT around the Highlands, see the comments in other threads about how RC go beyond Dingwall, and you come out with this. There are quite a number of ICT fans up here, my Father-in-law and daughter make the near 250 mile round trip every fortnight as season ticket holders, I come along when commitments allow, and this was a nice short trip for us after being down for the Coventry game. I am also trying to sort out a works trip to the Killie game, after persuading the boss that ICT would be a better idea than going to Dingwall, maybe get some more semi regulars, your comments are the sort that might put them off doing that.

I can see where you are coming from, and I think some of that connection is due to the short history of the club. The club has grown in living memory and so what would would be a significant but not extraordinary amount of time with any club of 90 or more years history seems to be much more significant for ICT, can you think of any other senior club where a player has just left after being with the club for nearly 90% of its existence ? Of course it is good for the players to have a feeling for the club and what it means to the fans, but that does not necessarily mean you have to be local to understand that, does anyone here think that Richie Foran doesn't care a jot about ICT ? On the other side of the coin if we had the finances to be able to attract the Messis, the Xabi Alonsos, the Iniestas, the Pirlos or the Balotellis of the world to the TCS would we say we don't want them as they don't understand the club ? I think we have to strike a balance between getting the best players we can where they are available and giving them a reason to want to care about the club, and finding the local gems who are brought up caring about the club anyway. And that can start by getting the youngsters to follow their local club rather than glory hunt the "big teams".

I was just reading that. At least it will show 'The People™' that he does have the Rangers mindset, "if you say or do anything against us it must be bigotry, it can't be because we did wrong can it."

He was playing number 10 and seemed to me to be just behind Oswell with Liam Polworth on one side of the midfield going forward and Kyle Whyte on the other. Polworth seemed to be scrapping for everything and even though he lost the ball a couple of times he would be straight in to try and get it back, which he often did. Warren was vocal at the back and keeping everyone going, and I heard Reguero's English improving, he knows "keeper" and "man-on" at least and was loud with it.

much as I'd love to, no can do.FT 0-0

Ferguson on for Whyte

Warren off Murphy, I think, on

Pretty even so far. Wick had a great shot off the bar, we've had a couple that their keeper has got to, but he hasn't held them so if we can follow up there may be something

Antonio Reguero, Martin Laing, Nick Ross, Liam Polworth and Jason Oswell starting as well

During warm up I can see Gavin Morrison and Gary Warren.

If the phone works then I'll try and send some updates

Well there was a double page spread advert in the Sun* on Friday for Sky Sports, with three big pictures of sport that is on offer, one of those being for Scottish Premier League. If they are advertising in the paper's that SPL is available in their sports package they must then provide it or there should be consequences. *It was in the chip shop when I was waiting for my order.

I thought it was nice that the Coventry fans who came up were invited in after the game. Had a good chat with the ones who were at our table, I didn't get their names, and they said they had adopted ICT, one had bought a top as well. Fiona Hogg has size twelve feet, Aaron Doran is the joker in the dressing room and Richie Foran is in charge of everything except Terry Butcher's wardrobe.

Well you got the base design for the home instead, maybe they will do this for away next year

The prices on the tickets I got with the hospitality package were £10 for the adult and £0 (zero) for the kid, so they are charging just a fiver for the hospitality. That's main stand, whether they are using the North Stand I don't know.

Just been perusing the Coventry City site to get some info before the friendly on the 21st, got the hospitality tickets bought, and came across this http://www.ccfc.co.u...2831910,00.html

Can't disagree. Even though the rules *allow* the SFL, board or otherwise, to create the dilemma, they don't *force* them to do so. If they just follow the custom and practice then no problem.

Precedent from when Livingston, and I think Gretna, were relegated to Division 3 is that the play-off runners up are promoted.

And that seems to be what is happening http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/18727333 Apparently there is according to the statement on the Clyde website http://www.clydefc.c...012/07/04/4137/

Sorry mate but I have to disagree there. Stenhousemuir have made a statement, in colloberation with Doncaster, Regan, Longmuir and Co, based on a totally worst case scenario, in an attempt to find a way of saving a dead club. I was thinking something similar, they have just regurgitated the speculation of Doncaster et al and claimed it as fact. As I understand it, the clauses were put in place so that that the sponsors/TV could break the contract should the OF leave the SPL, to put minds at rest when they were talking about going to England or the "Atlantic League", in effect to stop them doing this. What we don't know is the exact wording of these clauses and how they could be interpreted. If the wording is, "if Rangers or Celtic leave the SPL", then it could be argued that this means if they themselves take the decision to leave, ie resign from the league, then the clauses could be invoked. Rangers did not resign, they have lost their share as they are no longer eligible, so the argument is that the clauses could not be invoked. On the other hand if it says, "if Rangers or Celtic are not in the SPL", this would mean the clauses could be invoked, however it leads to the thought that whoever wrote those contracts either didn't believe there was any way that either of the OF could go out of business or be relegated, or believed that if such a thing happened then the rules would be changed to make sure they stayed. That smacks to me of either incompetence or corruption. Exactly, too many people are claiming as fact what is just supposition. I could easily claim that without Rangers in the SPL then it will be guaranteed to be more competitive, have more entertainment and so increase attendances 3 fold as, much as there was in the 80's when there were higher attendances, people won't be seeing the same boring procession to the title so actually improving clubs' bank balances. This may then have the TV companies and sponsors fighting each other to put money into the game as well Now my instinct is that this is not implausible, though maybe a little exaggerated, but others have done that too, however I just don't know that this is the case much as I may like it to be, That I didn't know but it makes sense. Another interesting one is that according to the BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk...otball/18707522, "Cowdenbeath, whose chairman Donald Findlay QC is a former Rangers vice chairmain, said they would support Rangers' application to join the SFL, but only if the Ibrox club entered the Third Division."

Fair point on just cutting 9 clubs adrift to find other leagues in one season, a five year plan to reduce the total of senior clubs whilst allowing others in does seem to me a good idea. I was just thinking we need to strike while the iron's hot, but I suppose what we need is to have the foundations laid now we have the chance and make sure we do it right. Are you working along the lines of one or two clubs relegated to regional leagues in the first year and then 1 more relegated than promoted from regional over the next few years, to get the right number, re-aligning the divisions as needed. My thinking behind the playoff arrangement I suggested was that it would involve more teams and keep the season alive, but also ensuring the best chance of promotion being available as of the two higher league teams in the playoffs, at least one would be relegated. It may not be the simplest way, I do like the SFL playoffs as it is obvious what places are being played for, but is not overly complex either.

Fair point, and maybe 9 is too many to lose maybe the second league could be 18 or 20 so losing 7 or 5. Under the scenario I envisaged there are 30 SFL clubs 11 SPL clubs in season 2012/13 for a total of 41 clubs. 41 - 9 = 32 And so having 48 total senior clubs, giving 7 an opportunity to get in that season ? Well it gives newco the chance to get in should they get a years suspension, but can 48 senior teams be supported, (no pun intended) ? What do you say to the idea for playoffs for top league champions and Europe ? I did think it would be one of my more controversial ideas, but I based it on the NFL playoffs in American football, and that seems to work going by how well they can promote the Super Bowl. I think we are in broad agreement though, in that we need; Bigger leagues. Playoffs for promotion/relegation in addition to automatic places for all leagues. Relegation from the bottom tier to, and promotion from regional leagues. Expanded League Cup with starting with a group stage. It is the details of how these are achieved that needs some work, and that certainly wouldn't be in place for 2012/13 as some media outlets have been touting. The current situation does give an ideal opportunity to begin the process though.

I see where you are coming from, but under this system the worst they can be is 3rd* and so would still get a European place so it wouldn't be for nothing. *Winners and runners up are obvious, for those knocked out each round then the higher original league position decides final places between the 2 knocked out that round. So as the league toppers get a bye to the second play off round then 5th and 6th already decided, as they must be the higher of the 2 knocked out if they lose then they are 3rd

Please bear with me as this is a long post but I think it gives some points to ponder. With all the uncertainty over what is happening in Scottish football at the moment, surely this is the time to take the bull by the horns and sort out some re-organisation of the leagues while we are going to be in a state of flux anyway. Now my take on the Rangers thing is that it now appears likely that the newco is not going to have its application to have the oldco share transferred, however everyone appears to think that this immediately means that and SFL club would be promoted and leave a space in the SFL for newco to apply for. Does that necessarily have to be the case ? Indeed has not John Yorkston said that Dunfermline and possibly Dundee/Falkirk, having set up for Div1 football next season, may not be able to play SPL. Also with the SFA appeal board reconsidering the case of oldco bringing the game into disrepute, one option they have is to suspend or expel the club. If the newco are looking to hang onto the history then they surely have to take the consequences so they may not even be able to apply for SFL should there be a vacancy. With that in mind I have thought up a grand plan for the future of the Scottish League system, some points of which have likely been mentioned in various places already I admit. This would take the above points that no-one is promoted from SFL to SPL for season 2012/13 and that the result of the SPF appeal tribunal is a 1 year suspension for Rangers that prevents newco applying for SFL. Season 2012/13 played in SFL as currently, SPL play as 11 teams with Club 12 games being bye weeks At the end of this season, the bottom 9 clubs in SFL Div 3 2012/13 relegated to regional leagues, ie Highland League, South of Scotland league, RFC Newco can apply to join a regional league for 2013/14. 2013/14 season; Amalgamate SPL and SFL 2 Leagues of 16 Top league previous years SPL plus top 5 from SFL Div 1 Second league is other 5 Teams from SFL Div 1, all of SFL Div 2 and winner of SFL Div 3 Top League; All teams play twice home and away Champions:- Top 6 teams after 30 games have play offs to decide Champion and other European places 6th play 3rd home and away 5th plays 4th home and away Lower placed team remaining plays 1st home and away Higher placed team remaining plays 2nd home and away Winners play in league final at neutral ground Relegation:- Bottom club relegated to second league Top 2 clubs from second league promoted 14 and 15th in top league go into play off with 3rd to 6th in second league as for top league champions. Winner of playoffs goes in top league next season, others in second league. Second League; Promotion:- As per relegation for top league Relegation:- Bottom club relegated to relevant regional league Top club from each of 2 regional leagues promoted 14 and 15th in second league go into home and away playoffs with 2nd in each of 2 regional leagues, playoffs winner goes into second league. Regional leagues may need to be realigned to place teams in correct area. Regional round robin League Cup League cup to have North, South, East and West sections and each to draw 2 round robins of 4 clubs to play home and away. Winners of each round robin goes into knockout draw. Each team in each league therefore gets 15 home league games and 3 home League cup guaranteed. Potential for 1 or 2 more home games for those teams in playoff positions. Now I know that this may mean a few less home games for those teams in places 7 to 13 however as the league may be more competitive it may increase attendances at games to overcome this. The larger league also reduces the fear of relegation, so games are played to be won rather than not to be lost, increasing entertainment. Many on here have said that lack of entertainment is one reason for dropping attendances. I don't expect everyone to agree to all of this, one of my work colleagues has already said to me he doesn't like the play-offs for the top league winner as it means sixth place 20 points down could be champions, but I think it brings an element of the season will always go to the end rather than be settled 5 or six weeks early. I'll leave the debate on distribution of TV/League sponsorship money to one side just now, suffice to say that it should not be heavily weighted towards one or two teams.