Charles Bannerman

I'm not sure it really was much of a surprise that Ross County got the other league place in 1994. Granted their Cup victories over St. Cuthberts and Forfar came at extremely convenient times, but I'm not convinced that experienced Scottish football politicians were going to be especially influenced by this short term consideration. One thing that is certain is that County's bid, which I was quite well across at the time, was extremely sound and persuasive - and of course has delivered a lot more even than it ever originally implied. I was certainly in no doubt at the time that the bids from Inverness and Dingwall were the best by a distance. Remember also the voting figures in the January 1994 election - Inverness 68, Ross County 57, Gala Fairydean 35, Elgin City 10, Gretna 2. This clearly shows that County in second place were a lot nearer the first placed Inverness bid than they were to Gala in third place. The concept of a merger with Ross County has been tentatively raised in this thread. In an area of very low population density with uncomfortably high allegiance to central belt clubs, limited economic turnover and two Premiership clubs both now averaging crowds well below 4000, the commonsense, financial case is overwhelmingly for a single club in the inner Moray Firth area. But that will never happen for several reasons. Firstly, and in line with an observation OCG made, there is no hitherto unobtained status to be gained. Secondly, the amalgamation of Thistle and Caley was of two clubs which may have been robust rivals but they were from the same community and their joining together was to the overall benefit of that coherent community. In contrast, ICT and Ross County represent quite distinct communities which it would be a lot more difficult to join together. Thirdly, both these clubs are now limited companies and I detect no desire at all among their significant shareholders to depart from the status quo. As I say, an Inverness-Dingwall merger would probably make local football a lot more financially viable than it is now and is actually a logical solution - EXCEPT that football clubs need fans and for reasons 1 and 2 above, such an arrangement would, I believe, have little attraction for them. What might happen if one or both clubs ran into serious viability issues is rather more intriguing though, since then you would have a hugely compelling financial case ranged against the same overwhelming opposition of the fans.

How interesting to read this Telegraph exclusive! 20 YEAR OLD MERGER CONTROVERSY SHOCK Now that's something nobody ever knew about until the Telegraph "revealed" it two decades later! (Perhaps reluctance to "bump" this thread should be persevered with.)

I think what you are proposing and describing is possibly called a "share issue"?

Does anyone have an answer to this question, since one has always eluded me? It is repeatedly said that ticket prices are too high and thec cost of attending football is a deterrent. In that case, why do charities seem to be queueing up to locate all these collectors with buckets outside grounds if people already find they have forked out more than they feel comfortable with? Why don't the charities park themselves outside places perceived to be a lot cheaper such as Lidl or Aldi? (As opposed to Marks and Spencer )

The whole saga is covered well in Ian Broadfoot's book "Going Ballistic".

That observation has got my suspicions going but, with the announcement just a couple of hours away, I'm not going to rock the boat by speculating.

As Captain Mainwaring used to say..... "I was waiting for someone to notice that". Except I really WAS waiting for someone to notice it. Full game "as live" coverage. Programme on from 6:30pm - 8:30pm. Post match interviews with Ryan Christie and Graeme Shinnie.

3 all after 90 and 120 mins. Clach won on pens - John Campbell saved two.

Can anyone remember who apart from Patrick voted against us? Dundee.

As the broker of that bet, I can confirm that this was the case (and you are also correct that it was "We are SPL" - my memory was defective there). The bet was back around 1997/98. At full time one Saturday, when Off The Ball was on air at the time, Dougie asked me if I could arrange to get him on to the programme to challenge Tam. The producer was more than delighted to have him on and the bet was £500 to a pie that ICT would be in the SPL within 10 years of starting in the SFL - ie by 2004. Dougie duly won but as far as I know the bet has never been honoured. Strangely enough I did an article for the Motherwell programme on the rise of Highland football for ICT's visit there a few weeks ago and related that particular anecdote. I went out of my way to thank Tam for that small extra incentive to succeed!

That's an intriguing photo. I don't suppose there is a date for it? Certainly the Carse is more or less empty, apart from an isolated patch of... something? I'm also not sure if Coronation Park is there beside West/ North/ South Drive. The Caley Park is also interesting. The trees tend to obscure it a bit, but I can't see any evidence of a stand or even of the Howden End. One stand burned down in 1950 so this may be before the next one was built. On the other hand it may be before the original one was there. As I recollect the houses visible in MacLennan Crescent and down the Ferry may be early 1930s so might the date be between then and the building of the original stand at some point before 1950?

Robbo appearing at the top of the steps down to the bottom bar in the Social Club and holding the trophy aloft. The place went mental! Oh, and Robbo stomping off on me in the middle of an interview a few days before the St Johnston game because he didn't like the question he THOUGHT he heard me ask We had a good laugh about that the other week! Then there was Tommy Cumming at full time giving the only interview he's ever given in his life. I never thought I would ever see the man virtually in tears. Also at full time... chants from the fans of "We want SPL... we want SPL" because it was by no means certain at that moment of triumph that SPL status would be requested by the club.

Do you want to tell us more about that or would it be inappropriate for a family forum?

What did Maud have to say about that? Was she annoyed at dropping two points?

I would call it a rather good example of how West Central Scotland, with its various social, medical, religious problems etc would emerge as a much bigger issue for the proposed, much smaller alternative to the status quo. But since this is a football forum, and the bait has been risen to, let's instead look ahead at how Police Scotland might respond to relatively harmless banter at future Highland Derbies.

I'm surprised no one has highlighted this so far.... So much for the pathetically feckless Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/scottish-premier-league-8-000-fans-turn-turn-121232012--sow.html My first thought here is that I don't actually blame either club. This is clear evidence that both Rangers and Celtic have been hijacked by elements of a sick society which seems to be overwhelmed by some bizarre need for vehicles through which to express hatred and antagonism. And, despite the provisions of Holyrood's most absurd piece of legislation, it is reported that mayhem like this resulted in only THREE arrests! It therefore seems even more ironic that this can happen with impunity at the very epicentre of this problem while the same Police Scotland can threaten the liberty of County and ICT fans indulging in harmless banter at a Highland Derby. At least, as arrangements stand at the moment, this social sickness is mercifully diluted by the fact that it exists in a wider community of 60 million UK citizens. One major concern in the event of a yes vote would be that this west central Scottish affliction would become a much more concentrated evil within a narrower and more limited society. But that's possibly a viewpoint for another forum.... In the summer, a huge crowd of spectators will be gathering in Glasgow for, not the Commonwealth Games, but a Diamond League meeting at Hampden which in athletics terms is arguably even more prestigious. The date for Glasgow's opportunity to showcase itself to all these visitors? July 12th!

The Admiral Duncan?

This must have been written by a weather forecaster, because they never seem to use proper sentences!

And here I was thinking that the topic title simply referred to IHE's residence in the town!

Someone must know him as there can't be many that have such an accent amongst all the incomers Dougal That barely make sense you dullard. I feel bad for you man but try getting a hobby or something. A hobby is probably still a fair way along the road for Dougal, since even the getting of a life still seems to be eluding him.

What's the problem? http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/26694264

Alex, Oddquine - your posts make it abundantly that you are really not familiar in the least with the ins and outs of Scottish education, from which I have just departed after 37 years on ther job. However I am interested that you should both be of the view that this service which, more than any other has been uniquely a Scottish product for so long, is so poor. This does not appear to reflect any great confidence on the part of either of you in Scotland's ability to organise its own affairs. The Curriculum for Excellence is a poor product whose conspicuous features include a severe dumbing down and an almost paranoid rejection of knowledge as a virtue. Worse still it is being overseen by an Education minister whose incompetence is surpassed only by his utter conviction about his own infallibility. On which subject... has Michael Russell emigrated? Or has he just been spending a lot of his time on St Kilda, making arrangements for a Correctional Facility for the Idealogically Unsound (like me ) which they will presumably want to set up there in the event of a yes vote? On the other hand, if you were trying to cope with a daily tide of people telling you that your woolly wish list is complete mince, would you want to afford any public prominence at all to someone like Michael Russell?

No, no... I'm quite happy to leave the arrogance to Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and Mike Russell. After they've had their share, there's not much left for the rest of us anyway. OQ... read my post again - it refers to "life in Scotland" - ie the generality, not MY life. I'm not saying life is really any worse either, it's just that I'm not convinced that paying half a billion quid for an eyesore at Holyrood plus wages for everybody who works there has produced any great deal. For instance, let's look, since 1999, at the devolved powers of .... Education - teacher numbers are falling, the Curriculum for Excellence is a mess and it is being hopelessly mismanaged. (Believe me - I saw this in action!) Health - the NHS in Scotland has always been pretty good and remains so, hence no real change there. Law and Order - Police Services (and Fire and Rescue), are now centralised, as is decision making relating to them. Devolution in action? Local Government - local councils' decision making and ability to deliver services have been seriously compromised as a result of the Council Tax freeze. Devolution in action? On the other hand, to be fair, we do have the smoking ban which to my mind is the single best thing that Holyrood has done. And we do have a ban on foxhunting which, if I remember correctly, must have been one of the Scottish parliament's top priorities, given how early this appeared in the legislative programme.

Mahonio.... it must have been very close indeed between you and Kevin Kline for that role in "A Fish Called Wanda"

It was 2006 and 2007 when Charlie was manager. In 2006 there were two games in or around Montecatini near Pisa. I was over there reporting on much of that pre season trip and although I had gone home by the time of the game against what were a bunch of chancers from Romania, I did attend the first game in Montecatini itself against a local side. I forget the details now, but that game set all manner of records - record score (something like 12-0), fastest goal (something like 20 seconds) and smallest crowd (something like 7 non-media spectators in the ground when the game started). The other feature of the game was that you could only hear two things - the players shouting on the pitch and the locals buzzing around outside on these scooters that sound like demented bumble bees!