Charles Bannerman

I have a real soft spot for Forres (frequently pronounced locally as "Four - ass"). Apart from the fact that it's a lovely town and Grant Park/ Cluny Hill is a great place for a run, I also like the way Mechanics have gone about their business - and without having thrown money at the situation like a lot of other Highland League clubs, especially in Aberdeenshire. Forres now, with four games left, sit 9 points clear of Cove who have a game in hand so it's looking good for them to win their first title since Harry McFadden's days in the mid 80s. Certainly Clach did Forres a big favour yesterday with their 1 all draw at Cove - which for Clach is actually a fifth league game in a row undefeated. And you can hardly say that Clach have been throwing money at the situation!

Heard of video tapes? :D In a previous generation, I think I may very well have done so. Dodgy versions of same may well be what parents of the late70s and the 80s and 90s used to watch immediately before spawning children of that very era.

Was Amberade not a MacKintosh's concoction - along with Queens Cup? Or was that indeed Bon Accord's answer to Irn Bru. I certainly don't remember selling any Amberade but on the other hand this may have been one of Robbs' post 1971 creations.

Luke, on the basis of the date of birth on your profile, "The Caley" played its last game a year almost to the day before you were born!

Remember it? I used to drive one! During the summer between school and university and the Christmas holidays after that (this was 1971) I was a sales person for Bon Accord, driving a small truck about Inverness and area trying to expand business for Tommy Robb. Having generated the new business (and a fair bit of commission for myself!) I then handed that over to the regular drivers - who quite often promptly lost it again!

Dundee's 4-1 home win over Ayr now means that County can't win the title at home to Raith this Saturday but will now have to wait until Livingston on April 7th at the earliest.

Absolutely not! They do a very comprehensive sport roundup just after 6:15 Mon - Fri - in which I now trust Ross County will also figure more prominently, given their pending SPL status. All I am saying is that, given the nature of the Muirfield Mills scenario, it's maybe not the best idea to predict the timing of an outcome.

OK so if STV's story, filed back on the 20th and quoted further up this thread, that the deal would go through "within the next seven days" is going to be correct, then the white smoke will have to appear tomorrow (Tues 27th.) On the other hand back in the autumn, STV and an Aberdeen based local newspaper were both reporting that the deal was expected to go through by the end of October 2011.

I've been wondering how long to let this run, but buckett has got so close I'm going to go for it! Indeed it was the three he suggests at Kenneth St/ Tomhahurich St? Young St, at Inglis St/ High St/ Eastgate (Boots Corner) and at the Town Hall. But as I recollect, back in the days before the one way system never mind pedestrianisation, traffic went both ways along High St so High St/ Castle St/ Bridge St/ Church St was effectively a single junction controlled by just that one third set rather than including buckett's fourth. And of course my question 2) therefore answers itself since the only one of these which are still genuine traffic lights is Kenneth St etc since pedestrianisation has put paid to the other two and I'm not counting the two pedestrian crossings which are ridiculously close together near the Town Hall with a third just down Bridge Street. I actually sometimes wonder if the latest crossing at the Steeple is principally designed to make life difficult for motorists!? However I'm far from sure about where the fourth set went which is why I asked the question in the first place. I've actually been wondering if it was at the Culduthel Rd/ Drummond Rd/ Muirfield Rd junction or at Southside Rd/ Old Edinburgh Rd/ Annfield Rd at the Crown Court? Does that jog any memories?

I think it was where the Salvation Army place is now. Aye indeed CMIB I think you've jogged my memory.... it was that side of the junction righ'eenuff!

With County currently on 62 points and with 7 to play, the maximum total they could get would be 83. Hibs' First Division record points tally of 89 from the 36 games in 98-99 is safe but when a club of the size of Hibs goes into the First Division, this kind of outcome can certainly happen. On the other hand Hibs lost three games that season (but with very few draws) so County are still on target to go through the season with the smallest number of defeats. The second biggest tally is Falkirk at 81 points in 02-03. Caley Thistle totalled 70 when they won in 2004 and 73 second time around in 2010.

Fairfield Dyeworks! Well that goes back a bit since even I only have a fleeting recollection of that institution. Was it on the corner of Tomnahurich St and Kenneth St... you would pass it on the left if you were going from the County Buildings to the Caley Park?

I also remember an American commentator describing Colin Montgomerie in similar terms!! If I had known last night of Jocky's passing I would have marked it by having a pint of vodka and coke in the Caley Club - which is probably just about the only place in Inverness where you could afford such a thing. The pint of vodka and coke was apparently an integral part of Jocky's game.

I think you've slightly misunderstood what I meant Richard. I DO know where all three were. What I'm unsure about is the answer to my own third question - where did the fourth set go when it came along? I will tweak my OP slightly to get rid of any possible ambiguity. I'll also not comment on your answer at this early stage to give other people a chance to chip in.

Back in the early 60s and maybe a wee but later than that as well, Inverness had only THREE sets of traffic lights. So three questions. 1) Who remembers where these original three were? 2) How many of them are still in place fulfilling their original function, and where? 3) And where was the fourth set placed when it came along? (I know the answers to the first two questions but merely have a vague suspicion about the third one!)

Yup.... if County win next Saturday and Dundee don't County are champions. And I would imagine the ICT "squeaky bum" squad are also much reassured by their cushion now extended to 11 points with a game in hand?

I would hardly call 16 points out of 18 for County in their last six games a frailty (the two they dropped were the product of a 93rd minute penalty for Morton last midweek). But if anyone especially wants to use the word, maybe they could instead apply it to Dundee who have taken just 10 points out of 18... or Falkirk who have managed just 8. The reality is that County... who have actually gone 26 and not 24 games unbeaten..... far from being pegged back, have actually stretched their lead quite dramatically in recent weeks.

A very Chick Young-esque style comment. plenty sarcasm but little knowledge displayed ! I know you were probably trying to be humorous but .... it didnt work ! Say buddy... kin we also get your World SERIES beamed direct to the US of A in twenny14?!

Perhaps to midnight:45 GMT on a Wednesday morning to give the Yanks a quarter to eight Tuesday night?

Absolutely. here we were at the far end of a winding A9 - the end of the earth to a lot of people in the central belt - and with no exposure to the national game unless your Highland League club was lucky enough to qualify for the Scottish Cup. That is bound to have had a limiting effect.

There are times when I wonder about that! And yes, it was Methil that Yngwie's second replay took place. Caley won 3-0 (Nero MacDonald 2 and Wilson Robertson). They met Hearts at Tynecastle in the next round and lost 6-0. The late equaliser at Shielfield came from Bob Summers while it was two from Billy Urquhart and one from Nero in the 3 all at Telford Street. Much of this information comes from Caley All The way which, along with Against All Odds, Going Ballistic and The Hub of the Hill sits beside my computer especially for moments like this!

I hope the refs remember to call time outs so the Yanks can get their commerical breaks in. I wonder if they will be providing their own commentators for the "SACKKURRR"

Can't edit the original any more, but Police now say that "a man" has been charged with Breach of the Peace and will appear in court tomorrow (Mon) so I suppose we should now strictly refer to what 4300 people ALLEGEDLY saw!

Oh well, at least Michael McGovern, on his return to Dingwall, was saved abuse from the Jail End in the second half. I thought the penalty was a stonewaller - unlike the lady from Falkirk who phoned into Your Call! However I really must praise Falkirk's energy in the second half and the goal - albeit from a 25 yard FK - was beautifully taken. Then there was the star turn of the day! The Falkirk streaker! A section of Falkirk fans on the east side of the Jubilee terracing had been attracting a lot of attention from police and stewards right from the start - especially after they let off a couple of smoke bombs. Then Brittain scores the penalty after McGovern walked and instantly a STREAKER emerges from that part of the crowd, heading at speed towards the Jail End. Falkirk's new 11th man was absolutely starkers - apart from his underpants which were still around his ankles but weren't stopping him from running at a fair lick. Well not for a while anyway. Because the knickers wdid turn out to be his final undoing since he managed to trip on them just at the half may line and hit the deck, leaving an easy catch for police and stewards who pulled them up for him and carted him off up the tunnel. After that, I counted no fewer than 15 dayglo green jackets around that same wee bit of terracing.

Charlie Christie. He may not have figured at top level as a player to an extent consistent with his ability but he did have a spell as a very successful SPL manager. And Yngwie's correction of TBB's mini biog of Kevin does confirm for me that it was 86 as opposed to 85 that he did the double with Liverpool. Does anyone remember when Brewster was appointed the first time, Grassa managed to convince a large number of people that it would actually be Kevin, and for much longer than any chance of that may have existed?