Charles Bannerman

Just in case any of my lords and masters at HC may read this, I haven't actually said anything which could be agreed with. All I've done is set out three groups of facts in relation to three decisions about the use of CGF cash. On the other hand Johnboy may simply be articulating a fairly common conclusion from these facts, but that conclusion has to be his and not mine. Scotty... thanks for spotting my slip of a decade. I've amended the original.

Whilst following in the media the saga of the Inverness Common Good Fund cash for the closing ceremony of Highland 2007 and its associated fireworks display, I couldn't help but think back to a couple of instances over the last decade or so where there was debate over CGF money being allocated to football. One of the longest and most bitter arguments over any decision by Inverness District Council took place across 1995-96 (dates amended by a decade thanks to Scotty's eagle eye!) when the Council stumbled from one crisis to another over David Stewart's motion to give Caley Thistle ?900,000 towards the cost of the Caledonian Stadium, or more specifically the road on which Highland Council had insisted as one of a plethora of planning conditions. The motion was carried, then cancelled on QC's advice on the strength of the presence of the word "payable" and then there was the marginal failure of an attempt to suspend Standing Orders to have the issue discussed again. Under threat of legal action and with the future of Caley Thistle in the balance, the embryonic Highland Council (which, in its urgency to solve the problem, contacted Dougie McGilvray in his hotel room in California) agreed to pay the money from the CGF... but it had to be in two instalments due to shortage of ready funds. The whole saga was an unholy rammy which lasted for months and tore Inverness District Council apart. Then a couple of years later, Clach were (again) in very straitened circumstances and ?280,000 of CGF money was spent purchasing Grant Street Park from ICT Properties. This was not a gift - Clach had to pay 5% of the value of the transaction annually (?14K) as rent - and the CGF continues to own Grant Street as an asset. All the same, there was still some unhappiness in certain quarters about the deal which ensured football for the Merkinch whilst acquiring an investment for the CGF as well as income. More recently still, a very similar amount of CGF cash - ?250,000 - has been allocated to the end of 2007 celebration - at least ?150,000 of that towards a ?10,000 a minute fireworks display. Although there has been definite unhappiness about it within the Council, the allocation of these funds, much of which will be burned in a single night, certainly seems to have been rather more straightforward than the allocation of cash which saved Clach and which ultimately brought SPL football to Inverness and also opened up the entire harbour foreshore to development. I also note with interest that the two ex Provosts - Bill Fraser and Allan Sellar - who were most involved with and supportive of the ICT cash, have stated that they believe that the allocation of the fireworks money is improper use of CGF assets since the Kessock Bridge is outwith Inverness. Now, as an employee of Highland Council I'd better just state facts (which I have done above) rather than express opinions on HC policy (which they don't like their employees doing). Any comparisons/ observations from those not employed by Highland Council?

Yup, Johndo. :023:

:015:

Roshie Fraser would know. He's bound to have played in one! :015:

"Typeen" with Vicky Smith then? Vick was a Royal Academy FP and captain of the football team there. I believe he also played for Caley in his day, which would have been just before the war. On the subject of "cafes" (or at least old Inverness eating establishments), I see Serafini's West End Chipper has now gone way of the Chinese now and has become Charlie Chan's. At least we've got the Kingsmills Hotel back!

Obviously. However that last post has expanded the focus of discussion from the likelihood of Caley Thistle finishing specifically third in the SPL this season (and thereby qualifying for Europe) to any year and by all possible means of doing so which also include winning the cup and until recently becoming losing finalists. At least three on that list (Dundee, Dunfermline and Gretna) got in through being losing cup finalists. In the case of both Dundee (2003) and Dunfermline (2004), ICT came very near to taking their places in Europe since they ran them very close in the semi finals. So let's refocus on the original topic which was the likelihood of Caley Thistle taking third place in the SPL this season. After six games, they had NO points and were bottom of the league. That leaves 32 games to put together a run formidable enough to catch and stay in front of nine of the eleven clubs above them - in effect give some of them a six game start. After such a poor opening six, that would very probably mean that they would have to score more points than any other club across these last 32 game (which include a final five against the rest of the top six clubs)... and this by a team which has less than any other to spend on wages, located in a place where it is notoriuosly difficult to get players to come. There is absolutely no doubt that for years now Caley Thistle's return in terms of performances and results has far exceeded what they have had to spend on wages. It's called "punching above your weight" and players and management alike have worked wonders to achieve this. Football is a sufficiently strange game to be able to produce a serries of results which might send ICT into third place. But the likelihood of that is minimal. It certainly seems odd to me that such a notion should be touted as a serious proposition... especially apparently inspired by little more than a recent run of five wins. Presumably by the same logic, those who subscribe to this notion were also confidently predicting relegation after the first six defeats?

I think I can see the way this thread might be in danger of developing over the next few months. First, a few more increasingly optimistic observations and expectations like that one. Then the realisation that the most thinly resourced team in the SPL which has been playing catch up since it lost its first six games is NOT in fact going to finish third. And then calls for the heads of the management and board of directors for failing to deliver the promised European place.

December 27th 2006. A Wednesday evening. First class winner from Rankin.

3 victories over Celtic, beating Rangers at Ibrox and 2-1 in Inverness, beating Hearts away in the cup in 2002, both 2000 cup ties against Aberdeen, Rangers at Tannadice in 1996, coming back from 3-0 down to beat Ayr 4-3 in the cup, 5-2 over Arbroath in the very first league game in 1994, three (inc replay) cup semi finals v Dundee and Dunfermline (thanks Craig!), losing 4-3 at Almondvale which was indeed on 1.5.99., beating Livi 3-2 in the cup at Telford Street in January 1996, losing 5-1 to County at the Caledonian Stadium (you did say "memorable"!)

"Jesus died for all the Children" (which then became "We're on the march with Ally's Army") I believe.

That relatively conciliatory post has now got me wondering if you've been on a pre Christmas visit to Damascus? Surely not! :003:

At Inverness Royal Academy we have a fairly large number of ICT, Celtic and Rangers fans although I wouldn't like to try to quote percentages. All I can say is that the Celtic fans have been getting quite a lot of stick all week since Sunday's result! (and that's just the staff! :015:) Last season's victories over Rangers both took place during school holidays so I have no parallel recollections of the reaction to them although I think there was a fair response to the draw with 10 men at Ibrox. Most significantly, I've heard the name "Caley Thistle" used about the school a great deal more than usual this week, although whether that is sustained or leads to increased attendances remains to be seen. Previous experience would tend to suggest it won't but I do believe that there will be a gradual swing from the OF to ICT among local youngsters. How far that swing will go and how long it will take is another matter.

"What passing-bells for these who die as cattle? Only the monstrous anger of the Huns. " (Wilfred Owen. Anthem for Doomed Youth.)

WHERE'S the Internutter party? I seem to have forgotten the name of the place! :003:

On the assumption that L_G is unavailable that night, I'm sure Paul Sheerin could point you in the right direction.

If you listen out to Sportsound on 810MW tonight there should at some point be an interview with Craig covering a fairly wide range of topics.

I remember Davie as a great Caley centre forward. Sad to hear of his demise.

Academy Old Girl then?

He would deserve a whole lot more than a Queen's Medal for gallantry if he did that!

I think there's a bit of a "Zulu" factor operating here. What I mean is that, after the action at Rorke's Drift in 1879 (as immortalised by Michael Caine and Stanley Baker in the film) honours... including a fistful of VCs... were showered out by the dozen. But much of it was PR and spin. Lt. Chard, who had been in command, was in fact a very average, if not rather ineffective officer but the successful defence of the mission station needed to assume as big a public profile as possible to obscure the complete foul up there had been at Ishandlwana a few days previously where a whole British column has been massacred by the Zulus. To a large extent Guy Gibson and the Dambusters enjoyed the same dubious process after what in reality was a not particularly effective raid in 1943. Similarly, "Smeato" has become symbolic of the "successful" fight against terrorism and of Joe Public's glorious and heroic role in it. No doubt the man did something very brave, but I do also believe that his contribution has been over dramatised. The fact that, if he is not this already, he can very easily be transformed into the "caricature" Weegie only helps the process. He's straight out of River City and is invaluable to a government which is struggling badly in the polls. Smeato is also 24 carat Sun material. Sunreaders just love guys like this and he has been idolised by a newspaper which has an incredibly accurate handle on the way its "readership" thinks... or perhaps more accurately fails to do so. Smeato now has his own column in the Sun and today's cartoon shows the queen handing over his gong and asking if "one might now get a mention in your column." But make no mistake about it.. and I hope Smeato is aware of this.... the boy just has to commit one indiscretion in his private life and the "shamed former airport hero" will again feature on the front pages of the redtops but in a completely different light. Yep, there is definitely something Faustian about Smeato's relationship with the media.

Agree totally. At busy times it's desperate getting from the Bught/ canal area to the city (stuff it... TOWN!) centre. Completion of the SDR would help greatly and is an urgent priority as far as I'm concerned.

Is this someone in one of these populist TV programmes, much loved by the redtop tabloids, where people phone in and vote for nonentities? I believe Miss Goodsir met a goodsir and emigrated to New Zealand with him. (This thread is becoming seriously diverted.)

Miss Cuthbert... a bit before my time but I've seen photos of her in the school archive. A pretty fierce looking woman perhaps, but maybe not quite in the same league as Parrott!

".... to which you subjected us all"!