Charles Bannerman

Yes I know what you're saying 12th man, but the point I'm making is that, whatever the club and its location, I would like to think that for home matches its fans' first priority would be to support their football club directly by patronising its Social Club before other pubs. A Social Club also enhances corporate football club identity. But of course there will be far more pre match drinkers on a big occasion than any Social Club could accommodate and in that respect your suggestion is more than sensible. Other than that, I am not even going to respond to Dougal's latest offering which is as delusional as it is predictable.

Presumably as an ICT fan, the OP would want his cash to help the football club as far as possible so this would seem to be the option which allows him to do that. Apart from profits going back to ICT, the prices at the Social Club at any rate are absolutely rock bottom - unless, for instance, there's anywhere else you can get a spirit and a dash for less than £1.60. The most expensive pint in there is, I believe, £3.00. I did hear it said in conversation last night that there would be a bus to the stadium leaving the Social Club at 7:15. I think they charge something like £2. EDIT - The Sponge posted above while I was composing mine and I see that the fare is £3.

I'll just take this opportunity for a plug. If you are away from a radio or prefer another means of following events, the BBC online, including text, service has been upgraded this season in Scotland with a view to providing more information. This comes in the form of how the game is going and bits of colour from matches. All match reporters - Open All Mics and in particular the TV reporter - have a remit to feed into the text service and there is also a brief match report placed online.

Good God!! As we say in Inverness... yerjokeenmun! That's around a 100% profit. And people complain about being overcharged to get into football matches!

Is JD still "the Rangers shop" or is that a franchise it no longer runs but is keen to replace? Whatever the answer to that, why has it taken JJB/JD so long to become interested in local teams?

Remember to put the dubbin on them. It won't have been applied to them for a few years now.

At ICT v Aberdeen? Who on earth has got that idea? The BBC actually had a bigger on-air presence there than would be the norm for this season at a non commentary game. John Robertson did Open All Mics as usual and since I was at the shinty, Billy Dodds came up to do the TV report and post match interviews, but was also seconded as a second voice on Open All Mics. Dont shoot the messanger! Just repeating what they tweeted! Think they said that there was not proper reporter just 2 ex pros. Take it up with them I suppose Quite so OCG. The messenger remains totally unharmed and thank you for the information! I will make some discreet enquiries though.

At ICT v Aberdeen? Who on earth has got that idea? The BBC actually had a bigger on-air presence there than would be the norm for this season at a non commentary game. John Robertson did Open All Mics as usual and since I was at the shinty, Billy Dodds came up to do the TV report and post match interviews, but was also seconded as a second voice on Open All Mics.

Maybe Friday 4th October is the biggest and most important Highland derby to you Dougal, and perhaps you are genuinely concerned about the ticket allocation on that day. But when the real Highland Derby comes along on Friday 5th October, I am sure all will be well! What you seem to be fussing about is your understanding that Ross County may be allocated the 2500ish seats in the South Stand, around 300 in the south wing of the Main Stand and about 200 in the uncovered West Stand. If this is so, that would be a total of about 3000 seats for Ross County fans, leaving something like 4500 for ICT. Now of course we can expect an enhanced interest from ICT fans and indeed from both sides for this unprecedented occasion. But you also have to take into account the fact that, for the two home games so far, ICT fans haven't actually been flocking to the TCS so it might be unwise to allocate too many tickets to home supporters, especially when there may be a more reliable alternative market. Because whether you (or your persona) like it or not, Ross County have got 2800 season ticket holders alone so it might be worth suggesting that the ICT board are actually being quite prudent and responsible by trying to maximise income (and cash flow since these are all one off sales) by allocating tickets in such a way as to ensure that the ground is as full as possible. Now if it irritates you that one way of doing this is to give a generous allocation to Ross County, then that's just too bad but this is the way the world has been working in recent months. However I do of course also realise that you may simply be fishing for a reaction here. But the reality is that there can be no complaint from ICT fans if this is the way that tickets are going to be allocated. Because firstly, on recent form, they may well not have bought up a more generous allocation. So as long as season ticket holders are accommodated (which they will be) Caley Thistle should feel under no obligation to hold back theoretical seats for glory hunters, or those who have stayed away for other reasons, (which DON'T include disaffection with the merger nearly 20 years ago ) who have been conspicuous by their absence even against Celtic but who may decide to grace the club with their presence on this very special occasion - and then disappear again. I have to say that I was not aware that tickets were available yet for the "ICT end" although there is a general awareness that they are on sale to County fans in Dingwall because Ross County issued a widely used press release to tell us this a couple of weeks ago.

Is that not as much an offence in Dingwall as it is in Inverness? :lol: Seriously, though, from what I've seen of them, that County back four looks absolutely rock solid - except when the manager made a conscious decision to rest three of them against Raith Rovers in the Cup and they conceded four goals.

I think the guy who originally said that came to a sticky end not too long afterwards. I would beware book depositories and grassy knolls if I were you.

Would you not be better trying to master the simpler matter of cars first? :lol:

Jeez Don! You've contracted a REALLY serious case of poacher turned gamekeeper there!!! :lol:

You mean you were disappointed it wasn't your trouser pockets? :lol:

Without prejudice to the Armstrong scenario, the Tour de France has been seriously tarnished by rampant drugs corruption for decades - which is a shame for such a major event on the world stage. Drugs are a major problem throughout sport but unfortunately the Tour seems to have been among the worst affected events. But what is mystifying me is how the American drugs people can take it upon themselves to strip someone of a victory which took place in a completely different country and under the banner of the UCI, the world body for cycling who should presumably have the sole right to do this. I have to say there's more than a little hint here of another example of American presumption of world dominance.

Yes that was 1996 when Keith v Rangers in the third round was switched to Pittodrie then ICT v Rangers in the quarter finals was switched to Tannadice. Forres are meeting with police and other agencies tomorrow (Tue) morning to assess the feasibility of holding the game at Mossett Park which has a capacity of less than 1500, including 500 seats. Caley Thistle are at home to Dundee United on September 29th which is when the game is currently scheduled although of course it may well be switched for TV. Aberdeen are also at home that day although Ross County are away. It's interesting to assess how many fans that game could attract, given that Forres' normal home crowd would multiply severalfold while there might well also be quite a large Rangers support, given that this is the opening round of their big competition of the season.

And Brewster as well.

Nice to learn that your opinions are becoming humble Dougal!

12th man.... what arouses you is probably best left private. Whatever turns you on my friend! And yes, despite genuine initial uncertainty as to what Scarlet meant.... yes, jest did take over thereafter!

Scarlet, I'm afraid it's not really obvious at all. You said - Judging by the way ICT are playing compared to County I think they are going to roast them which actually contains a double ambiguity. Firstly you haven't said in which direction you are making the comparison with between ICT (who have made a better start than last season) and County (who have made a very good start in the SPL,) Secondly you haven't defined which of ICT and County are referred to by "they" and "them". There's nothing really wrong with your grammar on the other hand - except maybe that since you clearly aim to make a contrast between the two sides, then you might have been better to have said "compared WITH County".

Scarlet, I'm afraid from what you've said there, I find it a bit difficult to decide who you think will roast whom!

Just because someone was born in Scotland doesn't necessarily make them Scottish. 6 gold medals were won for team GB by athletes born outside the UK. This was an event for people eligible to represent GB and NI so there is really no point trying to claim Scottish medals. Let's wait till the commonwealth games when athletes who meet the eligibility criteria for Scotland and elsewhere can decide for themselves whether they want to be considered as Scottish or not. I have no doubt that on that basis Scotland will win more medals per head of population than the English. I think the games have been brilliant. Team GB came 3rd in the medal table with significantly more gold medals than Russia and Germany who normally would be expected to be well ahead of us. Whilst the Government may have spent a lot of money on infrastructure, the athletes have been supported through the lottery and their achievements will hopefully inspire youngsters to try out a variety of different sports and we will have a healthier population as a result. Also, top marks to the BBC. Coverage has been superb - and still is through their website. Agreed completely DD. For instance you've got Heather Stanning in the rowing whose has been claimed as a "Scottish Gold". Two significant problems there. Firstly she was one of an otherwise non Scottish team of 2 - just as the two canoeists were, and Hoy was one of a team of 3 and the gynmast guy was one of a team of four etc etc. And even more significantly Heather Stanning was born in Yeovil of English parents who happened to relocate eventually to Lossiemouth and she attended a local school there (Gordonstoun.)

I think you are right there. Double trap possibly. At the Paris Games in 1900 they used real pigeons!

Yeh mayte.... 'aindy wiv the old shooo'ah! Get the old Ruud Gullit to hit the Joe Cool on the Princess Margaret! By the way, did the Opening Ceremony feature dancing chimney sweeps? I hadn't actually been aware that shooting hadn't been been going so well for Team GB. I suppose there's always the danger that something will give way somewhere or not quite come up to the mark. On that subject, the entire Austrialian nation seems to have been struggling this time round. It used to be the case that the Aussies were so good at so much that the whole world used to pinch their coaches. Maybe they have none left! I had to laugh yesterday when Team Oz eventually did come good and Anna Mears beat Victoria Pendleton in the women's cycle sprint final (albeit after a controversial demotion in the opening ride). The Australian coach embraces Mears in front of an open mic with the immortal words (I won't try to do the Crocodile Dundee accent phonetically):- "I am SO f***ing proud of YOU". About a billion people must have been thoroughly entertained.