Kingsmills

Could be a mixes blessing. Our lot haven't seen a blade of grass this year whereas Motherwell seem to have hit form under their new experienced management duo.

There's little doubt that Dundee will hit a sticky patch between now and the end of the season. The big question is whether ICT will have the grit and consistency to take advantage of any slip.

What County are doing is gradually signing up their important squad members on extended contracts in stark contrast to what's happening at our club.

Maybe the furure's not so bleak after all !

Not by nature, no. Depends on the players he's got available. Remember that great Hearts team he had with Paul Ritchie and Davie Weir at the back, Colin Cameron and Neil McCann on the wings, plus Stephen Adam up front? Falkirk as well were pretty good to watch. In fact, Killie were too for a good while. I suspect it might be Motherwell. Billy Brown wants to stay in the area (that's why JJ turned down Aberdeen). I too think they will end up at Fir Park, probably sooner rather than later.

While I am as cynical as the next man about the competence of our board in relation to legal and commercial matters, they cannot be faulted in this cae. They were prudent enough to insert a sell on clause in te transfer contract with Dundee United. They could not benefit from any subsequent contract between the Arabs and any third party such as Celtic not being a party to that contract.

Jefferies and Brown are an established managerial team who have enjoyed success at a number of clubs over long number of years. They have done well at Kilmarnock in the face of a huge debt and a budget that has been severely cut year after year. Latterly, theie seems little doubt that the chairman has, for whatever reason, et out to render their position at Rugby Park untenable. I would be very happy indeen if hey were to bring their ability and experience to the TCS.

On our day, we are certainly capable of beating any of the three either home or away.

Far from inspiring but hardly gives us an insurmountable task assuing we can get past Motherwell. Looks like Ross County have be given a path to reach the quarter finals of this tournament at long last.

Awkward questions ma well be asked but experience suggests that nobody will feel compelled to answer them.

Are we or are we not in the hat for the draw this afternooon ? What better incentive for a bit of giant killing in this round than an enticing tie in the next ?

The Q.O.S. match should be a good choice. Ought to be a free flowing game with both sides likely to score and concede in equal measure. Neither team is quite out of the promotion race just yet but neither can relly afford to lose any further ground to Dundeeso the game ought to be tense and exciting as well free flowing. As far as seats ae concerned, if you are a fogey like me, I'd go for the Main Stand towards the rear. If less of fogey, the North Stand has a better atmosphere although our ground tends to be pretty quiet even when he crowd is relatively healthy. Let us know how you get on.

Live on SKY at 2.15 pm today. Quite fancy Inverurie Locos myself !

Anyone who is genuinely committed to representing their country rather than a self serving egotist with much less ability than he apparently thinks he has who believes that he has the right to pick and choose what games he is prepared to play and which manager he is willing to serve under !

Leaving Boyd aside for a moment, Ferguson and McGregor do not deserve the honour of plaaying for their country ever again. Binge drinking at Cameron House on the eve of a vital World Cup qualifier is one thing but their susequent purile, immature actings at Hampden clearly contemptuous of the long suffering Scotland fans merits exlusion sine die especially as neither has shown any sign of contriition. As far as Boyd is concerned, I personally would prefer if he never donned a dark blue shirt again especially in view of his recent public utterings through the tabloid press which are hardly redolent of humility but, in his case, if Craig Levein decided to recall him I, unlike with the other two, could just about live with the decision That said, if he is recalled, I'd love to see how he reacts too a few matches as a squad player or unused sub !

Sensible pricing.

I wouldn't be too concerned, this game will be nowhere close to a sell out.

An entertaining match dominated by ICT especially in the first half. Could easily have had 4 or 5 goals on another day. A vital 3 points just about keeping us on the fringes of contention and probably ending any lingering hopes that Raith had for promotion leaving just six teams in contention. Duff looked very composed, could be a decent aquisition if we can keep him until the end of the season.

I heard some pretty serious accusations being aimed at Dougie Imrie yesterday via song and abusive shouting. What would be interesting to know would be if these accusations can be substantiated or if it was fans who are pissed off at the likely hood Dougie will be leaving us come January. If anyone can PM me with the answers that would be great so that I can work out whether it is a section of our fans who are ar$eholes or whether Dougie is the ar$e. Off topic !

He signed for Livi when they were our 1st Division rivals. and were able to more than double his wages. Surely can't be blamed for that.

QOS are now playing his wages and he was simply doing for them yesterday what he did for us on numerous occasions with considerable success for many seasons. His status as a member of the ICT Hall of Fame is unaffected in my eyes. Apart from anything else, I'm in little doubt that he'd still be playing for us if he's been given any say in the matter.

Without Russell Duncan we'd have no experience at all in the centre of the park.

We will not be changing our manager because we simply can't afford to.

Why? Some of our fans need to get a reality check. I appreciate there was the typical pre season optimism that you see from nearly every team relegated from the SPL into SFL1 but there were signs early on we wouldn't be good enough to sustain a title challenge. All four of those teams are better than us. ---------------- Now playing: Innerpartysystem - Die Tonight Live Forever via FoxyTunes Yes I know and I didn't expect to be prompted this season but to do as poorly as that against the better teams in this mediocre league certainly beggers my belief !

So that's 2 from a possible 21 from the top four, shocking!!! Almost beggers belief for the club relegated from the higher division.