Kingsmills

16 minutes ago, lizi said:

It’s now the time of year for the Club to send out letters regarding Season Tickets and then letters about Sponsorship.  However, despite after all the restrictions due to Covid, hospitality returned a while ago and still no thank you to those of us who, year after year, pay hundreds to sponsor a player or players.  Why has the Club not had a Sponsors Night, even a tea and sandwiches, meet their sponsored player and get a photo?   I know of quite a few who, disappointed in the Club, are considering not sponsoring again.   It’s the Clubs loss - they are happy to ask for money but with no acknowledgement to these fans.   

As well as leading to a potential loss of income it is sheer bad manners and an absence of basic courtesy towards dedicated fans who dig deep to help keep the club afloat in challenging circumstances.

Shame on them.

20 minutes ago, Leaky Blinder said:

I may be a contrarian or have FOPA ( Fear of part- timer accusations) I actually didn't try to get a ticket for Hampden as although I had been a ST holder 94-08 I hadn't been attending regularly during that season due to work. Watching the match on TV & from Social media I did spot a fair few folk who couldn't actually have directed you to the stadium from the town centre so I cut off my nose slightly on that one. It actually took the pandemic for me to buy my first ST in more than a decade & support the club as I feared we might buckle financially  .. perhaps after a decade I also had FOAM ( Fear of attending a match ) .. Might change my user name to Creamola ! 

If you want to start a petition to bring back Creamola Foam count me in.

Nothing quite like a butterscotch Angel Delightful washed down with a raspberry Creamola Foam.

1 hour ago, DoofersDad said:

Good post.  I'm not a fan of flares myself but they are commonplace on the continent and rarely cause a problem.  Problems happen when we get too restrictive on what folk can do and and what you can't.  Flares can cause injury if thrown and can disrupt games if thrown onto the pitch. If you ban flares, then when people defy the ban by lighting flares then they are more likely to also throw them - it minimises the chance of them being caught literally red handed.  Rather than ban flares, far better to allow them in specific areas of the ground on the understanding that they won't be thrown.

I like the idea of mixed family areas as a first step to having mixed crowds as they do in other sports.  As many rugby fans will tell you, the craic with fans of the opposing team can add significantly to the enjoyment of the occasion.

We are all different and like different ways of watching the game.  Grounds should cater to that, but with the best will in the world, clubs are constrained by the legislation.  Obviously the Hillsborough tragedy was awful and avoiding any chance of a repetition was a priority, but I think the legislative response has been OTT. It has resulted in a one size fits all type of accommodation which has far less appeal to youngsters than the large open terracing of old.  Football at our level needs to attract the younger generation if it is to survive.  Mixed family area would be a great way to introduce the younger children to the game.  Open terracing would allow the older children to move about a bit and have a bit of fun and socialising meaning they would enjoy the occasion even when the game was rubbish.  I'd go for the open terracing myself as long as I had a safety railing to lean against and a roof over my head.  That can all be done and be done safely.  It is well beyond time that the powers that be listened to what the fans want and got the legislation changed.

I used to bring flares into football grounds week after week in the 1970s but, as far as I am aware  the only crimes I was comiting were against fashion and good taste.

Back in the days when the circumstances of my trouser bottoms was twice that of my waist in stark contrast to the relative proportions these days.

9 minutes ago, RiG said:

Livingston (meh), Cove Rangers (yawn), Kelty Hearts (interesting) and Albion Rovers (a change) for us this year.

A challenging group but one we are capable of qualifying from.

Only a week now until the postponed qualifer againt Ukraine.

Usually when football fans complain that the whole World is against them it's sheer paranoia. However, next Wednesday it will be literally true and I suspect that, even subconsciously, the officials will be inclined to give 50/50 decisions in favour of Ukraine.

It will be a hard fought encounter with Ukraine understandably motivated like never before but, whilst every single one of us has huge sympathy for that benighted country, we need to put that aside and be just as motivated.

Great compassion and support for them in the stands but, for 90 minutes at least, letting none of it flow onto the pitch.

10 minutes ago, caleyboy said:

no no Kingsmills they appeared for you lot

That's another fine mess that I've got into...

3 hours ago, RiG said:

Couple of thoughts after the larger than usual crowds from the last couple of games:

1. Subject to any GDPR type issues the club should be pinging out emails to everyone who bought tickets for the game on Friday to encourage them to get a season ticket for the next campaign. Perhaps a survey of attitudes towards the club to find out why they might not have attended prior to Friday to see if cost, time or some other barrier exists to prevent people from attending more regularly; and
2. This will be the last season for match day streaming to UK residents I believe as COVID starts to fade away so what will happen to ICTTV and will we see more supporters down the stadium on a typical Saturday instead of watching it on a laptop / TV / phone on the toilet?

I largely agree with you apart from PPV.

I don't think this has had a huge impact on either our home crowds or travelling support and does generate a net profit for the club.

More importantly, it allows those who live too far from Inverness to make regular attendance practical  those elderly fans and others with mobility issues and those who are ill to share the action live with their fellow fans.

I doubt if the football authorities will agree but I personally would love to see that facility continued and enhanced.

50 minutes ago, caleyboy said:

who were they like?

One was a bit like Stan Laurel and the other one a dead ringer for Oliver Hardy.

22 minutes ago, RednBlackComeback said:

 

Those young FCU lads were my kids' highlight of the whole evening! They were fascinated by them and daughter hasn't stopped watching clips of them on the the youtube footy adventures channel since !

I think anything that adds to the atmosphere and encourages more young fans to attend is a good thing.

I have to disagree. Anything that leaves a significant number of other fans uncomfortable or even frightened can never be a good thing.

Football needs to be welcoming and inclusive to all and conduct like this, even if it does entertain and amuse some people ought not to be condoned.

2 hours ago, old caley girl said:

I'm not on the testimonial committee but I'm told there will be later on in the year. 

His former club Blacburn Rovers would be a good option.

Great to see the new format. I was getting heartily sick of being beaten by Hearts at Tynecastle.

Would be great to to make more progress in one of the major cup competitions than we seem to have in recent years.

For what it's worth, I disagree with those who suggest that Rooney was wrong to celebrate his goal so enthusiastically.

These days  players often have a dozen or more clubs in the course of their careers and, in my opinion, only owe loyalty to the club that they are playing for at any one time.

Rooney was fully committed when he played for us and we miss him badly. However, he has been a St Johnstone player now for a number of seasons and a very influential one at that. He is perfectly entitled to celebrate with his team mates and in front of his own fans without intending or showing any disrespect to us.

In my book, the only exceptions to that are true club legends, like in our case, Tokely or Munro who have moved on after very many seasons although they are becoming increasingly rare at all levels.

5 hours ago, Leaky Blinder said:

Agreed FJ. Also new young supporters. My daughter (11) attended a game for the first time and 4 goals on friday in the first leg including an exciting finale on the night left her asking when we could go again. Work commitments yesterday meant we couldn't go down last night to Perth but I have now promised her an away trip next season v the Rangers which she is buzzing about ( sunny Cove that is) 

 

Well done to her and to you.

It may not be what she might have been expecting but I am sure that she will find a visit to the Balmoral Stadium a much more pleasant experience than being abused and pelted with goodness knows what in the away section at Ibrox.

1 hour ago, old caley girl said:

That group is actually quite menacing? All dressed in black with 2 of the flares ( as you can see actual flares) thrown at stewards. Then covered up their faces with the flags pretty sharpish too. 

I don't know if it was the fact this game felt so much but the normal friendly ST J/ICT atmosphere wasn't there. 

Absolute idiots. Silly young boys demonstrating that they have a lot of growing up still to do.

If I was a St Johnstone fan I would have been cringing with embarrassment at these thoroughly juvenile but still, for some, very intimidating antics.

1 hour ago, old caley girl said:

I totally agree. I think he has learned loads this season 

Me too which is why in my post I come down on the side of keeping him on. It would have been a different story if I was asked 6 weeks ago.

Congratulations to caleycallum but, even more importantly, thanks yet again to Gringo for his time and effort, a marathon effort this season, to allow us, even those of us who always come nowhere, to have a bit of additional fun throughout the season.

Greatly appreciated Gringo.

A very worthy cause and a practical way of showing appreciation to a great club servant for over a decade all to frequently blighted by injury.

We may in all likelihood never see Aaron on the pitch again so a perfect opportunity to say goodbye, if goodbye it is and allow him to leave with some very well merited boost to his finances.

From the out of contract list, my priority would be Welsh and Devine.

Doran has been a magnificent servant over many years. However, it has become increasingly obvious this season that over a decade of significant injuries and gruelling rehabilitation have taken their toll.

It would be with considerable reluctance and great sorrow but with such a limited budget and a thin squad, I fear that the time has come to bit a fond and immensely grateful farewell.

Congratulations to Wngwie for having the only correct answer in the poll. His reward in the opportunity to watch Cove Rangers next season on four occasions.

As for the over optimistic rest of us, our consolation prize is the opportunity to watch Cove Rangers on four occasions next season.

Well, there it ends.

We were the better team in the first half but failed to capitalise on it by scoring. It is a bit of a cliche that you need to score whilst on top but true nevertheless.

We were two slow coming out of the blocks in the second half and, before we knew it, found ourselves 2 down and effectively out of it.

Those last 45 minutes of a very long season were just a bridge too far after a gruelling regular season peppered by injuries and other reasons for losing key players at vital times followed by the play offs which were even more gruelling and peppered by further injuries to vital players, suspension and absolutely horrendous refereeing failures.

I don't blame the players. In the circumstances they did remarkably well to get us as close as they did and can, to a man, leave the stage with their heads held high as can'ting the fans who to a man, woman, boy and girl were, once again absolutely magnificent. I struggle to remember when we had such loud, loyal and enthusiastic support.

As for the future, while we will be saying goodbye to a number, I believe that we have the nucleus of a squad capable of competing for promotion next season including a rapidly improving Austin Samuels and hopefully a fully fit and improving Roddy Macgregor.

We will need to add a few and bring in a couple fresh loanees but more recently Robbo has proved himself more adept at recruitment than when he was manager probably because that is now his main focus.

The one position I remain unsure of and in genuine doubt about is head coach.

Dodds will probably accept himself that he was appointed as the cheap and convenient option.

I was worried at the time that there was a reason why, despite a long and relatively successful coaching career, no club had sought fit to appoint him as manager in his iwn right.

I think those fears proved justified with long spells where he was like a rabbit in the headlights with no tactical awareness and no plan to make constructive changes when everyone else could clearly see that things were not working.

However, in fairness, towards the end of the season and particularly during the play offs he seemed to grow more into the role and things certainly improved in that regard.

For that reason, I would be inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt and retain him in place but on the very clear understanding that if we were not actively involved in the title race at Christmas then he would be replaced.

Once again great credit to our magnificent fans who once again sang their hearts out in Perth last night. It was a roller coaster but it was fun while it lasted.

8 hours ago, KirkieRobRoy said:

That was tough to take. I actually said at h-t that we'd played really well but might pay for not taking the chances. At h-t Davidson clearly reminded his players that a similar 45 might see them in the Championship. It was a great support from ICT, too.

 

Not sour grapes but we should just have promotion playoffs as in England, not a second chance for sides who deserve to be relegated.

I actually quite like the format of the second last team from the upper division against 2,3 and 4. Don't forget our divisions are half the size of those in England and 20% being automatically relegated each year is probably too much.

However, there is no justification for the Premiership play offs having a different format from the other divisions other than sheer self interest.

I can also see merit in the final being a one off affair at a suitable neutral venue after a 2 legged semi final.

1 hour ago, RiG said:

Fantastic effort!

Yip. If we do fall at the final hurdle it won't be due to lack of support from the fans.

We all like to see flowing, skillful and entertaining football but tonight a scrappy backs to the wall single goal win by whatever means will do perfectly well.

2 hours ago, CaleyTennis said:

Just out of curiosity, how much would we gain for promotion, would it be enough to entice Reece with a good contract offer ?

I found the Premiership prize money but couldn't find anything for the Championship. 

Taking into account increased prize money, gate receipts and commercial income, we will be well over a million pounds better off than in the Championship although obviously our outgoings, particularly wages, would also be greater and, even if we were immediately relegated we would have the benefit of the parachute payment.

40 minutes ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

Mel Gibson is.... Billy Dodds.   See Caley Thistle mooning St Johnstone before the battle....  

More like Mel Brooks..