DoofersDad

18 minutes ago, ICTPAISLEY said:

Would be great to see a big turnout in the quarters. 

 

Absolutely.  Who knows, if we get Celtic at home, they might even open the North Stand.  

That's what happens when you take your chances.  According to the BBC stats, we only had 4 shots to Livi's 15.  Well done lads!

HT 2-0

FT 4-1

ICT. Billy Mckay

Opp. Nouble

Crowd 1710

9 hours ago, bdu98196 said:

Why would the concert companies be discussed at the AGM, its legally separate trading companies and allegedly based on the information provided by those in charge at the club it has no direct impact or affect on the club itself. Its never been clear how this would benefit the club - so we'd have to assume if it was profitable they would be a sum 'donated/invested' to the club by the directors (after taking their cut) but as the club never directly ran the fiasco then there would be no need to discuss at all.

The concert company was discussed at the last AGM.  It was the Club Board that took the decision to set up a legally separate company with the purpose of providing an additional income stream for the Club but without the Club being liable for any losses.  As Fraz implies, the Board may well not volunteer any information about this, but it is perfectly reasonable to expect the Board to answer questions from shareholders about the outcome of their decision, particularly as the company went into voluntary liquidation in November.  They can try and hide from the shareholders all they like, but at the end of the day, the only way they can avoid answering to the shareholders is to stand aside for a new regime.

The accounts due at the end of February will relate to the financial year ending 31 May 2022.  The last AGM was in September 2021 when the accounts to 31 May 2020 were discussed.  There has therefore been a very big delay for a meeting to discuss the accounts relating to the 2020/21 season.  Whilst it is a legal requirement to submit audited accounts, I don't think there is a legal requirement for the club to hold an AGM each year.  However, in the spirit of openness and engaging with shareholders and the wider fan base, it is clearly good practice to have an AGM and to hold it as soon as possible after the accounts are published.  Failure to do so inevitably leads to concerns that the financial position is not good.

Bear in mind that any financial implications for the club from the concerts will be a matter for the accounts relating to the year ending 31 May 2023 and therefore won't be due to be submitted at Companies House until around this time next year.  That of course does not mean that the Club can't discuss the matter with shareholders.  In September 2021 the Chairman and CEO were telling shareholders how the concerts would be a great money making venture for the club.  Now that the the concerts have taken place, they should be just as forthcoming about the outcome of those concerts and what the ongoing financial strategy will be in the light of that outcome.

The mood is all very depressing just now. It seems to me that the quickest way to lift the mood and create wider interest in the club is a good cup run.  
 

I find it very disappointing that the Club seem so devoid of ambition in this regard. What message does not opening the North Stand for a 4th round match against a good team send the fans?  It tells loyal supporters that they can’t sit in their normal seats and enjoy the banter with the usual folk round about them. It tells others that this is such an unimportant game that the club expects even less people to bother coming than usual. So why on Earth would anyone who doesn’t usually go bother to attend!
 

Does nobody at the Club remember that we actually won the Cup a few years ago?  Have they forgotten how that run galvanised the support?  We aren’t playing great football at the moment, but in the cup all you need is bit of luck and and one or two good performances and all of a sudden you are in the business end of the competition with a chance of getting to Hampden and/or a big pay day glamour tie against one of the ugly sisters.  It’s not just what the fans want, it’s what the guys on the pitch want too.   Big cup games at the National stadium can be the career highlight for a player. 
 

This year it looks as though we will have had a very big piece of luck with Queens Park fielding an ineligible player. If so, let’s hope the club can build on that and finally grasp the importance of this wonderful competition.  Livi are eminently beatable, but the players will do better with a strong vocal support urging them on. The Club really should be doing all it can to encourage as big a support as possible. I’ll not hold my breath though.

HT. 2-1

FT. 3-3

ICT. Billy Mckay

Opps. Thomas

Crowd. 1511

A win tomorrow would put us back ahead of Raith and closer in points to top spot than the relegation play off position.  It's a huge incentive.  Arbroath will know that if they lose, the bottom 3 start to look very isolated so they may be a bit nervous.  However, that was a terrific win for them at Dundee and Arbroath look to have brought some quality players in.  Looks like the sort of game that both managers will feel it is more important not to lose than to win it.  Could be a boring goalless draw but I'm predicting an early goal will make it a more open game with a few goals for a change.

HT. 1-1

FT  2-2

ICT. Billy Mckay

Opp. El Mhanni

Crowd. 1741

Ist Yellow. Carson

Well, 11 draws would take us on to 37 points which would probably be enough to keep us above the relegation play off spot - and with 6 games still to play!  I like your positive thinking!

18 minutes ago, Robert said:

The podium used has not been there since the concerts. 

Maybe it was sold off in part payment of debts?

1 hour ago, hislopsoffsideagain said:

I had also wondered about the camera. What happened to the wonderful highlights package Andy and his team put together for matches previously, from the other side of the ground?

 

It seems a shame that we've waited so long for a win yet three days later there's no sign of footage of two of the goals, let alone a highlights package.

Was wondering about that myself.  Andy and his team did a great job and it was always good to watch the highlights of the game whether you had been to the game or not.  Watching the highlights is just another little thing that connects people with the club.  It probably helps to encourage people to attend an extra game or two, or buy some ICT merchandise from the shop.  At least there was a report of this week's game on the Club's website, which is more than can be said of our previous victory which was against Stirling Albion in the Scottish Cup!  That meant there is no mention on the Club's website of what, I believe, was Max Ram's first goal for the club.

On the subject of the report of last Saturday's game, I note it was written by someone called Marko Srsen.  I know nothing about Marko but I am assuming English is not his first language.  Despite that, he has written a very good report.  However, although his use of English is generally excellent, there are a few things which don't read well.  It would have read much better if someone at the Club had bothered to spend just a couple of minutes with Marko in editing it.  Not only would that have made it a better read for us punters, it would have been a great help to Marko in further improving his grasp of our often confusing language.  

These little things matter to people and make them feel valued.  It is just another indication of things not being right at the club.

5 hours ago, Gringo said:

I think we deserve to be optimistic after that result - even we only scored four of the six goals. A win certainly adds some much needed joy from the recent dross. A win like can have a remarkable effect on motivation so who knows what will happen. Time will tell. 

It doesn't always work that way.  Remember that last season we we also had a crushing 6-1 win when we beat Morton away in December.  We then went on a dreadful run of 11 league games without a win.  

A superb bit of footage showing just how much times have changed!  It would be interesting to know what proportion of the male population of the town was at the game.  This was just 2 of the Inverness sides playing each other, yet a similar proportion of the city's population today and we would need to have a stadium of probably 3 times the capacity of the current Caledonian Stadium.  The crowd was free to swarm onto the pitch after the game without any sense of risk to the players, lots of spectators were smoking and no doubt many a hip flask was being put to good use.  Most of the male supporters were wearing ties.  We will never have that kind of atmosphere in our current location. Some things don't change though - we still play hoof ball.

I'd be going along if I could, but unfortunately I am an addition to the fans' injury list having slipped on the ice a couple of days and landed on my back.  I can barely walk to the loo, let alone the stadium.  Hopefully no slip ups from the team today and we can get back to winning ways.  Hoping for the best but fearing the worst though.

HT  0-0

FT. 0-1

ICT. Billy Mckay

Cove. Megginson

Crowd 2094

1st Yellow. Carson

14 hours ago, dougal said:

 

Another point that hasn’t gone unnoticed for me anyway is the disappearance of the Supporters trust or whatever they call themselves these days. Why have they apparently gone to ground once again? 
 

 

The Supporters Trust hasn't disappeared, but is alive and kicking.  A brief report of the recent AGM was posted in the Supporter's Trust section of this site just a couple of days ago.  

The Supporters Trust held their AGM on 13th December with members attending both in person and via Zoom.  Chair Jennifer Aitchison reported a very significant and welcome increase in membership with nearly twice as many members than a year ago. I (Peter Mutton) had informed colleagues a while ago that in order to focus on other aspects of my life, I needed to step down from the Board, unfortunately, nobody else has come forward to serve on the Board and there are now only 4 members serving on the Board.  In addition to Jennifer, the Board members are Laura Grant, Alison McInnes and John West.

Jennifer updated members with the latest work of the Board.  The Trust continues to try to work with the the club but with limited success.  Earlier in the year we had offered to work with the club in raising money for a roof for the West Stand.  Requests for a meeting to discuss options went unanswered.  More recently the Club has contacted the Trust with non-negotiable plans for a roof over part of the stand and asked us to be part of a fundraising group.   Despite having had no opportunity to input into the plans, the Trust again demonstrated its goodwill by agreeing to help.  However, after an initial meeting, it appears to have stalled again with meetings being cancelled at short notice.

We are also trying to liaise with the Club on a fairly detailed survey we have been working on about the match day experience.  We are awaiting feedback from the Club regarding this. The reach of the survey and therefore the quality of the data will be significantly greater if this is a joint effort with the Club and therefore, the Trust Board very much hopes the Club will engage constructively on this. With or without the Club, the Trust will be launching this important survey in the New Year.

At a meeting in September, the CEO told Jen and I that the Club were close to appointing 2 new members to the Board and that the AGM would take place soon after that.  It has taken a while, but there are now 2 new Club Directors and therefore we can reasonably expect that the Club will hold an AGM soon.  Given concerns about the Club's finances in the light of a number of factors, it is important that the Club Directors update shareholders and supporters at a long overdue AGM.  The Supporters Trust will continue to push for this.

Given the concerns about the Club's finances, it is more important than ever that the supporters of the Club have a strong voice.  The Trust has grown in strength in the past year and it now has a far better infrastructure behind it to support a growing membership.  Whilst the membership has almost doubled in the past year, it is important that it continues to grow strongly in order that it can be seen to be properly representative of the wider fan base.  But a growing membership and a sound infrastructure counts for nothing if there aren't people to do the work.  The Supporters Trust Board can have a maximum of 10 elected members and now there are only 4.  They need your help.  Jen, Laura, Alison and John have been a pleasure to work with and all are passionate about the future of the football club and the need to get the voice of the supporters better embedded in the working of the club.  But they all have a range of work, family and other commitments which restricts the time they can spend on work for the Trust.

The Trust urgently needs people to help both on the Board and behind the scenes.  You can find out more about the Trust on the website, or, if you are interested in helping out one way or another, you can contact the Trust at info@ictsupporterstrust.org. 

All best wishes to everyone for a happy and successful New Year.  And here's to some genuine togetherness between club and supporters and to success on the pitch.

Looks like the weakest starting line up for a league game all season. Good luck to the lads, but that line up looks like a damage limitation exercise. 

HT  1-0

FT  3-0

ICT. Shaw

Opp. Lawless

Crowd 2861

Yellow. Graham

HT  1-0

FT  3-1

4 hours ago, Scotty said:

The club will no doubt argue that this is exactly what is happening. the wording of the statement is literally a 'don't travel' notification with a pretty passive aggressive dig at the SPFL. 

"because of our continued unprecedented injury situation and the lack of assistance we applied for via the proper channels at the SPFL, the club will have no choice but to play a team in this tie which will not include many of our current 1st team squad."

If there is blowback, they will argue they asked for assistance, were given none and simply played the strongest team they could. It would be hard to argue that given recent team lines.  

 

 

 

If the club say they "will have no choice", then presumably they will also have no choice the following week (also at Hamilton) unless several players who played against Dundee have miraculously recovered from previously unreported injuries sustained in that game.  I do sympathise with the plight the club is in and I would be supportive of bringing in 2 or 3 youngsters for the game. But public statements like that really aren't very helpful.  We may have a long injury list, but the team that played against Dundee are all in the first team squad.  One or two may have picked up injuries in that game but clearly we have a choice to play a team which consists of entirely 1st team squad players.

A bit of a grim watch that.  There was a good bit of effort and we were generally OK defensively, but we could have played all night and not scored.  I lost count of the times when players either failed to see or failed to execute simple balls into space for team mates to run onto.  Instead, it was foot on the ball, have a look around and then play the ball backwards for it to be hoofed aimlessly forward.  When we did have an attempt it was invariably feeble and off target.  With the players we have missing, I'm not expecting us to win the league or even get close, but any player who is good enough to be in the squad should be able to execute the basics of the game better than we saw today.  Glimpses of quality were few and far between.  I hate to say it, but this is relegation form were are witnessing at the moment. 

HT. 0-1

FT. 1-2

ICT. Billy Mckay

Opp. McMullan

Crowd. 2284

Hopefully the club will open up the North Stand for this tie and make it look as though they actually want fans to come and support the team in a competition we actually won a few years ago.   It's not the most attractive tie but it is eminently winnable.  We need a good run in the cup to get a bit of a buzz around the city for the team.  Hopefully club and fans can come together to get the cup spirit back for this one.