DoofersDad

I think Kingsmills in post 19 and Yngwie in post 21 have hit the nail on the head. Of course we should all be delighted that we have ended as high as fourth, reached a semi final, scored loads of goals and had players called up for international duty but if we are going to build on what has been acheived we have to look beyond that general picture and look a bit more at the detail. It has been a season not so much of 2 halves, but of three phases. We started playing a more attractive style but not getting results. In the first 7 games we only got 5 points and failed to win a single game. We then went on a terrific run both in the league and the cups, success which led to Terry being courted by Barnsley. There was joy unreserved when he turned Barnsley down and the response was to thump Aberdeen. During that great run we took a massive 32 points from just 15 league games. Then reality set in. Since then we have lost both cup matches and have got just 17 points from 16 matches. In that time, we have only won 4 games and all of those by a single goal margin. We did not just "bottle" it today or last week, we have missed out on a European place because of a marked loss of form over a prolonged period. The reality is that since the turn of the year when Terry announced he was staying, our record has been very mediocre at best, In fact, during that period our form has been that of a team struggling to avoid relegation. If we want to have any hope next season of emulating or even surpassing the overall success of this season, we need to face the reality of what our recent record has been and try to understand the reasons for it. My own view, for what it is worth, is that having the manager heading down to Barnsley for talks really knocked the confidence out of the players. I argued at the time that he had won nothing yet, but if the season produced as much as it promised then he would suddenly be a far more marketable commodity. By making it clear that he wanted a move away sooner rather than later, he gave the message to the players that he did not have the belief in them that they would achieve. Once the euphoria of his "I'm staying " announcement was out of the way, the reality set in and all of a sudden, the players lost their belief and stopped playing with the kind of confidence they had been before. We need to be clear that if we pick up next season from where we have left off this season, we will not be 4th next season - we will be relegation candidates. That sounds depressing I know, but the positives of the situation are that we have a lot of our better players already signed up for next season and the brilliant period up to the defeat by St Mirren proves that the team is capable of winning whilst playing great attacking football. Because of the overall success of this season there will be an expectation that we are top 6 next season. But we will not achieve that unless we can get that spark of confidence reinstalled at the beginning of the season so that we can get off to winning ways from the outset. Yes, it has been our best season ever overall and it is right to celebrate that, but there is some serious thinking to be done behind the scenes if we are to match or better it next season.

Bit of a stange day and rather mixed emotions. I am not as down as last week and I suppose, at the end of the day, that means a place in Europe would have been the icing on the cake but finishing above County was what really mattered to me. OK. I know, that's a pretty negative attidude - but I'm a fan of my team and the bragging rights over the local rivals are the number one priority. I was baffled by the team selection. It was a real blow to lose OTJ to injury on top of Foran and Draper to suspension and I was astonished that in the circumstances neither Ross or Sutherland started. County were always going to close us down quickly and Pepper in particular really struggled. I have been feeling a bit sorry for him as he made some promising contributions as a sub early in the season but has hardly had a look in since. To then throw him in the deep end in such a high pressure match without the support of the more experienced players was a big ask and I'm afraid he was not up to it today. For me, the match was set up for Sutherland. Because of the size and state of the pitch and County's pressing game, often the only option was the old hoof up the park which gave poor Billy no chance again. We needed Sutherland's bigger physical prescence up front. He was, as usual, played wide when he came on but neverthesless, we certainly looked a bit more of a threat when he belatedly came on. Also, it looked as though G Shinnie had been told to stay back - surely it would have been better to have him in midfield with Taylor dropping to left back. But credit to County. They were far the better side on the day and they will feel they deserved to win by a bigger margin. Biggest plus point today (not that there were many) was the crowd. A really good atmosphere and just great to see so many stay for so long and make so much noise after the game. It was a great send off for the team and competely overshadowed the appreciation the County players got (and make no mistake, they have had a superb season). I left the ground some 15 to 20 minutes after the final whistle and could still hear the Inverness supporters in the ground as I crossed the Railway Bridge. Well done, lads, brilliant stuff!

Really sorry to see Shane go. I think he's a great player in the making but it just hasn't quite clicked for him. He has been consistently played out of position and never been given a decent run in the team. If he goes down a division or two I think he will score a hatful of goals and then have the confidence to succeed at SPL level. Never quite developed the composure here to take the chances here when they came his way. He'll not be forgotton - there's plenty of dents in the back of the North Stand to act as permanent reminders of his time here.

Coming so soon after Fergie's resignation! Can we now expect City to announce the appointment of a manager with a proven track record?

I think it's fair to say we've exceeded expectations.

Fair do's. Motherwell have been good this season. Let's hope McCall and his team win something on Sunday as well.

I think you'll find the word "scum" fits in better with the rhythm of the tune. But should a song not be about what is good about Doran and not one that has a pop at our rivals? How about Aaron, Hair on his chest, He may be small, but Doran's the best!

Is that the same players who chose not to acknowledge the support before going up the tunnel. I'm surprised there has not been more comment on this. Maybe it was because there were so few of us left in the ground to witness it but frankly I was astonished at how many people left. OK, so we lost a match we should have won but the players gave it their all and after the game we were still in 3rd place with just one game to go! It was the last home game for some of the guys who are leaving and who have contributed so much to the club and it is reasonable to think that the vast majority would stay behind to acknowledge that. When Utd's 2nd goal went in there was a mass exodus - it was as though we needed a win to avoid relegation and the goal was the final nail in the coffin. Just unbelievable. Is it any wonder the players left the field in such a dejected manner. Football is a game of tiny margins and had one little thing gone our way and we had ended up winning rather than losing then it would no doubt have been joy unreserved and not a soul would have left. That would have been great, but whether we won or lost, in the grand scale of things it makes little difference to what has been achieved this season. If some players were wondering whether or not to sign new contracts I guess Saturday's mass exodus will have made their minds up for them. I can only hope that after the low of Saturday and the disrespect shown to them by at least 90% of the crowd, the players will be able to pick themselves up and demonstrate the same level of commitment on Sunday. And win, lose or draw and regardless of what happens in Perth, I really hope that the fans all stay behind on Sunday and acknowledge the team for what has been a magnificent achievement in attaining the best league position ever by a Highland team. Clinching a European place would be the icing on the cake but not clinching it will not represent failure. The players and officials have done a great job this year, now it is time for the supporters to stand up and be counted and show the team and the club some real support and loyalty.

If they're not good enough for a team languishing in the bottom half of the table, what on earth makes anyone think they're good enough for the team that's 3rd?

But the site is all the better for his contributions.

He'd have shown a bit more respect for us if he'd missed. Seriously though, I also noted his muted celebration - it was almost an apologetic acknowledgment of scoring. That doesn't fit with showing respect as a former player if he's only played for a week as a trialist. It may be that he turned down an offer from us and in truth, it probably was not a particularly attractive offer. These lads need to make a living - he may have had a better offer from Utd but maybe his heart is in the Highlands and he'd like to see us do well.

I thought both Foran and Draper under-performed on Saturday but a match away at Dingwall with their narrow pitch is just the sort of game that you would want the two of them. Having both out will be a big blow and we risk being a bit lightweight in defensive midfield. Clearly OTJ should return (hopefully with instructions to shoot on sight) and I would bring in Devine who would also be able to offer a bit of cover for G Shinnie storming up the left. But I wouldn't stop the changes there. I think the type of game is set up for Sutherland to show what he can do and I would bring him in place of Ross who was very much the weak link against Dundee Utd. The narrower pitch makes playing 2 in the centre a better option and I think the contrasting styles of Sutherland and McKay will cause County all sorts of problems. It may be that we will clinch 3rd spot even if we lose but we need to go for the win. County's confidence is low and I can't see them scoring many. To my mind we need to go with an attack minded approach and a hatrick apiece from Billy and Shane would round the season off nicely I think.

Very interesting article. Fergie will be a hard act to follow but if anyone can do it, Moyes may just be the man. I just hope that Everton can find someone of a similar calibre to keep them above their over-hyped whinging neighbours - but that's enough about Tranmere.

There are times when players go down too easily but where there is clearly contact. In those cases it is genuinely difficult for referees to be sure whether it is a foul or not, far less whether it is simulation. Pawlett's dive was obvious and there can be no excuse for it. The chances are that Dundee were doomed in any case, but that is not the point. If we are to have games won on merit, then cheating in all its forms needs to be severely punished - not just in the game it occurs in but with a small points deduction on top. If that was to happen the clubs would soon make sure their players played by the rules and the game would be a lot better for it

The Bridge End would do for me. I have a fundemental objection to it being referred to as a "stand" when you are not actually allowed to stand. It could of course be the "You are not allowed to Stand"

Don't be so negative. If we beat Dundee Utd and Celtic beat St J next week then the 2 matches Motherwell have will have no bearing on whether we are 3rd, 4th or 5th. However, if County and St J both beat Motherwell and we win our two remaining games, we could still get 2nd spot on goal difference.

Liverpool won loads under Paisley and he was a key person behind the scenes before he took the helm. ICT have won just the SFL under Terry Butcher (after we got relegated with him in charge). We are having a good season this year but we are still to win a national competition at the highest level. Stands should named after individuals only when they have acheived something truly remarkable for the club on a sustained basis. Butcher is doing well at the moment but he is a long way short of deserving a stand named after him. There are other players and managers just as worthy at the moment IMHO.

I'm actually with Adams on this one. It seems to me to be the sort of occasion to which all clubs should be represented at regardless of whether you are up for an award. If a team like County who have done so well this year are not invited to be represented then I wonder who is. Apart from those nominated who was there? Is it basically an excuse for a night out on expenses for officialdom? Or could they not afford to have any one else there after Higdon had drunk his fill? I also question why they announce the winners before the end of the season. Obviously I very much hope County won't steal 3rd spot but it is still a possibility. Should they do that then I think Adams would be deserving of the award. I don't like the man, but to be fair, you can't argue with what he has achieved.

Draw at full time. That neans that if we beat Dundee U next week and St J fail to win at Celtic, we will have clinched 3rd spot before the last game. Massive game for us on Saturday.

I agree with Fraz on this. One accepts that decisions are made in an instant and at times it is well nigh impossible to be spot on, but the issue here is when there are obvious things which are missed and which can have huge implications for the clubs. My case in point was the Watford Leeds game yesterday. Had Watford won they would have got automatic promotion to the Premier Division but they lost and now it is the agony of the play offs. Early in the first half Leeds played a long ball through but the Leeds forward chasing it was wrong side of the defender who was shielding the ball for the keeper to collect. Seeing he was not going to get the ball, the Leeds lad gave the defender a nudge just as the keeper was coming which made the defender lose his balance and crash into his own keeper. Both were injured and the keeper quite badly requiring a substitution. The effect was the same as if the Leeds lad had deliberately charged into the keeper with his elbow or shoulder when clearly it would have been a straight red. The referee was in a good position to see the push and should have sent him off - he didn't and I don't think the lad was even booked - but it was a cynically action which deserved red. As a result, Leeds kept 11 men on the park when they should have had 10 and the reserve keeper was implicated in both of Leeds goals. This is a case in point where the referee's failure to do his job properly may have cost a club several millions of pounds. We see far too many occasions when big decisions are badly wrong and when obvious fouls such as holding and shirt pulling are simply ignored. Yes, it can be a very difficult job, but it is reasonable to expect that referees at the top level in the game get the more obvious decisions correct.

1 - 1 at half time. I was quite encouraged to see the line up for Celtic after hearing Lennon's comments earlier in the week. There are players there who will want to prove themselves and put themselves in the frame for first picks next season. Whatever Lennon may say about sacrificing games, he will want the team to go out on a high for the last game of the season at Celtic Park and to have the fans leaving happy after seeing a good victory. The players selected today will be wanting to share in that. County really have to win this if they are going stay in the chase for European places and will be up for it 100%. What we don't want is Celtic players who will chicken out of challenges because there is nothing particular at stake for them. A certain Greek is in that category and he is not in the squad. I do, however, think that County are a well organised side who have as much determination as any team in the league. They have the type of game suited to their dreadful pitch and having got the equaliser I expect them to go on and win. I hope I am wrong!

Davie's points are interesting. I was not able to get to the game and therefore can only comment on what others have said and not on what I saw, but it has been fascinating reading the comments of who played well in the game and comparing that with the match report. We are being told that Hogg was superb, Meekings was on top form and that Shinnie was MOTM for the way he managed to contain Humphries. Reguero was apparently great and it made a great difference having Draper back in the middle. I wonder, then, why we conceded 3 goals and Motherwell had 2 or 3 other glorious chances which they squandered. It seems obvious to me that the key to our win was the ability to create and convert chances. This is something which has been somewhat lacking in recent weeks. Had Billy not tucked away the chances that came his way we could have been on the receiving of another doing by Motherwell. Had that been the case, I rather doubt that the praise for the defensive element of the team would have been quite so glowing. Of course we should be absolutely delighted by the result and celebrate good performances but we should still try and be objective in identifying where there is room for improvement

They've got to play 1st and 2nd and hope we drop points against 5th and 6th. If I was a St J fan I would be wishing they were in the position we are in. It's ours to lose and by all accounts the lads are in no mood to throw it away.

Fabulous result. Providing Celtic don't sacrifice the games against County and St J, then we could clinch the 3rd spot next week. That will be a massive game for us as we really don't want to go to Dingwall last game of the season needing a win.