FoolPhysio

The Brits are good at two things - queueing and moaning. And they only queue so they have something to moan about! :023:

Next year, when we make it there!

Yup, same. I read the promotion / relegation bit as being automatic - the play offs could have the 3rd and 4th top / bottom play off or some such combination but that could be too much, so a straight 3rd top / bottom play off would add that little bit of end-of-season interest. I also thought that the regulating body should be kept separate from the operating body, but there should only be one league body.

Question I have is how call-offs and games in hand would affect the split, where there would be pressure to have re-arranged games around the same time as cup competitions. Case in point - Ross C*unty playing 4 games in one week to complete the season. Of course this is a bit extreme and was due to a particularly prolonged period of winter weather, so just a point for consideration. Otherwise, all for it - play-offs can add excitement (and hope) to the 2nd top and 2nd bottom places.

Wot, Kaiser? Thought he was a myth :D

Spotty dog! :021:

That welcome onto the pitch was a very sporting gesture, nice to see. Especially considering what happened later on the park I hear that the Airdrie result against Raith has meant that Ayr are now bottom - the relegation battle for these two will go right to the wire. Didn't see what the no.11 chucked on the park - a lucky charm? Didn't work . . .

Cheers Raithfan, useful post but agree with theknowledge, it was the superb unbeaten run that won it and won it in style with 2 games still remaining. All Raith did in this game was finally make Scumdee accept the inevitable. It is such a shame that since STV dropped their regular screening of 1st Div matches, there is no free-to-air broadcast source to watch all the games and the only way we can access other games is through the club / fan sites. The thing that has made this season so exciting has been the level of competitive play and the fact that every game still matters right up to the end, something that is effectively lacking in the SPL. Isolated "upsets" apart, most teams are just making up numbers and all they realistically have to look forward to is a good cup run. In the First this year it has been a reasonably close-run thing and there have been at 3-4 teams still in the running until last week. Which has made our achievement all the sweeter.

Thanks youngy - good to be back where we belong! Only if the league gets extended :028:

Aye, but that report was dated mid-January when the league lokked quite different to how it is now, and C*unty were third. The final quote was the most telling: But they didn't. Och well, there's always next time . . . now if you'll excuse us . . . championees, championees oh way oh way oh way!!!

Laurence, welcome to the not only the best Club in Scotland, but the friendliest fans too! As for Dundee's geriatric keeper - good thing they had him in between the sticks because looking at their own fans comments, had the regulars been there they might have gone down by more than the solitary goal!!

YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And brilliant banner at the top of the page - fantastic. Even though there are two games to go and pre-season friendlies to play, I wish everyone here an excellent summer break and it's back to business next season. Onwards and upwards!!

Have we got a womans team?? Nothing on our club website . . . or on theirs. Take it this is completely separate from ICT? So where do they play then? http://www.footballcentral.org/sfa/clubs/i...s-f.c./home.cfm

A fabulous achievement. It is difficult to put into words how exciting the run-up has been and the continued momentum that the lads (and lasses) from the Club have kept up has been magnificent. Most of all the fans have appreciated that the Club has never given up on the chance to win the title and promptly return to where we belong - the SPL. Well done Terry and Maurice, and of course all of the players. You have done us proud. Scottish Cup next year??

Same

Nicely put! :D

Totally agree - vested interests, all purely commercial and not related to the entertainment aspect of the sport. What will be interesting over the next year or so is how the economic downturn will expose and accelerate the self-combustion of the unsustainalbe cost of the EPL and the effect that will have both South and North of the Border. Football needs to get back to the core values. The focus has been on money for too long and the fact is that money paid out has far exceeded money coming in and that cannot last. ICT were fairly enlightened on that aspect with the wage cap but in the end even our Board was seduced by the glitter of (future) gold that never materialised and we are yet to pay the full price of that one. The thread on Missing the SPL? is relates directly to this one - money hasn't made it better, and it isn't the answer either. But in the end, for the sake of revenue, ICT needs to be in the worse league for entertainment so it can make better money but how much will it cost us in real terms? Do we actually win out by being there at all?

I'm with the majority here - I think we have had more fun this season than in the past 4 all due to the competitiveness of the league (and of course our mid-season turn of fortune where we now have the capability to win it!). I also agree with Scotty - the biggest frustration has been the lack of commentary and the general dismissiveness of even the Scottish broadcasters of 1st division football. If it wasn't for the fact that Rangers have effectively won the SPL and it is all over bar the shouting, they wouldn't even be bothering to mention us here in the "lower leagues". If it were up to me I would snub the OF league and just stay here in the First - and of course win it every year!!! :D

:025: :)

Actually, following form over the season against the Pars I would reckon we would be more likely to win by a single goal, and probably the only goal. But that'll do! Hardly need to rack up the goal difference now do we? :tonguecheek:

Ah the C*unty bubble - can anyone else hear the sound of air escaping . . . :wacko:

Totally agree EWS - and if that restructering included the OF moving away into their fantasy Atlantic league or whatever, then it would probably bring our standards back up further and quicker for those of us "left behind".

Me three

My primary aged kids got their season tickets for ?25 each, under ?1.40 per match, not too unreasonable. And they have all been / will be in the SFL alot longer than we will be!

I've watched this debate rage with some interest and apart from the start where it was heading into nasty territory, the opposing viewpoints have managed to get back to a more mature status with each conceding the right of the other to hold their views. Personally, I have no vested interest in who wins the final although I am leaning away from C*unty for a number of reasons. It holds slightly more appeal simply because our rivals are in it - had it been any of the other teams I wouldn't give a mokeys chuff who won - and I would hope that they don't win. Why? One cogent argument has already been put forward regarding the attraction of fans and subsequent sponsorship. Let's not kid ourselves here - the Highlands does not have the population or geographic to support two SPL teams, only one. Us. Any advance that RC makes chips away at us. We should be on our guard against this. But ultimately I suppose it comes down to this - if it were ICT in the final how many of their fans would have the good grace to go and "support" us? Cannot take anything away from their achievement or the way they went about it, and good on them for the advert they have made for highland football, but all they have really achieved is that they are in the final. Meanwhile, we are on the cusp of the return to the SPL and have been in the semi's twice on merit. Difference being, when we do get to the final the chances are we can win, and in the run of form that DUFC have just now and especially Goodwillie knocking them in left right and centre, RC are heading for a drubbing. RC getting into the final will be the same thing as Gretna - a flash in the pan. And where are Gretna now? C*unty are a threat to us as well as rivals and yes, let's keep the banter relatively good-natured but don't lose sight of the fact that they ARE our rivals and should always be regarded as such.