quizzer

Could see see Butcher's arms waving in the air and the stand's reaction but wasn't sure what had been said - then I'm told by soemone involved that he'd called the fans effing a=holes. I've had enough. I was a very big supporter of the appointment, really wanted him here but now really want him out. By all accounts, Hastings was bullied out of the club and Roy is on same very fast train out of town. Some of our most promising talents which we've nurtured for years were uncerimounisly put out of the picture very quickly and replaced by - no offence to them - non-entities with most probably less talent and most certainly less devotion and love of the club. I've thought he was great, I've loved the talk, bought into the spin but now I think he is an egotistical - hell, let's go for it while feelings are high - maniac. Have his summer signings who he regularly plays/benches (Cox/Eagle/Hayes/Stratford/Sanchez/Bulvitis) got a dozen first team starts between them? Or could he have held onto or played Vigurs/Woods/Hastings/McBain/Duncan and kept stability in the team durung a very difficult transitional spell as we changed leagues? No direct link for one player to another btw, just examples. ANd on a good day, some can do a job for us - but some, no names mentioned as it is not their fault they are being asked to do a job above their skill set - most certainly cannot. I never thought I'd say or want it, but something from Robbo, Charlie and Bazza seems the way to go. The heart has been ripped out of the club, we need someone who cares to get it back. Munro is next to leave, don't let it happen.

Gobsmacked that he is very rarely even making the bench this season, and he is certainly well out of the picture. I reckon his experience could be invaluable at this time, and I'd rather McBain and Duncan on the pitch when things aren't going well than say Eagle and Stratford. Far far too many changes all at once to the team, particularly in midfield, but it seems Butcher is sticking with his players, as has been mentioned here and elsewhere. I agree incidentally about Cox going backwards recently - very odd, some have attributed it to be linked to bandage coming off?!? Timing certainly fits!

Pre-season gossip was Hastings to go to another club and Duff and Rooney on loan. Whether true or not, I'm guessing there is no way they could gamble on releasing Rooney due to other injuries, however now may be the time, particularly given the comments in today's courier. He hasn't shown the goalscoring/penalty box prowess that was suggested and his confidence appears to be pretty much zero. Sanchez offers "something different", Obihambo pace, Foran aerial/general threat, Barrowman proven (at this level, albeit not with us - yet...) poacher, Sutherland youth/potential - leaving Rooney out the picture. He's still a young lad and it would probably be beneficial all round for him to get some regular games under his belt. In a way, I guess loans are make or break times for many. A great way of getting experience and a step upwards (Robson/Mulgrew at "higher" level) or a way of finding their real level (too many to mention and no shame involved).

me +4

I believe the club shop has apparently made signficant profit over the close season. I think it is a ridiculous decision, at least wait and see how the football team is going a few months into the season, ie is there any chance of us getting promoted, before closing it. Now the staff are/about to be redundant, that's them gone, there is no way they'll be coming back as all being well they'll be happily settled into their own new jobs if/when we get re-promoted. Instead there'll be new people - probably young so they can be paid even less - on the minimum wage employed simply as sales assistants. I absolutely agree that the women in the shop are not just there to sell us stuff, they are fantastic ambassadors and I for one have had service way beyond the call of duty, and I know many others i the same boat. Incidentally, the club are currently not taking bookings for christmas parties, traditionally a good source of revenue - as they are unsure if they'll have anyone available to run them due to redundancies. Tw@ts.

Quick contribution - DLA is paid to both those in and out of work, it is there to help people meet extra costs of their disability/condition rather than be the sole benefit income. I work with a couple of people who receive higher rate of care component of DLA (currently about ?50 a week at a rough estimate), those who can't work through ill health claim other "mainstream" benefits. ICT absolutely definitely provide free entry to those with disabilities, was not sure of qualification level but I know those in wheelchairs certainly get in free, with a carer.

Imrie back Tuesday apparently, thought he was going to be out longer. Achilles problem.

Views of Leicester fans Hmmm.... :D

Bar open??

Orion lined up as shirt sponsors for next season - before the battle commenced! All seems crazy.

If you notice, i did come up with an alternative, another bus. So people have the choice between the two. Also was unreasonable about what i said? I was simply stating another bus would be good. Reading his first post I would have to totally agree with DC, I think perhaps that it is quizzer who is being juvenile coming on to a thread just to call people names. Don't think you'll find anywhere within my post where I called anyone any names, on the contrary actually, I posted as I found the OP's first post came across as a personal attack. I certainly didn't come on here simply to call anyone names, I was joining the discussion and putting forward my point. It's easy to criticise the way buses are run but I challenge anyone else to put one on every fortnight on a regular basis! For someone to organise a bus personally (without a business/club/organisation behind them) is a lot of work and as I said before, a big financial gamble as I believe a day's bus hire is approx ?500, as well a lot of work and organisation. I can't see any pubs or businesses running them to away games as they simply have nothing to gain.

I'm with Chris - if you are not happy with the Supporters Club one then do it yourself, use your initiative and put one on yourself. That way you go go when you want, where you want and do what you want - apart from drink, obviously... May I also add that I would consider it rather juvenile to come on and say you don't want to use the bus that Kath runs (actually, it is the Supp Club that runs it, she is bus convenor) if you are not going to make a reasoned argument nor offer alternative suggestions or constructive advice. The bus doesn't always suit me so I simply don't use it - end of story! I too have been involved with running buses to games and when you see the responsibility, and to an even greater extent, the financial gamble involved, then you may think again.

Brian Kerr, the most anonymous man ever to wear the blue and red of ICT. Other than (being very generous) the game at Pittodrie, I challenge anyone to re-watch a game and find one where he made more than 5 positive contributions. In the final game, we counted him "touch" the ball 3 times in the 2nd half, whcih is absolutely disgraceful for a central midfielder facing relegation, as well as redundancy on a personal level. Didn't ever tackle, chased the ball but held back, wasted it if it ever fell to his feet - what more can I say. Yes he ran after the ball a lot but held back, didn't ever win it, give me Duncan ANY DAY. His ability may be doubted by some but can few can doubt his effort or intentions (ay ok, I'm not saying it always pays off!) and I'd far rather have him this season than Kerr. Let Dundee take him, let him waste a huge chunk of their wages and a key place in their squad in him and lets see what TB can come up with. DOn't anyone forget that Kerr was literally on the scrapheap of Scottyish football before he got lucky with us, trained with one of our relegation rivals but they weren't interested in signing him, albeit they were rather spoilt in middle of park.

nicky walker tbh, none have exactly looked as international calibre while here, some too soon, some too late. Marius closest, Hastings possible given standing of his country and has by all accounts put in some ine appearances for them.

Proctor to score first and Barrowman last goal. Any others in between very welcome, particularly as Falkirk will be scoring approx but precisely zero. Please. Pretty please?!?! Just realised - a clean sheet and we're grand, that's all we need - has our defence ever had so much pressure? Or is the pressure on the attack to score to take it off the defence? Jeez, I'll just be glad when the week is over, it's been quite some week/month and I'm totally shattered with it all.

If you go to the Hamilton v Motherwell game on bbc website it is actually our match, they seem to have swapped.

Get shot of him - NOW. At no point did proctor/munro/tokely make any move or judgement call today that was anywhere near as bad an error of judgement as any of approx 6 that lionel made. Their number 36 took advantage right from the first min and drew lionel into making foul after foul upon him, mainly right at the goal line. I feared greatly that he was going to cost us the game and very possibly our SPL status. He seems generally incapable of just booting the ball clear and at one point twisted and took the same guy on about 8 times, when could easily have just belted it out. I don't get th anti-Munro comments today - personally I thought he was magnificent at the back and generally cleared everything coming towards our goal, thought Tokely did very well at sticking to his task (booo) and cleared most that came to him in the air. Get Hastings back asap - we just can't afford to have Lionel in for the rest of the season, as enteraining and enigmatic as he may be!

--------------esson---------------- tokely pavels munro hastings proctor black kerr imrie ----foran --- morais (with vigurs and barrowman on after an hour after imrie and morais have ran themselves into the ground!) lionel proved himself - yet again - to be a horrific liability which we cannot afford, as has already been said. Hamilton knew this from the off today and took advantage right from the start, whereas play was barely near proc for first half.

I took the kindly offered 28/1 on betfair...

Anyone else take odds of 9/1 for Eric to score anytime during this match at a certain bookie - absolutely irrestistible!?

Afaik, Grassa's on a non-related trip to Glasgow which he had to go on, rest assurred they're not sitting on their asses doing nothing. Personally, I'm quite happy that they do all their business behind doors and professionally without any leaks - previous leaks and comments to the press have certainly not worked in our favour! Plus I'm enjoying all the guessing and speculating in the meantime...

Not seeing it online?!? ah, i googled it and got it on their news page, if anyone finds it available to bet on - at any bookie - please post!

I'm certain it's NOT going to be Robbo - with his postings on here possibly being the final factor. Personally, I think that while his thread appeared honest and laudible at the time, it's blurred people's opinions of what things were like while he was here. yes, we won promotion, yes he was rather a character but his record since leaving haven't done anything to make me think he's the one to get us out of this. His intentions and plans seem great, but at this very vulnerable stage in our short history, I think it's time to move forwards and also look to someone with proven experience. We've gone to previous managers before, but don't under-estimate the club's pull, it is a reasonably established SPL club and there are only 11 others in the country. Just because someone is local and wants the job doesn't mean we should give it to them! I reckon it's going to be Butcher and I'd be delighted with that. I believe the board have made their choice which is why things are quiet. I'm not going to make any wild claims, but I've had hints of what is happening and if they are proved correct, I'm happy. Just a bit odd that they let Brewster make 3 signings when his future was obviously in doubt all along!

Firstly, let's get the bad out of the way - I never want to see Lionel in an ICT shirt ever again (tho the gawdy shellsuits I've seen him wearing in Tesco also leave a lot to be desired...) as this was possibly the worst 45 min performance I've seen in an ICT shirt in the last 10 years. No positional or marking awareness, trotted about vaguely after the ball and caught in no man's land on several occasions, passing diabolical couldn't put a foot right and was guilty of several stupid fouls in quick succession. However, I will say that he put in a few decent and well timed tackles on the sideline, always best to find a positive they say! Delighted to see Hastings at ht. Latvian lad - as said previously - had a very no-nonsense performance. Struggled to find our players with passes but stopped pretty much everything going his way. Athletic looking (pretty slim), tall and looked very aware right through match, concentration and positioning looked pretty much spot on. Don't think he committed a single foul but overall it was a well-played game. Was delighted by the other 2 new signings, the reports here sparked fear but they were quickly allayed. Obvioulsy Morais' 2 goals speak for them themselves (seeing them on tv tonight gave a somewhat less generous viewpoint tho!) but he was full of tricks, turns and confidence and there was no evidence of lack of match fitness. Gathuessi went into midfield and for the short time he played, he seemed certainly more of a midfielder than a defender - again, he was keen to take players on. Is today the start of a new, multi-national era one wonders. It was an absolute joy to come out with a win and a smile on my face, obviously lots of talking points with 3 debutants but few if any who went there today could have failed to have come out feeling positive.

I've spoken to Mike Smith in the past about this but it was basically met with a polite shrug of shoulders. Incidentally, today there was nearly a fight between 2 different hospitality groups sitting in front of us. One guy, who appeared hammered from the moment he got to his seat and couldn't keep his backside on it - became very vocal about away fans in hospitality in main stand. Ok, fair point, but his language was totally unacceptable so the guy behind pulled him up on it. Lo and behold, what happens, but he turns on him. Yes, hospitality is a nice jolly for those who are the recipients but it is certainly not fun for those of us who are nearby and have to tolerate them. They are often away fans, they are inevitably late and have lost the ability to follow a-z and 1-99 to find their correct seat and thus cause chaos and ruin our view, 1 of them at the very least is way way too drunk and - the old favourite - once they finally get their seat and the match has started, they have to phone their friend in away (ok, occasionally north stand) and stand up and wave their arms for about 5 mins with mobile glued to their ear until their pal finally spots them! I dunno, maybe something could be done to cut down the alcohol involved prior to the game and let them go crazy after if they wanted. The state that some of these people appear to get themselves into in the couple of hours before the game can be ridiculous and can make life unpleasant for those who have to tolerate them for the next couple of hours!