Eagle4Caley

I still think back to Austin's game against Dunfermline in the last home game of the season in 2018, he was outstanding, and should have scored more...then he got injured and went off, and we weren't the same team after conceding a gutting last minute goal against our play-off rivals. That was Austin at his peak for us, but I reckon he knew his limitations and wisely decided to combine a career with football

To be fair thes guys get paid bugger all for playing, yet Keatings, Storey and Todorov, have all scored more goals than Christian Benteke, who plays for my other team, over the last three seasons, in that time Benteke has been paid, as a conservative estimate, £15million pounds... for 5 goals in three years...he makes Jordan White look positively prolific. As most Palace fans will tell you, CB has only looked like he could give a sh#t in the last dozen or so games since Christmas. £15million pounds, imagine if Inverness had that to spend on players and wages over three years...the EPL is like on another planet entirely.

So our current pssible squad consists of GK; Ridgers Defence; McHattie, Toshney Midfield; Vincent, Carson, Welsh, McGregor Attack: Storey, Todorov, Keatings, Mackay...and Shane Sutherland Obviously we are in survival mode at the moment, and there probably be a few decent players to pick up, and yes we don't know when the new season will start. I reckon September with no League Cup, and restrictions on crowd. I would still retain Tremarco, but he has had quite a few injuries and that probably determines it (think he could be a decent back room presence though) I would also retain Doran, and I think he would stay. Walsh too, despite injuries last season (he'll have had plenty of time to recover now) Stating the obvious, a lot of work to be done for the defence (to think when I first started coming to games we had a backline of Shinnie, Meekings Warren and Raven) There's the basis of decent team I reckon (two fast full backs who can cross please!), and with Hearts currently down (awaiting fudged SPL review from Budge) and Raith up, a few decent away days for me.

With some of the crowds we had this season, we could manage to have two seat gaps between ST holder quite easily...I would imagine family member could sit together...but what if over-70's are not allowed in, will that affect the size of the crowd? Stick a few cardboard cut-out fans on the gap seats and the place will start to look a quite full! We could even see some fans in the mini stand on the west side (give them all megaphones to raise the volume of noise) A slight issue might be congregating to use the toilets and snack bar (or perhaps only outdoor food facilities will be allowed, so now is the time to market that ICT Thermos)....Survival physically is the goal for the moment, in whatever league.

So am I, and travel restrictions permitting already have away trips to Morton and Raith Rovers on my radar. This weekend I was due up for the Dunfermline match (last match of the original season) with my wife....since Easyjet are kindly converting my flight tickets into vouchers (rather than cash back) I'll be looking forward to seeing the wonderful Inverness again too. Scotland could be one of the few place i can fly to in the next year.

Blimey ..this was the game when Caley first came to my attention and which would eventually lead to me following the team and planning trips up to Scotland to watch either at home or away. I was driving back from somewhere and was listening to the Sports on Radio 5 Live and getting the updates...it came across as a big deal down south What I hadn't realised was that Ian Wright, a former hero at my other club Palace (but now at Celtic, at the end of his career) played the 2nd half against Caley! A comment on the programme noted that Wright had probably never been involved in such a shock..which had me thinking about when Palace beat Liverpool 4-3 in the FA Cup Semi Final the year we lost to them 0-9 at Anfield in the league. Interestingly John Barnes was involved in that match as well playing for Liverpool, a match as set in folklore as the Celtic-Caley match, I was getting congratulations from all and sundry for days after. Palace lost the final against Man United that year (and again against the same team in 2016, bugger!), whereas I was privileged to watch Caley beat Celtic in the Semi and then Falkirk in the Final in 2015, which stands as the pinnacle of my personal football supporting life thus far. And yes tonight's programme was a bit about how that game changed Celtic, but I felt we got a fair share of the coverage, and allowed me to get a bit closer to a key date in Caley's history

Watched the Scottish Cup Final last night...fantastic, what a rollercoaster of game! Was so happy that I was there for the game.

It'll be interesting to see how long this suspension will last, reckon it'll be longer than people expect, could be in the very interesting situation of players who have been injured being fully recovered countered against players at the end of a contract not being available. Club could be quite vulnerable financially as well if things go on for a long time. I was booked to come up for what was the last game of the league season with my wife in May and to enjoy a bit of the loacl countryside....seems like a long way away now, and possibly a forlorn hope....but largely irrelevant now Keep safe everyone

Our recruitment policy, given a transfer budget of probably offering just luncheon vouchers (showing my age) is not bad at all, when the players are match fit, get a decent run in the side and play in the right formation...Carson has been a diamond find, which no doubt those f#7kers North of the Bridge have started to notice

Wow...what a great result, especially given the line up and formation. Who'd have thought of putting Todorov in the backline and him apparently playing so well. Given the injuries to Toshney and Mckay, when Toshney in particular has been looking good, plus losing both first choice CB's in the transfer window, the defence is doing surprisingly well. McHattie definitely seems to work better at CB. Pleased to hear also that Harper had a decent debut....just hope Tremarco coming off was more a precaution rather than risking further damage by staying on. Vincent and Carson seem to work well in midfield, Carson in particular putting in some good displays (and seeming a more consistent replacement for Polworth) and must be up for POTY. Storey up front with Keatings seems a good call and a good option, and we still have a strong bench. We just need to do enough to hang onto 2nd place, with a fit Toshney and Welsh to come back for the play -offs, ---------- A footnote to the Alloa game, I see their Scott Banks got into the 'SPFL team of the week' and being a Palace player on loan attracted a fair bit of attention down here. Not sure if he was actually any good, but I was in the rare position of berating one of my teams players for doing well against one of my teams on one of my teams forums (if you follow me)

Toshney has impressed since he joined us, and I don't think McHattie is doing that bad either...not sure what cover we have for the full backs though!

Enjoyed the game if not the result...the first 15 minutes or so were a bit of a worry but we got back into it well and in both halves dominated United for decent periods....Ultimately got done by a class act in Shankland, whose goal came against the run of play Overall I thought that both our centre backs did well and after last weeks performance by Toshney, it's less of an area of concern that I thought it might be with McCart and Donaldson going. I thought that Vincent and Carson were a great double act in midfield, and Carson in particular has become the stand out in midfield in recent weeks. White was much better in this game than the recent away game at Ayr...but he's not Shankland. As for our wingers, I may be in a minority in thinking that Storey was the more dangerous of the two, but he probably needs to be in the centre. However it does annoy me how often he pulls out of going for the ball in 50:50 situations It's all about securing 2nd place, which as the weather improves in the run-in (hopefully) I think we'll do.

It was particularly impossible for those of us who had booked flights and an overnight stay expecting the game to be played on a Saturday, before it was re-scheduled for TV

Really enjoyed that game, a bit of a roller-coaster, I was surprised the pitch held up as well as it did. No way was that a dive from Keatings, the Rangers player ran into the side of him. Thought Carson looked pretty good all game, Storey had quite a strong game, beating his man pretty often, got one or two decent crosses in, and generally looked dangerous. Rooney perhaps the pick in the first half going forward (which meant he was absent a bit defensively!) But the guy who impressed me was Toshney, looked strong all game and seemed to block and win various balls, and also decent enough going forward, and with McHattie looked decent enough as a back pairing. I'm in Portugal for the final damn it, not sure if I'll find any bars showing the game

Given the weather forecast this weekend with constant rain and high winds around match time, this fixture must surely be in doubt? Think Raith would be a good game if we can get past this tie

I think on their day...Doran, Walsh and yes, even Storey are capable of scoring goals from around the box

Any reason Charlie Trafford can't play at CB, next to Brad? Reckon he would do OK there If Welsh is fit, then he's 1st Choice for Midfield, next to either Carson or Vincent

Probably only a matter of time with the two CB's, but lets be fair whilst Rooney is Ok going forward, but defensively he's not the best... he can only run back at half the speed he goes forward. Mind you there seems be a national shortage of right backs!

I see Palace have loaned Scott Banks to Alloa, just days after signing him from Dundee Utd, (our biggest fee of the transfer window if you ignore the loan fee for Tosun who is now injured)..... since he's never actually going to play for us, I give our players permission to kick the sh#t out of him if he plays, if it means we get the 3 points

Surely you need someone in defence who can head a ball!

Well there's old fashioned in terms of layout and the joy of being able to stand, and there's derelict and downright shabby! And my other club's ground Selhurst Park definitely sits under the 'Old fashioned' mantle and in parts is shabby, but Ayr takes it way down to a new level! I had to laugh as underneath some stairs was a piece of exercise equipment (1 piece), I wondered if I had strayed into the Gym!

My second away game of the season up from London, with an overnight stay in Ayr (nice town) and the joy of the rail replacement minibus back to Paisley on the Sunday. I have to say that Ayr United's ground really is an utter dump, easily the worst I have been to up over the border, although the Bovril was good and I enjoyed the option to stand on the wee terrace below the seating second half. The crowd looked bigger than 1,602, and not just because the home fans switched ends at half time! The highlights suggest a close game, although I felt Ayr had more chances, but we hit the bar, and quite why our goal was disallowed is beyond me...White at no time is looking at the goalie only at the ball, and I'm not convinced he even touches him. Also Doran was clearly pushed over in the penalty area, and then next time he gets a booking for going down, when you can see he catches the defender legs and is trying to regain his feet. Their goal was a bit of a bummer, at first I thought that McHattie was at fault but credit to the Ayr player who actually closes Charlie Trafford down very quickly. I thought McHattie had a decent game, as did McKay...strange how quickly our CB pairing has changed (presumably to make ends meet). For me our midfielders were the pick of the bunch, plus Walsh when he came on. Our forwards were very much powder-puff, Doran was quieter than expected, Storey didn't offer much apart from two/three decent crosses, I'm not sure what Keatings was doing and White looks like he is the Centre Forward because he's tall, because he seemed unable to anticipate where high balls were going nor jump at the right time (except for the disallowed goal), he's definitely better with his feet! For me 2nd place is probably between us and Ayr, so this was a disappointing reverse, but I guess we can't win every match against them.

Excellent result...we need to keep going to secure that 2nd spot, whilst putting a little pressure on Dundee Utd in case they get a nose bleed. Let's hope we don't have to sell anyone i the transfer window. I'm up for the Ayr away ame end of the month and really looking forward to it.

As a Palace fan I'd be pretty pissed off with this, as I've spent the past year or two, on fans forums, promoting a Christie transfer in as a brilliant move...I've even tweeted the Chairman! .....Damn it I don't think he takes me seriously or we have no money (which is close to the truth). The is plenty of logic in the Leicester Rogers link, but not sure where he would slot in, but £14M sounds like the sort of mark

It's a good win and another clean sheet, early November' mishaps seem a long way away (other than bloody Partick)...It does kind of feel that we are playing for the 'best of the rest' but it is possible for Dundee United to implode. Noting the comment about the pitch, if the weather has been anything like it's been down here in recent weeks then we're doing well to get the games played!