Eagle4Caley

In many respects we got off lightly, retaining the strongest available core for the rest of the season. I can't see Bray doing anything other than his best over the next months with his future assured. Obvs at some stage Davidson will also be back....is it me or has the unfortunate Charlie Reilly quietly left th club [he is no longer on the clubs squad page...loan finished?]. 4 challenges over the next 6 months Avoid relegation, possibly get into play-offs, exit administration, have a decent squad for next season...simples

I journeyed up...Euston to Carlisle, Carlisle to Dumfries, Last train back to Carlisle, Overnighter in Carlisle, back in my London office by lunchtime...bloody loved it A bit chilly, but at half time was chatting to a Man Utd/QotS fan in the drinks queue, before discovering they don't take payment card, and he bought my coffee! (which got me through the 2nd half) Thought the team played pretty well last night, Longstaff being out affected the midfield balance in my view. When we equalised to 2-2 I think the team got too excited about trying to win and left themselves a bit open. There were times during the match when our defence seemed to consist of just the two CB's as the FB's were pushing up so much...the tikki-takki stuff seems to be largely out Bavidge is some signing, and Bray looked great at right wing-back. Slightly annoying that Brooks got two against us, but did he get a fair crack when he was our player or does he fit better at QotS Anyway that's another ground ticked off...roll on Dumbarton away in March

No doubt this was a massive result, ...the signing of Bavidge, could be key to saving our season, along with that of Paul Allan. I'm on the train up from Euston lunchtime Tuesday for the re-arranged QotS match, which I am defo looking forward to

Damn it...winning MotM usually puts the kibosh on the next game

This was a bloody brilliant result...made all the better seeing goal notifications coming up late on the BBC results programme. I made quite a bit of noise with the 3rd goal! We seem to be spreading our goals around the team, which is a good sign Without the 15point deduction we'd be in 5th place just 5 points off the top spot....given our recent form, togetherness, and more positive approach to play, we'd feel very good about the end of the season. No reason to fear either Arbroath or Stenhousemuir coming up as long as we don't relax

Ooh theres an idea...but on a tight timetable, mind you if he decides to come and watch us I could share the train trip back to Carlisle with him after the match.

Giving this a 2nd try, involves a train up via Carlisle, an overnighter in Carlisle [last train back from Dumfries], before trip back next morning for the Office in the afternoon I must be bonkers...what could possibly go wrong in January!

I sense the optimism is part relief we are still here, and part the sense the team playing with more purpose and positivity now 'Big Dunc' has left the building...however what's left is a fragile tiny squad, if we have a Dodds-era injury crisis we might barely get a team on the pitch. So the one game at a time, one positioned climbed at a time is the most realistic approach. But then when have football fans ever been realistic?

Given how thin our squad is, I would say this was a blessing. I understand Savage was taken off injured, was it serious or precautionary,... with Davidson and Ewan out, we are just a Devine injury away from a major crisis

Fortunately, I cancelled last night, as I got several messages saying trains I had booked were cancelled, so got those refunded and avoided the Hotel costs. not much I can do about the flight costs, but hey ho....presumably the match when it is played will be mid-week, so depending when, I might come up all the way by train and stop in Dumfries

I've just recieved a message saying my return train trip back to Glasgow via Carlisle is cancelled [I booked via Carlisle as it was a quicker return trip...shows what I know] ... and the options direct to Dumfries then back look like they will experience delays...so with just hours to cancel my hotel for free and cut my losses, I need to make a decision quick!

Being docked points for going into administration in not just a Scotland thing, Palace were docked points in 2010, and what the league did to Luton Town over financial irregularities might have seemed bordering on vengeful [to the fans and players, if not the board], even last year Everton and Nottingham Forest. When I look at the average attendances over many Scottish Championship and League 1/2 sides and what potential incomes streams are [little TV money, not much league sponsorship or prize money, transfer fees, hospitality earnings limited by attendance levels, fewer big money opportunities for other sponsorship, like shirt sponsors] I am in awe that there are that many actually existing. Obviously being supported by richer individuals putting hands in their pockets, but not really a sustainable approach. I understand Dumbarton lost out on a land deal not coughing up, if true, sounds strangely familiar. Other than growing the average attendance to at least double we get now, and unless the Scottish authorities leverage in more income from TV/League sponsorship to lower tier clubs, Inverness going forward will need to be much more energetic about growing local talent to move on for decent fees on a yearly basis. I have wondered if a hotel chain on the site paying the club a yearly rental was a way forward to/

This is great to hear …on the occasions I have seen him play live, I felt he was a decent player...it feels a bit like what happened last year to Nathan Shaw, played centrally as a 'play-maker' but losing the benefits of him being out wide. Probably the one concern is we have just the one experienced striker in McKay.... Cairns will need some opportunities to come on as sub a bit earlier, also what's the score with Charlie Reilly, he still seems to be with us, but he suffered a serious injury didn't he?

I can't tell you how happy I am! We just need injuries kept down to minimum...does anyone know why Bray was missing? Early in the season, but Dumbarton winning today brings QotS within range if we can win next weeks 6pointer

I think Musa is already becoming a bit of a cult figure, correct me if I'm wrong but he seems to instil confidence at the back, I feel we were lucky to get him (obvs have no idea of the flaws in his game that meant he was available), and could be crucial for our season

On a day when a depleted Crystal Palace lost at home and a depleted Sutton United team lost away, coming out of an event and seeing this briliant result really made my weekend. It feels like the team are playing with a bit more freedom, conviction and energy. And we still have some gems in the team. Obviously the worry is if we get a Dodds-era injury crisis [which with our squad is now 2-3 players being out!] it could make life more difficult.... but aside from that I am buzzing for my trip up for QotS away in two weeks time

I couldn't agree more...we still have a solid spine to the team [if fit] , a bit sorry for both Duffy's [Flynn never really got a chance] I'm up for the Queen of the South match in Dumfries in a months time, I'm excited, but it will be emotional too Fingers crossed that a reset/re-birth is possible, with more realistic expectations Maybe there will be a time to change the Eagle on the badge to a Phoenix! (temporarily?)

What about W Duffy or Davidson? We certainly need two 'experienced' defenders IMV [not least as if needs be one could go up front if we are chasing a game] So maybe Brooks, Gilmour, Davidson, Ferguson

It's a bummer... but only 5 points, I take that as motivation for a faster start than usual!

To be a going concern, we need some sort of balanced team of some seniors to mix with all the young lads It would not be a surprise to see a couple of senior players asked to act as Player Manager and Coach [no doubt with assitance from Charlie Christie], with the entire 1st Team staff axed. [Palace did that in 1998 with Attilio Lomardo and Tomas Brolin]... in terms of senior players, that's Billy Mckay, Devine, Gilmour and Wallace Duffy, pick two from there. [Mckay and Devine would be my pick]. We need to keep hold of Savage to give us some sort of solid defence. After that I guess it going to be a squad of 15 [two goalies, leaves 13 outfield] ....it will be a long season Not too sure who is on the injury list at the mo

Blimey I hadn't realised that, ....that's what happened away to Dundee United in March....Ridgers was so far out of his goal [the United player got a lucky deflection to get the ball but was still an accurate shot to hit the open goal], Ridgers clearly not learning from that mistake

Yes, prompted, I looked at other L1 teams attendances, and [not sure why I was shocked] only QotS gets four figure attendances, most of the others well under. Given the other potential income streams [which is b#gger all prize and TV money, small amounts of local sponsorship, hospitality, merchandise...we rarely get any fees from players moving on] it's hardly surprisely most teams are part-time [I presume the players get just a match fee], and since relegation from the Premiership, a full time Caley would always be struggling without a rich benefactor, or some non-football related scheme [which Caley seem to have tried but only made things worse] To put the numbers into context, I was at National League Sutton United today, and the attendance was 3,400. In my time as a Palace supporter we have diced with death several times, most recently in June 2010 when we were hours from being liquidated [we avoided relegation too despite a points deduction on the last day of the season] so this is not new territory for me [still horrible]. As ever I am hopefully that Caley will exist in some form, ideally when we are away to QotS in November, when I am booked to fly up!...I wonder what the team will look like.

Picking on a young lad because of who his dad is, is pathetic and shows football fans up in a very poor light, I'd hope Inverness fans were a bit better than, It's bullying nothing less...obviously football does see this sort of thing a lot, esp Managers, Directors and of course footballers of colour. It goes with the territory, but you don't see this in any other sport. I often wonder if football fans would think it acceptable if colleagues routinely abused them in their workplace, for simply who you are, or because they are inexperienced, perhaps out of their depth. I also wonder why football fans think this is postive to overall performances on the field, one might think that young Ferguson would be pretty nervous going on the field, that might affect the whole team too.

It's different, modern and clever IMV, but we all have our own opinions that are valid I actually like it so much, that I can see me getting it as a tattoo! [there you go, confirms I am cheap and tacky!]

So I am going to pull the pin out of the grenade and metaphorically lob it....was the Kelty Hearts plan [on a financial/retention level] not a bad idea... albeit in an ideal world we would need a dual training base option for the youngsters and the day before any match, and in an even more ideal world, a hotel at one end of the ground with a floor dedicated to playing staff, [run by someone like Premier Inn, not the club!] which might address short accommodation issues, obviously would help with that suggestion if I had £10m in my back pocket...but as a long term solution ?