PerfICT

Remarkable stat, Sneckboy! Jeez, I was getting paranoid about us getting drawn away all the time (7 away/ 2 home in the League Cup and 7 away/4 home in the Scottish Cup over the past 5 years, in my reckoning), but 18/2 is astonishing. Bring on the conspiracy theories...

Wouldn't fancy either of the ugly sisters - hopefully Killie will put paid to one of them anyway - or Edinburgh clubs away from home. Don't really want to get Ross County again - the derby loses its gloss when you play them 6 times a season! So that leaves the Dundee clubs or Morton (or Killie), preferably at home. So, It'll be Celtic away....

Caption: "kiss this!"

All managers have favourites: Hard grafters for some, flair players for others, characters in the dressing room, rock hard tacklers etc etc. Managers are human and also tend to favour a particular style and type of player. There is little evidence for Hughes not favouring Raven, except the odd b@ll@cking form the touchline, substitutions in games and a spell on the bench, but Raven (for the second year running has gone public in saying that he'd love to stay. For the second year running, it hasn't been plain sailing, so he's either asking for megabucks or he's not top of Yogi's priorities. As for Vincent, my gut feeling is that he was the target for the injury jibe from Hughes. No evidence, just speculation. Both would be a massive loss.

Superb effort and delighted in my (blind) faith in Roberts has been rewarded! We know who we are...!

Ah yes - of course!

Agree. I thought he looked decent when he came on against Hearts. He never really got another chance through injury or Mutombo being the preference off the bench. JH can't have rated him for whatever reason, but I do ask the Q: What happens if Storey gets injured?

OK, so "core four" + a left back now signed for next season. Williams,Vincent and Raven would be my next targets - I wonder what's going to happen with Doran? I presume we can't do anything with Storey until he's no longer a Swindon player?

No mention of an offer for Vincent, either. My guess is that both Raven and Vincent are not in favour, so will go (which will be a big loss IMO). It will be interesting to see who Williams chooses between Dundee and ourselves....more "convincing" required from Yogi!

...interested to know what "other 3rd parties" there can be? Syrely, the partcipants are: the player, the 2 clubs and the agent. That's already more than enough parties to make a horlicks of any transaction - any ideas about who else cold be involved?

Totally agree! Of course he would have shown some interest in a suitor - who wouldn't? I'm sure Yogi would have tried to convince Watkins and Shinnie (for example) to stay: The difference is that they went and GT didn't. I've no doubt there will be other choices for Tansey in the near future, but for now I'm satisfied that he was convinced to stay and that ICT didn't just cave in.

More info in this from JH on the matter: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35495857 So, the Aberdeen approach was above board, JH spoke to the player, told him how important he was for ICT and GT (thankfully) decided that this is where his future lies (at least for the time being). I like the cut of JH's jib here - I think many of us have been crying out for us to put up a fight and stop losing players on the cheap or for free, so hopefully we have finally done that.

You make a decent point, Scotty. However, I don't think we offer attractive enough packages to players. What I mean is, we may not be able to compete on wages with most of the teams around us, so let's offer longer contracts. Granted, that might not be what every player wants, but I'm sure many would like a bit of stability. In fairness, I thought we had headed down that road, which is why we've had a settled squad for a few years, but that's all changed this season (except for Tansey, Warren and Draper). The net effect is that we now have >20 players out of contract this season - County have gone the other way and have offered longer contracts and now have a stable team: they've only got 2 out of contract this year. I know which model I would prefer if I were a manager!

Loving this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35490468 So, Greg Tansey chose us over Aberdeen! Have to say, that makes a lot more sense than much of the rumour floating about, which didn't add up one way or another. Case closed. GT - you are a God!

Totally agree. Vincent's return to the team and subsequent absence have coincided with improvements and loss of form respectively. His movement is crucial for us. Williams has been unlucky to have been on the fringes, given that he's played well at left back and offers pace on the left of midfield. Polworth is the latest linked to Wigan and Barnsley. Think we've missed the boat for keeping our best players - better pray for league reconstruction next year.

5 months - that's some sentence! It does shine a very bright light on this thread and topic - it doesn't matter what you think about the rights and wrongs of smoke bombs and flares at matches - setting them off in this country is a criminal offence that can carry a fairly lengthy custodial sentence and I wouldn't want any ICT fans banged up for the sake of a few seconds of entertainment.

I'm none the clearer after this article. McInnes seems to be pointing the finger at the ICT board and their interpretation of the clause, but surely they wouldn't risk litigation if there wasn't a case? Also, the intimation is that the "leak" was via the agent, possibly sanctioned by ICT? Again, seems unlikely that we'd be effectively offering one of our better players for sale and I'm sure Yogi wouldn't have sanctioned it. Mysterious.

Higdon, please.

...yes, as Kingsmills says, some reports suggest that part of the issue is that Tansey was tapped up without permission. Not sure how well founded these reports are!

What a can of worms! Who knows how this will end, but I'm sure it isn't over and I've got a horrible feeling that we'll end up being on the losing end somehow. Fingers crossed, ICT got their facts right and stood their ground legitimately and it was Aberdeen who were squarely in the wrong. I share some of Sir C the 3rd's concerns about the way football is set up and the apparent conflict between maintaining a competitive league and upholding employment law. As somebody mentioned earlier, in what other walk of life is compensation required at all for an employee moving jobs? And why only for 2 short periods during the year? Could this be challenged by a player at some point (Bosman take 2)? Ultimately, despite the efforts of the football authorities to try to maintain some semblance of compensation for clubs that develop and nurture players, the truth is that in the Scottish climate only the biggest clubs can afford (or pretend to afford in one case!) to pay transfer fees and most of the market is on "frees". Small clubs like ours face a terrible dilemma for every player - cash in bofore their contract is up and risk getting less than market value or get the best from the player for as long as possible and lose him on a free to a club that can afford higher wages? What this means is that small clubs that raise their heads above the parapet can only ever be a flash in the pan - I feel the burn, I'm afraid.

...don't forget the Foran was a holding midfielder before his injury too (although granted he can play up front).

sounded from the Courier last week that Meekings still has a long way to go with his tendonitis.....and I'm not sure Tansey will be available!

So, we now have: Tansey (if he ever plays for us again), Polworth, Draper, Wedderburn, Vincent, Vigurs, Williams (1), Williams (2), Mutombo, Roberts (at least) to choose from in midfield, but only 4 fit defenders and one fit striker. Welcome, Ryan, but forgive me for not understanding our signing policy!

Well, what a shambles the Tansey affair was. Delighted that the Dons were unsuccessful, but it sounds like the player wanted the move, in which case we've effectively lost him anyway! Hopefully, the club can convince him that it was all Aberdeen's fault, but it will be interesting to see if he plays for us again. A very sad state of affairs.

Sky now reporting the Tansey deal off.