CaleyThistle

So who is all signed up for next season?

Just to save starting another thread, someone has mentioned that the game on Saturday is part of the season ticket. Is this the case?

Surely County didn't get that many? Or were there a lot of Falkirk fans? They weren't managing that last year!

I don't know how Brian Rice is getting away without blame over this.

What's the deal with the Strathspey game? Is it at a ground or just a training field? Can we go to it? Does it cost?

Lets hope it; Lets hope it's not County then...

Might we start with 3 at the back? I think a back 3 of Mckay, Donaldson and McCart is very solid on paper. From what I've read from QoTS fans, Rooney is very good going forwards but a bit suspect at the back, so a Right Wing Back role might be a shout. This would also free Tremarco to bomb down the left - we all know what an attacking threat he can be. I liked the look of Oakley and Austin together up front towards the end of the season, so a 3-5-2 is a way of keeping them in the team together again. Trafford would sit deep when need be, whilst Polworth and Doran would be given a bit more of a license to play further forwards. I've never really liked 3 at the back, but I think for the first time we have 3 good enough CB's to be able to play it. My only concern is that Polworth and Doran are more attack minded players, so it might leave us a bit more open, however, we do have 5 defenders on the pitch so I wonder if that would compensate for it. If we're being cut open a bit, we could always push Doran further forwards, drop one of the strikers and put Chalmers in the middle. Ridgers Mckay Donaldson McCart Rooney Tremarco Polworth Trafford Doran Oakley Austin Thoughts?

Looks like Bell has signed for Carlisle.

The club has tweeted that we've now sold out 1000th season ticket. Is that good? What are we usually at at this stage and how many did we sell last year?

Got the away kit today and the lady in the shop said it had been selling really well!

Could someone marketing ST's in the town centre be an idea? I wonder if the Inverness public in general has any exposure to these being on sale, and surely someone in the Eastgate/High Street handling out leaflets, talking to people etc. might be an idea?

I hear there is going to be an announcement next week. Does anybody have idea what it's to do with?

I had lost hope of promotion after Saturday, but after Morton lost last night, I have a new found belief. If we beat Brechin and Dunfermilne (big if's) then all of a sudden, we are in 5th, ahead of QoTS and Dunfermilne, and just 5 points off Morton having played the same number of games. From then, especially with another game against Morton, anything can happen. We need to install some POSITIVITY amongst ourselves and back the boys on Saturday against Brechin. That's the first of two really big games. If we win those two then we really are right back in the hunt.

Is the season ticket offer available to ICT season ticket holders too?

So which games will he miss?

He didn't get booked on Tuesday though?

So have the stands been transferred across to us yet?

How did Elbouzedi do?

Would that not suggest it was a permanent deal?

We absolutely must not sell Draper. Simple as. 200k or whatever it is we'll accept for him is nothing in terms of what a sustained period in the Championship will cost us. He is by far our best player and someone we simply have to keep this season. Can we as fans show the board how desperate we are to keep Draper? We stood up over season tickets and look what happened. We just can't afford to lose our best player so late into the transfer window and the season kicking off in 9 days.

Verdicts on the trialists last night?

As for the trialists. Chalmers - I wasn't too sure on. Can see why he got some stick last season from Motherwell fans. Leitch - I was very impressed with, I hope we offer him a deal. Lovely left foot and ideal replacement for Tansey, I think. Elbouzedi - Again, very good. Techincally very good, good balance and can dribble. Worth a deal. Davidson - Liked the look of. Don't know how bad his injury was but I think he's worth another shot at Brora if fit. Oakley - wasn't too impressed but worth another go. Foy - At 17 years old, I was impressed. Would like to see him again. If we go in with a starting XI like below against Dundee United then I'd be content. I think we'll sign Chalmers as cover until Tremarco is back so I've included him. Ridgers Raven Mckay Warren Chalmers Polworth Draper Leitch Elbouzedi Foy Davidson/Baird Incidentally, with Boden and likely OWF off the wage bill, I don't think I'd be alone in loving to see Josh Meekings back. Especially with us looking for defensive reinforcements. If we had a back line of Raven, Meekings, Warren, Tremarco come October it would be like a throwback to when we were good...

And? Maybe he was told that he was no longer needed and would be sacked - and then said he would walk. I have no problem if he did claim compensation as it is what is he due, however, he seems the kind of guy who would wave it.

Is there a link to the Tansey interview?

OFW - (Contact Summer 2019). Would've kept him if we had stayed up, however, if a release can be negotiated (and I think he'd want to leave) then get rid of him. Not the worst keeper, but not the best either. RELEASE. Esson - (Contract Summer 2018). Keep as a back up/coach. Won't be on too big a wage and has lots of experience. KEEP. Mackay - (Contract unknown). Keep and make 1st choice. He's been in and around the 1st team for a while now and it's a good time to give him a chance. If he's struggling, then we have the experience of Esson to call upon. KEEP Raven - (Contact January 2018). Been one of our best players over the last few weeks and loves the club. Definitely keep - would do a good job in the championship. KEEP Laing - (Out of contract). I've been a big fan of Laing since he came and would definitely keep him, although I expect he may want to go. If he is willing to stay then I would love to see him get a new deal. KEEP Warren - (Contract Summer 2019) Definitely keep. Exactly the kind of player we need to get us back up. Him and Laing have looked solid together. I think he'd be on a fair wage, however, I'm wondering if this might be a problem. KEEP Meekings - (Out of contact). Can't see him staying. Expect to see him in an Aberdeen shirt next season with them needing a new CB. IF a new deal can be agreed then great, but I would be content with Laing and Warren. He's been a great servant over the years, shame he won't get a proper send off. KEEP (Unlikely though) Mckay - (Out of contract). Keep. Solid player and I think he'd do well in the Championship (probably his level). KEEP McNaughton - (Out of contract). Keep. Again, experience could be invaluable. Hopefully he would be affordable. KEEP Horner - (out of contract). Has to go. Shocked at some saying he should be kept for his versatility. The fact is, he's terrible wherever he plays. How he's still with us I don't know. RELEASE. Tremarco (Contract Summer 2018) Goes without saying that we need Carl to stay. He's been fantastic and will be quality in the Championship. He's already talking about next season so he clearly wants to stay. KEEP Tansey (OFF) - Sad to see Greg go. Find some of the abuse he got yesterday shocking. One of the best midfielders in the league in my opinion, and the kind of player I love. Drags us through games at times with his range of passing. In fairness, he'll be 29 soon so we probably had the best of him. Worst part will be seeing him in an Aberdeen shirt. GONE Draper (Contract Summer 2019) - In my opinion, the biggest bit of business this summer is keeping Drapes. I can't see it, he'll surely want off, but it would be great if we could keep him. We need that sort of player in the Championship. I think he mentioned when he signed a new deal last time that his family love it here and he's got a child growing up here, so hopefully that will tempt him to stay. I do fear, though, that his wages might prove too much for us. If he leaves, then we need to make sure we get some good money for him. KEEP Polworth - Contract until Summer 2019) - Has to stay. He's been shoved out onto the wing this season to accommodate Tansey and Draper. Whenever he has played through the middle, he has been the best player on the pitch. I'm hoping next season he comes into his own. KEEP Doran (Contact until Summer 2018) - Tough one. I can't see him getting many offers from elsewhere with him practically having 2 years out. My gut feeling is to keep him. On his day, he is (was) one of the best wingers in the top flight. That year where he finished top for assists, he just sprayed cross after cross in for Billy and was the main reason we did so well. If he can get back to that then he could be big for us. I'd say keep him if he takes a wage cut (although, if he's under contact I guess he can't be forced to take a wage cut?) KEEP Mulraney - (Contract until Summer 2018) - Not too fussed. Has shown moments of brilliance, but have a feeling that him and Foran don't get on too well. If he stays he will do well next season but blow hot and cold. If he goes, I won't be gutted. I'd say keep if we can afford and if not, bin. (NOT SURE) Vigurs - (Contract until Summer 2018) - like everyone else, he frustrates me. I like him as a player and he has moments of brilliance, but at times he is so frustrating. I'd say with Tansey going we should keep him and, especially in the championship, I think his quality will shine through. KEEP Fisher - (Out of contract) - Hope he stays. Hopefully the love affair with the fans at the moment persuades him. Can see some bottom 6/St Johnstone kind of club taking him on with his recent goal spurt probably catching their eye. If he stays, give him the number 9 shirt and I reckon he'll bang in 20+. KEEP Anier -(Out of contract) - Hopeless. Offers nothing anywhere on the pitch and if the ball comes near him, just chooses to foul the defender. RELEASE. Boden - (Contract until Summer 2019) - In fairness to him, he's not been given much of a chance. I'd keep him and see what he's like in the Championship - he clearly has something about him after scoring so many for Newport. KEEP Ebbe (Out of contract) - Looked good in Dev league and deserves a chance. KEEP Out of all the loan players, I wouldn't keep any bar Billy (which I can't see happening). RF did say he'd like to keep 10 of yesterdays XI which gives me hope, but I can't see it. McCart has done well since coming in, but apart from that, all of the loan players have been disappointing. Foran - (Contract until 2020) - Richie has been thrown in at the deep end this season. Yes, he's made mistakes (none more so that Fisher's exile), but I would keep him. He has had to contend with injuries at the wrong times, player issues, and the club trying to recover from losing valuable players. Most of his signings have looked good on paper (McNaughton, King, Cole) but haven't materialised for a variety of reasons. There is no point sacking him now that we are down. He will have learnt so much from this season and if he was going to be sacked, it would have been done by now. We also can't afford to sack him. As he mentioned yesterday, his experience of winning Div 1 will be good too and I feel he will turn things around next season. He loves the club and you can see the passion in him and that counts for so much. KEEP So next season, we have a potential starting XI of... Mackay Raven Laing Warren Tremarco Draper Polworth Vigurs Doran Fisher Boden Back Ups Esson McNaughton, McKay Mulraney Ebbe. Clearly, in the summer, we will need to bulk up the midfield as we're looking a bit bare there.