Robert

Matthew Strachan has joined Brora on loan until January.

Falkirk @ 1.40 please.

I’ve nothing to base this on but I’ve a sneaking suspicion we will finish 3rd behind Dundee United and Partick Thistle, with Ayr United completing the play off line up. That said one or more of the other six teams could easily upset that prediction! Hopefully we stay well away from the bottom of the table, where I think this could be the end of Arbroath’s time in the Championship.

The club has updated the squad numbers against the pictures on the website, although Longstaff and Lodovica are still to be added. Squad numbers are: 1. Ridgers 2. Duffy 3. Harper 4 Welsh 5. Delaney 6. Devine 7. Gilmour 8. Carson 9. Billy Mckay 10. Doran 11. Samuels 12. MacGregor 13. not used 14 Davidson 15. Ram 16. Hyde 17. Nicolson 18. Lodovica 19. Longstaff 20. not used 21. Cammy MacKay 22. Shaw 23. Cairns 24. Brooks 25. Calum Mackay 26. Strachan 27. Hennem 28. Bray 29. Thomson

The club’s report is out quickly: https://ictfc.com/match-report-dundee-1-0-ictfc-30-07-2023/

That was two seasons ago. Last year we started with two draws and we’d only one win in our first five league games.

No offence but I’ve better ways of spending my time!!

In your eyes the club is incapable of doing anything right! Anyway we lost 1-0 so we can forget the League Cup now and focus on the league campaign. We didn’t beat Queens Park in the league last season (and only by default in the cup) so we are due a win against them. They’ve also had a poor cup group campaign.

Announced today and he’s been a sub at Dundee.

I got an e-mail from the club this morning with their match preview and the other news stories they’d issued this week. Hopefully a sign of better engagement and communication?

Watch all 102 goals here: https://ictfc.com/watch-all-of-billys-mckay-102-record-breaking-goals-for-the-club/ A lot of great memories there.

Well said DD. Im a member of the ST but other commitments mean I’ve been unable to do more. BC mentioned that the ST must have agreed to the Manager’s new contract. That will not be the case. Shareholders get their say about company business at the AGM in the main but business decisions (contracts, signings etc) are down to those running the club. Presumably the Board delegate powers to the CEO and Manager up to set financial thresholds and if they wish to go outwith those thresholds they need to consult the Board. For the Manager’s contract I’d think the CEO would have consulted the Chairman and possibly the full Board, but definitely not any shareholders.

It’s a balance. By my reckoning we have 26 players signed, including youngsters Hennem, Cairns, Thomson, Bray, Strachan and Calum Mackay, so letting those unlikely to get game time (or maybe not even make the bench) go on loan makes sense. I take the point about injuries, and we’ve already lost Nicolson for an extended period, but hopefully we won’t suffer the same issues as last season.

And scored what sounds like a cracker today as they ran Buckie close.

HT 0-1 FT 1-2 ICT Billy Mckay Dundee Robinson Crowd 2345

Noted today: Kirk Broadfoot for Morton Marley Watkins for Kilmarnock Harry Hennem and Gary Warren for Clach Andrew MacRae for Brora Andrew MacAskill for Buckie Garry Wood for Inverurie

Marley Watkins is now at Kilmarnock. He’s scored today with Robbie Deas providing the assist.

Where’s the evidence for this? Of our players out of contract we released Boyd, Sutherland, Walsh and Woods. Everyone knew Deas was moving on. Only Allardice turned down a new contract. All other out of contract players agreed new deals. If they were unhappy with the set up here more surely some would have moved on!

Harry Hennem has joined Clach on loan until January.

It could be worse, Mrs Brown, we could be Hibs fans mourning a defeat to an amateur team from the tiny principality of Andorra.

Jordan White for County in the League Cup last night.

Sadly I suspect that most Managers are guilty of “industrial” language. Dick Campbell and Ian McColl, for example, are probably much worse than Dodds. Players are probably used to it too, and we often hear it from players during games. However, none of that is acceptable. Kids will be hearing the language and what example does that set? Players are in their workplace and should be treated respectfully by their employer. Employers also have a duty to try to protect their employees from abuse in the workplace, both from other employees and the public. That’s why we get the announcements before games, but that’s as far as it goes. There’s a thread live here just now that is arguably abusing one of the club’s employees (Billy Billy GTF) which highlights how difficult it is for any employer to protect its workforce. However, the Management team should be required to lead by example and conduct themselves professionally at all times. Separately someone mentioned the late start of pre-season. I don’t think the club had a choice or they’d have broken the Working Time Directive. Full time employees must get 28 days paid holiday per year, normally 20 days (4 weeks) holiday plus 8 public holidays. With the final being on 3 June, the first Monday in July is really the earliest they could have the players back in training.

I didn’t hear the crowd being announced last night. It was hard to tell but likely to be slightly lower than the Bonnyrigg game and Airdrie had a smaller travelling support.

Amid all the doom and gloom, let’s take a moment to praise Billy on scoring his 102nd goal for us and becoming our all time record goal scorer. Its a shame goals 101 and 102 came in defeats, but he continues to show his value and commitment to the club. His work rate is immense and he is a great role model for our younger players. The achievement is well deserved and I hope there are many goals in him during the rest of his time with us. Well done Billy!

Unusually I disagree with you Gringo. I think we should identify our strongest 11 on Sunday and play them. We need to be as ready as possible for the league season.