Robert

Hard to get enthusiastic about tomorrow’s game but I hope the youngsters acquit themselves well and, who knows, they could surprise Hamilton. I’m looking forward to the views of those able to attend.

Mark Ridgers was on Radio Scotland tonight and confirmed he will be in the team on Saturday. He said he hopes to use it as a platform to regain his place. In the introduction to the piece, the presenter said Mark had confirmed there had been a “disagreement” with Billy Dodds during the Morton game in which he was subbed. I can’t but wonder if he will be moving on in January or the summer. I hope not, but if he is still here after January I’d guess his future with us will depend on whether Dodds is being retained for next season.

Slightly off topic but another club where the fans are unhappy is Partick Thistle. Seven of their eight Directors resigned today, and it’s been well received by their fans. Goodness knows why they needed eight in the first place.

It may refer to the request to bring the loan players back.

May be of interest to anyone around on Monday evening: https://ictfc.com/2023-calendar-signing I may pop in as it may be a chance to speak to a few of the players and get a feel for how they see things.

In the Highland League on Saturday, a hat trick for Aiden Wilson for Rothes.

I’m sorry, I disagree with the club on this. We certainly should not risk anyone carrying a knock, but we should play those who are fit and use Saturday to try and build confidence in a game where league points are not at stake. Fans like a cup run and we should be aiming to have one in this, particularly as our promotion hopes are fading so quickly. This season could effectively peter out which is in nobody’s interests.

Feelings are understandably running high, but I can’t see a change before the end of the season and then only if Dodds is out of contract. Our tactics are strange at times, particularly high balls to the likes of Mckay, Boyd and Doran. We are best when we play it fast and keep it on the ground, but we don’t see that often now, possibly as the players covering the injuries are not comfortable playing that way. We are also shy about shooting, opting for an extra pass far too often. How much if that is down to the Head Coach, we can only guess. However, the injury run must be having an impact. We have had up to 9 missing for weeks, and there could be something in the training regime contributing to that: we can only guess again. We don’t even know, unless I have missed it, what the outlook in the near future is for Delaney, Allardice, Welsh, MacGregor, Samuels or Mckay. I just wonder how recent games would have gone if our starting 11 had been: Ridgers Carson Devine Deas Delaney Allardice Welsh Samuels MacGregor Mackay Mckay That is 8 changes from Saturday and I do feel we’d have got a better outcome. I think we all need to accept nothing will happen until the end of the season.

I wondered that too. I’d say three of the twelve tables were away fans so nine tables were taken by local people or businesses. With the right package, they should be able to fill it every home game in my opinion. It is a good offering. Perhaps drop the free bar to reduce the cost per seat as it would be balanced out by bar takings? In addition, most there were buying £10 of half time draw tickets so another £1k or so from that. The posters in the toilet about packages still have Keith Haggart as the contact, and he’s been away for several months. A good day (apart from the football), and something they should try harder to sell. In summary, could do better.

Duku for York and Toddy for Dunfermline yesterday.

A hard watch as others have said. Dundee were poor but held on comfortably to win. We contributed to their goal by giving the ball away cheaply but it was a decent finish. I can’t fault the commitment of the players but too often we passed when we could have shot or gave the ball away cheaply. Oakley was more interested in grappling than winning the ball. We ended up with Devine playing in an advanced role. No offence to Danny, but he’s no striker and he had a decent game and tried to encourage the team. Carson and Shaw were the picks for me. Worryingly I was treated to hospitality today. The CEO spoke at it and explained we are only doing it at a few games this season due to the smaller away supports being experienced. Surely he should be out there getting local businesses and supporters taking tables so the hospitality takes place at every game. He said it was important financially for the club today and there were 120 at it, so they’d have taken around £12k less the costs of staging it. Have they given up on getting support locally? It was a very worrying comment.

Stirling @ 2.05 please.

HT 0-0 FT 2-1 ICT Shaw Dundee Robinson Crowd 2178

Agreed. It shows what we can do and a repeat tomorrow will do me nicely. That said, I am going along in hope rather than expectation. Hopefully Devine, Welsh and Mackay are all fit to start and Billy Mckay makes it too. If we have anyone else back that will be a bonus. Paul McGowan may be missing for Dundee after being arrested: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-63825310

Queens Park at home in the fourth round. Typical, we draw a Championship team.

Very sad news. I’d noticed he had not posted for some time so feared something may be amiss. I never met him but condolences to his family and all on here who knew him.

Two for Sam Winnall for Burton Albion in the FA Cip today.

They were surprisingly good. Francis Rossi did close to two hours flat out despite being 74 and never missed a note. I’d hoped to get back for the game but it wasn’t worth the risk.

Eh what…. No, recovering from too much beer in Aberdeen at the Status Quo gig last night, so not risking driving early enough to make the game.

If BBC are right, Draper was part of a back 3 and Nicolson was in an advanced role on the left side. How did Nicolson do? I saw great potential in him when he got game time with us.

I didn’t make the game but the BBC live text says he replaced Billy Mckay due to injury: did it look serious or a precaution?

Coll Donaldson and Brad Mckay for Falkirk at Wick today in the cup. Andy MacRae for Brora and Kane Davies for Forres in the Highland League.

Job done. That’s all that mattered today. Good to see Mackay get game time and having a right back in is positive. Hopefully he does enough to warrant staying for the rest of the season at least. What do we want next? A winnable game or a big pay day?

HT 1-0 FT 3-1 ICT Billy Mckay Stirling Carrick Crowd 988

Manny Duku for York and two for Garry Wood for Inverurie today. Andrew MacAskill for Buckie midweek in the Aberdeenshire Shield. Last Saturday, Wood and MacAskill both scored in the Highland League Cup.