Council Juice

Congratulations to former ICT star Graeme Shinnie! Winning the Scottish cup today for the 2nd time (previously with Inverness).

Has now captained Aberdeen to the cup with a victory over Celtic.

All in all a very decent season given the turmoil and to have a record that would otherwise have us 2nd in the table without the deduction is very good going. 

On 3/21/2025 at 9:53 AM, snorbens_caleyman said:

The incentive would have been to show that they could achieve a quick result. Which would be good for attracting future business of this type, which, I fear, will be inevitable. I think they would have preferred this.

I believe that what we have witnessed is what you find in any negotiation. People holding out as long as possible to see what they can get out of it.  Not folding before "the last minute" - the first "deadline" is never the last one.  Call it brinkmanship, or chicken, or just plain stubbornness.

Not until they believe that they are staring down the barrel of a gun will they concede.  In this case it was the fact that there were no offers that was the catalyst for action.

Yeah it's weird how at one point it seemed like there were a bunch of prospective owners and things were going well to then a long period of silence. No preferred buyer and then the statement from BDO on the 17th stressing that liquidation was a real risk.

Is the fog finally clearing and we can find our way forward. Fingers crossed but still cautiously optimistic at best for now.

Think we need to find out if ICT will still be a club next season at this rate. The squad will have to wait at this point.

Hopefully we come out the other side and the nucleus of the squad stick around and we can get back to focusing on the pitch.

On 3/22/2025 at 12:24 PM, RednBlackComeback said:

What’s so frustrating is that we could and should have won the last two home games, and we’d now be sitting in 6th place just 2 points off the 4th place playoff spot!

That’s gone now, unfortunately.

While it's disappointing not to win and essentially rule us out the Play off spot and virtually secure survival I hope we continue to keep looking up the table and finish as high as possible.

Could certainly aim for 6th or 7th. Even push for 5th (though unlikely in 6 games).

This season was all about survival after going into admin and the point deduction. (We'd have been title challengers until recently without it so form has been solid) and that's so nearly within reach. Let's get it done.

This is so depressing. Particularly given how well the team have performed on the pitch in spite of all of this.

Cmon Polvsen show us the money! Pocket change for you lad.

Touching my wooden forehead as I type this tobavoid jinxing it but if we carry on like this we'll be finishing midtable.

Keep the good results coming and hope everything off the pitch takes care of itself in due course.

Great win! That's 3 wins in 5 and only 1 defeat. Let's hope we can keep that form up. Gives us a chance to stay in the division.

Is there any new news? Last I saw we had an abundance of potential suitors according to the administrators and it went quiet since. 

On 10/23/2024 at 2:25 PM, Charles Bannerman said:

I think Scot Gardiner was a very easy individual to take an instant dislike to. He simply exuded an unpleasant aura which his intermittent attempts at charm utterly failed to conceal.

The PandJ’s public exposure of that was a masterpiece.

Not the first to express this either. Rab Douglas got dingied by him too. Not only dislikeable in general but arrogant.

He's probably a proper suck up to his bosses so all they see is sunshine. Everyone else has to suffer though.

https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/dundee-fc/1268923/rab-douglas-scot-gardiner-dundee-fc-inverness-spfl/

5 hours ago, Charles Bannerman said:

I think, even at this stage, it’s a bit risky even to be implying criminality in general and by any individual in particular. The administrator was asked about possible criminality and, in a very circumspect answer, did seem to imply that, should any emerge, it would be followed up.

Can the claim libel based on someone's "gut feeling of something say going on"?

Be a stretch that.

The club hasn't been well run. Well run businesses do not accrue this much debt needing hair brained get rich schemes to bail them out.

The whole Morrison fully funded stuff odds me out. 

We already had a bunch of shareholder debt. Was another 1.5m of loans going to tide us over in Fife? Then what? What was the next plan?

Morrison himself said he didn't know much about running a football club hence why he had Gardiner around.

Seems he's clueless to actually running a business as well if he thinks that is remotely sustainable. 

Just fund it 12 months, get those 6 players, hope to get promoted and then? Expecting a windfall in the championship where we got into serious debt in the first place?

Seems Dunc was sold a pipe dream from the off.

5 hours ago, Charles Bannerman said:

You have got it in one, Snorbens! As it happens, as this has unfolded in recent weeks, I’ve been finding myself wanting more and more to do a follow up, and you even provided me with the ideal title - “Against All Frauds”.

However the litigation risk is so high that it’s an absolute no-no - which is also, unfortunately, a sad reflection of how it is indeed possible to suppress information by threatening to make things very difficult for those providing it.

Although it will never happen, I actually think there’s a lot of scope for a book starting end on from Against All Odds and documenting the club’s chequered fortunes as a business from the debacle that led to the Tulloch rescue if 2000, through the “glory years” to the current mess, interspersed by episodes from the football part of the history as well.

Charles can you not just say allegedly a lot?

56 minutes ago, Scotty said:

 

May not be Povlson then .... 

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/richest-person-in-scotland-credited-with-interest-in-buying-spfl-club-4836051

Dinnae buy them Povlson. We're right here. The highland fairytale in all its glory. None of this nonsense. 

What better represents a Highland rewilding landowner than the team in the capital of the Highlands? You know it makes sense

On 7/20/2024 at 3:51 AM, dougal said:

At present we are heading for relegation survival in league1 with the current squad would be a quite remarkable achievement. 

A torrid season ahead and the fans that are still going should go easy on the kids who will be turning week in week out remember it’s not their fault.

Dougal
 

You still sign your name after all this time Dougal?  

I agree with you though. 

I think a good season for us is first surviving as a club and an exceptional one would be staying in L1 with the -15 points.

Can forget anything better than that.

6 hours ago, lizi said:

I can't imagine any of our previous managers working for free, or even paying for players car fuel, so don't understand the negativity towards Duncan Ferguson.  OK, results not great but he has tried.  Recent ex managers have even put in claims for cash from ICT when they know the club is on its knees - reportedly their hearts were in ICT - if thats support I despair. As a supporter of Caley for over 70+ years, I'll  continue to support ICT or Caley even in HL, where I started but will never forget Europe and appreciate  Bucharest!  

Only one I could imagine doing so is Charlie. 

6 hours ago, STFU said:

It's all starting to sound like a load of sentimental tosh. A couple of months back most people would have been happy to aee Ferguson booted but now the circumstances have changed and he's likely to depart due to administration instead of his own incompetence we have people trying to defend him.

I don't hate Ferguson. He should never have been given the job in the first place and the way he sets out the team and tactics is enough to me the eyes bleed but appointed he was and responsibility for that lies elsewhere.

Paying for overnight stays before away games and the even more bizarre scenario of him providing players petrol money and whatever is all about him protecting his image because he knows he'll be looking for another job very shortly.

For the majority of managers and players this is a job and the whole claiming allegiance to the club etc is just to keep us as mug fans on side.

Ferguson is not working for free and his wages will have been deferred. When administration happens he'll be top of the list for payment of that money. He claims to be paying player petrol etc. but see my comment on another chat thread as to why that's just BS and I imagine he's covering his boys costs and overplaying the situation.

I don't hate Ferguson but he's playing the situation to ensure he remains employable once he's shown the door with us. Did he have to pay these things? No, but it makes him look good and as fans we are daft enough to praise him for it.

I'm more concerned for the few staff behind the scenes who have shown real commitment to ICTFC.

So let's stop with the 'aww poor Ferguson' bs. He may have been sold a pup by the **** Scot Gardiner and delusional Ross Morrison, but he will be far from the biggest loser in the chit show that we have become in the last 6 or 7 years.

Ultimately he is a part of the problem even if he's not the cause of it.

Or you're just speculating?

If he's deferring his wage pre admin that's still a top gesture. If he's helping cover other costs. That's a nice gesture.

There's no guarantee he'll ever see deferred wages once the club enters admin though of course he'd rightly be expected to be paid his wages (as everyone employed at the club should) if we come out OK on the other side.

11 hours ago, STFU said:

I'm a little confused by this. Is the intimation that the club should be paying for players petrol and basic costs in addition to their salary and accommodation/bills and because they're not then Ferguson should be hailed as a hero for doing so?

Sounds to me like some players are just really bad at managing their money and acting super entitled.

I'd kill to be earning £400 a week and have no accommodation/bills to pay for.

400 a week works out at £10 an hour (based on a 40 hour week). So that's below minimum wage.

After tax it's £356 a week. 

Are they all living rent and bill free? Or would this just be loanees?

4 hours ago, CaleyCiuin said:

Do you remember relegation from the Championship?

Tbf we had 1 point when he was appointed. Granted he wasn't able to arrest the slide but Dodds had long since done the damage on the field. Is he a good manager? Not really. But it was 1 win from safety in the end.

The stuff he's done in recent weeks like working for free. 

Also just read he's been paying for the players petrol and pitching in to hotels away from home. 

He might not be a great manager but he's been making some big sacrifices for the club where he shouldn't need to and deserves a lot of credit for that.

Will be remembered fondly for that if anything.

10 hours ago, Jack Waddington said:

Not entirely sure where you're getting that, given the reasons he chose not to follow through were the debts (which will be wiped in a week or so) and a conflict of interest should we end up in the same UEFA tournament as Midtjylland. Nor do I know where you're finding info on him owning a Portugese Club as well.

Absolutely nothing to suggest that he's buggering off and never going to come back

Not sure why owning multiple clubs would be an issue for us. We're miles of European football. Besides anyone who remotely follows football knows this is a rule to get around and plenty do.

6 hours ago, Pele_Is_God said:

Savage this afternoon confirmed we were going to hold off on administrators then goes ahead and does it. Not saying it's not the right decision but it's a total car-crash.

I understand he walked into an absolute train wreck but almost starting to feel he's as full of as the rest of them. 

They all just seem to be in it for their own interests.

It's a massive cluster of egos and it's hampered us for years.

On 10/12/2024 at 1:45 AM, RiG said:

Overlooks the shambles of the Puma deal, Harper transfer and 7,000 unread emails 

Sure I read somewhere it was 28000.  

On the whole rant. He's on a 12 month notice period so technically still an employee right?.

Then this would surely be grounds for dismissal under gross misconduct for bringing the company into disrepute. I mean his complete incompetence in the job is enough alone for that. Never mind attacking the club and colleagues.

https://www.thedarkblues.co.uk/topic/36410-ict-and-scot-gardiner/

He's hated at Dundee. So his waffle about his work there is nonsense. Clearly an awful person to work for/under too as per Rab Douglas in April 2020. And we kept him 4 more years!!!

On 10/9/2024 at 1:37 AM, Starscape said:

Thought Charlie did pretty well in the hotseat. I guess the advantage we can offer ex-players in the HL is progression. How much notice do you get for making Nairn a force in the top six of the HL against getting ICT promoted from the bottom rung.

I also suspect more people, like me, are more willing to shell out after admin. I was waiting to hear any rumours from AS but no need. They're publicly stated.

Charlie did a great job when he got the gig. But a bad run and he struggled with the weight of the job and losses. 

I'd be happy for him as DoF or something though.

Get a former player with an experienced assistant. Usually the best way at this level. Or Dick Campbell.

7 hours ago, Jack Waddington said:

I'm praying someone does, or at least begs for the board to bend their demands to suit his demands. This is the closest we'll have to a Shiekh Mansour. Fellas worth £7 BILLION, AND HE WAS INTERESTED IN US. US. A TEAM ROYALLY SHITTING THE BED AND LOOKING LIKELY TO DROP TO LEAGUE TWO.

Palming him away over a hypothetical situation, is bonkers.

Better yet, has anyone that matters at the club even got a club email, cos all the contacts on the site are for the SLO and the like...

Then again, that said, as he did cite the debts as pushing away, I suppose theres a reasonable chance of him swinging back into the spotlight following administration

Guy is the largest private landowner in Scotland. It would be a dereliction of duty on behalf of the board to not actively pursue any interest he might have. But that lot seem like the type who don't like outsiders and are probably significantly jealous of his wealth and standing. I could see them rejecting any advance out of spite.

18 hours ago, IcyT said:

Implying that the board would not entertain any late offer, which I’m sure they would be obliged to do if they’re to discharge their duty to act in the best interests of the company, etc.  Just seems a bland statement, and almost as though the board is reveling in the drama and secrecy….

Part of any administration company is to consider any new bids in the best interest of the company and its creditors. Admin would surely remove any semblance of choice this board would have of a new owner.

Good thing for us like. Cleaning the room is the best route forward. Need a whole new board.

They let a CEO run the club to ruin. That cannot be forgotten.

On 10/16/2024 at 12:27 PM, Scotty said:

Yup, it feels like The Caledonian Stadium down by the lake in early March when the temperature can drop to -20 or -30!!! Other than money which they have loads of, there are lots of parallels with ICT, not least the sporadic periods of success followed by longer periods of absolute mediocrity but thats what happens when you support your local team rather than glory hunt, I guess. I think that was the game (2022?) where Lewis Morgan scored a hat-trick and also had one disallowed. He always plays well here for some reason. I watched that from the comfort of my front room. couldn't even give my tickets away for free for that one   

Yep 2022. Might have been the season opener. We got the tickets free from our boss who has season tickets. 

That wind was biting. Something I felt could be sorted with like a big window above the little stand at the concorse on the south side

Will say one thing though is the singing section was excellent throughout despite a miserable Toronto performance.

D day is upon us.

People noted and questioned earlier what the 200k would get us and I always saw it as a bid to buy time to get us a way out. I don't think it was ever expected we could do it in perpetuity. 

It seems admin is the only viable option at this point. One can hope it allows us to rise again and at some point push up the leagues free of the huge financial woes the club has accrued.

The fact the SFL kept the 15pt deduction post covid should rankle. They should have been aware that it was a possibility that the pandemic would push clubs to the brink and struggle to recover after amassing debts.

12 hours ago, RiG said:

Part 1 - https://archive.is/xTktB
Part 2 - https://archive.is/jWHQW
Part 3 - https://archive.is/OO6MR
 

   

"Listen, Scot Gardiner could be a big pain in the arse, but he was the best I could find."

if that is not the most damning thing to come out of a (former) chairman's mouth IDK.

Gardiners complete lack of remorse or willingness to take any accountability for the dire straits that a business he ran for half a decade is beyond the pale.

Also this talk about him being liked at Dundee etc. I'm certain their fans hated him too. Warned us even.

4 hours ago, Scotty said:

People are likely sick of me mentioning TFC but its where I get my footie fix on a regular basis and however bad the team play, the owners are masters at squeezing every dollar out of you that they can so perhaps we can take something that works here, reduce the scale and make it work for ICT.   At TFC most of the concessions rent their spaces and the club makes money regardless of whether they make a profit or not. There must be 200+ different concession stands to choose from at BMO Field.  The ST has given the sports bar a lick of paint and a bit of a refresh which is great. Things like this to enhance the matchday experience are a good place to start. Small incremental improvements are all we can do at this stage. Could we replace the really bad sausage roll window with something better? Maybe food trucks in the open corners? We charge them a flat fee, initially a low amount, but review regularly based on the level of crowds we get. If the average gate goes up, then within the contract it is stipulated that so does the concession fee as there are more potential customers. Fans win as competing outlets will usually try to either cook the best food or have reasonable prices and there may be more variety than carbon-dated sausage rolls and pies.

If we can find a way to lease/rent out certain aspects of the matchday experience then this - to me - is the way to go. Season tickets are effectively a lease as the STH lease their seats for a year and the club gets the money whether you go or not. Concession rental as suggested is another. Are there other areas of the matchday that could be monetised? Could the 50-50 draw go online? At TFC I can use their app at home to buy a 50-50 ticket even if not going to the match. Does our ticketing system have any way to do something like this? Just throwing out a few ideas - which may or may not be realistic - but at worst, I just get told its a silly idea.          

A Toronto game vs Red Bull NY (4-1 loss) was one of the most miserable experiences of my life. That wind coming off the lake in early spring towards the main stand is biting. And there's little in the way of shelter. Felt like a 1-0 loss at Clyde all those years ago.  

But to your point, the idea of renting out concessions - perhaps to local business with food trucks seems like an obvious no brainer. 

What happened with the Portuguese investor group? Guess that went nowhere?