Alex MacLeod

Attendance 4887

Being old enough to remember the days when players stayed on their feet at all costs there is an element of deception in the game. It used to be blamed on foriegn players but over recent years its become the norm among all players. I remember players like Jimmy Johnstone, George Best etc who'd jump over the extended leg and score rather than waste the effort in the hope a ref was duped. I think its time the corrupt lawmakers of the game at FIFA level put rules in place to stamp this out. In game like the St Johnstone one the law should be that if found guilty after game of deception to earn a goal player should be sanctioned and team forfiet game. I also think more needs to be done to stop the wrestling matches in the box at set pieces and the enmasse hounding of ref's to get a fellow professional disciplined. I also think that refs need to be taught to recognise a good old fashioned shoulder charge. Maybe its also time to stop resisting the use of technology i.e video referee just like in rugby. Critics may suggest this would slow down the game and make it boring. I dont think it would. In rugby its only used when ref is not sure. In rugby ref's decision is final and players never try to influence. Unlike the all too often card waving of players and hounding of refs.

A stat to ponder.......Last time we lost more than three league games in a row was festive period of 08/09 season. Back then we went on a run of eight consecutive league defeats. The seventh of those resulted in the sacking of Brewster.

I think that's right? I think it seems narrower due to the stands being much nearer the pitch? We had the same debate last year. Whether the pitch is bigger, smaller or the same size the fact is we beat them 3-0 and played them off the park with one of the best performances I've seen from any ICT team. Same again would be good. By the way, I understand that County still have plenty tickets for sale and are surprised that ICT shut up shop early for New Year and didn't want more tickets once the original 1,000 were sold. Inverness pitch is, I believe 115 x 75 yards whilst Dingwall is 100 x 75. Shorter but same width. Ourselves, Hamilton and St Johnstone have same dimensions. All others are either narrower or shorter. Info from http://www.footballgroundguide.com/scotland/ so may not be up to date.

Maybe the Tansey influence will keep our players here. http://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/Sport/Football/Tansey-urges-caution-over-Caley-Thistle-exits-29122014.htm

Scarlet its been asleep for six months. Did you really need to wake it up again?

Yes. Did full time not coincide with the move to the new stadium?

I believe the manager attends the AGM's to give those attending an opportunity to question him and to gve a run down to the shareholders on any aspect under his jurisdiction.

The Bught is a public amenity and as such should always stay that way. For too long now bits of public amenity sites have been sold off to private development to the detriment of safe recreational activity for our youngsters. To all those who'd like a move to there I ask this: Would you be happy if HC decided to sell part of it to a supermarket of housing developer? Both of these are private, profit making enterprises just like ICT. The Bught should and will never happen. There may be other areas in the industrial belt that could be flattened and utilised but where does the money come from. We'd get nothing for selling the current site because we dont own it. We lease the site. We lease the stadium. So how do we raise the likely £10 million or so? Too many people use the stadium etc as the reason for low turnouts. Not so. The whole Scottish football scene is the problem. People have stayed away because of the Rangers fiasco. People have stayed away because of the OF bias. People may even be staying away because Hibs and Hearts are no longer in the top league. The big thing though is that people are no longer spending money at opposition clubs. Travelling numbers are down. St Mirren posted accounts yesterday and stated their ST sales and gate reciepts are down. Ten years ago it was impossible to get an ST for Celtic. Now their stadium is full of empty seats. Every club is suffering. There is more incentives not to follow football than there is to follow nowadays. Many people want nothing but 3pm on Saturday. Many people want the standing and alcohol restrictions removed. Many people want to go to a game and have an enjoyable day out. They dont want the hassles associated with it. Get rid of the stupid all seater criteria. Get rid of the over zealous stewarding. Get rid of the rules and regulations and the cocking the forelock to TV attitude. Get rid of the bias reporting. Make the game a level playing field for all teams. Get rid of the highly paid players and the ludicrous transfer fees. Play the game at more sensible time of year. Make the game more affordable. Sort all that and the numbers will rise again. I haven't been to a game so far this season (apart from Birmingham) partly because I've been out of the country, partly because other things have prevented me attending but mainly because I'm finding it harder and harder to motivate myself into making the journey.

TCS - 20 mins walk from city centre - Secure parking - Queues to get out Dundee (Utd) - 20/25 mins walk from city centre - Limited on street parking. Aberdeen - 20 mins from city centre - Secure parking - Queues to get out Hibs - 20 mins from city centre - limited on street parking Hearts - 10 mins from city centre - Very limited parking Kilmarnock - 30/40 mins from town centre - Some secure + on street parking The list could go on and on but the point is that a 20 minute walk is not a big deal. Agree, appreciate finances are tight but there may well be merit in employing someone with a successful track record in marketing and public relations on perhaps a two year fixed contract. I appreciate that someone of high caliber and and a proven record of success would command a significant salary and there might have to be a modest reduction in the playing budget as a result but it might just bear fruit. Someone confident in their ability to attract more fans and generate more income may well be happy for part of their remuneration package to be performance related and, to that extent, it could be, at least partially, self funding. I should add that this is not intended as a criticism of the initiatives the club are already taking but someone who's raison d'etre is to generate publicity and enthusiasm may just be able to bring something fresh to the table. I would imagine that the high calibre person you seek would command a salary of at least £120k a year. Add to that the employers costs and we're possibly talking £300k for the two years. Thats a reduction of around seven players in our already very small squad. So lets say we employ this person to the detriment of the team and the possibility of demotion and at the end of his term he reports back that people are no longer interested in football. We've kind of fekked up.

Does anyone actually know by how much the home attendances have dropped. I know that in the earlier days of novelty factor there were far bigger away supports travelling up and these have dropped off considerably. Aren't the football fans being a bit selfish towards other sports and interests that take up people's time? I dont believe we are going to increase gates by suggesting that other sports should be given less consideration and, indeed, believe thats more likely to alienate those who might be persuaded. The current stadium was built where it was for a variety of reasons, not least financial ones, and no amount of bleating on here or in the central belt news media is going to give us something to satisfy everyone without the money to do so. All that aside I see football in Scotland as being on the decline as the number 1 spectator sport. All clubs are losing fans yet the powers that be are doing nothing to address that. Are the SFA / SPFL doing anything? Are the clubs getting together to address the problems? No. They cant seem to see the problems. For a lot of people its not all financial. Its not all location. Nor car parking, pies, or whatever. For many its the matchday experience, the stewarding, the bias towards two teams, the changes to k.o times to suit TV. Basically many, and I include myself to an extent, are sick of the establishment that run the game and the Glasgow two who control it. Sort that aspect of the game and we'll probably sort the crowd numbers.

Well done Laurence.....shame about your spelling though. Also notice the way you dont link the story of English fans attempting to antagonise with anti IRA songs. Kind of fell flat on its face as far as the Scots were concerned but has riled the FA enough to look at it more closely.

Official http://ictfc.com/news/team-news/1408-change-of-venue

Just as a matter of interest what is the cost of a coach? I seem to recollect a suggestion that its £1000 or so for 48 seater.

No surprise that cheapest gates are top of the table

Maybe I'm wrong in thinking they are free http://www.rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk/news/supporters-bus-incentive/

Think they are free this season courtesy of Mr McGregor. Not helping them much so far though. Unfortunately we don't have a benefactor to subsidise our buses, other than what CJT can do, so the cost has to be met somehow.

Perhaps, before apportioning blame, it would be a better idea to find out the reasoning behind this. I'm quite sure our club would rather this game was played at home rather than shell out for hire of another ground and transport to Elgin so I'd think there must be a legitimate reason for this decision

He's left the building http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30088428?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Was the researcher in the post office on pension day?

9 Goals from 17 starts this season for Winnal

Sneckboy, lets look at what you're saying in simpler terms. (All figures are made up) Albion normal gate = 300 of which 250 are ST holders. Other 50 pay tenner each = £500 takings PAYW gate = 600....same 250 ST holders. 350 extras pay average £3.71 which = £1300 takings = 160% increase My example above assumes that ST's are not includer in takings each matchday. So for ICT lets assume 2500 ST holders and average gate of 3200 = 700 pay average £15 = £10500 takings. Lets say we can increase by 1000 giving us 1700 pay at gate. They would need to pay average of just over £7 to break even. The initiative to get extra fans in the gate is admirable but runs serious risk of costing the club money.

Any or all of these could go • Greg Tansey • Daniel Devine • Graeme Shinnie • Nick Ross • Marley Watkins • David Raven • Josh Meekings • Billy McKay • Liam Polworth • Calum Ferguson

Latapy demoting to first team coach with Foran stepping up as Assistant would be my wild guess. Why would any of those situations happen? Yogi will take us to Europe and then get head hunted and the rest will be history. Much like the history of most of our previous managers

Has been doing his badges for a while now and has also been helping out with coaching at TCS. Indeed I recall an article a month or so ago where Hughes stated Richie would be next Inverness manager. To have an outsider come to our club with a desire to stay for the long haul shows that Inverness and Inverness CT must be something special.