Douglas Mackenzie

When we boil it all down to basics,most of us want a team based in Inverness, who train here,even live here and who play here. A team that can inspire young Highlanders, A team we can support through thick and thin,through success and failure,because it is our team. Where the players come from to play in our team does not matter. We don't care as long as the young boys are given an opprtunity to shine with the big boys and we have a strong successful Academy. If the big boys don't want to come,fine, we don't want them. What we want is a team with it's roots well embedded in Inverness and the surrounding area. What we don't want is a team from Fife, who call themselves ICT and pop up and grace us with their presence for a few hours every other Saturday. ICT must be a local team, engaging with the community,supporting the community,being part of the community,yes, what we want is a well run local team, deserving of our support. Locally,nationally,yes even internationally,most are totally bemused and at a loss to understand the rationale behind this decision. How much clout does Gardiner have if he can sell this idea to the board. sad to say,but it really does look like they are buttoned up the back.

Just thinking,the current Chair, CEO and board are destroying our club and identity.If all of them are happy with this move then we need to know, or is there any of them unhappy enough to call an EGM. Now aware of the extent of discontent,cognisance has to be taken of this body of strong opinion. Failing that,we as supporters need to act and all we can do is not renew our season tickets.This is the only way we can stop the demise of ICT.Surely if the board see that season tickets are dramatically down, they will rethink and U turn. Whatever the outcome of this latest debacle, the Chair and CEO need to go.We cannot just stand by and watch.

Let's just take stock.ICT is more that a 90 minutes every second weekclub.The club and its history are rooted in Inverness.The players,Manager and coaches are involved around the city even if it just is being visible in the area, visiting schools,clubs and other organisations.They are in and about Inverness all week.Now that they are changing their identity to Kelty Thistle,all this will be lost. For the last 20 years we managed to produce a promotion winning team.How now are we not able to do that,yes it's a bigger challenge in Div 1,but let's rise to the challenge and keep our identity with players who want to wear the Jersey,who want to reside in the area,who want to be in our community. If this was such a brilliant idea why keep it hushed up why not get a feel for what the fans think.The answer:They don't actually care what we think as we are deemed not important.We provide our cash,keep quiet,turn up and let those apparently with best knowledge ruin our club

Finally from me,what will Gardiner &co come up with next.Do you think they might change the name of the team to Kelty Thistle. We support Inverness because it's our local team,otherwise I would and could support any team.I thought we were proud to be one of two Highland teams to play in the top Scottish leagues,accepting that our mantle has now slipped a fair bit as we enter division 1

This hairbrained scheme reeks of Gardiner all over it. It stinks and with such a momentus decision, would you not think a consultation period would have taken place to allow them to guage the fans views. That fact that there was no consultation, evidences what they really think of us and our opinions,even though we are paying to watch the team all season and most have invested even emotionally in the club. Shocking,bujt not unexpected.

Well that is the final straw I am off after 14 years. I could say so much about the club being in the Highlands to attract all the young up and coming generations to play football locally and inspire them. That ICT is supposed to be a truly local community club, that it was the focal point for local (and not so local) fans to come together and feel it was their home. Now we will see the entire playing operation move to Fife,any young person from up here wanting a chance with ICT will have to travel just for training, never mind every second week. Does this mean all the academy boys are also going? How is ICT now going to be a local club if we only see the first team every other week,because the rest of the time they are training and working down in Fife. Imagine for example if Glasgow Rangers or Glasgow Celtic said we are moving all our training to Newcastle,but we will be at Ibrox and Celtic Park every second week for games- Unthinkable. if players don't want to move to Inverness, we don't want them. We want players who are proud to train,play and live in the Highlands. How do Ross County (albeit they are in Premier League) manage to run a decent football operation taking young players in from the Highland league and other leagues including the Western isles. Okay the jury is currently out on their Premier status until Sunday, but either way there can be no disputing that the club is ran like a club shoud be. We are a total embarrassment virtually in all we as a club do off the field and frankly,I think it is a long shot to expect us to get promotion back to the championship in one year,especially if all the incumbants that are currently in post remain. Hasta la Vista

Well reality is setting in now I'm afraid Div 1 if the club actually survives.These last few games have been dire.Hamilton looked dangerous everytime they came near our goal.On the other hand we rarely looked dangerous and we could be playing now and still not have scored any more.To many negatives about tonight's performance to list.The best team won and we got what we deserved for a horrendous season.We just never looked like a team with a plan.In fact we never looked like a team.So sorry for all staff impacted.At least we only saw our team demoted.Many will have lost more, most likely their jobs.What an absolute mess.What a shambles the board have overseen.

The day after and reflecting, I thought we relied too much on Billy and Alex Samuel this season,both workhorses who give everything, but the end result is not there. I have no idea why Lawal was not on from the start, unless Dunc was keeping some players back for Saturday, thinking we would have walked it last night. Longstaff and Gilmour didn't have a good game, nor did Anderson.On Saturday there is no room for passengers and I would go 3-5-2, start with Kepple,Lawal,Roddy and drop Billy to the bench to come on in last 1/4 if need be. We have no choice but to be hopeful and positive and in my humble opinion we have to go all out and attack and not relyon defending the whole game and trying to sneak a goal. We need as many goals as we can get to be sure,which means high tempo,swift passing and accuracy.

Much better second half and players that finished the game should be our starting 11 on Saturday,ie without Duffy Longstaff and Co.Billy needs to play in a normal number 9 position. Well done for fightback.What a difference Lawal and Pebble made. We need to know what we have to do on Saturday and that is play better than first half and more like second half.

We are second to every ball.We don't seem to know what the plan is.Playing Billy so deep has not worked in any games. We look rattled and shell shocked.We need a goal and keep them at no more than two to have any chance on Saturday of pulling off a miracle.

Hamiltons tactics are spot on.Give us no space,high tempo,show drive and desire to win and control midfield. They need to get a grip,switch on and start playing our own game and bring on Lawal

Hamilton have settled well,we are nervous and it shows.trying to walk it into the net.I would go 442 and push Billy up alongside Samuel. At the moment we look like Div 1 team.

Was driving home and was thinking how on earth have we fallen so low in standards.We are struggling to stay in the championship and we play and look like a first division team. Today should have been high tempo,slick passing and exciting football.When you rely on a 1-0 score and hope you can keep the other team out,it is a very risky strategy.IF we survive in this league,serious questions need asked about how we have become so poor.

Well that was a hard watch and not impressive.Second last in championship plays 4th in 1st Division and we struggle in both games. The first half was dire.No tempo,no drive,no do or die.I thought everyone would be fighting for everyone at ICT as a club whose jobs rely on us staying up.Thank goodness for Ridgers, Lawal and Gilmour. At least Billy got us the all important goal,but we have to be honest ICT we're poor and really need to give themselves a good talking to. Maybe we were nervous today because so much relied on a win,but st this level we need to be better.

I think we have to focus on the fact we have to win on Friday,anything less is no use.The fly in the ointment is our home form.We do that and we can hope Airdrie pull out all the stops against Queens. Maybe we should pair McGregor up front with Samuel at least that way we might get some action on the Morton goal. Well the boys know what they have to do,so we can expect a nail biter.