big cherly

Don’t think that’s a question that should be raised right now. The guy has just been offered a 2 year contract. Irrespective whether we think that was right or wrong, the fact is it is in place. We can’t afford to pay him off, simple, so we just move on! Tonight’s result ends interest in this cup. We just hope Dodds and the team learn from the mistakes over the past two games and get it right for the league games ahead. We can’t enter into another winter like last year!! bc

Thank you OCG for your response as you understand things. I’m not a Supporter Trust member, just a simple supporter of the team. I’m still unclear what the Trust Board actually stand for in how a question like mine, (of relevant interest to us all I would hope), is taken up and addressed by the Trust Board. If as you say the TB has occasional meetings with the club officials, is there timetable for the these meetings or is it randomly held? I would be concerned if the club would consider withholding details like season ticket numbers sold, as it would (I suspect) be of interest to just about any season ticket holder or the fans in general. Why, well a number of reasons, Firstly, connection with the fans. The season ticket sales represent (for me at least), a sign of the general health of the club. Absence of such details weakens, I believe, the connection and bond between the club and fans, where as DD mentions, just about every other club is proud to promote and release there ST figures. Secondly, Anyone with any interest in the club know our average attendance is just over a couple of thousand. If their is financial sensitivity on the season tickets then given what I say above (other clubs release ST No’s), this may raise greater concern and focus from fans, vendors and potential investors that there is a risk the club is in a vulnerable position (yes, I take in the cup run). Releasing the ST numbers would dismiss this uncertainty. Lastly, it raises for me the question ‘what does supporters trust board actually stand for’. I don’t mean that disrespectfully, but I assume some of the Trust Board members look at the forum comments as well as taking in Supporters trust members emails. Like graffiti on a wall, some of the more salient and meaningful suggestions and comments (good and bad), that could help the club forward come from such sources. - The absence or lack of Supporters Trust Board interaction or feedback with the forum is a lost opportunity for me. Anyway, I personally feel the club has more to gain than loose by issuing the number of Season Tickets sold. Just my tuppence worth and final comment on the matter. common fan bc

I understood from recent posters Fraz, the Supporters Trust held 10% voting rights, and referring to Cattach 28th June, was insisting the trust board is held in a higher position and representation than the common fan. (ie, they would act on these fans behalf)! I stand to be corrected if I am wrong with the above, however in the event I am right, I consider my request for season ticket status was a simple and valid question the ST board would welcome and take to the club with a view of issuing a clear unambiguous answer! What is their purpose otherwise if they cannot or address with their common fans enquiries. Or is it a case that only certain questions can be accepted? Clarity would help me understand better! bc

Knowledge!

Hi, Can the trust board please confirm how many season tickets have been sold this new season to date, what is the club’s expected target. If not currently available, what date will it be available. Also obtain from the club the season ticket numbers for the last 10 years. Many thanks. bc

“Whats clear is the current club board appear to treat all fans the same, including the supporters trust. This has to change going forward.” The above bugged me since it was posted and I resisted commenting on it at the time as I didn’t want to deflect the main track of the issue. So after a period of time I came down on the side of ‘this is ‘ part of the problem’. - I’ll leave it with A Miller’s “we are all born equal, some are more equal than others”. bc

Understand where you’re coming from scotty in that you don’t care where the person comes from as long as they competent, ‘straight’ and professional in communicating to the respective bodies. I buy all that. Only thing is the level of distrust from a good number of the fans towards anything to do with what the board control (ie their SLO), will be met with some scepticism if a key issue in the fans eyes is not sanctioned. (Be it valid or not). I do feel a fans rep stands a better chance of mediation and progress fir both parties. just my tuppence worth. bc

Well done Douglas, for persevering when most of us just gave up. Be interesting to see if your stone in the pond gathers any momentum (wave like), time will tell. For me the recent posters has been what’s good about the fans (both positive and negative [depending on what side of the fence you sit]); so here’s to the start of the new season. Enjoy it !(all the ups and downs).

Hello Alan, I have taken time to digest what you say regarding true fans. I understand your point where you ‘support your team though thick and thin’, but stop and disagree at ‘No matter the circumstances’! - I have followed football as a fan boy and man going on over 60 plus years simply because it thrilled and excited more than any other sport! It extended beyond a simple sport to include and represent the community, people and town /area I lived in. For the most the people in control of the clubs I followed were from the town the club resided and were woven into the ethics and ‘sole’ of the supporters. In essence the club and team represented the supporters. In todays football society the connection between the club hierarchy [+team] and the support has been diluted as money overcame every aspect of the game to where the supporters connection has been reduced or diluted to ‘customers’, or to put it in more financial terms ‘cash cows’ via aka season tickets and sale of merchandise. What I have observed at ICT since we won the Scottish Cup has been a slow and somewhat painful decline both on and off the field. Excluding the Covid period and a fortunate cup run, the performances and direction over past two seasons with the team and CEO / Board had been alarming to watch and read! I feel the current club hierarchy do not have the same connection with the fans and community I mention above. I hate saying transient hierarchy but that’s where I am just now. This disconnect is most tangible in the almost bewildering and belittling regard of the fans worth and communication. So Alan, I have reached the point where I don’t want to continue with the current arrangement where I pay to receive more of the same ‘service’. As OCG eloquently put ‘it’s the only power we (fans) have’. To get the powers to pay some attention is to show that in their pocket, (Money again)! So to end my spiel, bring a true fan in my book depends on your interpretation on what you think is best for your team, and what you do to bring that into effect, (and loose). I respect your view but you don’t have a monopoly on what constitutes a fan. bc

Snap! Place it also a tip and adds to the disenfranchisement.

There is a valid argument to say B McKay’s best days are behind him and it’s time for the club to look beyond him. Avoiding for now the talk of what options / scenarios the club had in mind if McKay left (I’m sure Robbo has a list of players), it is an opportunity for Samuals or one of the other signed players to step and take up the role. Also push the apprenticeship players and roll the dice!

Indeed, the club’s PR dealing with Shane Sutherland, will I suspect, have registered in the minds of Mr Mckay and players potentially available. Look at how Queens Park CEO positioned and promoted her club at the weekend on where they see their club develop both on and off the field!

I respect your stance and challenge IHE, but it’s simply not for me. I’m past it in ways of busting a gut and spending energy on attempting to persuade the people in charge to recognise the clubs fans better (too many good people here have used the ‘head against a brick wall’ term). My experience is, it simply comes down to Money and willing and that in my view won’t be forthcoming willingly based on their past track record or attitude. It is a long haul campaign needed here and I couldn’t provide that. My compliments to those that can rise to the quest and implement positive change. Bc

Forgive my scepticism IHE but I have grown to be somewhat guarded about ‘clubs’, ‘trusts’ and ‘fraternity associations’ and whose interests they actually represent. Do the representatives selected (they are rarely votes in), truly act on the undiluted views of the fans, or is it a filter to present a set of guidelines their masters want them to work within! So whilst it’s not for me, I wish any new applicants well in maybe getting a better representation of the fans views across (as the trust’s image to date has in ways of communication between the fans-board somewhat compliant. Bc

Pile of people align with your views and frustration Douglas. It’s not went unnoticed how much you resisted publishing your views as you were at pains to not denigrate the club and make simple but practical, easily adoptable, suggestions that would go a long way to engage the fan base better. I sincerely hope your message doesn’t fall on deaf ears. Sometimes however the gap is too wide, time will tell. For me it’s leopards and spots. Need some new cats.

Thanks for the update, that helps me understand where things are on the matter. By the sound of it, the numbers of returns have proved how important the club mean to the fans and can be considered a success in undertaking it. It’s an artery that may demonstrate that the (core) fan base consider the recent communication channels (i include the supporters trust ) between the club hierarchy and core fans is deficient and needs reviewed. I’m sure there will be a pile of recommendations from the survey for the club to consider, (from the team, management, youth teams, contracts, ground, relationship between club / fans), from the unrealistic, worth considering and yes no-brainier. As ever it comes down to money, but there has to be a “will” beforehand. So good luck with the review and filtering of the survey returns. I realise the constraints with only two people working on the task, but there is a risk that its findings (report) is diminished if it is released long after the survey was undertaken. Ie mid season in December. (Maybe the club could put forward a admin person to help)? I also realise it’s Zip to do with me, but I always hesitate and question the merit in the club officials seeing the findings before the fans. I don’t know if the club has the power to influence what is finally published, however given the, (let’s call it strong) views of a lot of fans with the board/CEO’s past record, the survey final report may fall into a similar mindset by some fans if this is the case and hence loose it ultimate objective of better communication. I hope that outwith the simply offensive, all comments ( ones not selected for the final report) will be available to view somewhere I want to close by saying well done to those running the survey (and the two poor souls collating the findings). bc

Hi, I may have been elsewhere and missed this survey findings, so just wondering if the match experience survey findings / report was issued? If it has been issued, where can I find the findings? If it is still to be published, a few questions. 1) is there a date for its release. 2) what’s the procedure for review/filtering of the returns 3) who ultimate controls the survey (the club or the fans)? thanks

He has went to play at a higher level and get coaching from (in my view) a far more structured and professional level than he could receive at ICT. So whilst we don’t like it, there is ambition I would suggest!

Makes perfect sense from his position. Scott’s served ICT well for the past three seasons. Weighing up what ICT can offer both in way of financial package and expectations in the championship against playing in Scotlands top league for a more enhanced wage packet it’s an easy call. If he had a settled lifestyle (happy in the highlands with partner perhaps) then other options look less appealing. If but a last minute equaliser against Patrick things would have been different!! (he would have still left I suspect). However I wish Scott well except when he plays against us. He is following a well trodden road over the years!

Again, it is your observation based on what you selectively choose to comment on! Nothing wrong with that as it goes. However I return to the Pravda reference in that any criticism of the club is treason and verboten and we should all join up to blindly follow the great leader Mr Gardiner and bow to his every word. Mmmn not sure I want to be that devoted!

They are simply fans expressing their views and opinions on the players, management, board-CEO and the ground where they turn up and pay their money to be hopefully entertained. They are entitled to do that irrespective if other fans don’t agree with them. That’s what the forum (I hope), was established for. If you want it to be the mouthpiece for only what the club want you to hear, (Pravda comes to mind) there would, I suggest be half a dozen contributors as the full forum group!

I know Ryan Esson will be back. Seen Dodds seeing him off on holiday day after final with ‘see you son after your holiday’.

Sheer bliss !!

Roy McGregor - he owns most of the Longman anyway and he buys up clapped out businesses and absorbs them into his group. ICT could become a feeder team for Coonty. We get financial stability, he gets our promising young players. it’s a Win - Win!!

Unfortunately the CEO and Board are instrumental in the fiscal stability, direction and what players the club can retain (spend on), bring in (buy), coach (cost of coaches, pitches & kit etc), and the clubs reputation on how they treat players. Rightly or wrongly this week for example! So it’s directly related to what the quality of happens on the park and therefore a legitimate point to raise given the recent performance of the board/CEO over the past two seasons. There is a shelf life for everything and it’s normally based on performance.