big cherly

Palace deserved their win in my opinion. Physically they out muscled City pretty much across the park. Stuck to their game plan and broke at speed. Well crafted and executed goal. Carried a bit of luck when it was needed. If nothing else it proves how the ‘little’ guy can win over a (much richer) opponent. Cause for celebration for me. Nice also to see a team from the unfashionable part of town get a little limelight! bc

Well, the counter to that is would we, (or more precisely the to be decide new owners) be any different if ICT were in the top league and found that the local youth academy, trained and reared players, don’t reach the level required you go and recruit elsewhere. RC have used many Scottish players (and managers) over the past few years. Just so happens they can get cheaper and better players elsewhere! I’m sure old Roy would have been delighted to have any youth players in the first team. My point is Uncle Roy is careful with his money and ruthless enough to get the best deal he can to keep his team in the top league. Whilst financing the whole operation, as said by Charles, (so long as he is around), it is done with precision and efficiency. The prime objective I understand from AS is to run a far more competent and cost effective club operation once finally out of Administration. If winning promotion from League One (and bringing in much needed more revenue), requires bringing in players from say Kelty or further afield will they reject that route if no highland players are in the team? PS how much I wished I was donating to a ICTFC under 13’s at Tesco on Sat. bc

They were there at the door threshold and couldn’t pass without noticing the RC colours and kids. Why donate - just habit. Do it for all kids. Cheerleaders trip to Miami, Local schools, Balloan boys. Umpteen other buckets. Can’t take it with me. bc

Just donated this morning to the Ross County under 13’s at Inches Tesco. Half a dozen boys and girls with swinging buckets kitted out in RC strips supported by 4 adults and a kid on a bike doing a sponsor cycle sideline. Just another one of old uncle Roy’s well oiled machine publicity and coin generating initiatives (on our own patch), that we seem somehow beyond our club. Noticed plenty of adult celtic and rangers tops also evident on large girths! Just saying!! bc

Yeah, his real playing days are over. I expect he is signed-on as a player as a fall back or last ditch for games where emergency calls. His experience will be valuable in some games when called on. More a holding position I expect than relying on him as the team’s main goal threat. He will be of use I’m sure as the season rolls on. bc

Bavdige’s dad was a rotten speller!!😀

Yeah exactly, Feel Airdrie will be too strong for Cove. Didn’t see anything from Annan the season just finished that East Fife will think they’re not there for the taking. Like also to see Dick Campbell yelling his head-off at our stadium. Not enough football guys like Dick left in the game for me, so that’s my reason. Bound to be Annan noo! bc

Cove and East Fife my take. bc

Simple supply and demand. The demand is and remains the wealthy owners/directors/fans that cannot be weaned off of their ‘kick’ of trying to sustain their club operations on breadline margins. The fact that many, (bulk) of the clubs in Scotland teeter on the edge of survival year in year out on what you rightly say is insufficient fans (the prime factor) continues to surprise and bewilder me. Two clubs (from black and white telly days) Third Lanark and Clydebank have faded into the amateur and junior leagues. Others in the past years through relegation - Berwick, East Stirlingshire, Brechin, Albion Rovers, Cowdenbeath and Gretna are examples and casualties of dwindling resources. The harsh reality is few, if any of these clubs will ever see a return to Division 4 because they have next to no fans and hence can’t realistically run a viable football operation. So back to supply and demand. As long as wealthy owners / directors (for whatever reason), aka Uncle-Roy, Morrison etc retain the desire to plough money into keeping and watching ‘their’ football teams playing the demand will exist. Despite endless past cases in Scotland where it ultimately comes crashing down leaving those clubs in desperate danger of survival. ‘Cut the cloth to …. ‘ bc

It’s a market value industry. Put aside we have too many (mickey mouse) clubs in the Scottish top leagues with hardly enough fans to pay for a match ball, how much do you consider a professional full time footballer in league 1 should be paid. (Minimum wage; lower)? Serious question. bc

Yep, and with Coonty and ICT geographically fighting for a relatively fixed number of football fans, the task is even tougher. So do we just accept our lot and do ZIP. bc

I understand the point you make Charles regarding Coonty-UncRoy and players wages. It seems unfair and skewed on ‘normal’ smaller clubs operating on modest means. The fact is however these exist and I can’t see the powers to be changing them to divert more revenue generated towards a more balance spread in lower league clubs. (Rangers - Celtic - Sugar daddies). I am pleased however that some posters are beginning to bring or open the discussion / topic of how the club /ST can think differently and running the club profitably - looking to increase the support base. So my line about not ignoring what the Coonty-UncRoy isn’t a hit at AS or the club (oors), it’s about being open minded!! Being positive, we are eventually out of Admin, I consider it is an opportunity (with less baggage) to look openly and innovatively at new ideas as well as the standard income models. Attracting more fans is a key one for me (short and long term). No easy solution but we avoid this task at our peril. I know it was done in the past and more recently (I think) at the end of this seasons games, so allowing one or two local primary school class kids in for nothing seems a no brainer. (sure someone has good reasons why this doesn’t work?). Better to put up an idea to be shot down than keep shtum and do nothing. More please. Tuppenceworth. bc

Agree with your sentiments about 16-25 ST. In fact reading other posts I wasn’t aware Coonty offer dirt cheap season tickets for OAP, (Suppose Uncle Roy can absorb the costs). The point is not lost however in that this incentive will bring in more fans, (good chance OAP brings along nephew now and again); pie and bov income, more atmosphere (sweetie wrap rustling)…. You get my point. - I know there is a break even point for uncle Roy in this practice, however I hope AS is not too aloof to consider similar schemes. In regards Young team bouncing in the pub pre Montrose match; Yeah they’re the core team, but we have to look at increasing that tenfold in the Snecky pubs at home games. Look forward to hearing /seeing what the club come out with once we get out of Administration. bc

Absolutely, couldn’t agree more. The club and we the fans more importantly, need to move on and focus on what and how we structure and prepare for next season. For the club that is get out of Administration, get in place a proper commercial operating model and re-engage with the business community. Establish and secure a playing squad capable of challenging for promotion. Set in place a fan recruitment programme. For us, (me) the fans, it’s threefold; # Get behind the team next season. That’s not blind support, criticism is healthy, more noise please. # Buy your season tickets and shake out drop out fans to come back. # Bring your kids and friends along. The achievement by AS, Kells and the team is exceptional. Let’s learn from the past errors and try and avoid them in future. Promotion hopefully this time next year. bc

Just seen the big eejit on Football Focus with Moyes and others at Goodison and he came across as the same brainless loon that blessed our club in the final part of the Gardener era. Heaven help any club that takes a try with him as manager. bc

Personal experience? 🤪 bc

A great performance from B McKay today. His timing, vision and passing kept the Arbroath defence uneasy throughout the match. Great to see him turn back the clock for one final time. I was at the pie stall so missed his goal (curses)! bc

Simply a perfect performance and result. Brilliant first goal, well constructed and finish. Crowd was fully behind the team and its effect in the team was evident. The place had an air of expectation that hasn’t been around for some time. Great to be present today and final word must go to Kells. Hope he enjoys the night. well done all round. bc

Aye, the youth squad has served the highland league well for the last decade hasn’t it! bc

I look forward with intrigue to Saturday’s match. It’s not the ‘last chance saloon’ as there is the final scheduled game at Montrose to follow. My mind say's just concentrate on beating Arbroath (fortune favours the brave), however I’ll find it impossible to blank out what’s happening at Dumbarton. Don’t expect Arbroath will be so lax as last week, that said they have secured the league top spot, so for me, they won’t be going full tilt. Three points would be a large step to avoiding the playoffs. A single point would normally be a reasonable result against this Arbroath team, but taking in missing/injured players, it may be not loosing on Saturday is part of the journey we need to take staying in this league. I’ll be there anyway to cheer the players on hoping it’s the final match at the stadium this season. bc

Get the boy down for a look over. How I hate the Coonty being the first to soak up any talent in the highlands while we yak on about our youth squad. bc

Also if we can, restrict the excuses down to a handful.

Jeez, couldn’t monitor the last ten minutes. Everything looked great then. Switched on to see the whole thing turned. By all accounts we were the better team (guys attending can maybe comment), and the own goal was a bit unlucky between the goalie and Gilmour. My prediction of a thumping at the Annan / Arbroath game was only half right. Wrong team, but it appears only one team (deliberately) turned up!! A well, four teams in the mix for the next weeks relegation playoff games. Still in our own hands. Let’s take it!! bc

Don’t care, just glad he put it away. Hold out now!

Stenny has been on a terrible run so their confidence will be brittle. That said we have been erratic lately. All I want is ICT to come back up the A9 with at least a point. Don’t care how it’s done. Expect Annan to be done over by Arbroath so a point for us would ease the pressure. bc