If we go down..............

[Proctor]

Over the past few days I have had alot of people say to me that if ICT go down they will NEVER come back up. What does everyone think about this statement? I for one feel that we would be in for 10-15 years in Division One. Your thoughts?

[cal234ey]

Never. With more the majority of 1st division clubs being ex-SPL clubs (Partick, Livingston, Dunfermline, Dundee, St Johnstone there might be one other team) it has proven very difficult for all of them to even sustain a title challenge never mind win it.

They all also have bigger fanbases so have more money as we would lose so many fans by getting relegated.

That is if we survive the financial problems posed by relegation.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Over the past few days I have had alot of people say to me that if ICT go down they will NEVER come back up. What does everyone think about this statement? I for one feel that we would be in for 10-15 years in Division One. Your thoughts?

I actually believe that we are close to having a strong team / squad and I believe that we already have the passion to survive. We need a centre forward and we need to dump Brewster. I fear he will be targetting Tokely, Duncan and Munro next.

[andrewt]

Hard to say but if we go down we will be down there for a few years at least. I dont think we will/would be down there for too long. No more than 10 years I would say.

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

If we go down....

Derby games against County again

Chance of winning more silverware - Challenge Cup

....but would prefer to stay in SPL

10-15 years - not so sure unless we are financialy in a real mess but wouldn't see us going straight back up though

[Caley Stan]

I would never say never, but the attendance at last week's cup game suggests that if we were to go down, our crowds would be so small that we would struggle to compete with the bigger First Division teams.

We could end up playing part-time football in the Second Division within a few years.

[Guest Muir-Jaggie]

I would never say never, but the attendance at last week's cup game suggests that if we were to go down, our crowds would be so small that we would struggle to compete with the bigger First Division teams.

We could end up playing part-time football in the Second Division within a few years.

i think the weather played a big part in that game

[cal234ey]

Is it just me or does being promoted and not progressing in the SPL and eventually being relegated cause so many problems for teams.

Partick: relegated in 2 consecutive seasons.

Livingston: Almost hit the wall

St Johnstone: only really begginning to challenge in the last 2 years

Dunfermline: Maintaining a challenge but not really looking like winning

Dundee: near the bottom this season

[Alex MacLeod]

Look at the teams who've gone down from the SPL in the past. Only Hibs went straight back up. Dundee have been down for 4 so far. St J 7 I think. St Mirren about 5. same with Falkirk. Not easy to get back up.

[stevico1]

Def not easy to come back up, also I am not sure how many of the current squad would be left if we did go down, considering our new signings are on short term contracts until the end it the season, if the club were relegated I couldnt see many of them been offered a long term contract.

[Johnboy]

Def not easy to come back up, also I am not sure how many of the current squad would be left if we did go down, considering our new signings are on short term contracts until the end it the season, if the club were relegated I couldnt see many of them been offered a long term contract.

Which makes you wonder how long they'd survive in Div1....

[cal234ey]

Def not easy to come back up, also I am not sure how many of the current squad would be left if we did go down, considering our new signings are on short term contracts until the end it the season, if the club were relegated I couldnt see many of them been offered a long term contract.

Which makes you wonder how long they'd survive in Div1....

And then as a full-time club and maybe even just as a club.

[Muzzy]

I think it would be very hard to win promotion again mainly due to how competitive division 1 is, but then again it all depends who would stay and who would go.

[Kingsmills]

Recent precedents are not good but if we can retain the core of what is still a decent squad and recruit a competent manager we might just break with recent trends and bounce straight back up.

[Guest Muir-Jaggie]

has any team which has gone down. came right back up?? keeping some of there key players?? or did they lose them?

[RiG]

Look at the teams who've gone down from the SPL in the past. Only Hibs went straight back up. Dundee have been down for 4 so far. St J 7 I think. St Mirren about 5. same with Falkirk. Not easy to get back up.

has any team which has gone down. came right back up?? keeping some of there key players?? or did they lose them?

[Heilandee]

A large part of the problem with relegation, is many of the "better" players ,depite having been part of the team that got relegated, believe thay are too good for the first division and jump ship at the first opperchancity ,this, coupled with the huge drop in revenue, make receruiting good caliber players with enough fight too get back up very difficult