What Do You Think?

[Kylef]

Following on from the Quietly Confiden post, i thought id make another thread.

I for one cant wait for the start of the season with us in the SFL. It gives us something to work for, rather than settle for being mid table every year, and not getting the best of cup runs.

Id much rather be chasing promotion, getting a decent cup run in all 3 big cups we are in now, and the rest that goes with it. However, i do want us back in the SPL...maybe not this year (im not into this bouncing-back malarky talk), but eventually.

Which gets me to my point - I always remember Alan Shearer speaking of Newcastles relegation, saying it was eventually going to happen. I think the same of ICT. I think with the managers we were picking (Brewster), and some of the boards decisions, we needed a kick up the arse. Now we then got a respected manager in Butcher, who only JUST missed out on keeping us up.

I think we had to go back, to go forwards. We need to start getting locals on our side, support their local team, get higher support numbers. Im from Fife but i try my goddam hardest to get to as many games as possible, taking in all the last 12 games of the season, aswell as some throughout. Now in the SFL itll probably be easier for me to make away days.

Which brings me to this - do you ever think we could be a big, big team? Even recognised as a big team? Im not talking Old Firm, but i am talking Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibs i suppose, teams like that, or will we ponder on as we are for years to come?

[DornochCaley]

Very good Thread. I think its possible. If the recession never hit then Inverness would of kept growing. BUT if Inverness starts to grow again after the recession then i think we could be. We do need Ness to be bigger if we want to be bigger.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Possibly not in your lifetimes but as long as I keep my neck intact I hope to see it.

[12th Man]

I think the young fans of today are in a very good position. They can have their nostalgic chats with their grandchildren decades from now.

'When I was your age we would only get around 3000 at a game' etc.

Its all down to local support though as to how quickly ICT will grow,including moray and the highlands and not just invernesshire.

[KingBeastie]

It's probably not likely but ICT have a unique opportunity as so many youngsters in Inverness now wear ICT tops and support the team.

When I worked back in Inverness I talked to a lot of folk who used to be season ticket holders for the old firm but had switched to ICT and never looked back. I also know of others who are now parents and have done the same thing as they do not want thier children to be old firm supporters.

Whether it happens only time will tell but I do believe our attandances will rise steadily due to kids having a team at a high level now. There will always be those that choose to glory hunt but we've a much better chance than the likes of motherwell, partick, falkirk, etc. who are just too near the OF and also are more likely to be swayed by the central belt religous debate (nicely worded eh!!? :P ). We on the other hand (if we are clever) can use the geographical factor to our advantage.

[SMEE]

We will never be a big team...FULL STOP! Not even by 1st Division standards! There is an apathy in these parts. From a population of probably about 70 000, to only get 3500-4000 interested in SPL football is shocking.

Take the wee boy next door to me......He is now 4...he goes to ICT AND ROss County football training thing. But he goes in his Celtic strip, which his Granda bought him. I would understand if the Granda was a Weegie, or Irish....but hes from Nairn! Other neighbours, kid (4 yrs old) has and got all the Cellic gear and is being raised with all the trimmings (but at least his dad is a weegie). Kids next to them (ages 4 and 8)....are blue noses! So we dont stand a chance when the mindset is such!

[PullMyFinger]

We will never be a big team...FULL STOP! Not even by 1st Division standards! There is an apathy in these parts. From a population of probably about 70 000, to only get 3500-4000 interested in SPL football is shocking.

Take the wee boy next door to me......He is now 4...he goes to ICT AND ROss County football training thing. But he goes in his Celtic strip, which his Granda bought him. I would understand if the Granda was a Weegie, or Irish....but hes from Nairn! Other neighbours, kid (4 yrs old) has and got all the Cellic gear and is being raised with all the trimmings (but at least his dad is a weegie). Kids next to them (ages 4 and 8)....are blue noses! So we dont stand a chance when the mindset is such!

There certainly is apathy in youir post SMEE, but you can influence them. You can sew a seed in their minds which when the shoots appear will not only result in their attending TCS but in them dragging their neanderthals family with them. Buy matchday programmes and when you get home hand them to your neighbours kids, tell them about the game and you'll generate the interest. As they develop, they'll question following a team they've never seen when there's a team on their doorstep.

Your challenge is to ween them off the methadone and show them the light. Good luck in your task.

[SMEE]

Thing is tho, my neighbour and his family(I think there was a few of them) used to go to ICT games quite regular, even when we was at Telford street. They are related to Jimmy Calder...but stopped going so much when ICT reached the SPL, so you think they would be encouraging him.

The wee man does have an ICT strip too, come to think of it...but he seems to lean toward Cellic more. And maybe this is where the apathy kicks in....the Celtic supporting Granda is more determined to have him follow tic than the more numerous ICT element in his family are to get him to follow ICT

Edited July 6, 2009 by SMEE

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

We'll never be a club comparible to hearts , Hibs or Aberdeen and to suggest so is wishful thinking taken to the extreme . good post though .

[PullMyFinger]

Thing is tho, my neighbour and his family(I think there was a few of them) used to go to ICT games quite regular, even when we was at Telford street. They are related to Jimmy Calder...but stopped going so much when ICT reached the SPL, so you think they would be encouraging him.

The wee man does have an ICT strip too, come to think of it...but he seems to lean toward Cellic more. And maybe this is where the apathy kicks in....the Celtic supporting Granda is more determined to have him follow tic than the more numerous ICT element in his family are to get him to follow ICT

We don't always do what others want us to do. How old 's his granda? BOO

[DornochJAGGIE]

Its good that the club are making it easier to get kids into the games, as they are the future ICT supporters. Hopefeully we will get more kids choosing to support us, instead of the old firm. I have noticed a big difference in our support, at away games especially we are alot louder than we used to be, and even at some home games, which used to be like watching a funeral service. Hopefully we can keep up our good support into the first division.

[caleyboy]

Following on from the Quietly Confiden post, i thought id make another thread.

I for one cant wait for the start of the season with us in the SFL. It gives us something to work for, rather than settle for being mid table every year, and not getting the best of cup runs.

Id much rather be chasing promotion, getting a decent cup run in all 3 big cups we are in now, and the rest that goes with it. However, i do want us back in the SPL...maybe not this year (im not into this bouncing-back malarky talk), but eventually.

Which gets me to my point - I always remember Alan Shearer speaking of Newcastles relegation, saying it was eventually going to happen. I think the same of ICT. I think with the managers we were picking (Brewster), and some of the boards decisions, we needed a kick up the arse. Now we then got a respected manager in Butcher, who only JUST missed out on keeping us up.

I think we had to go back, to go forwards. We need to start getting locals on our side, support their local team, get higher support numbers. Im from Fife but i try my goddam hardest to get to as many games as possible, taking in all the last 12 games of the season, aswell as some throughout. Now in the SFL itll probably be easier for me to make away days.

Which brings me to this - do you ever think we could be a big, big team? Even recognised as a big team? Im not talking Old Firm, but i am talking Hearts, Aberdeen, Hibs i suppose, teams like that, or will we ponder on as we are for years to come?

A BIG team in Scotland means massive capital investment in the structure of the club and the playing side plus regular home crowds of 7000+. Unless I win mult-millions on the lottery I doubt if we will ever see the capital investment needed and getting 7000 home gates is a laugh.

[CaleyD]

Don't know what you're all on about. We're already a big club.

[PullMyFinger]

Don't know what you're all on about. We're already a big club.

Big fish in a little pond.

Last year we were a little fish in a big pond.

[Scotty]

Its all relative .....

To an OF supporter we are - and always will be - a diddy team, minnows, small team, whatever moniker you want to stick on it. To (realistic) supporters of a team like Falkirk, St Johnstone, St Mirren, Dunfermline etc we should be classed as similar is stature but to teams like Elgin, Albion Rovers, Clach, Ross County etc we will probably always be a big team !!!

Would agree with the assertion that last year we were a small fish in the big pond and this year we are one of the big fishes in the smaller pond.

Having said that, ICT could be in the 3rd division and it wouldnt matter to me, they would still be my big team ... despite the fact that I now go to watch TFC who play in front of 20,000+ for every game, make more noise than ICT ever have and who could - if MLS rules allowed it - afford to sign just about any player they choose outwith the likes of KaKa, Ronaldo or other stupidly "high value" players.

[Alex MacLeod]

Will we ever be a big team like Dons Hearts Hibs United? No. At least not until we see rows and rows of houses stretching from Inches to Culloden and Daviot. From Merkinch to Lochend and every other direction, except north, out of the city. The city just isn't big enough to provide the 10,000 + fans needed to make us a big team and without that sort of fanbase investors aren't so keen to give of their cash.

To be fair though there's nothing wrong with being on a par with the rest.

[absent friend]

How does the average support as a % of population compare to the likes of Aberdeen for example?

[Alex MacLeod]

Population of Aberdeen is around 215,000 and their fanbase around 11000 or 5.1%

Population of Inverness is around 65,000 and the fanbase around 3,500 or 5.4%

Population of Edinburgh is around 472,000 and a combined fanbase of around 27000 or 5.7%

Population of Dundee is around 150,000 and a combined fanbase of around 11,000 or 7.3%

Falkirk, Killie and Motherwell all also work out at 5 - 7% of population.

Glasgow is too complicated to even attempt it.

[SMEE]

I heard a rather amazing fact that, per head of population....the scottish leagues is the best attended in europe!

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Population of Aberdeen is around 215,000 and their fanbase around 11000 or 5.1%

Population of Inverness is around 65,000 and the fanbase around 3,500 or 5.4%

Population of Edinburgh is around 472,000 and a combined fanbase of around 27000 or 5.7%

Population of Dundee is around 150,000 and a combined fanbase of around 11,000 or 7.3%

Falkirk, Killie and Motherwell all also work out at 5 - 7% of population.

Glasgow is too complicated to even attempt it.

I take it these figures are purely your opinion and not actually factual ? IMO Aberdeen have a far bigger fanbase than 11000 and the Edinburgh clubs have much more than 27000 .

[stevico1]

Population of Aberdeen is around 215,000 and their fanbase around 11000 or 5.1%

Population of Inverness is around 65,000 and the fanbase around 3,500 or 5.4%

Population of Edinburgh is around 472,000 and a combined fanbase of around 27000 or 5.7%

Population of Dundee is around 150,000 and a combined fanbase of around 11,000 or 7.3%

Falkirk, Killie and Motherwell all also work out at 5 - 7% of population.

Glasgow is too complicated to even attempt it.

I take it these figures are purely your opinion and not actually factual ? IMO Aberdeen have a far bigger fanbase than 11000 and the Edinburgh clubs have much more than 27000 .

I would imagine that Alex meant average attendance of home fans rather that fanbase.

Edited July 6, 2009 by stevico1

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

If he did , that still doesn't explain the 11000 for dundee .

[Scotty]

These sorts of numbers are all extremely subjective ...... Is Inverness really only 65000? Or do you count those who live within a certain radius of the TCS? The "footprint of Inverness may only be a certain size and the census info may say the city has 65K of a population but you are comparing apples to oranges when you start comparing areas of differing geographical sizes, demographics, travelling times etc.

Are we also to assume that all fans of all teams come from somewhere local ? The makeup of users on this site and - you would assume - sites for other teams would suggest otherwise. some of our most fervent fans, even those who moved to the area from elsewhere rather than those that travel from afar on a matchday would not be included in the 65K population ........

Bottom line - we ARE a big team, if you believe that we are a big team, but we are by no means the biggest team and never will be.

[Yngwie]

If he did , that still doesn't explain the 11000 for dundee .

Both clubs combined, approx 8 + 3?

Edited July 6, 2009 by Yngwie

[Guest Mahonio]

Will we ever be a big team like Dons Hearts Hibs United? No. At least not until we see rows and rows of houses stretching from Inches to Culloden and Daviot. From Merkinch to Lochend and every other direction, except north, out of the city

I am a Inverness fan who is from Thurso which i am sure you know is north from Inverness so are you saying that i can't support them because i am from the North because if you are then that is totally wrong of you to say!!