Where will ICT be in 10 years

[+dumpmaster]

We all know how far the club has come in a relatively short period of time.

But how far can the club and team go ? Taking into account our limited finances and fan base, do you think we can become a consistent top six SPL team?

Or nightmare scenario do you think we have peaked ? !!!!

Views anyone ?

[ICT90]

we will win the league in 2009

[4ize]

Bit of a no-brainer, but the longer we stay in the SPL the better our chance of establishing ourselves, surely? The fan base has already benefited from SPL status and will probably continue to do so, as top flight football won't do any harm in attracting a new generation of post-merger support and Inverness is growing fast. But if we drop out any time in the next three or four years I think it could be pretty bleak - First Division isn't exactly a walk in the park, if you remember.

[Alex MacLeod]

Theres no reason why we cant stay in SPL. I also believe our fanbase will build to an average 7500 home gate. And we will regularly fight for top six finish with the odd visit to third or fourth.

[caley100]

Nice to be optomistic Alex!!

Cant see us averaging 7.5k crowds, with the wages we pay, we cant afford top quality ( for Scotland ) players.

Therefore i can see us maintaining a lower middle SPL status, unless of course we can get a multi millionaire to bank roll us.. what happened to the Al Fayed rumour?

[Interthenet Jnr]

2016 i hope :shock:

[Guest Reefinweed]

We can be come a middle of the table team,our fanbase is never going to be massive with the amount of Old Firm Shipjumpers there are up here but it isn't far off being comparable to a lot of SPL teams

[Caley Fish]

Realistically I think we'll be consistantly finishing mid-table with the odd foray into Europe and our fanbase will also slowly increase to having a core support around the 7000 mark. In a dream world though we'll be lifting Champions League year after year with a team full of Scottish internationals. I BELIEVE!!!

[buckett]

Population-wise, our catchment area exceeds that of teams like Falkirk, Dunfermline, Kilmarnock and St. Johnstone, the last two having finished in the top 4 in the last 10 years. (Seem to remember St.J finishing 3rd recently).

So there is no reason why we can't do likewise.

I've no doubt our gates will improve over the years as a new generation of INVERNESS fans emerges and having pioneered a sensible wage structure, it is surely just a matter of time before other teams will be forced to follow, putting us on a more level playing field, so to speak.

Bigger crowds would be consistent with a better team and improved wages, generally speaking.

If we survive in the SPL for another couple of seasons, then we can realistically look to consolidating a mid-table presence for the years ahead with the occasional foray into the top 4.

(Oh yeah, and this is my first post on the new site.)

[Guest ICT]

Population-wise, our catchment area exceeds that of teams like Falkirk, Dunfermline, Kilmarnock and St. Johnstone

Sorry, but that is just not true. The size of the TOWNS you mentioned are similar to Inverness, but with the exception of Perth they all have far larger "catchment areas". eg. Dunfermline, Kirkaldy and Glenrothes are all over 40k population and are within 20 mins of each other. Falkirk has an immediate catchment area of over 100.000.

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

And what is wrong with Nairn

[Stoneybridge]

As buckett sugested, there will be a new generation of fans emerging and the fan base should hopefully rise as a result.

Hopefully this will mean that we can be an established SPL club with the odd cup run and occasional venture into europe.

[kencar]

Maybe the club should consider cheaper tickets for kids as they are the 'next generation'

£15 seems a bit steep to me - do other clubs charge as much?

[Hamish]

OF fans in the Highlands will literally die out to be replaced by younger ICT supporters! Our fan base will steadily increase as younger fans will join the ranks instead of supporting the OF as happened in the past before ICT were in the SPL. Our fan base will definately be the fastest growing of any in the SPL over the next 10 years.

[buckett]

Quoth ICT:

"The size of the TOWNS you mentioned are similar to Inverness, but with the exception of Perth they all have far larger "catchment areas". eg. Dunfermline, Kirkaldy and Glenrothes are all over 40k population and are within 20 mins of each other. Falkirk has an immediate catchment area of over 100.000."

The Highland Region, which can reasonably be considered to be our catchment area has a population of about 250,000. Then there's the Western Isles.

I stand by what I said, but respect your opinion nevertheless, ICT. There are numerous different methods of defining the catchment area.

Nice user-name, by the way. How did you manage to get that one uncontested ya jammy sod!!

[Pele_Is_God]

Still playing SPL footie hopefully! :D

[Guest ICT]

Nice user-name, by the way. How did you manage to get that one uncontested ya jammy sod!!

First-come-first-served, quick-on-the-draw (so my wife tells me), etc. etc.

[4ize]

The Highland Region, which can reasonably be considered to be our catchment area has a population of about 250,000. Then there's the Western Isles.

250,000 spread throughout over 10,000 square miles with some pretty dodgy transport links (for instance, there isn't a bus that gets me closer to home than Dingwall after a game). Not really a fair comparison..?

[Guest Caley83]

most people up here have cars especially the ones with enough spare cash to pay £35 for themself and their kid in.

[Northern_jaggie]

i think a top 6 finish could happen. But i dont EXPECT a top 6 finish in the future. I think if we get robbed of more than three players in a season it could go *i*s up...Il still be there till i die tho.

[Guest Rebelwithoutaclue]

Consolidated in mid table with perhaps a cup final appearance (or win) would with a shrug of the shoulders be okay.

Maybe Ross County going bust would boost ICT fanbase catchment. :twisted:

[Kingsmills]

I would be very happy if we managed to stay in the top league for the next ten years. However, we will do very well to do so with our resourses.

[Guest Chemist]

If we stay in the SPL next season a new stand should be built. Capacity up to 11000 maybe and average gates go up. Gers,Celts,Dons,Tarts and Hibs could attract up to 10k and add to our base.

Increased wages as a result and other SPL teams over spending will mean our squad will gain strength and i can see top 6 finishes becoming more regular

A couple of finals and entry into europe and Id be quite content. No pressure eh

[Guest kingkojak]

in the next ten years i reckon we will regularly contest the top 6 split - with 3/4 top 6 finishes. our fan ase WILL continue to grow and with it a fourth stand in place of the portakabin bogs. we will win the cup and shortly after make our first £500k sale for an ICT player.

[Guest Caley83]

SPL Status, a complete stadium 11k built on the cheap like the other two new stands. but with "service" blocks on each corner housing toilets and refreshment bars servin pies, bovril and hopefully with a wee change in the law plastic pints of tennents! :D