Ross County eye Inverness ground share

[FoolPhysio]

Where is the extra car parking space going to be though, for the caravans?

[bauhaus]

the inside lane all the way from Tore. Some of them have big caravans!

[bdu98196]

No real problem with the concept as mentioned it will bring cash into ICT and helps the local area establishing 2 SPL clubs. Big problem is the pitch, hopefully the fees are such that we can afford to replace it halfway through the season if not it will probably end up a mess.

The SPL needs good quality pitches (not just ICT) to promote getting the ball down and passing football, last thing we need is another excuse (along with lack of technique, skill etc) for the punt, hoof and long ball game - that plus the over-inflated prices are why attendences are falling.

[Alex MacLeod]

No real problem with the concept as mentioned it will bring cash into ICT and helps the local area establishing 2 SPL clubs. Big problem is the pitch, hopefully the fees are such that we can afford to replace it halfway through the season if not it will probably end up a mess.

The SPL needs good quality pitches (not just ICT) to promote getting the ball down and passing football, last thing we need is another excuse (along with lack of technique, skill etc) for the punt, hoof and long ball game - that plus the over-inflated prices are why attendences are falling.

Theres no way that a pitch could be replaced half way through a season. The state of the pitch shouldn't be too bad providing the weather is kind. Back when we shared at the Pitt and Gretna with Motherwell the pitches were getting a lot more use. As well as having two senior teams playing there was a reserve league and an under 21 league. There could, at that time be three or four games played on the same surface each week.

[Charles Bannerman]

I really wouldn't go into too much detail and agonise too much here over the ifs and buts - because this will NOT happen.

This is simply our old friends "SPL Rules" in operation where it seems that by 31st March (ie weeks before you actually get promoted) you seem to have to have an actual rather than a projected home available. So the agreement with ICT has to be there in principle just in case they encounter any flying pigs.

Work at Dingwall starts on April 1st. It is scheduled to be completed before the end of June, several weeks before the season starts.

Ross County will not be playing home games in Inverness. It's just the SPL being pompous jobsworths again.

[CaleyD]

Thing is though Charles, there's nothing (as I understand it) which allows the plan put forward for 31st March to be changed automatically if the Stadium is ready (which I believe it will be). The SPL will not accept a "Our ground will be ready on time so we'll use it" proposal, even as a Plan B. This means that C*unty have to submit their plans on the basis of a groundshare, and once work is complete ask for special dispensation to change the plan to starting the season at their own place...even if that is before the start of the season. In fact the agreement between ICT & C*unty will be for a full season sharing as there's no automatic rule that allows a return half way through the season.

ICT suffered as a result of these rules....we were told that even if our new stands had been ready in time for the start of the season we would still face sharing with Aberdeen because that was our registered stadium for the season in question. It was only by special dispensation (and agreement with Aberdeen to cancel the contract) that we were allowed to return half way through the season.

It's a ridiculous situation and one where you would hope that common sense prevails....but this is the SPL, a league which talks about doing stuff for the good of the game, but has done little to back that up with actions. If their track record is anything to go by then we should expect a course of action which flies in the face of sensible thinking/behaviour.

[12th Man]

Have us as the plan A till the Autumn and get VP sorted properly including USH and drainage, sell the turf to the Dingwall dafties and relay some new turf.

We get some cash, they get a better home,theyll save money in the long run regarding drainage and the central belters still have to suffer the A9.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Twelve points and they fecked it up.

[Yngwie]

I really wouldn't go into too much detail and agonise too much here over the ifs and buts - because this will NOT happen.....

Work at Dingwall starts on April 1st. It is scheduled to be completed before the end of June, several weeks before the season starts.

Ah, but what if during construction they uncover an ancient gypsy burial site?

[+DoofersDad]

I really wouldn't go into too much detail and agonise too much here over the ifs and buts - because this will NOT happen.....

Work at Dingwall starts on April 1st. It is scheduled to be completed before the end of June, several weeks before the season starts.

Ah, but what if during construction they uncover an ancient gypsy burial site?

Just stick a few more in and quickly pour the concrete.

[12th Man]

I can see the headlines

Ross County duped by travelling folk.

I cant understand it they seemed so nice, They turned up and asked if we needed any work doing and we mentioned that we needed a new stadium,they walked around and gave us a price, it was very reasonable only £748,000, they turned up tidied the place up a bit and we havent seen them since. We have informed the SPL that we also have a plan B to fall back on, as we have applied to 60 minute makover.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

[Doofer]

Dont have any problems with the groundshare. Think county would have the normal home end for there home games just like ICT have. If county were the home team i would imagine that ICT would just get the away end and some of the main stand like the old firm get. I agree with CB though as i doubt this will even happen. Does anyone know what county are going to do at victoria park? The ground is quite small and if memory serves me right theres the football academy behind one goal, a railway behind the other and the car park behind the main stand. Where are they going to put the extra seats needed?

[CaleyD]

Plans were posted on here somewhere not that long ago.

[Scotty]

The SPL have approved the groundshare plan

http://www.scotprem.com/content/default.asp?page=s2&newsid=11214

[Alex MacLeod]

Shock Horror..............SPL in common sense crisis.

[Caley]

Plans were posted on here somewhere not that long ago.

Plans here.

[old caley girl]

Hearing on the grapevine that things are looking tight on their stadium being ready. Safety inspection on Friday apparently and must have a safety certificate by 1st July.

[Alex MacLeod]

I'm sure they claimed not long ago that they were ahead of schedule. That aside I have no problem with them sharing other than the pressures that are put on the pitch and on our goundsmen. My personal opinion is that, if they are not ready then the authorities should be able to take decisions on a month to month basis. If they need to share for a couple of games then fair enough. Let them reapply to use their own ground the following month. Groundsharing does a lot of damage to the pitch and to clubs finances.

We fought long and hard to get the rules changed so that we could put criterea in place to allow us to return to our own stadium earlier than initially planned. The rules that were put in place by government were taken to extreme by the SPL, for no other reason than they thought they could select and control who were the members of their little cartel, and eventually, first by challenges from Falkirk and then from us, they faced the wrath of honest fans who could see through their schemes and relented somewhat. Now they are seen even further, by the efforts to try and save Rangers in the SPL, as being dishonest and unfit to run our game. The tide is turning and Ross County can be another big player in turning that tide.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Well I have actually been through to Dungwall today and have been given a wee guided tour. The stands are more plastic than we had but they will probably do the job - but hey - there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY that they will have the access, the car parking OR especialy the pitch done in time.

[Doofer]

They will be bringing in the ground force team to finish the job - Cue the music!!!!

[CaleyD]

Making them unfurl the Div 1 Flag at TCS....I might be tempted to forego our first away day to witness that

[bauhaus]

If they have to start the season on our turf, then they will have to play all their first round of home games away at TCS. SPORTING INTEGRITY, as it could be argued that other teams will think that those first clubs to play them in Inverness will have an advantage from playing them on neutral gtround, so Im pretty sure they would have to play all 11 clubs at TCS before returning home.

Would be weird to sit in the away stand to watch us play our away day at County!!!!!

[MarkD]

Caley A v Caley B at TCS ... but which is which?!

[+DoofersDad]

There's an unused ground in Glasgow they could use. I understand the owners would welcome a bit of rent money.