Merger Talk

[Charles Bannerman]

The merger just got a mention on Celebrity Mastermind!

 

 

If I had gone on the regular version of the programme in 1998, 25 years later than I actually did, the merger might have been my specialist subject!

 

But Mantis... pray explain... what was the question? And once you've started... do feel free to finish!

Edited December 29, 2012 by Charles Bannerman

[12th Man]

Along the lines of in which city was Caledonian and Thistle merged in 1994  reply Edinburgh????

[The Mantis]

That's right, I wasn't paying attention so I can't tell you who the young 'celebrity' was.....

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Chris Johnson?

[Charles Bannerman]

Along the lines of in which city was Caledonian and Thistle merged in 1994  reply Edinburgh????

 

If that was the actual question, I would be a nit picking pain in the backside and contend that in 1994 Inverness was still "the town" (mun) and not by then a "flameen suttee"

[jaggy]

This BORING and unhelpful thread should be moved to The Other Football forum. This forum is for ICT related topics.

[old caley girl]

As we are on page 7 it appears that others don't find it boring. Like it or not the merger is part of ICT.

[jaggy]

Boring, liked or otherwise, it's on the wrong forum. 2nd in the league, going well in 2 cup competitions. That's where we are and that's the type of topics for an ICT forum. Mergers and pre ICT talk belong elsewhere. ICTFC.

[CaleyD]

If you don't like it, then don't read or post on it....simples!!!

[jaggy]

If you don't like what I post, don't reply. Simples.

[+bughtmaster]

OOOOOOOOOH handbags ready  !        

[FoolPhysio]

Ahh good, the entertainment has started

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Indeed....and the winner's prize is....

 

[The Mantis]

If you don't like what I post, don't reply. Simples.

You really should have waited about 28 hours to post this, then at least it would have had the distinction of being the daftest post of the year..........

[Charles Bannerman]

 

If you don't like what I post, don't reply. Simples.

You really should have waited about 28 hours to post this, then at least it would have had the distinction of being the daftest post of the year..........

 

I think Jaggy should be very, very afraid! Because he has now placed himself under threat of arrest by Northern Constabulary for making statements offensive to Meerkats!

Edited December 31, 2012 by Charles Bannerman

[jaggy]

Me, my hand bag , and meerkat friends are off to the Northern Meeting Park. Happy New Year to everyone involved with and supporting the biggest and best team in the Highlands. ICTFC.

[CaleyD]

Me, my hand bag , and meerkat friends are off to the Northern Meeting Park. Happy New Year to everyone involved with and supporting the biggest and best team in the Highlands. ICTFC.

 

I knew I could find a reason to love you....give us a kiss!!!

[Tichy_Blacks_Back]

Harmony - if only for the next hour or so - Happy New Year to all - wherever you lay your hat.... ;-)

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

 

I'd like us just to play in solid red and blue vertically striped strips, Barcelona style.

 

Absolutely, it's unique within the Scottish game, displays an intertwining of Inverness Thistle and Caledonian and would end the calls of the club showing a bias towards the latter.

 

I also believe that a Caledonian style home shirt and Thistle away is a ridiculous idea that would do nothing more than open up old wounds.

 

Bring back the stripes!

No it's not .

[Renegade]

Wow what an inspiring post! 

 

It is pretty unique.  I can't think of any other Scottish club, certainly not in the league system anyway with red and blue stripes.  No doubt you'll be able to name tons though....

[lukemackay]

only one i can think of was st mirrens away kit (last season?) which i think was red and blue hoops.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Wow what an inspiring post! 

 

It is pretty unique.  I can't think of any other Scottish club, certainly not in the league system anyway with red and blue stripes.  No doubt you'll be able to name tons though....

 It inspired you to reply

[Kingsmills]

Whereas a predominately blue top with minor red piping is utterly unique.

[reefinweedallday]

 

I personally know dozens of ex Caley and Thistle fans that have never set foot inside the new stadium and who rejoice when ICT get beat .

 

I know a few who claim they don't attend ICT "because of the merger"....but when pushed on the subject it transpires that they rarely ever went to the football pre-merger anyway, so would hardly count as a lost fan.  It's almost as if it's just a convenient get out clause for many local OF supporters when challenged on why they don't support their local team as well.

 

The truth is, as I pointed out, the real "stay aways" are few and far between and are certainly have no significant impact on current crowds.

 

 

 

 

As one of the younger members of the ICT fan base I don't know a lot about the merger but ive been surprised to hear that it has kept many fans from both teams away from supporting ICT? Find it quite silly TBH

 

 

The reason you are surprised to hear this is that the merger has NOT actually kept very many fans away from supporting ICT at all.

 

This is and always has been a complete myth which a tiny rump of Cyber Rebels attempt to perpetuate through various social media, including on here, and when they occasionally meet face to face in plenary session in a phone box on Telford Street. It's a wee bit like the myth about Celtic supporters in Seville, except about 20,000 times smaller.

 

If you are one of the younger members of the ICT fan base, let me summarise what happened from the autumn of 1993 in a very few sentences. (A more detailed account can be found in "Against All Odds" online on this site.)

 

Some Caley and an even smaller number of Thistle fans objected to the merger and the manner in which it was achieved. It is important to understand that attendances at games in these Highland League days was tiny (a few hundred) compared with nowadays since in between a large number of new fans with no interest in the merger in the first place have come on board. In the case of Caley, it is also very important to understand that in any case, no more than 226 people ever voted against the merger, even though recruitment by the anti merger faction was exhaustive. Of these:-

* Very many still came to games and even helped out behind the scenes when the club got under way.

* Some more have drifted back over the years.

* Some more have left Inverness as would have happened anyway.

* Some more have died in the intervening 19 years, as would have happened anyway.

 

The numbers in Thistle's case were a good deal smaller than that.

 

So, almost 20 years on, this residual small fraction of what, by modern standards, was a very small number in the first place, is really a drop in the ocean. However the more successful Caley Thistle has become in its transition from the Third Division to the top quarter of the SPL, the more and more bitter this tiny awkward squad has become and also the more laughable their cyberfiction.

As a result, this Christmas, with this highly successful team sitting where it is, there will rather more "Bah Humbugs" than usual in that phone box on Telford Street.

The merger, fascinating though it was to observe, is long gone and its product is now riding high in the very top tier of Scottish football.

So this Yuletide, beware men with "predominantly blue" Santa hats, telling fairlytales, bearing grudges and with back numbers of LSM sticking out of their predominantly blue santa suits!!!

 

EDIT - and I thoroughly agree with Caley D who posted as I was writing!!!!!  

 

Really Charles? I think we both know that it is a lot more than a "phone box" full of stayaways.i personally know hundreds of people who would have stopped following football in Inverness due to the merger,most follow other SPL teams now or just dont go to a game rather than follow ICT.

 

I put it to both yourself and Caley D that any stayaway fans are bad for ICT,can the club afford to lose even 100 hundred fans? 100 x £20 = £2000 per game i'm pretty sure the club could put that to good use over the year perhaps even an extra loan signing or to tie up a youngster for a few years,so to laugh and try and make a mockery of stayaway fans i'd be more concerned with why the club has falling attendances and what can be done to encourage stayaways to return.

 

Charles i love how you now want to confine the "merger" to the dustbin, do you even understand how it feels to be a football fan? a football club is a love that cant just be changed or taken away at the drop of a hat.it means a lot to many so please dont make fun of such a subject it only makes you look foolish.

We all know that you gained from the "merger" with the BBC "gig", oh but i hear you cry "they've moved the press box at Ross County and i don't get to see all my old pals"         Aaaaawwwww.

[CaleyD]

I don't understand this "can you afford to lose 100 fans" argument....even if I was to accept that the number might be anywhere near that level.

 

Given the choice between having 100 merger stay aways or the couple of thousand additional fans picked up since the merger then, financially, it's a no-brainer.