Favourite ICT 'keeper Poll

[Sneckboy]

A healthy 64 votes in at this time. Dean Brill making a late challenge since I last looked - and it's very tight between Ryan Esson and Jim Calder....
I stated in the opening post that the intention was to close the poll after the County game - but will now let it run for a few days longer (let's say the 5th January, when the decorations come down) as I was thinking that there are probably a number of folk who 'only' visit the site in the aftermath of actual games, and so won't have seen the poll yet.
You could say, perhaps appropriately for this thread, that I've moved-the-goalposts!

[Charles Bannerman]

I met Jim Calder in the gym this morning where he still works out regularly, although can't at the moment run since he's hurt his knee. (I'm not sure this actually upset him too much!) I told him about this thread and we discussed penalties. I reminded him that he saved two in a successful shootout in a Cup replay at home to Stranraer in January 1997 after Paul Cherry missed his and he reminded me that there was a period in his ICT career when, including misses, two thirds of the penalties taken against him were unsuccessful.

I think those of us old enough to remember that era look back nostalgically on a wonderful pioneering age for ICT when nobody (execpt, apparently, Dougie McGilvray!) knew how things were actually going to progress. That first decade from D3 to the SPL - and in particular years 2-5 under Pele from D3 to D1 and the quarter finals of the Cup - was an intriguing era of rapid progress where new territory was being discovered again and again by a club which was leaving its Highland League origins and making progress through the national hierarchy.

Jim Calder, and many others, played vital roles in that pioneering epic.

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Forgot that most modern gyms have junior equipment these days.

[Caley Mad In Berks]

I see no one has voted for Michael Fraser, and I didn't either, but if the poll was for important saves, he would be right up there.  Of those who saw it, few will ever forget his wonderful save towards the end of a match against Celtic at the Longman, when we beat them 3-2 after being 0-2 down.  That save, as much as anything else, won that match for us.  The save was captured on photograph, and was available (may still be) from the club shop. I got it as a Xmas present some years ago and still proudly display it on my wall.

[LundavraJag]

Voted Brill as my favourite. I have seen Calder play since I started watching back in the 3rd division but really I was too young to remember much of his performances and character but is clearly a keeping legend for us.

I remember being completely uninspired by the signature of Brill on a loan deal from non league Luton town but fair play to him for eventually settling into Yogi's suicide back-pass regime and becoming a top keeper for us. It worked out well, except his terrible injury this season. Mark Brown was in his prime with us before heading to Celtic and was arguably the better keeper but my favourite is definitely Deano.

[Sneckboy]

Well, I genuinely didn't expect Jim Calder to 'win' it when the poll commenced on 28th December!
Although he was short of a majority win, almost one-third of the 79 voters opted for him.

(I see Tony Reguero must have joined the forum in the past few days!)

But, in all-seriousness, it whets-the-appetite for a potential series of Inverness Caledonian Thistle 'Dream Team' polls (for all positions, including Manager / assistant)
- perhaps even line-up formation?!

As mentioned in the opening post, a good opportunity to conduct that Poll (Dream Team) would be after the club have played 1000 competitive games - still a good bit away yet in real time...(currently on 944 competitive fixtures in all comps.)

But, come the time, much thought will need to be given to the wording of the polls...maybe have a poll to decide!

For example, favourite 'centre-half' could be Bobby Mann, best centre-half could be Gary Warren, and (a different category), most valuable contribution to Inverness CT, could be Grant Munro. (12 years at the club, team captain, an integral figure during the climb up the leagues etc)
But, all that's for another day.

Cheers to all who commented and voted in this 'keeper poll.

[Kingsmills]

Although, as is clear from the poll, there is disagreement about the order, there is little doubt about the top four but if Fon Williams signs on for a few more seasons there's no reason why he couldn't be up there with Jimmy and Ryan.

[Yngwie]

We've clearly done OK for keepers over the years, when you consider that the one who just a few weeks ago was capped by the team ranked 8th in the world only just makes our top 5!