Inverness CT in financial trouble

[Justin Z]

2 minutes ago, sassenach said:

I understand that, but the split still creates imbalance.

 

In your scenario there would be 3 games against any given opponent, so for example a team might end up having 4 away games and only 2 home games against the "Old Firm".

 

A split simply increases the number of Old Firm games, and in doing so also reduces the competitiveness of the league. The sooner it goes, the better.

 

There would be either two or four. Never three.

 

Edit: I don't see how 20 teams is sustainable, but would also prefer no split. If there's going to be a split, balancing it, rather than the crap we have now, should be the priority.

Edited October 3, 2019 by Justin Z

[Don Dan]

2 hours ago, smiler said:

I hear what you're saying but are you going to tell all our fans that travel from outwith Edinburgh to go support their local sides? Last survey showed 50% of our season ticket holders had postcodes outwith the city boundary. 

 

 

I am aware of the support we have from out with our home territory so to speak. However it is on a far greater scale when you witness the horrible hoards of weegie supporters  arriving by the bus loads to in general display their bigotry. 

[jr ewing]

42 minutes ago, kila said:

18 team top flight, selectively missing out Hamilton  

 

 

Aberdeen
Ayr United
Celtic
Dundee
Dundee United
Dunfermline
Falkirk
Hearts
Hibs
Inverness
Kilmarnock
Livingston
Motherwell
Partick Thistle
Rangers
Ross County
St Johnstone
St Mirren 

 

No plastic pitches allowed! Ever!

[Plank]

I genuinely would love a bigger top flight. I can see smaller teams nicking a draw, perhaps even a win here and there against the Old Firm.

[davemclaren]

1 minute ago, Plank said:

I genuinely would love a bigger top flight. I can see smaller teams nicking a draw, perhaps even a win here and there against the Old Firm.

Didn't happen very often when we had a big league before. And the gap between small and big is even larger now. 

[Thomaso]

2 hours ago, smiler said:

I hear what you're saying but are you going to tell all our fans that travel from outwith Edinburgh to go support their local sides? Last survey showed 50% of our season ticket holders had postcodes outwith the city boundary. 

 

 

Outwith the Edinburgh city boundary but still in the SE side of the country!

[Thomaso]

36 minutes ago, jr ewing said:

No plastic pitches allowed! Ever!

 

👍

[Cruyff Turn]

2 hours ago, sassenach said:

The split is barmy. It  creates repetition of games already played, and imbalance of home and away fixtures.

 

If 38 games is the optimum, just have a 20 team league.

Not got enough good teams for a 20 team league. We need 2 divisions. The Championship League would need to be full time teams. A 20 team top league means that wouldn’t be possible. We only need 2 Leagues in Scotland. Two divisions of 16, 32 professional sides.

[Kiwidoug]

If they launched a public appeal, wouldn't that generate a large sum to at least ride them over?  I'd certainly chip in £20.

[mitch41]

Haven't ICT helped out Fort William with a few players. I'd love it if we could help Robbo's team. We owe the wee man so much.

[Tasavallan]

5 minutes ago, Kiwidoug said:

If they launched a public appeal, wouldn't that generate a large sum to at least ride them over?  I'd certainly chip in £20.

 

Sorry Doug, but if you have £20 to spare then stick it in FOH.

[grumpyespana]

22 minutes ago, mitch41 said:

Haven't ICT helped out Fort William with a few players. I'd love it if we could help Robbo's team. We owe the wee man so much.

Sorry I dinnie agree guys we owe Robbo nothing but I think they will pull through.

[CJGJ]

Just now, sassenach said:

I agree that the Scottish league system is too big compared to the size of the population.

 

I wouldn't want to be the one to decide which teams (and their fans) should be kicked out though.

 

And I would hate for the league system to be more or less concentrated around the Central Belt, where the most people live.

All clubs could survive IF they do not overspend trying to reach a level they cannot compete at

 

Small or large it's that simple

 

Ambition yes but blind ambition is just bad management from club owners etc

[OTT]

This just highlights to me the need for a bigger league. Too many big clubs outside of the SPL in financial peril because there isn't enough money in the Scottish game. 

 

20 team league =

 

- More clubs able to gain access to higher away gates from ourselves, the uglies, Dons & Hibs

- More youngsters exposed to top level football (in Scotland) 

- Chance to reduce the OF dominance and impact on our season 

 

I really want this question being posed to managers to try and get people with influence in the game talking - 'Do you feel a larger league would be more beneficial to the Scottish game' ' Do you feel less games against the OF would improve your clubs chances of competing for the title' 

 

Scottish football is too stale. We need change to try and shake things up a bit. Should offer a LOT more security for clubs like Partick, Dunfermline, Dundee's and the other yo-yo clubs. 

[Craig Gordons Gloves]

The CEO is the same guy who managed to eff up managing the building of our new stand by not ordering seats and didn't do a particularly good job at Dundee when he was CEO either.  I'm not suggesting anything obviously, just pointing out that it's the same person....

[trotter]

50 minutes ago, grumpyespana said:

Sorry I dinnie agree guys we owe Robbo nothing but I think they will pull through.

 

Da fuq?

[moshy]

Maybe they shouldn't have splashed out laying a new pitch over the summer if they are struggling.

[Tommy Brown]

6 hours ago, davemclaren said:

Depends if you want more clubs with smaller attendances. We need more mid size clubs imo. 

Two clubs getting 2k crowds doe not mean a merged club getting 4k crowds. Fans are fickle, I certainly would have no interest if we merged with Edinburgh City.

[OTT]

2 hours ago, mitch41 said:

Haven't ICT helped out Fort William with a few players. I'd love it if we could help Robbo's team. We owe the wee man so much.

 

I hear you, although ICT are an irritating club to play. Our record there is atrocious and I'd be keen not to return anytime soon tbh!

 

Feel for them and their fans. Must be painful seeing so many young kids strolling about in OF kits. Certainly makes things so much tougher for smaller clubs. 

Edited October 3, 2019 by OTT

[tian447]

6 hours ago, FruitJuice said:

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.  I've saw a couple of shinty matches live and it's just a big game of hit and hope.  Dire sport to watch. 

 

Sounds like us this season

[tian447]

6 hours ago, FruitJuice said:

 

Edit - dp

Edited October 3, 2019 by tian447

[Governor Tarkin]

7 hours ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Unfortunately and, rather annoyingly, the cheeks have snapped up a huge percentage of the highland population of supporters........mostly glory hunters who could not find their way to ibroke or darkheed without the use of a satnav....... most happy to swarm the local pubs every week to sing their favourite songs...................another story.....

 

but we already knew that anyway.

 

It pisses me right off, that.

[FruitJuice]

16 minutes ago, tian447 said:

 

Sounds like us this season

You're the second person to say that.  our style of play did cross my mind when I was posting it. Some posters on here are more defensive than levein so I didn't think it was worth the risk joking about it...

Shinty is still shite though... 

Edited October 3, 2019 by FruitJuice

[tian447]

7 minutes ago, FruitJuice said:

You're the second person to say that.  our style of play did cross my mind when I was posting it. Some posters on here are more defensive than levein so I didn't think it was worth the risk joking about it...

Shinty is still shite though... 

 

It gets to a point where all you can do is laugh about it.  It's just not worth getting wound up about it on a Thursday night - Saturdays are different though! 

 

I agree, 100%, that Shinty is shite! 

[FruitJuice]

6 minutes ago, tian447 said:

 

It gets to a point where all you can do is laugh about it.  It's just not worth getting wound up about it on a Thursday night - Saturdays are different though! 

 

I agree, 100%, that Shinty is shite! 

Shinty is played and watched by weirdos.  Whenever the teuchter champions league final is played where I live, there are posters about town sayi g 'come and see yourself live on TV!'  How can you see yourself on TV if your at the game?  As I said, weirdos.

[Bazzas right boot]

7 hours ago, FruitJuice said:

I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy.  I've saw a couple of shinty matches live and it's just a big game of hit and hope.  Dire sport to watch. 

 

Hoofball?

Levein oot!

[Bazzas right boot]

3 hours ago, mitch41 said:

Haven't ICT helped out Fort William with a few players. I'd love it if we could help Robbo's team. We owe the wee man so much.

 

 

Not unless they want players who can't register or play until January. 

 

 

[FruitJuice]

19 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

 

Hoofball?

Levein oot!

Do they have shinty teams in fife?  Just wondering where he got his approach to the game from...

[Guest ToqueJambo]

6 hours ago, kila said:

18 team top flight, selectively missing out Hamilton  

 

 

Aberdeen
Ayr United
Celtic
Dundee
Dundee United
Dunfermline
Falkirk
Hearts
Hibs
Inverness
Kilmarnock
Livingston
Motherwell
Partick Thistle
Rangers
Ross County
St Johnstone
St Mirren 

 

 

This for me although I think I'd selectively miss out St Mirren instead of Hamilton and the likes of Raith and Morton could consider themselves unlucky not to be in that list.  

 

That league would have some sort of derby contest almost every week. Brilliant.

 

On Inverness, two thoughts. They seem like a very good candidate for becoming another community/fan owned club. And, Robbo to us?

[Hearts_fan]

7 hours ago, kila said:

18 team top flight, selectively missing out Hamilton  

 

 

Aberdeen
Ayr United
Celtic
Dundee
Dundee United
Dunfermline
Falkirk
Hearts
Hibs
Inverness
Kilmarnock
Livingston
Motherwell
Partick Thistle
Rangers
Ross County
St Johnstone
St Mirren 

 

 

I'd love to see that.

[Unknown user]

The clubs don't want a 20 team league because it means the limited financial pot we have gets diluted even more, and teams are only going to get 1 home game against each of the OF, which is where the rest of the money is. 

 

And that means we have to be creative with a split and the like.

[Forever Hearts]

1 minute ago, Smithee said:

The clubs don't want a 20 team league because it means the limited financial pot we have gets diluted even more, and teams are only going to get 1 home game against each of the OF, which is where the rest of the money is. 

 

And that means we have to be creative with a split and the like.

And Sky will not want to drop two Old Firm games. 

[Maiden Gorgie]

7 hours ago, kila said:

18 team top flight, selectively missing out Hamilton  

 

 

Aberdeen
Ayr United
Celtic
Dundee
Dundee United
Dunfermline
Falkirk
Hearts
Hibs
Inverness
Kilmarnock
Livingston
Motherwell
Partick Thistle
Rangers
Ross County
St Johnstone
St Mirren 

 

 

Make this happen. Loads of twists and turns in that league.

[Unknown user]

28 minutes ago, Forever Hearts said:

And Sky will not want to drop two Old Firm games. 

[Pele_Is_God]

We are in a bad way but talk of Administration is wide off the mark from what I'm told. The alarming thing is the attendances.... Last home crowd was given as 2300 but was more like 1500. We have lost over 1000 home fans from our first spell in SPL. 

We need £250k to get us to the end of the season. 

Also, not entirely convinced about Mr Gardiner... 

[Mikey1874]

4 hours ago, Craig Gordons Gloves said:

The CEO is the same guy who managed to eff up managing the building of our new stand by not ordering seats and didn't do a particularly good job at Dundee when he was CEO either.  I'm not suggesting anything obviously, just pointing out that it's the same person....

 

Problems happened before him. 

 

He started there in April 2019. Maybe a sign of him trying to sort things out rather than being in denial. 

Edited October 3, 2019 by Mikey1874

[davemclaren]

2 hours ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

This for me although I think I'd selectively miss out St Mirren instead of Hamilton and the likes of Raith and Morton could consider themselves unlucky not to be in that list.  

 

That league would have some sort of derby contest almost every week. Brilliant.

 

On Inverness, two thoughts. They seem like a very good candidate for becoming another community/fan owned club. And, Robbo to us?

No thanks. I don’t want to be back in 1974, from a football perspective anyway 🤷🏼‍♂️

[WheatfieldWarrior]

8 hours ago, Plank said:

I genuinely would love a bigger top flight. I can see smaller teams nicking a draw, perhaps even a win here and there against the Old Firm.

 

Games would be less predictable if there was more variety in the opponents. 

[ri Alban]

9 hours ago, ToqueJambo said:

 

This for me although I think I'd selectively miss out St Mirren instead of Hamilton and the likes of Raith and Morton could consider themselves unlucky not to be in that list.  

 

That league would have some sort of derby contest almost every week. Brilliant.

 

On Inverness, two thoughts. They seem like a very good candidate for becoming another community/fan owned club. And, Robbo to us?

So you'd get rid of St Mirren and replace with Morton. Well there goes the Renfrewshire derby.

[blairdin]

6 hours ago, WheatfieldWarrior said:

 

Games would be less predictable if there was more variety in the opponents. 

 

That's what I think as well. I want a 16 team league, but I don't think that's the solution to financial woes for clubs like Inverness. 

 

I think the parachute payment should be done away with as to me it almost encourages situations like this, as relegated clubs will roll the dice.

 

Money generated by Scottish football needs to be distributed differently. The higher your placed the more you get, but not enough reaches down to the full time clubs in the second tier. The old firm can afford a haircut, and they're the first to moan about competition. 

[Marvin]

19 hours ago, highlandjambo3 said:

Unfortunately and, rather annoyingly, the cheeks have snapped up a huge percentage of the highland population of supporters........mostly glory hunters who could not find their way to ibroke or darkheed without the use of a satnav....... most happy to swarm the local pubs every week to sing their favourite songs...................another story.....

 

but we already knew that anyway.

 

That's the story of the Scottish game sadly.

Edited October 4, 2019 by Marvin

[The Treasurer]

8 hours ago, davemclaren said:

No thanks. I don’t want to be back in 1974, from a football perspective anyway 🤷🏼‍♂️

Correct

Those wanting a 18 or 20 team league obviously weren't around back then

[The Treasurer]

10 hours ago, Pele_Is_God said:

We are in a bad way but talk of Administration is wide off the mark from what I'm told. The alarming thing is the attendances.... Last home crowd was given as 2300 but was more like 1500. We have lost over 1000 home fans from our first spell in SPL. 

We need £250k to get us to the end of the season. 

Also, not entirely convinced about Mr Gardiner... 

Am I right in thinking a lot of fans of the previous clubs gave up when ICT were formed ?

I  also don't think your "stadium" helps draw a crowd, it's a terrible place to watch football and is difficult to get to from the town centre

 

[obua]

54 minutes ago, The Treasurer said:

Am I right in thinking a lot of fans of the previous clubs gave up when ICT were formed ?

I  also don't think your "stadium" helps draw a crowd, it's a terrible place to watch football and is difficult to get to from the town centre

 

It was when Caley and thistle merged in early nineties I think, Thistle fans were unhappy and viewed it as a takeover. A lot of thistle fans still refuse to go to games.

[Shanks]

Shame for them.  Will miss the lovely scenic view from the away end.

[kila]

11 hours ago, davemclaren said:

No thanks. I don’t want to be back in 1974, from a football perspective anyway 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

It is worth trying again though. 12 team setup not working for anyone other than the Old Firm. Returning to 10 teams would be more boring. 16 includes yet another split, so 18 seem a good number.

 

I think there's enough quality in a good few of the Championship sids that they could make a bigger top flight more interesting. Old Firm dropping points away is likely.

 

Might be in society's interest to limit the Old Firm fixture to twice a season plus cups.

 

TV money is an issue but a more competitive league will surely attract better sponsors over time. I think a levy on European cash from teams involved in the EL/CL group stages on should be used to help the league. Need to stop relying upon the Old Firm to prop up the league because it'll only result in two winners and the continuing slow death of Scottish football.

 

 

[SUTOL]

Some form of gate sharing would help the finances of the smaller clubs.

And/or assistance with some travel expenses involved for clubs like ICT and RC. Maybe Parks of Hamilton could cut them a good deal rather than fund Rangers losses. It would do more good for the game as a whole. 

[John Findlay]

4 hours ago, The Treasurer said:

Correct

Those wanting a 18 or 20 team league obviously weren't around back then

Interesting the last time we won the league it had 18 teams in it.

[Forever Hearts]

When they gave the home team all the gate money things went downhill. Don't get me wrong, the thought of giving Hamilton half of our gate money when they bring 100 fans isn't very appealing, but it would definitely make for a more competitive league. 

[Guest ToqueJambo]

16 hours ago, davemclaren said:

No thanks. I don’t want to be back in 1974, from a football perspective anyway 🤷🏼‍♂️

 

I think playing everyone twice instead of four times is the key to a more interesting and competitive league.