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Topic Originator: Playup_Pompey
Date: Fri 24 May 12:23
https://ictfc.com/club-statement-20/
“As one major part of our planned strategic restructure of the club, ICTFC are delighted to announce an innovative agreement with League 1 side Kelty Hearts which will see the club move our training base to the Fife club’s New Central Park Stadium.
This creative partnership will mean that we will hire their excellent facilities which include a 3g pitch, onsite grass pitches and offices for our coaching staff, as our training base during the week starting from this coming pre-season in June.
The last few years have seen the geographic challenges in getting players to move to the Highlands become ever harder for a number of reasons.
Caledonian Stadium will always be our home, but other factors in Scottish football have changed and where we train should not be an impediment to the quality of the players we can attract to Caley Thistle, or to our potential to progress.
The commercial success of the city of Inverness – which will always be our home – both as a tourist destination and a place to live, has led to very high prices for the accommodation we require to house players. In addition to these high costs which our competitors do not carry, the extremely limited housing stock in Inverness continues to be both a challenge and a huge factor working against us.
Increased playing budgets in and around the central belt has meant that on many occasions, even when we have offered players more favourable terms than our competitors, sometimes even agreed deals, we have then been told that the player has changed his mind due to challenges relocating their families. Support structures in and around the families of players may all be in and around the central belt, partners will have jobs where they live and moving kids schools to the Highlands and moving home itself can just be seen as impractical for a one or two year contract.
It makes it particularly challenging for us to sign senior players, a category which through no fault of our budget, or of previous ICT Managers, we have struggled to attract in the last few seasons.
Similarly, our location means that we miss out on the opportunity of signing promising players from the larger clubs in Scotland, on loan or otherwise.
For the avoidance of any doubt we absolutely intend to continue to develop our own homegrown Highland boys and we will take the appropriate steps to make sure that by being creative, innovative and practical, they do not miss out on the chance to have a pathway to first team football with their team. We have a proud tradition of introducing local players in to our first team and this will absolutely continue.
We obviously never intended to be in the same division as Kelty when originally exploring this concept, but football throws strange things at you sometimes and having reassessed the proposition and judged that the pros still far outweigh the cons, we would like to thank the Board of Kelty Hearts and MD Stefan Winiarski and his management team for considering this unique to the SPFL partnership, and then seeing and agreeing on the possibilities and benefits for both clubs.
To reiterate, by moving our footballing department’s training base to central Scotland, both the club’s Board of Directors and the club’s First Team Management feel we give ourselves the best possible chance to attract the highest quality players to the club, allowing some of the players we sign to also live in and around the central belt while playing for ICTFC.
We now look forward to taking further positive strides on and off the pitch to address the football and financial challenges we face we believe this exciting opportunity to help us attract players previously not available to us and build a better squad, is one of the first steps we can make and we hope to develop further innovative partnerships.
Inverness is and will always be our home.
The Caledonian Stadium will always be where we play our football. We hope this venture will help us achieve our goal in giving our supporters a team to be proud of.”
Post Edited (Fri 24 May 12:24)
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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Fri 24 May 12:34
ICT have to be commended for their out-of-the-box thinking. Inverness is a beautiful city, but its remoteness from the central belt was obviously a stumbling block when it came to recruiting players.
Not your average Sunday League player.
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Topic Originator: Ahoy!Ahoy!
Date: Fri 24 May 12:38
This is going to be a disaster. What about the players who live up their already and are going to have to travel to Kelty for training?
How are they going to integrate youth players from the academy into the first team if they are training in Kelty.
This has for disaster written all over it.
Post Edited (Fri 24 May 12:39)
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Topic Originator: parsmad68
Date: Fri 24 May 12:47
Is this not what Queen of the South used to do years ago.
Maybe Stranraer also do it.
The Pars used to do something similar with the Glasgow squad when the team was part time with a number of the players (Stevie Morrison, Donnelly, Gary Thompson, etc.) but they used to train in Dunfermline and use the minibus. So slightly different.
It is purely financial and shows the issues when mid tier teams drop to the first division and the financial implications for clubs.
Good luck to them.
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Topic Originator: TAFKA_Super_Petrie
Date: Fri 24 May 13:00
Used to see QOTS training at Glasgow Green but that was when Ian McCall was manager so a long time ago now, no idea if they still do.
Peterhead trained in Perth area as recently as a year or so. Sure there will be other examples of PT teams doing it.
Inverness to Kelty is some shift though!
---------------------------------------------------------------
"People always talk about Ronaldinho and magic, but I didn't see him today. I saw Henrik Larsson; that's where the magic was."
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Topic Originator: DBA
Date: Fri 24 May 13:04
All the examples I can think of are part-time teams. How this works for a full time team, we`ll have to wait and see, but their youth setup is already kicking up a storm for any players trying to step up into the first team!
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Topic Originator: pars no1
Date: Fri 24 May 13:11
I know Peterhead have 2 training groups. One trains in the central belt and one trains in Aberdeen. They must meet up at someone g as a group tho.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Fri 24 May 13:16
You would think in the long run it must erode the links between the club and the local community. If fans don`t see the players around the town, if they`re not available for social events, visiting schools etc are they likely to fully identify with them on a match day?
Is the problem of remoteness and relocation peculiar to Inverness? There are so many instances now of players moving on short-term deals or loans that the problems of uprooting partners and kids must be pretty commonplace in the game.
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Topic Originator: parsmad68
Date: Fri 24 May 13:34
Quote:
wee eck, Fri 24 May 13:16
You would think in the long run it must erode the links between the club and the local community. If fans don`t see the players around the town, if they`re not available for social events, visiting schools etc are they likely to fully identify with them on a match day?
Is the problem of remoteness and relocation peculiar to Inverness? There are so many instances now of players moving on short-term deals or loans that the problems of uprooting partners and kids must be pretty commonplace in the game.
I remember Amaruso used to do this when playing in England. Used to trot up and down the M6, so not only for part time players and teams. Once settled, it really must be difficult to move family members.
Henrik Larsons wife was funny with her Glasgow accent, so I wonder how long it takes family members to follow their spouses?
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Fri 24 May 13:51
If Inverness is too expensive, why not place the players in Dingwall?
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Topic Originator: 1985Par
Date: Fri 24 May 14:28
There was a time not so long ago when Inverness had both the premiership status and financial backing to tempt a player up to the highlands with, no doubt, some decent accommodation thrown in. Seems they now have neither. They`re not going to attract players north with league 1 football and league 1 wages so I completely understand what they`re doing. If they were to rely only on the local talent pool they`d struggle in league 1.
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Topic Originator: Bovril Man
Date: Fri 24 May 15:19
Beginning of the end for ICT, I reckon sadly.
Logistically this’ll be a nightmare, and whatever $ they save on accommodation, they’ll lose on club cohesion. Travelling up to the highlands every other weekend to play matches is not a positive when trying to convince decent players to sign for them.
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Topic Originator: MikeyLeonard
Date: Fri 24 May 15:33
Quote:
jake89, Fri 24 May 13:51
If Inverness is too expensive, why not place the players in Dingwall?
Was thinking the same Jake. . .otherwise, how do Ross County manage ?
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Fri 24 May 15:47
Ross County have Roy McGregor.
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Topic Originator: eastendalloapar
Date: Fri 24 May 15:55
In the mid 70s I used to see Celtic training at Jordanhill. It was amazing seeing Jock Stein working just outside our Collage.
.
matt forsyth
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Topic Originator: cumbrian par
Date: Fri 24 May 16:23
Here in Cumbria, Barrow (full time in EFL League 2) have been based in Manchester for a year or two. Barrow-in-Furness is certainly remote, stuck at the end of the cul-de-sac that is the A590.
I don’t know if the move has had any impact on their player recruitment but they have had a decent season, finishing just outside the playoffs.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Fri 24 May 16:51
Barrow to Manchester must be around 30 miles. Inverness to Kelty is well over 100 miles. There must be something else going on here as it doesn`t feel logical.
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Topic Originator: LochgellyAlbert
Date: Fri 24 May 17:13
One of Dick Campbell `s teams used to train at Lochgelly High School, might have been Forfar?🤔
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Topic Originator: Tad Allagash
Date: Fri 24 May 17:53
Barrow to Manchester is over 100 miles - still less then Inverness to Kelty though.
Post Edited (Fri 24 May 17:54)
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Topic Originator: Stanza
Date: Fri 24 May 17:54
Quote:
jake89, Fri 24 May 16:51
Barrow to Manchester must be around 30 miles. Inverness to Kelty is well over 100 miles. There must be something else going on here as it doesn`t feel logical.
You`ve obviously never been to Barrow! It`s 100 miles to/from Central Manchester, with a chunk of that on the A590, aka the UK`s longest cul-de-sac (not strictly true, but near enough!)
Reading the thread I was about to mention my "other" team Barrow, before Cumbrian Par did so. COYB
_________________
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Topic Originator: McCaig`s Tower
Date: Fri 24 May 18:13
Surprised no-one has suggested ICT merge with Barrow.
They could call themselves Barrow-in-Furness Caledonian Thistle...
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Topic Originator: Stanza
Date: Fri 24 May 18:36
Quote:
McCaig`s Tower, Fri 24 May 18:13
Surprised no-one has suggested ICT merge with Barrow.
They could call themselves Barrow-in-Furness Caledonian Thistle...
And if they play their matches at Kelty I`ll be over the moon.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Fri 24 May 18:49
I was thinking of Barrow 🤦♂️ I went to a campsite there once I`m sure.
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Topic Originator: EastEndTales
Date: Fri 24 May 19:30
What about the kit? Equipment? Will that all get driven down daily to Kelty or stored locally? Training gear washed individually? Can`t imagine they`d like that.
Will the local lads train separate? Can`t imagine that will help being full time. Can`t work on set plays for one thing. What if on goalie is based up north and the other not?
Ep.17 of East End Tales is out now with Andrius Skerla
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1972630/15082607
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Topic Originator: Raymie the Legend
Date: Fri 24 May 19:37
Surely there are enough players in the highlands they could recruit ?
It`s bloody tough being a legend
Ron Atkinson - 1983
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Fri 24 May 20:04
The word is that the club wants to sell off the houses they own and give to the players. It`ll make them a bit of cash in the short term but the future looks bleak. The fans are furious.
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Topic Originator: saltonsgonagetu
Date: Fri 24 May 20:54
Caley are hiring Central park a d it`s facilities from Kelty, I thought the park and facilities were owned br Fife Council, if it is not ,why are Fife Council ploughing money into one Fife senior team but none of the others.
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Topic Originator: AdamAntsParsStripe
Date: Fri 24 May 21:03
Quote:
jake89, Fri 24 May 13:51
If Inverness is too expensive, why not place the players in Dingwall?
A rich owner….
Zwei Pints Bier und ein Päckchen Chips bitte
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Sat 25 May 08:46
Just wait until they find out how competitive the housing market is in West Fife and that there`s a housing emergency declared.
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Topic Originator: McCaig`s Tower
Date: Sun 26 May 15:03
On a more serious note, I think this is a potentially concerning development not just for ICT but Scottish Football as a whole.
I remember when Ferranti Thistle were voted into the league to even up the numbers in (ultimately) a straight fight with Inverness Thistle. (As an aside – League Reconstruction – that worked well…). Objectively Inverness Thistle were the much better proposition, but 2 things counted against them – one was the thought that Ferranti would provide easy pickings in the shape of 4 league points a season, and points made prizes as the Pools’ companies payouts were based on points won.
The second was the need to travel up and down the A9 which was a bit of a nightmare in those days (you may think it’s bad now). The SFL was a closed shop and a central-belt shop at that.
Days changed and two of the Inverness clubs merged and were admitted into the league as Caledonian Thistle, as were Ross County (who had never been thought of as a particularly big HFL team). The SPFL is part of a national pyramid structure and I largely welcome that.
However, we now seem to saying that some places are “too remote”. It’s like going back to the 70s. Stranraer (whom I wouldn’t particularly have missed had they lost their status though I’m no fan of East Kilbride) have long had the reputation for basically being Glasgow based. Brechin applied to be admitted to the Lowland league despite their location, employing a spurious argument about distances involved in the HFL (I think I calculated that their travel would have been marginally higher had their request been granted).
Of course, it could be that ICT are undergoing economic difficulties and this is a temporary solution, or that there is a specific economic phenomenon peculiar to the ‘Sneck which enforces the payment of a premium (that doesn’t apply to Nairn or Dingwall, for example). It does seem a slap in the face for local players and the fans and I wonder whether it is leading to a central belt retrenchment (although results elsewhere might argue against that).
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Topic Originator: buffy
Date: Sun 26 May 17:49
A friend who works with ICT advised “Some of their players live in the central belt and this has been in the planning long before relegation happened.” Their fans are NOT happy with this decision.
”Buffy’s Buns are the finest in Fife”, J. Spence 2019”
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Topic Originator: Par
Date: Mon 27 May 15:55
Inverness Clachnacuddin offering 400 free season tickets for under 12`s. I wonder how many fans ICT will lose through their decision to move out the community.
In an age where football has become dominated by global superstars and luxurious teams, it`s easy for the next generation of fans to lose sight on who needs them the most.
Their local team.
At Clachnacuddin, we are proud to have designed over 400 free season tickets for concessions to use for our upcoming season, promoting the opportunity to experience football in their home city.
Post Edited (Mon 27 May 15:59)
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Topic Originator: red-star-par
Date: Mon 27 May 16:46
I`ve got to admit, if I was a player I`d jump at the chance to move up to Inverness, it`s a lovely place.
I worked with a girl whose husband played for a central belt team and he took up the offer of a contract with ICT. Although I don`t know the full details, she did say there was a bit of a relocation package involved which made it just as good as a contract for one of the central belt teams, and they were able to help her get a job with one of the companies in town as well.
I guess when you take into consideration that sort of thing, it does put ICT at a disadvantage
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Mon 27 May 18:01
Need to remember that most of these players are in their 20s or early 30s. They`re not going to find Inverness that interesting and it`s the back end of beyond for most people. The central belt has the clubs, bars, restaurants and airports.
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Topic Originator: neilholland999
Date: Mon 27 May 18:11
Quote:
jake89, Mon 27 May 18:01
The central belt has the clubs, bars, restaurants and airports.
Inverness has all of those things...
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Tue 28 May 05:24
Quote:
neilholland999, Mon 27 May 18:11
Quote:
jake89, Mon 27 May 18:01
The central belt has the clubs, bars, restaurants and airports.
Inverness has all of those things...
Do you look at your Ford Focus and think "that`s the same as a Mercedes E Class"?
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Topic Originator: parsmad68
Date: Tue 28 May 08:15
The relegation costs are substantial and are the directors looking at all possible options to reduce cost?. This is prudent. Are supporters angry about more than this single event e.g. the general running of the club?
The good thing about being a supporter is you can always criticise on an individual topic without having to provide a solution. It is good to question the club about decisions but I think their problems are much deeper than this single topic unfortunately and this is the straw that has broken the camels back.
I suspect the club are in serious financial difficulties and will be interesting to see what happens in coming weeks.
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Topic Originator: DBA
Date: Tue 28 May 09:04
Quote:
parsmad68, Tue 28 May 08:15
The relegation costs are substantial and are the directors looking at all possible options to reduce cost?. This is prudent. Are supporters angry about more than this single event e.g. the general running of the club?
The good thing about being a supporter is you can always criticise on an individual topic without having to provide a solution. It is good to question the club about decisions but I think their problems are much deeper than this single topic unfortunately and this is the straw that has broken the camels back.
I suspect the club are in serious financial difficulties and will be interesting to see what happens in coming weeks.
They fully admitted this was nothing to do with relegation to League 1, and they didn`t expect to be in the same league as Kelty when they agreed it.
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Topic Originator: Steviethepar2
Date: Tue 28 May 19:05
Just watched on BBC news fans not happy
Post Edited (Tue 28 May 19:05)
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Topic Originator: arpar
Date: Wed 29 May 20:48
Fife council is getting involved as they own the land and it is for community use. Apparently they have not been consulted on the potential impact this will have on local use of the facilities.
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Topic Originator: widtink
Date: Sun 2 Jun 16:04
Apparently big Dunc has taken a pay cut to help ease the financial side of things.
Thoughts ?
Admin
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Topic Originator: arpar
Date: Mon 3 Jun 21:13
Chairman has resigned. I can see a U turn on the Fife move.
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Topic Originator: Alf
Date: Wed 5 Jun 15:28
Move to Kelty scrapped, possible administration on the way if they can`t find new investment or owners
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Topic Originator: Stanza
Date: Wed 5 Jun 15:53
Move to Kelty scrapped, possible administration on the way if they can`t find new investment or owners
Administration and a points deduction would make matters much worse for ICT by making it harder to get out of League One.
_________________
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Topic Originator: Playup_Pompey
Date: Wed 5 Jun 16:12
yeah 15points next season and 5 the following
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Topic Originator: GG Riva
Date: Thu 6 Jun 06:39
Quote:
widtink, Wed 5 Jun 18:46
BBC News - Inverness CT scrap Fife training plan and consider administration - BBC Sport
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cqqqez5y1vlo
Aye it`s no looking good for them at the moment. 😲
And there was me, initially thinking it might be a good move, allowing them to sign players who don`t want to move away from the central belt. I obviously didn`t consider the strength of feeling within their fan base. I hope ICT can survive. It would be a shame for the city to lose its league club.
Ironically, the village of Dingwall has club in the Premiership, propped up by a rich benefactor......
Not your average Sunday League player.
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Topic Originator: 1985Par
Date: Thu 6 Jun 08:18
“ propped up by a rich benefactor “
I’m not sure if all caley fans really appreciate that, bereft of the kind of investment that took them through the leagues very quickly and kept them there for a good while they will do well to compete in ieague one by paying the best local talent league one wages.
If they’re happy with that and accept that, without a sugar daddy, that’s their level then good on them. I don’t think that many of them do however.
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Topic Originator: brian
Date: Thu 6 Jun 08:36
To be fair it was out of the box thinking.
Though I do think it wasn`t a workable solution.
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Topic Originator: wee eck
Date: Thu 6 Jun 09:22
As well as disagreeing with the decision, the fans must be raging that it was made without consulting them.
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Topic Originator: parsmad68
Date: Thu 6 Jun 10:46
I am slightly confused by what is happening. We were told that the move to Kelty for training was not a financial decision , but now are told that the club is looking at going into administration. Is the first statement incorrect or is it just that the benefactor by not getting his way has withdrawn the financial support he was offering.
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Topic Originator: jake89
Date: Thu 6 Jun 11:43
Quote:
parsmad68, Thu 6 Jun 10:46
I am slightly confused by what is happening. We were told that the move to Kelty for training was not a financial decision , but now are told that the club is looking at going into administration. Is the first statement incorrect or is it just that the benefactor by not getting his way has withdrawn the financial support he was offering.
It clearly WAS for financial reasons. The word on the street was they were hoping they could sell off club owned properties that are currently given out to entice players up to Inverness.
They put all their eggs in the battery operation being agreed but it was refused. I don`t think pulling out of Kelty was their decision. It sounds like Kelty sublet an asset they don`t own and Fife Council intervened. They also likely didn`t anticipate being in the same league as Kelty.
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Topic Originator: parsmad68
Date: Thu 6 Jun 12:03
Quote:
jake89, Thu 6 Jun 11:43
Quote:
parsmad68, Thu 6 Jun 10:46
I am slightly confused by what is happening. We were told that the move to Kelty for training was not a financial decision , but now are told that the club is looking at going into administration. Is the first statement incorrect or is it just that the benefactor by not getting his way has withdrawn the financial support he was offering.
It clearly WAS for financial reasons. The word on the street was they were hoping they could sell off club owned properties that are currently given out to entice players up to Inverness.
They put all their eggs in the battery operation being agreed but it was refused. I don`t think pulling out of Kelty was their decision. It sounds like Kelty sublet an asset they don`t own and Fife Council intervened. They also likely didn`t anticipate being in the same league as Kelty.
I am interested in what influence the chairman and now CEO had in terms of financially supporting the club. Or whether they were just using available cash reserves or bank loans.
This is why I hope the model for DAFC is sustainable and viable. ICT could go bust.
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Topic Originator: nick_dafc1
Date: Thu 6 Jun 12:30
If the club go to administration and return down the leagues, the fans can thank themselves for putting the final nail in.
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Topic Originator: DBA
Date: Thu 6 Jun 14:49
Quote:
nick_dafc1, Thu 6 Jun 12:30
If the club go to administration and return down the leagues, the fans can thank themselves for putting the final nail in.
Well, no. It`s the folk running the club that are to blame. They told the fans that the Kelty move wasn`t financially motivated, so how can you blame the fans if the board has sold them a lie?
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Topic Originator: widtink
Date: Thu 6 Jun 15:32
This whole debacle seems very amateurish at best and not really thought out very well.
I wonder if the recent business idea they got refused recently was a last throw of the dice .(I can`t honestly remember what the proposed deal was about , maybe someone can clarify).
Owners should have consulted on this before going public most definitely and all the legalities (kelty not owning the ground was surely discussed at some point) should have been worked out.
None of this seems to have happened.
At the end of the day , if ICT fans decide to withhold their support as regards to season ticket sales , then it will surely result in the club being in a worse predicament than they are already in.
Worrying times for anyone connected to the club. I hope they find a way out of the trouble that they are in.
I`m a bit torn as I lived in Inverness for a wee while albeit before caley and thistle merged but I hope they come through this.
Admin
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