"The ICT Thread - From the Premiership to the Seaside"

[Sergeant Wilson]

6 minutes ago, Hugh Hillshaveyes said:

It will be difficult with less than a quarter of our support but agreed it's a good thing to aspire to 

Remarkably similar posting style and content to Shaggedwell Dug.

[welshbairn]

3 hours ago, ExiledLichtie said:

What is this obsession you guys have with Arbroath?  

Just a small sample..

Edited Monday at 22:51 by welshbairn

[Dade]

On 19/10/2024 at 14:39, Hugh Hillshaveyes said:

Nope...a loss that was budgeted for & being covered by a directors loan up to a preagreed amount bears no comparison to uncontained losses which would "hopefully" be covered by hopeful projects like BESS farms

Sorry to say but that’s not true. The fans bank money and Scottish Cup run got us out of a hole that season. We also took on some loans from fans to help cover the shortfall. All would’ve been unbudgeted, as they were complete unknowns going in to that campaign. Was reported that we would have ran out of money in February of 2023 if not for the cup run, so I wouldn’t be too quick to point at other clubs for rolling the dice and coming up short.

Football finances are on a knife edge and when you don’t have anyone to cover it then it goes from a small problem to a big one.

Thankfully things have worked for us and we are now continuing to move forward but doesn’t take too much for football clubs to find themselves in debt. If not for a deflected goal and a missed penalty it could’ve painted a very different picture to how much money we could have afforded to give to McGlynn at the start of last season and where we are now. 

Anyway good luck to ICT in trying to get out this mess. Not good to see any club go to the wall. 

Edited 16 hours ago by Dade

[lichtgilphead]

23 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Just a small sample..

You do realise that at around half the Arbroath posters on here have WUM ExiledLichtie on ignore?

[TxRover]

So the Inverness Courier says Administrators were appointed today (21 October), but no word from the Club confirming it?

[ExiledLichtie]

27 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

Just a small sample..

That doesn't really answer the question.  Yes, I'm interested in the story, but I'd be interested in the story of any basket case club, and more so in the case of a club in the same league. Plenty of fans of other clubs have made plenty of posts, but its seemingly only Arbroath fans that the ICT lot get so angry about.

Some of the comments you're quoting there are actually about Falkirk, Dunfermline etc and are in reply to their attempts to claim the moral high ground.  Absolutely nothing for ICT to get so worked up about.  And yet, they do.  Its very odd.

[Fraz]

https://www.ictsupporterstrust.org/post/ictst-summary-of-meeting-191024?fbclid=IwY2xjawGECnZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcTVNrAucDmVwXH19GweJbH10RCj9STb7H-lsL_IaLo9apN5azvSjo2OvA_aem_yAOhJ1G4nUWcz5R7IfE80w

[The Black Flag]

6 hours ago, TxRover said:

So the Inverness Courier says Administrators were appointed today (21 October), but no word from the Club confirming it?

The Courier has been printing some absolute click bait shite about the club over the last few weeks, I just wanted to say that. I would presume there would be an official club statement later today on going into administration.

I really have gone off the Courier.

[Fraz]

1 hour ago, Fraz said:

https://www.ictsupporterstrust.org/post/ictst-summary-of-meeting-191024?fbclid=IwY2xjawGECnZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcTVNrAucDmVwXH19GweJbH10RCj9STb7H-lsL_IaLo9apN5azvSjo2OvA_aem_yAOhJ1G4nUWcz5R7IfE80w

Most interesting points for me are probably that Savage is wanting to join the board and that they are willing to have a fans representative on the board. 

Also the comment around the bronze licence. 

 

[bdu98196]

Lot gone on in the last few days, but reading up on here & CTO - anyone able to summarise why we are seeing a shift of position from fans to sympathy for Scott Young & the board along with significant back slapping for Dunc? While I see he has deferred wages is that enough to cleanse the errors made previously and the culpability for his management - noting this is a guy who was backed with almost a full team recruited since arrival (twice)? Not shocked that the previous regime got away with so much if anyone can curry favour by some crocodile tears and token gestures.

[forkboy]

3 hours ago, Fraz said:

https://www.ictsupporterstrust.org/post/ictst-summary-of-meeting-191024?fbclid=IwY2xjawGECnZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcTVNrAucDmVwXH19GweJbH10RCj9STb7H-lsL_IaLo9apN5azvSjo2OvA_aem_yAOhJ1G4nUWcz5R7IfE80w

You have to commend Christie & co for recognising that while the academy might sound like an immediate expense that can be cut, that sort of short-termism is incredibly dangerous. Especially if you're a club a few hours out of the central belt & part of why you're in the mess you're in is paying for players to relocate.

That said, remaining full-time & having a squad at least partly made up of Highland League players (eminently sensible in & of its self) does seem tricky. Because some of those lads are going to have pretty decent day jobs.

[Sergeant Wilson]

8 hours ago, TxRover said:

So the Inverness Courier says Administrators were appointed today (21 October), but no word from the Club confirming it?

No-one at the club will be allowed to touch anything.

[forkboy]

2 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

No-one at the club will be allowed to touch anything.

Aye, once the administrators are in place all the board can do is advise, and the administrator doesn't have to listen.

As the summary from the Supporters Trust says, "The Administrator is expected to be at the club on Monday or Tuesday, and will probably hold a Press Conference on Wednesday." "Most communication in the coming weeks will come from the Administrator."

[RiG]

15 minutes ago, bdu98196 said:

Lot gone on in the last few days, but reading up on here & CTO - anyone able to summarise why we are seeing a shift of position from fans to sympathy for Scott Young & the board along with significant back slapping for Dunc? While I see he has deferred wages is that enough to cleanse the errors made previously and the culpability for his management - noting this is a guy who was backed with almost a full team recruited since arrival (twice)? Not shocked that the previous regime got away with so much if anyone can curry favour by some crocodile tears and token gestures.

Because it seems some supporters can forgive the current situation we are in, partly due to Ferguson and his ultra conservative tactics, for him allegedly working for free (he isn't) and paying for some petrol for a couple of players.

[Stephen Malkmus]

3 hours ago, Fraz said:

https://www.ictsupporterstrust.org/post/ictst-summary-of-meeting-191024?fbclid=IwY2xjawGECnZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcTVNrAucDmVwXH19GweJbH10RCj9STb7H-lsL_IaLo9apN5azvSjo2OvA_aem_yAOhJ1G4nUWcz5R7IfE80w

First the positives, though clearly some of this is speculative (combining both Charlie and the chairman's comments):

• The crowdfunding appeal remains in place to assist with the club’s running costs. Funds raised will not be used to pay the Administrator.
• Alan Savage indicated on Friday that he was planning to join the Board. The Board felt now was the time for a representative of the Supporters Trust to join the Board. The Administrator has indicated that they are willing to look at both these appointments. 
• He believes there is a way forward for the team, and it can remain full time, 8 experienced players, 8 Academy Graduates, 8 other local players (e.g. from Highland League), avoiding accommodation costs.
• There may be changes to the playing squad, but that does not necessarily mean it is the highest earners that are impacted as the club needs to retain a squad that can be competitive.
• He believes the club can remain in League 1, and following restructuring should be aiming to be in the Championship within two years.
• In response to a question, he advised that, as far as he is concerned, Liquidation should be off the agenda.
• In response to a question, he advised that the writing off of the Director Loans would not have saved the club, as the running costs are ongoing. Discussions are ongoing with those involved, which gives confidence that issues will be resolved to help the club going forward.

And the negatives:

• He is not a financial person, so leaves those issues to people who understand them.

We appear to have zero 'financial people' on the board at the moment given the chairman is a vet and the CEO is a retired footballer. At least the administrators will know what they're doing. Savage being allowed to join the future board at the very least is essential.

• In response to a question, he advised that the writing off of the Director Loans would not have saved the club, as the running costs are ongoing. Discussions are ongoing with those involved, which gives confidence that issues will be resolved to help the club going forward.

What are these high running costs? Must be accommodation, wages, security (as he mentions) and energy. 

• In response to a question, he confirmed that Administration means the club’s Bronze Licence is changed to entry level automatically, technically for three years. We need to be out of administration before the start of next season and he has been advised that there are derogations to the three year rule, so this issue is not insurmountable.

I'm sure one of the forum's administration vultures will be able to set out what this means.

• In response to a question, he confirmed that there had been papers served on the club on behalf of Scot Gardiner.

Worm.

• He recognises that people have issues with the club and ideas that may assist, and wishes they would come forward and speak to the club rather than using pseudonyms on other channels.

Think people have been consistently providing the club with ideas, it's just that these have never made it beyond the directors'/former CEO's inboxes.

[invergowrie arab]

3 hours ago, Fraz said:

https://www.ictsupporterstrust.org/post/ictst-summary-of-meeting-191024?fbclid=IwY2xjawGECnZleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcTVNrAucDmVwXH19GweJbH10RCj9STb7H-lsL_IaLo9apN5azvSjo2OvA_aem_yAOhJ1G4nUWcz5R7IfE80w

Good news about the new beers though 

[Sir Tarmo]

9 minutes ago, Stephen Malkmus said:

Liquidation should be off the agenda.

What? RedLichtie and Hugh hills have a dug told me that liquidation was very likely?

 

32 minutes ago, forkboy said:

That said, remaining full-time & having a squad at least partly made up of Highland League players (eminently sensible in & of its self) does seem tricky. Because some of those lads are going to have pretty decent day jobs.

Almost no Highland League player above the age of 21 is gonna leave their career to join a barely full time club offering pennies but I don’t see why we couldn’t operate a hybrid model similar to some other clubs. 8 full time pros, 8 young academy players, 8 Highland League semi-pros. If we’re in League Two we’d probably be entirely part time anyway.

[Fraz]

47 minutes ago, forkboy said:

You have to commend Christie & co for recognising that while the academy might sound like an immediate expense that can be cut, that sort of short-termism is incredibly dangerous. Especially if you're a club a few hours out of the central belt & part of why you're in the mess you're in is paying for players to relocate.

That said, remaining full-time & having a squad at least partly made up of Highland League players (eminently sensible in & of its self) does seem tricky. Because some of those lads are going to have pretty decent day jobs.

I think some kind of hybrid set up might work for us assuming we can afford it. 

[Fraz]

34 minutes ago, invergowrie arab said:

Good news about the new beers though 

I don't drink at the stadium but anything that brings in some much needed cash flow and builds a relationship with local businesses after years of neglect can only be a positive. 

[Mulder12]

For clarity on the shodwall cat situation he was done for fraudulently obtaining money from some of those who you would class as the most vulnerable in society. A throughly unpleasant person and the last person who can take the moral high ground in any situation.