The chance to be part of Caley Thistle’s best season was too much to turn down for returning midfielder Greg Tansey.
Unhappy at Stevenage, after moving to the League 1 club following one term at Inverness in May 2012, the Liverpool-born player did not hesitate to head north again in January.
Tansey could hardly have made a better start to his second spell at Caledonian Stadium.
He fired in a superb long-range strike and converted a penalty as Caley Jags defeated Hearts to reach the League Cup final in just his second appearance for Inverness. The 25-year-old cherished his single season in the Highlands and wants to play his part in a historic campaign for John Hughes’s team.
Tansey, who is expected to start against Hearts today, said: “I kept tabs on Inverness when I was down south and saw the lads were doing well.
“The club is breaking boundaries, setting the bar higher and higher.
“It continued by getting through to the club’s first cup final. It is all about making history and it is a club on the up.
“When I heard there was an option to go to Inverness I jumped at it straight away.
“I decided a long time ago really that I did not want to be at Stevenage as I was not enjoying it this season. I enjoyed it last season and had a good time there.
“This season a new manager (Graham Westley) came in. I didn’t take to him and I thought I needed to get out. There were a few issues and Stevenage were a bit awkward.
“I enjoyed playing here the last time and I felt I would be able to settle in easily with the players here. It is an easy-going group and the whole town is laid back. It is a nice place and when you are used to the hustle and bustle down south, it is a nice change and it is a bit more relaxed.
“As soon as I drove up the A9 and came into the club and saw the same faces and it was like I had not been away. Everyone made me feel very welcome.”
Tansey aims to stop the Tynecastle club making amends for the League Cup semi-final defeat this afternoon.
He said: “Hearts will want revenge, it is something we have to be ready for. We have a lot of massive games coming up to get where we want to go in the league.
“Every game is like a cup final now, leading into the end of the season. It would be very easy to sidetrack the league but we want to finish as high as we can.
“It gets the club revenue and we have to play every game from now on as if it is our last.”