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Duncan Shearer: Was this the best chance at promotion for Caley Thistle?

Caley Thistle players Kirk Broadfoot and Scott Allardice at full-time of the defeat against St Johnstone
Caley Thistle players Kirk Broadfoot and Scott Allardice at full-time of the defeat against St Johnstone.

It was a shame to see how Caley Thistle’s hopes of promotion to the Premiership faded away against St Johnstone.

They were well in it in the first half, compared to the first game, and looked the hungrier team. I thought they could have done better with the first goal – but it’s hard to start pointing fingers.

There’s nothing you can do about the second goal then St Johnstone have killed them off on the break, when Caley Thistle have had to change formation.

They’ve given everything they can for Billy Dodds over each play-off; they knew how hard it was going to be. When you see a 6-2 scoreline, you can’t deny the fact St Johnstone have put the ball in the net six times.

Over the course of the two games, you’d say St Johnstone probably deserved it, because their finishing was good.

Caley Thistle manager Billy Dodds on the sidelines
Caley Thistle manager Billy Dodds on the sidelines.

They have got good players, but I think Inverness had them. It’s all ifs and buts and, at the end of the day, they’ve given a good account of themselves.

They’ll look back on that 12-game winless run and I go back to the recruitment in January. They could have done with a bit more experience to get them on the tails of Kilmarnock – you see what they did with Kyle Lafferty and it was enough to get them over the line.

Over the five years of Caley Thistle being down in the Championship, Kilmarnock are probably the poorest team to win it. I don’t think St Johnstone are much better.

You just wonder whether they’re going to get another chance like that. I hope they do. I hope they give Billy the finance to strengthen.

In the back of my mind, I’m thinking with it being six years in the Championship that there’ll be more cuts coming, which wouldn’t be good.

Billy went with a really thin squad this year and I think he’ll go with a thinner squad next season then hope he doesn’t get any long-term injuries.

Caley Thistle players applaud the fans at full-time
Caley Thistle players applaud the fans at full-time.

If Billy had all his squad tied up for next season, he’d be able to go away and have a nice wee break. But he’ll be a busy man over the summer, there’s no question about that.

There’ll be a big clamour for players and the difficulty is, when you’re persuading players to come up to Inverness, you’re not persuading them to come up for money.

It never has been like that. It’s the opportunity to play first-team football and get themselves in the shop window, like Reece McAlear has done.

It’s not an easy job being manager of Inverness. You can only hope the fans keep getting behind them; they’re asking a lot of the fans, but they had a fantastic support down in Perth, which was brilliant to see.

No surprises in Scotland squad

Ross Stewart celebrates his goal for Sunderland in the play-off against Wycombe Wanderers
Ross Stewart celebrates his goal for Sunderland in the play-off against Wycombe Wanderers.

I don’t think there’s anyone outwith the Scotland squad that you’re shocked isn’t there.

This squad has done fantastic to get where they are. It’s a shame there’s no Kieran Tierney, but it seems as though they were aware he wouldn’t make it.

I’d love to get past Ukraine and get the buzz of us going to Wales with a place in the World Cup at stake. I’ve great memories of watching the Davie Cooper penalty against Wales, so that’s what we want.

It’s good to see Ross Stewart still in there. He works hard at his game and you get your rewards from that.

He can be a big awkward lad and brings something different, an aerial threat, that maybe the other strikers don’t.

Fort William could do with going back to their roots

Fort William in action in their last Highland League match against Rothes
Fort William in action in their last Highland League match against Rothes

Fort William’s manager Shadab Iftikhir left over the weekend and there seems to be confusion as to where they’ll be next season.

I’ve been an advocate for years of them coming out of the Highland League, because of some of the scores which were being run up.

They should go into the North Caledonian League because that’s the level Fort William are at.

When they first joined, they had a fantastic team and football was getting played all over. Now it’s not really getting played at all and this is the effect it has.

When I came through, some of the better players were getting pinched by Forres and Clach. We used to have a car going up every week, with four or five players, to Clach. It was a stepping stone.

I would like to see someone get a hold of it and give the local kids something to work towards. It must be annoying for parents down there, who know their kids can play football, but where are they playing it?

It was such a hotbed of talent years ago, but now there’s no pathway at all. It’s a shame.

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