Caley Thistle manager John Hughes has urged the club’s supporters to get behind the players and roar them on to further history-making exploits by grabbing Scottish Cup glory.
The Highlanders will play European football for the first time after clinching third place in the Scottish Premiership courtesy of a 1-0 win at Dundee on Saturday.
Hughes is delighted for the players and the supporters to have claimed third spot with two matches to spare and is now turning his attention towards the Scottish Cup final against his former club Falkirk at Hampden on May 30.
Hughes was thrilled to see the 240 supporters who backed the team in vocal fashion at Dens Park on Saturday and he is calling for a Highland exodus to follow the team to the National Stadium for the final against the Bairns.
He said: “I’m delighted for the supporters and it is going to be a fantastic occasion playing in Europe.
“The players deserve it for their efforts this season and the league doesn’t lie; we’ve proved we are one of the best teams in the division.
“It’s great to have made history but we want more by winning the Scottish Cup final. The supporters will enjoy the fact we cemented third place but the cup final is what we are all looking forward to now.
“I hope we will get 15,000 supporters coming with us to Hampden, produce a heroic display and take the cup back to the Highlands.
“But to do that we need the support behind us.”
It may have been a first for Caley Thistle but Saturday was the third time Hughes has led a team to Europe, having done so with Falkirk and Hibernian previously.
While rating his latest achievement among the best of his career he admitted to being relieved at having avoided a dramatic end to the campaign.
He also insists there will be no slacking off before Hampden and has challenged his players to use the last two games against Dundee United and Celtic to show him they want a starting berth against the Bairns.
He said: “I’m grateful and thankful we put it to bed on Saturday to let us concentrate on the cup final.
“We’ve got two games to go and we owe it to every other team still to keep battling away and we’ll do that as there is cup final places up for grabs.”