Injury robbed Charlie Gilmour of the chance to stop Cove Rangers sliding out of the Championship last year – but he’s back to help save Caley Thistle.
The ex-Arsenal youth player was on loan at Cove from Premiership side St Johnstone when an ankle injury, which needed an operation, ruled him out from Christmas in 2022.
Cove’s one-year stint in the second-tier came to an end as they finished bottom of the pack, just behind Accies with Gilmour a spectator rather than player.
He moved to ICT last summer, hoping to compete in the promotion play-offs, but it has been a campaign of toil instead.
A knee injury this year stopped a consistent run of games but Gilmour was back sooner than planned to appear as a second half substitute in the 1-0 play-off semi-final win over Montrose at the weekend.
Ahead of tonight’s first leg of the final at Hamilton Accies, Gilmour, 25, is determined to help the Highlanders maintain their place in the Championship.
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‘Bittersweet’ return for midfielder
He said: “I tore my MCL (medial collateral ligament) and was out for three months. I’m past it now.
“Last season at Cove, I was injured, so it is good this year I can come back and help the team and hopefully impact the last two games. Hopefully we can stay in the division.
“I feel good. I didn’t obviously expect to be back so soon.
“The plan was for pre-season, but our season has been extended.
“It is a bittersweet moment for me – I get minutes on the pitch, but obviously I would have liked for us to have secured our status already.
“It is a nice feeling to be back and I want to play my part and help the lads.”
Gilmour backs ICT to stay in division
League One runners-up Hamilton were 5-4 aggregate winners against Alloa Athletic as they go into the two-legged final with just one loss in 13 fixtures.
Inverness have just one defeat from their last seven games and have also two successive shut-outs.
Gilmour has belief that Caley Thistle can overcome tough opponents Accies to kick off next season in the Championship.
He said: “Over two games, I think we have enough within the squad to win and stay in the division. It is down to us, really. We need to play our game and I feel that is good enough to stay up.
“It is massive that everyone is together, and we all put a shift in, including the guys on the bench who get 10 or 15 minutes.
“It is everyone’s chance to stake a claim in the team.”
No plastic concerns after Dutch spell
Manager Duncan Ferguson voiced his concern over playing on a synthetic pitch at Montrose last week.
A spell at Dutch second division side SC Telstar, while at loan from St Johnstone in 2019, means Gilmour is used to playing on an artificial surface.
He said: “Playing in Holland previously, they play a lot on plastic. Ideally, I’d play on grass.
“We’ve played and trained on plastic a lot recently – hopefully that will help us.”
Players can provide ‘big moments’
Ferguson this week followed goalkeeper Mark Ridgers’ comments about jobs at the club being on the line if Caley Thistle are relegated this week.
When asked Gilmour whether these factors can provide an extra spark going into the final, he added: “It can motivate you, but also make you more nervous. That’s natural.
“It is down to us to provide in these big moments and do it for us, our team-mates, as well as for the staff.
“It is just a massive group effort, and we can do it together.”
