Paul Chalk: Caley Thistle's training decision could be costly

For almost 25 years, I have covered Caley Thistle and reported on the highs and lows on the rollercoaster ride.

Seeing the Inverness club more than hold their own in the top-flight was something to behold. They were often fearless when taking on Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts – whoever. They rose to the challenge.

Twenty years ago this month, John Robertson and his trusty right-hand man Donald Park guided ICT into the then-SPL.

After being relegated in 2010, Terry Butcher and Maurice Malpas led a brilliant response back to the top table of Scottish football within 12 months.

They made their wrong call to join Hibernian and it paved the way for John Hughes to come in, carefully tinker with the quality squad already there and before long Caley Thistle were the Scottish Cup winners in 2015, hot on the heels of finishing third in the league.

Players loved playing for Hughes, many still say it was the best experience of their careers.

But when “Yogi” couldn’t agree a way forward, he and the club parted ways.

ICT boss John Hughes (left) and chairman Kenny Cameron celebrate with the Scottish Cup in 2015. Image: SNS

Days of silence followed relegation

Former captain Richie Foran was unable to keep the club from plunging into the Championship in 2017 and they had been there ever since – until this month.

Hamilton Accies cashed in on weak defending as Duncan Ferguson’s Inverness team fell to a 5-3 play-off final defeat and dropped down to League One – a level they’ve not been at since Steve Paterson took them up as runners-up to Livingston 25 years ago.

Furious fans called for Ferguson to be sacked, or to walk, and for changes within the boardroom.

Silence from the club followed for three days until chairman Ross Morrison confirmed the club would remain full-time.

That seemed to go down well as supporters believed it would give their side best chance of an immediate return to the Championship.

Inverness manager Duncan Ferguson. Image: SNS.

Some fans say they’ve lost their club after training move revealed

But they were promised more news – and it arrived like a bolt from the blue on Friday.

In a matter of weeks, the club will move their entire daily training operations to Fife – after striking a deal with Kelty Hearts, also of League One.

To attract a better quality of player and to get away from high accommodation costs in Inverness were cited as reasons behind the controversial move.

The decision had been made before Caley Thistle’s relegation, so they were never meant to be in the same division as Kelty, but they are.

Some fans feel betrayed by the decision and some feel they have lost their club for good.

What impact will this have on how many supporters choose to buy season tickets?

Caley Thistle have shown in recent times how successful a team can be while training in Inverness.

How did the club reach the heady heights of third in the Premiership and winners of the Scottish Cup? They were well managed and they were sold on the idea of being winners here in the Highlands.

Many Caley Thistle stars such as Ross Draper, Gary Warren and Carl Tremarco loved the region so much, not only did they deliver big prizes for ICT, they still work and live in the north of Scotland.

If players want to sign for a club, they have always relocated. As a Caley Thistle fan on Facebook wrote in reaction to the announcement: “If you’re not prepared to live in the Highlands, you shouldn’t get the opportunity to play for the club”.

It’s a game-changing move for the club and maybe the fury from supporters will soothe itself through time.

But, after a challenging season which culminated in relegation to the third tier of Scottish football, many of the club’s supporters fear this decision could prove to be a costly own goal.