Caley Thistle set to be without goalkeeping coach or any signed goalkeepers within next two weeks

Three keepers - and coach Ryan Esson - will be out of contract within a fortnight amid the turmoil following Inverness' relegation to League One.

By Paul Chalk

May 31 2024, 5:00 pm

Goalkeeper Mark Ridgers. Image: SNS

Caley Thistle could be without a goalkeeper coach – or any signed goalies – within the next fortnight with contracts set to expire.

Former top-flight and Scottish Cup-winning keeper Ryan Esson, who coaches the goalkeepers and the under-18s is out of contract – with no clarity on his future following the club’s relegation to League One and with a controversial plan to move training operations to Fife in partnership with Kelty Hearts.

Current number one Mark Ridgers – who has the most clean sheets in Inverness history – along with understudy Cammy Mackay, will be out of contract on June 10, as will highly-rated youngster Corey Patterson.

Esson’s role as the lead coach of Caley Thistle’s under-18s has been noted nationally, especially when they were just three points shy of winning their Club Academy Scotland (CAS) Performance League in 2023, and when he guided the group to the Scottish Youth Cup semis the previous year.

ICT’s under-18s and goalkeeper coach Ryan Esson. Image: Jason Hedges/DC Thomson.

Nine senior Caley Thistle players signed up for 2024/25

Ridgers, who joined ICT in 2017, has made 280 appearances, racking up 91 shut-outs, mainly in the Championship.

Back-up Mackay, who has been at the club for a decade, has made 38 first-team appearances.

Patterson, meanwhile, has enjoyed loan spells at Forres Mechanics, Wick Academy, Clachnacuddin and Inverness Athletic.

Currently, nine first-team Inverness players are signed up for next season.

They are – captain and club record-scorer Billy Mckay and fellow forward Adam Brooks, defenders Danny Devine, Nikola Ujdur, Remi Savage, Lewis Nicolson and Jake Davidson, and midfielders Charlie Gilmour and Luis Longstaff.

Caley Thistle manager Duncan Ferguson has been, according to chairman Ross Morrison, pin-pointing signing targets across the country.

Inverness manager Duncan Ferguson will be in charge of the team in League One. Image: SNS

Board weigh up Kelty plan change of heart

ICT are preparing for life in the third-tier – for the first time since 1999 – having been relegated from the Championship after their play-off final loss to promoted Hamilton Accies.

The club’s board are understood to be considering whether to pull out of their agreement with fellow League One side Kelty Hearts to use their New Central Park base for first-team training.

The announcement one week ago has been met by a fierce backlash from fans and Morrison this week stated it could yet be thrown out.