Former Caley Thistle chairman Ross Morrison has given his first interview since stepping down from the Caledonian Stadium boardroom this summer.
The Wick-born lifelong ICT supporter described watching the League One club battle against administration as being tough to watch.
In an interview with The Scotsman, he said: “It’s an emotional thing watching your football club go down the pan.”
Morrison revealed he’s been working on trying to find a suitable investor in the club which requires £1.6 million before the end of the season to continue.
Ex-chairman tried to line up suitor
Speaking about a Tayside businessman who was interested in taking over the club, Morrison said: “We shook hands, but I have just not been able to get him to the table. It’s not over ‘til it’s over.”
However, on Thursday afternoon, the Highland club stated the deadline had not passed for any more investment bids with the club continuing to hold talks with Cullen-based businessman David Anderson.
Morrison explained how he had to buy the land for the controversial battery farm project in the city, which could have earned ICT £3.4m.
Morrison on the battery farm deal
Planning permission was granted, but overturned on appeal, with one more appeal to come next month.
Morrison said: “We had to buy it. It was worth nothing. The club did not have that money so we would have lost the deal completely.
“Another thing was the club needed money. It was desperate for cash. We had to do something. It was minuted in the board meetings, this is what we are going to do.
“We took a valuation, we paid a huge amount more than the valuation was. We had to pay it, otherwise the club would be down by now.”
When asked whether he would gift the land back to the club, which has been requested by consultant Alan Savage, the ex-chairman added: “Would we put money into the club once we get the thing sold? If we make a huge amount of money on it, possibly yes.
“But when is that going to be? Six months? Eight months? A year, I don’t know. There’s a slight glimmer of hope we might get something out of it. But that won’t save the day because the day is now.”
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