Caley Thistle might already look destined to drop into League Two next season – but there are signs on the park they’re up for the fight to remain in League One.
The Highlanders, with £3.6 million of debt on their shoulders, are now being run by administrators BDO, who are looking for a buyer.
Last week saw three interested parties make themselves known to BDO and there’s hope that before the end of January there will be a clean slate for Inverness to work from.
Former chairman Alan Savage, who has pitched in £350,000 in the past three months, has been the consultant since the summer. He was asked to take up the role by former chairman Panos Thomas when it was clear help was needed to sift through the damaged balance books.
Savage is also paying the £500,000 tab of administration and is a director once more.
There will be plenty of challenges ahead in the coming weeks off the park, but, in the meantime, new head coach Scott Kellacher has been charged with helping the team find a way out of choppy waters.
The statutory 15-point punishment for going into administration kicked in last Tuesday, moving ICT from seventh to bottom place.
Saturday’s 3-1 loss at Dumbarton means they are on -3 points and 15 points adrift at the foot of the table after the first 11 fixtures.
Even without the SPFL’s 15-point punishment, the defeat at Dumbarton on Saturday would have put ICT bottom – albeit only on goal difference.
Manager Duncan Ferguson was let go by BDO last Wednesday, along with assistant Gary Bollan and keeper coach Stuart Garden.
Kellacher set for ‘most extreme test’
Long-serving Inverness coach Scott Kellacher has been a steady hand beside managers throughout the years.
He’s experienced the joys of the club being Scottish Cup winners and Europa League entrants nine years ago under John Hughes, to the lows of relegations from the Premiership in 2017 and the Championship earlier this year.
He’s respected within the club and throughout Scottish football in general.
Now, he must pass this most extreme test.
As part of the administration decisions, on-loan Dundee United goalkeeper Jack Newman was sent back to Tayside, a decision United are contesting.
Four contracted ICT players – Wallace Duffy and Flynn Duffy along with Adam Brooks and Cameron Ferguson were axed to cut costs, which in truth were expected to be worse.
Of the players made redundant, Wallace Duffy started the 10 games he was available for, but cover exists with Jake Davidson or Keith Bray capable of playing at right-back.
Adam Brooks made nine starts from 14 appearances this season, scoring three goals.
However, he had dropped to the bench for the draw with Stenhousemuir and the 1-0 defeat at Arbroath, with Billy Mckay leading the attack in a 4-1-4-1 set-up.
Lack of cutting edge remains clear
On Saturday, despite the backdrop of a nightmare week, the Inverness team looked lively, fresh and alert as they had a go early on at Dumbarton.
A cracking 20-yarder from James Hilton was one they could do little about, but they were too slack in allowing Ryan Blair and Hilton again to net to seal the 3-1 result after Davidson deservedly levelled with a first-half header.
Two of the younger players, midfielders Bray, 18, and Robbie Thompson, 20, were shifting the ball about with precision, with evergreen Mckay, 36, linking well with his younger team-mates.
They just lacked a killer touch – which has been the main issue for this team all season and there is no scope to change that now.
Mckay, who was often used deeper by Ferguson, will be determined to show what he can still do in opponents’ boxes.
The club’s record scorer has netted just one of his 113 goals this season.
Fans fully behind Kellacher’s team
Kellacher stressed they must bite into that 15-point gap soon.
They have 25 matches left and the season can slip away quickly from this point…
There’s a five-win margin between ICT and Dumbarton – and the Highlanders have only won two of 11 games so far.
However, it was clear to see – and hear – the Inverness fans are fully behind this determined group of players and coaches.
Any other year, the Caley Jags dropping into League One would make them title favourites, but should they climb up to eighth and secure automatic safety, the achievement would give reason to celebrate, albeit somewhat low-key.
Saturday sees them host Kelty Hearts as they seek to maintain their unbeaten home form.
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