Current Caley Thistle boss Scott Kellacher watched from the bench as Inverness pulled off perhaps the most famous Scottish Cup shock 25 years ago on Friday.
Now the ICT head coach wants to help the administration-hit club create more headlines – by completing the great escape at the foot of League One.
Reflecting on the remarkable 3-1 victory at Parkhead on Tuesday, February 8, 2000 – when a Barry Wilson goal, a deflected Bobby Mann header and a Paul Sheerin penalty earned Steve Paterson’s then-First Division side a place in the record books and ended John Barnes’ time in charge of the Hoops – Kellacher, a former Celtic youngster, said: “I had come back to Caley Thistle as a player, and I was injured at the time.
“Steve (‘Pele’) Paterson asked whether I wanted to come down and sit on the bench. I wasn’t fit – I had done my medial ligament, but it was great to get that chance.
“I could not believe what was happening that night. Stewart Kerr, the (Celtic) goalkeeper, was in the other dugout, and I knew him very well and we looked at each other – we didn’t see this coming.
“It was incredible. It really put this club on the map.
“The team were absolutely brilliant.
“Pele deserved that as a manager, because he was fantastic for this club.
“Every player who played that night played a massive part in their time here.
“I remember coming back on the bus that night. It was unbelievable.”
Pele’s sides had an ‘attacking style’
Kellacher loved the way Paterson always set his sides out to entertain and to win games.
He added: “Steve brought in some great players – some of whom moved on to bigger and better things.
“It was great the way he wanted his teams to play the game. It was an attractive, attacking style – that’s what people come to watch.
“You look back at Pele’s time here, it got our fans excited.
“Players loved playing for him and what he did for this club was absolutely brilliant.”
‘What unbelievable history Caley Thistle have created’
Kellacher has served ICT for more than 20 of the club’s 30 years in existence, working in the community department to now leading from the front.
He has been a key coaching figure – including a decade ago, in 2015, when he was part of John Hughes’ staff as ICT lifted the Scottish Cup.
He beamed with pride as he said: “What unbelievable history we’ve created in just 30 years as a club.
“Teams will go 75-80 years without winning what we have – Hibs, for example, went 114 years without winning the Scottish Cup.
“I never take success for granted.
“If we were told when we came into the leagues 30 years ago this is what was going to happen – Scottish Cup, promotions to the Premiership, playing in Europe, top six in the Premiership – everyone would have taken it.
“We’ve had great managers and players at this club. It has been a great story.
“We’ve punched well above our weight – even in some big games.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have been part of a lot of them.
“This club has been very good for me and that’s why I try to give it everything I’ve got.”
Staying up would be like cup triumph
Such heady triumphs seem a million miles away as now-League One side Caley Thistle seek to battle out of the relegation play-off peril of ninth-place to eighth, or even seventh, position in the table.
Hit by the 15-point punishment and sent bottom of the division for going into administration in October – with the club saddled with debts of around £4million – Kellacher replaced axed manager Duncan Ferguson.
He has guided Caley Thistle to eight wins from his 13 league games in charge ahead of Saturday’s trip to Arbroath. His team have delivered big results and recovered from their four defeats, aided by league rivals’ Dumbarton’s subsequent plunge into administration.
Now, a win for ICT at third-placed Arbroath – allied with Annan Athletic or Montrose losing to Dumbarton and/or Alloa respectively – would lift them out of the relegation zone.
With just 13 matches left, Kellacher is adamant if his players keep Inverness in the third tier, against all the odds, it would merit being talked about for years.
He said: “If we managed to stay in League One, I’d rank that up there with any of the successes.
“I won the Scottish Cup as a coach and made it into Europe, but if we achieve what we’re trying to do this year, it would be up there with them all.”
‘Confident’ ahead of Arbroath trip
Colin Hamilton and David Gold’s Arbroath will be seeking to bounce back after a late collapse at Cove Rangers saw them knocked off League One’s top spot last week.
However, Kellacher is confident his team – who would lead the league without their 15-point deduction – have a fighting chance of winning.
He said: “I’m working with players who want to learn and they’re enthusiastic to do well. The boys have been fantastic.
“We know how tough it will be – any team can beat anyone in any given week.
“Cove Rangers beat Arbroath last week, but Arbroath have signed a few players recently, such as Sam Stanton and Callum Penman, who has come in on loan (from St Mirren).
“They’re a good side and they beat us 2-0 here earlier in the season. We had a man sent off that day, which didn’t help.
“Hopefully we can give a good account of ourselves.
“No matter what league we’ve been in, and no matter what team goes there, playing Arbroath at Gayfield has proved to be a hard place over the years to get a result.
“We’re confident, as we are in every game, and I think it’s more about what we do.”
Here is a reminder of our special ‘Go Ballistic’ video compiled after the magical match reached its 20th milestone:
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