Caley Thistle’s fight for League One survival has entered its final round of matches – will the Highlanders stay up or even go for promotion?
In our latest fans’ panel of the most trying of seasons for the 30-year-old club, we ask two supporters for their take on Scott Kellacher’s team and their chances heading into the closing stretch.
Tuesday’s 4-1 win against Stenhousemuir moved Inverness up to seventh spot in League One on goal difference.
They are now five points above the relegation play-offs and eight points behind the top-four with eight games left.
Being hit with a 15-point deduction for going into administration in October (along with basement side Dumbarton) made it a real scrap to avoid the drop but they have moved away from the danger zone.
This Saturday’s mouthwatering home match against Annan Athletic has fans daring to dream of promotion.
Stepping in to answer the questions this time are Laura Grant, vice chair and treasurer of the ICTFC Supporters’ Trust, and Andrew Moffat of The Wyness Shuffle podcast.
ICT are now in the home straight and up to seventh position in League One. Where do you think Scott Kellacher’s team will finish and why?
Laura Grant: I am well-known for being a glass half full kind of person and it’s hard to not start to look up the table now, but avoiding relegation after the 15-point deduction has to be our main aim and would be a great achievement.
On current form, we have to be happy with staying in this league, but you can’t rule this team out of anything. You can see how much it means to everyone on and off the pitch.
Andrew Moffat: The efforts of the manager, all the coaches, and the playing staff to take the club from bottom of the league after a 15-point penalty, to seventh spot and within touching distance of the (promotion) play-offs, all against the looming shadow of administration, is nothing short of magnificent.
Since Scott Kellacher and Billy Mckay have taken charge, we have constantly been in the top three or four form teams in the league and I see no reason why that will change between now and the end of the season.
We haven’t had a prolonged period without a win, and other than Luis Longstaff, we’ve steered clear of major injuries.
I can comfortably see the club finishing on the mid to high 40s in terms of points, which would probably see us finish fifth or sixth, but more importantly, at a comfortable distance from ninth spot.
What’s been your high and low points of this remarkable season to date?
LG: I couldn’t make the Dumbarton game on Saturday and had to make do with updates at Tenerife Airport, but I was going to say that Alfie Bavidge’s 93rd minute winner is right up there as a highlight.
However, after Tuesday night’s game against Stenhousemuir, there is no doubt that is the best performance to date.
Scott Kellacher and Billy Mckay’s first game in charge was away to Dumbarton in October, we lost 3-1, but the support was amazing and applauded them off the park.
This was the start of the fans and the club being reunited. The Caledonian Stadium’s Bar ’94 and the visits from the players post-match is great to see.
Administration is an all-time low point, but there is now a real buzz around the club.
We travelled to Cove for the Scottish Cup tie in November, which we lost 2-0, and that was so disappointing as I don’t believe it was a penalty for Cove’s first goal.
A cup run would have been amazing for the financial side of things.
AM: The difference between the football at the start of the season and what we’re witnessing now is night and day. The low point this year was undoubtedly when we came back after the summer break and found that last year’s management were still in place. A management that stated a 15-point penalty would almost certainly relegate ICT.
While administration had been a difficult proposition, it has been a necessary one, allowing the club to get a fresh and positive approach in the dugout. Certainly, in football terms, administration has been vindicated.
A personal high point for me would have to be at Montrose in December, when we came behind from 2-1 down to win 3-2 with the last kick of the game from Paul Allan.
Some 30 years ago I attended my first ICT (then just CT) game at Links Park on March 11, 1995, where we came away with a 1-0-win courtesy of a last-minute strike from one Wilson Robertson. Thirty years apart and two winners from two mercurial geniuses!
Club consultant Alan Savage is confident that administrators will have a preferred bidder in place by the end of April. How confident, or otherwise, are you a buyer can be found to secure ICT’s future?
LG: We had an update from (interim chief executive) Charlie Christie and (interim chairman) Scott Young at the recent supporters’ trust fans meeting and I agree with Charlie in that my preferred outcome would be a local consortium.
Alan Savage has been amazing in keeping the club operating during this time and only time will tell what the future holds.
Reports suggest there are still a few interested parties, but I do think we need to be getting something sorted sooner rather than later in order to prepare for next season.
AM: If Alan Savage is confident that administrators will have a preferred bidder in place by the end of April, then I’m confident that that administrators will have a preferred bidder in place by the end of April.
Alan seems to have followed through with everything he’s proposed for the club since he came back in to support us in our hour of need.
What that bid might look like is up for debate, but whether it’s a group of local businessmen, with Alan at the helm, or as he recently wryly mentioned, a Hollywood star, either is something to look forward to. We’ve already had the disaster movie. I’m looking forward to the feel-good blockbuster.
For more Caley Thistle news and updates visit our dedicated page and join our Facebook group.
Conversation