We were on our way to Parkhead for a Scottish Cup tie we had no chance of winning

Charles, I apologise for any offence that I may have caused you, this was not my intention.

If only it had taken place on the Saturday.

Then i would have been there.

Chances are we'd have lost though.

Charles, I apologise for any offence that I may have caused you, this was not my intention.

Birdog... absolutely no offence taken at all! At the time I had the same John F Kennedy Moment as many other people from Inverness who could not be there. (In other words when Paul Sheerin took the penalty I remember stopping my car in the middle of Culduthel Road to catch the commentary.)

Indeed far from underestimating the achievement, I look on it as a major springboard for the series of momentous achievements which led to entry to the SPL in 2004, and as such part of a bigger picture. For various reasons I was unable to be there (just as I had to miss Thistle's 3-0 defeat of Kilmarnock and Caley's penalties win over Airdrie). However a colleague on the Glasgow newsdesk happened to know I was still in Inverness that night and I was duly dispatched to the Phoenix to record one of the most memorable vox pops I have ever done.

However, I did happen to be there on the Saturday and had a press pass so got into the ground and stood on the pitch watching the "fluttering guttering". That, as it happened, gave me the opportunity to do a pile of interviews with players/ management/ directors which led to a huge PARADISE LOST back page headline in the Courier. I also managed to eat my fair share of the 20,000 spare pies Celtic needed to get rid of... and Inverurie thought they had a problem with 2000!

Edited February 10, 200917 yr by Charles Bannerman