Younger readers will wonder what I'm asking here, but whatever became of the Inverness Cup?

It used to be an annual knock-out competition for clubs affiliated to the Inverness FA. (Does that still exist?!)

 

Obviously, back in the pre-Scottish-League days. it was an opportunity for silverware outside of the North of Scotland Cup, Scottish Qualifying Cup and Highland League Cup.

 

Clubs from outside the Inverness area would compete, Fort William, Brora etc., and it was usually played mid-week.

I assume it's long since been scrapped. I wonder who the last/reigning cup holders are? I can't find much on-line.

 

I doubt there's much appetite for it now although it could easily be 'fitted-in' to a pre-season tournament played over just a week.

I remember being at the Clach Park a couple(?) of seasons ago and this was played for. Was a one off tho....

Who won ??????????? OCG

Who won ??????????? OCG

 We did! So I unless Ive missed it being played again I think it probably resides at the TCS

Seem to remember being at quite a number of finals with happy memories

Seem to remember being at quite a number of finals with happy memories

Yes, so do I and the best by a long way was in December 1995 in front of a 2500 crowd at Clach Park who witnessed a scoreline of Caley Thistle 5 Ross County 2.  Iain Stewart scored a hat trick but many would have given MoM to Daisy Ross on a day when Brian Thomson and Mike Teasdale made their ICT debuts.

Then before that there was the 1993 final at Telford Street where Jags won 1-0 against Clach and (ironically!) Iain Polworth scored the only goal of the game. In the semi final Jags beat County 6-3 which was the last time Thistle ever scored six goals. 

Certainly back in the 80s and 90s there was a decent entry with all three Inverness clubs, usually plus Forres, Nairn, Ross County, Brora and I think Fort William. I seem to recollect that there was some slight controversy over Elgin. Whether it was that they turned the invitation down I can't remember.

In the early 90s Highland Office Equipment - through Roy MacLennan, a Jaggie - sponsored the cup. After County and ICT went into the SFL they still tended to put in teams, and the 1995 final was between two full strength sides. However the competition went into decline after that, with the SFL sides using kids more and more -  or even not entering at all. I certainly remember being at a semi final at the Caledonian Stadium between ICT and Clach which was so dire that we were praying for a goal to spare us extra time!

It's a lovely old cup which (according to the Jags' history "Hub of the Hill") dates back to 1895, but I think the competition has gradually faded away completely in recent years.

 

Who won ??????????? OCG

 We did! So I unless Ive missed it being played again I think it probably resides at the TCS

 

 

IIRC it was a Tuesday or Wednesday night and we had our season opener against Celtic on the Saturday.  It was brought back to give a financial boost to Clach, who were still in administration at the time and was also used as a way of getting Jonny Hayes some game time before the start of the season.