Scottish Cup 4th Round

In a hectic January schedule, we now have to fit in a 4th Round Scottish Cup tie against Edinburgh side Spartans. It should be going ahead on Saturday at Ainslie Park, a ground they share with Edinburgh City. Kick-off is timed at 3:00pm. The Caley Jags are in the middle of a fixture backlog after a few rescheduled games. Two postponed games at the start of January will see us embark on a run of four away games on the trot in the space of 10 days before a home game against Alloa on the 24th January. Having beaten Partick in the KDM Trophy, we have now added another home game (KDM) against Stenhousemuir on 27th/28th before we end January away to Queen of the South. That will be seven games in twenty-one days. Tough schedule by any standard but one which we should relish.

Regardless, back to our current status and it's off to the Vanloq Community Stadium face the Spartans.

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Scottish Cup v Spartans

KDM Trophy

Kieron Willox

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A sight we never thought we would ever see as Shinnie lifts the Cup

That was our victorious squad for the KDM Trophy shoot-out win at Firhill in midweek. Billy Mckay scored twice after Oscar MacIntyre opened our account in the first half. The main hero on the night was Ross Munro who saved two penalties. One during the first half which was in fact a triple save as he blocked the resultant follow ups and a brilliant save in the penalty shoot out to set up the win.

After a couple of postponements, we made heavy weather in knocking Tranent out of the Cup at the neutral venue of Millfield Park, Haddington. Mitchell Robertson and Chanka Zimba had us 2-1 ahead at the interval and that's how it remained. Tranent were well fired up for this one and that must give Spartans a boost as they will look to cause a cup shock.

Inverness have loaned back a former Academy graduate at the Caledonian Stadium. Kieron Willox, 19 years old, is from Nairn and began his career at Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC, progressing through our Academy before joining Scottish Premiership side Rangers at the age of 16 in 2022. During his time at Rangers, Kieron made appearances for the club’s Under-18s and B Team. He comes in from Stoke City.

Matchday Info

For fans making own way, Spartans FC suggest getting off the train at Waverly and getting a number 8 or 27 bus which will drop supporters off within a 5-minute walk of the ground. For those driving it would be parking in the sides streets around the stadium area. Away fans will use the Bain & Irvine stand at Spartans and any under 16 fans must be accompanied on entry and throughout the game by an adult.

Spartans last squad out was at home to Dumbarton FC on January 3rd. Bradley White opened the scoring as half time approached. Marc McNulty added a second with twenty minutes to go and that's how it ended in this League2 clash.

Like Tranent, Spartans won't be an easy route to the next round. Plenty experience at Ainslie Park, none moreso than former Caley Jag favourite and captain Sean Welsh. Marc McNulty seems to have been everywhere in his senior career except the old firm and at 33 he still has plenty of life left in him. James Craigen has also been around mostly just outside the premiership in his 34 years and Callum Booth has been at Hibs, Partick Thistle, St Johnstone and Dundee United amongst others during his 34 years.

Spartans are running away with League 2 at the moment, eight points clear of second place East Kilbride. They have the second best defensive record in that league and have won their last three League games.

They got to Round 4 of the Scottish Cup having eliminated East Kilbride 2-1 (McNulty ⚽⚽)and then Bonnyrigg Rose by the same score (Watson⚽ Stowe⚽)

From Wiki: Ainslie Park on Pilton Drive in north Edinburgh is the home ground of Spartans. The stadium has a capacity of 3,612 (504 seated). Ainslie Park is only part of the new project that Spartans have invested into their new ground, a wider development of the Spartans Community Football Academy. The new facility incorporates a fully enclosed stadium which meets SFA and SPFL criteria, with an artificial pitch, floodlights, seating for 504 spectators and an overall capacity of 3,612. Another full size, floodlit artificial pitch sits adjacent to the main playing area and the accommodation incorporates six changing rooms, a club room, committee room and a physio room. The Club ground holds a P.A system and a bar for spectators.

Who are the Spartans?

• Founded: 1951

• Home ground: The Vanloq Community Stadium

• Manager: Douglas Samuel

• Record attendance at City Park: 3,346 v St Mirren (5th February 2006)

• Record attendance at The Vanloq Community Stadium: 3,127 v Manchester United (23rd July 2011)

• Record attendance away from home: 11,615 v Aberdeen (21st September 2024)

• Home colours: white shirt with red flash, red shorts, white socks

• Away colours: navy shirts, navy shorts, navy socks

In a previous life, Caley played Spartans in the Scottish Cup in 1987 winning 5-0.

Goals by Urquhart, Robertson (x2), Hercher (x2)

Cheers Mantis, memories are made of this. What a find 

Below images came from Mantis here on CTO

Same story Kell. Hear this story again and again, missed chances need to be more clinincal, blah blah.

Do we blame the players? Is it tactics? Feck knows but we should expect better.

33 minutes ago, SteveA2 said:

Did Bavidge go off injured at half time or was it because he was playing poorly?

Not sure that he was playing poorly as such, but wasn’t involved enough. Spoony then offered a lot more in terms of link up play.

Why did we go for Chalmers and Allan instead of Stewart and Mackinnon at CDM? Was that part of the problem? Wasn’t at the game

Just my take on it, but last season when Kellacher got the gig we were minus 15 points and we had no option but to get the ball up the park asap and deliver crosses into the box. Draws were no use to us, 3 points were needed. Quite good to watch it was.

This season we are playing more “ intricate passing football ” trying to score the perfect goal. The same sort of football that big Dunc got ridiculed for playing.

Today Chalmers was firing howitser cross field passes to sole. He gets it, controls it and then does a fancy dance and just about every cross hit the defender in front of him.

Today was a “ championship “ team with the “best players in league 1 “ playing a part time league 2 team.

Not good enough.

Not another bump on the road.

48 minutes ago, bishbashbosh said:

Today was a “ championship “ team with the “best players in league 1 “ playing a part time league 2 team.

There it is.

A good start to the season and the mindset that we are better than we are sets in. After the first round of games every team does their homework on us while we just expect the results to arrive...

This team and the players have to earn the right to be a championship team and some of the players have a fair bit more to do to prove their worth, because on a weekly basis the consistency just isn't there.

Stenhousemuir beat a championship side today, and 3 out of the 4 goals were set plays. Basic but effective.

On a lighter note, while the players were trudging off the park and we were trudging out of the ground, I glanced upwards to see a lone figure on the cafe/bar balcony in deep thought leaning against the railings. With a bit of blue and red scarf protruding from under his jacket.

I thought with my old duffers eyesight “ that’s, no it can’t be, I think it is, no don’t think so, yes it is”

Put me out of my misery, was that you TM4TJ.

John Hughes arrived at the ground just after me and had a jovial reunion with Kellacher.

8 hours ago, Satan said:

This team and the players have to earn the right to be a championship team and some of the players have a fair bit more to do to prove their worth, because on a weekly basis the consistency just isn't there.

This day was coming in my mind and its timing is fortuitous. It’s not a disaster loosing a Cup tie to a lower league team (that’s what the SC is all about), but it does asks some valid questions.

Whilst the past five games has yielded only one victory (KDM cup), to two losses & one draw in the league and yesterday’s SC exit, the signs were there earlier IMO, that whilst the results were mostly achieved, the team was not performing at the levels expected.

Is this shortcoming (to my mind) down to the players or management, or both, it’s fortuitous that it’s occurred now when there is still the opportunity to seriously assess the situation and make the required adjustments to reach our potential (which hopefully is promotion this season).

In respect to the players, their is a strong argument to say this pool of players (brought in at decent cost), is talented and large enough to be able to comfortably win promotion outright in this league of mostly part time clubs.

If the above view is accurate, then the question should be put that the players are failing to meet the levels expected. Is this down to individual or collective attitude or effort of the players? If so then why and what is required to correct this situation for the rest of the season.

Management - The past 5 matches have brought focus to both Kells and Billy’s ability to deliver results (team selection, substitutions, training & motivation). Whilst a dip in results is always going to happen for all teams there is question whether additional experienced support would assist Kells and Billy in their tasks.

Is it down to both the players and managers? Ultimately I believe it is! The Spartans result allows the club to just step back and see what is needed to make a success of the remainder of the season, which for me is to gain promotion (directly or via the play offs).

I personally don't believe we are too of the level needed to achieve this objective. The players and management are capable of raising there game IMO. Now is the time for them to take stock and demonstrate in the remaining weeks that have what is required.

Of course there is always the alternative view everything is just fine. To steal a P&B line ‘it’s just a blimp’! 🎈

bc

Edited January 18Jan 18 by big cherly

13 hours ago, tm4tj said:

No listen

Disturbing stat if it's true is 18 corners for Inverness allegedly. I find that one hard to believe.

WTF do we practise in training???

The BBC stats yesterday suggested that the great majority of our goal attempts were from outside the box.

If true, that's a worrying lack of penetration, before you even consider 18 corners.

Our first 2 penalties were saved, with both Wetherspoon and Zimba putting them to the same place they did on Tuesday. Spartans keeper confirmed afterwards that they had watched that shootout and taken notes, unsurprisingly.

Disappointing to be out at this stage and the potential loss of prize money. The league is our priority, no question about that, but we need to start hitting the back of the net. The goals have dried up since 9-0 game. [Plastic excluded] Stenny are flying just now and in danger of running away with it. Our match against them in a few weeks is massive. Need to get on form before then and hope Stenny take a dip.

2 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

On a lighter note, while the players were trudging off the park and we were trudging out of the ground, I glanced upwards to see a lone figure on the cafe/bar balcony in deep thought leaning against the railings. With a bit of blue and red scarf protruding from under his jacket.

I thought with my old duffers eyesight “ that’s, no it can’t be, I think it is, no don’t think so, yes it is”

Put me out of my misery, was that you TM4TJ.

Could it have been Scot Gardiner. 😁

Well I have to come clean.....

It wisnae me. I was under my floorboards looking for a leak in my central heating pipes. And, unlike the Caley Jags I was victorious. Some little rat had chewed through a plastic HEP connector. The rat never fancied the length of plastic pipe, instead he chose the delicacy that was the connector that took it onto the copper pipe.

It still feels uneasy not having to top up the pressure in my boiler every few hours. I suppose I will get over it in due course.

Time is a great healer.

The wee bas☆☆☆☆

1 hour ago, tm4tj said:

Well I have to come clean.....

It wisnae me. I was under my floorboards looking for a leak in my central heating pipes. And, unlike the Caley Jags I was victorious. Some little rat had chewed through a plastic HEP connector. The rat never fancied the length of plastic pipe, instead he chose the delicacy that was the connector that took it onto the copper pipe.

It still feels uneasy not having to top up the pressure in my boiler every few hours. I suppose I will get over it in due course.

Time is a great healer.

The wee bas☆☆☆☆

Literally the man for the job!!

Underdogged

That looks a very bad decision by the officials to rule Alonge’s goal off for offside.

5 minutes ago, Robert said:

That looks a very bad decision by the officials to rule Alonge’s goal off for offside.

We were standing near linesman and couldnt believe him putting up his flag. Glad to see I wasnt going mad.

Tbf though I wish Spartans well. Theur goalie was amazing and they had the confidence at the pens. I do think us having pens on Tuesday maybe didnt help.

On a wider thought though I dont think SK knows his best 1st team. Is having a big squad this season causing unintended consequences? I think we need to put yesterday behind us and concentrate on the 2 important league games coming up.

7 hours ago, snorbens_caleyman said:

The BBC stats yesterday suggested that the great majority of our goal attempts were from outside the box.

If true, that's a worrying lack of penetration, before you even consider 18 corners.

On another day after another poor result every other comment includes the line 'we need to take more shots'

As illustrated yesterday, this tactic serves only to enhance the keepers reputation, along with giving up possession.

It's a fine balance between keeping the ball for possessions sake or shooting on sight.

It's the tempo of the play which dictates the good shooting chances, moving it quickly, creating space for a pass or a shot.

When we're faced with packed defences we need to play the guys who can operate at speed, move& think fast.

This is the case in nearly every game now and will be for the rest of the season, we should be getting to grips with this by now.

Yesterday just wasn’t our day. Yes, we could have been better; nonetheless, they were well organised and surprisingly fit and the goalie made some outstanding saves. And yes we’ve had some poor performances/results recently, but this management team and players have also provided us with many great performances/results so please hold off on excoriating them.

At least Spartans were only one league below us!

It's weird how a high scoring team suddenly stops scoring, but we just have to keep working at it

In terms of whether Kells knows our best team ... what do people consider to be our best team?

I will kick it off, the starting 11

Goalie...obvious

Back four? Macleod, Savage, Devine, MacIntyre

Midfield McKinnon, Wotherspoon, Stewart, Allan

Upfront Zimba, Longstaff

I've lit the blue touch paper!

Meanwhile back at the Palace! [for heavens sake, don't mention them!]

4 hours ago, Robert said:

That looks a very bad decision by the officials to rule Alonge’s goal off for offside.

It was very close, hard to grumble with it.

3 hours ago, Eagle4Caley said:

At least Spartans were only one league below us!

It's weird how a high scoring team suddenly stops scoring, but we just have to keep working at it

In terms of whether Kells knows our best team ... what do people consider to be our best team?

I will kick it off, the starting 11

Goalie...obvious

Back four? Macleod, Savage, Devine, MacIntyre

Midfield McKinnon, Wotherspoon, Stewart, Allan

Upfront Zimba, Longstaff

I've lit the blue touch paper!

Meanwhile back at the Palace! [for heavens sake, don't mention them!]

Looks like Oliver Glasner will be SACKED for telling the board what they didn't want to hear in a press conference 🙄.

Football is becoming ridiculous now when you can't even say anything without being ridiculed yet Franco Smith (Glasgow Head Coach) says basically the same thing about the SRU and nobody bats an eyelid 🙄🙄.

On 1/18/2026 at 12:09 AM, Satan said:

A good start to the season and the mindset that we are better than we are sets in.

I previously posted that the 9-0 result probably created an illusion. Some people mention team selection issues which partly could be about trying to keep everyone happy possible at the expense of some results. Jake, hopefully will be back soon. Alfie is back. So why disrupt the squad by signing Willox as a loan?

4 hours ago, Gringo said:

Disappointing to be out at this stage and the potential loss of prize money. The league is our priority, no question about that, but we need to start hitting the back of the net. The goals have dried up since 9-0 game. [Plastic excluded] Stenny are flying just now and in danger of running away with it. Our match against them in a few weeks is massive. Need to get on form before then and hope Stenny take a dip.

2 hours ago, CELTIC1CALEY3 said:

I previously posted that the 9-0 result probably created an illusion. Some people mention team selection issues which partly could be about trying to keep everyone happy possible at the expense of some results. Jake, hopefully will be back soon. Alfie is back. So why disrupt the squad by signing Willox as a loan?

Thought he looked decent when he came on via Spartans tbf.

Hes an Inverness boy assume known to Charlie Christie and our coaching team given his history.

16 hours ago, CaleyTennis85 said:

Looks like Oliver Glasner will be SACKED for telling the board what they didn't want to hear in a press conference 🙄.

Football is becoming ridiculous now when you can't even say anything without being ridiculed yet Franco Smith (Glasgow Head Coach) says basically the same thing about the SRU and nobody bats an eyelid 🙄🙄.

Ha! sorry to take this off topic, but as far as Palace are concerned, we can almost map the start of this debacle from the 'multi-club' ownership nonsense, when we were supposed to have got one of the American part owners to have sold his shares in Palace back in March, just in case we won the FA Cup, and his other team qualified for the Europa league. Also we have started building a new stand which will cost us £150million, so I guess that is a big factor in what we can spend on the squad.

Sorry again for slightly hijacking the topic... Caley are now like Palace, we have a bit of breathing space to catch up on our fixtures!