David Sutherland talks to the fans

Caley Thistle Chairman, David Sutherland is promising to make the experience of visiting Caledonian Stadium for fans more pleasant, in the hope that it will increase numbers during the coming season. Attendances are of course crucial to the club's financial recovery, and the board have pledged action of a wide range of issues ranging from the provision of covered enclosures, which they have applied for planning permission for, to faster service at the eateries within the stadium, and other areas to make it a far more pleasant experience to visit the stadium. (There are no plans to provide hot water bottles during the winter however unfortunately!).

Ground Improvements

"Our master plan is that next season is the season that we really go for premier league football, but I don't rule out this season if we get off to a good start. I don't rule out having to look at it half-term and I'd hate to be caught in the same position as Falkirk last season. We are not doing an Ayr or Livingston, and buying wildly to guarantee promotion but we are nurturing from the grass roots level really. We will meet the Premier League criteria one way or another because we want the major chunks built and consented with the ability to extend and we would have enough of the criteria met in the Premier League 'tick-sheet' terms to say 'right, go ahead'.

Pricing Policies

"Unfortunately, we have been unable to tinker with the pricing. That's something I was quite keen to have a look at because football in the first division has become expensive. But this season because of the financial position we find ourselves in, we have been unable to tinker with that but next season we want to become more ambitious and look at ways of lightening the load for the fans and in particular the family"

The Debt

"In terms of addressing the millstone of the debt, we have a plan to table to our shareholders in august which says that the debt will be eliminated and we have a very simple mechanism in place to be able to provide the necessary capital to enable the ground improvements to occur to help us achieve Premier League status if and when that comes along. Balancing the books is also a key issue and its like turning the rudder of the Titanic to avoid the iceberg. It takes quite a time for the ship to respond to the rudder instruction and Graeme Bennett is doing a sterling job in getting our cost curve to meet the revenue curve and it takes about nine months for that to happen"

The Team

"Steve Paterson has gone about his job in a cool and calculated manner and is to be commended for not wanting to rush out and buy players in response to a defeat. Duncan Shearer's toughness and Pele's thoughtfulness make a great combination. Its not our style to say were going out to win the league. We would rather plan the the campaign and see how the new signings of Ayr and Livingston go, and think ahead. Every General goes out to win the war but it's the generals that don't tell you how they will do it who come up trumps. We would rather use our general to plan the campaign as the season goes on. There is not a great deal of money to invest in players, but if the right player and package became available then we will not shirk from doing the business. With Graeme Bennett joining the team as director of football we have now avoided the boardroom interfering with the dressing room. The days of a chairman wandering into a dressing room swearing, blinding and cursing has no place at Inverness Caley Thistle. The manager is charged with looking after the team on the park, the Director of Football is charged with looking after the strategy of the team as it approaches the park. I will not be seen in the dressing room unless invited in by Pele Paterson or Graeme Bennett."