Caley Thistle will not be allowed to participate in the SPL during season 2004/05 as the SPL sides have voted against allowing entry to the First Division Champions

The board worked tirelessly to try and get Inverness to the SPL. They consulted fans, agreed a groundshare option with Aberdeen FC, submitted plans for a redevelopment of Caledonian Stadium, and jumped through just about every hoop the SPL threw at them ..... but as many supporters have always said, the initials SPL actually seem to stand for Self Preservation League and they were going to treat us with the same disdain handed out to Falkirk on two previous occasions. There is no relegation from or promotion to this league ...

Partick had previously made noises about suing everyone left right and centre, and this seemed to pay off as four clubs, rumoured to be Celtic, Rangers, Motherwell and Dundee United, voted to keep Caley Thistle out of the SPL. With Partick abstaining from the vote, that meant Caley Thistle got only 7 votes, one short of the required 8 that would have heralded a new era for the club

The story is not yet over however, as ICT Chairman Ken Mackie speaking on the BBC website said "We will be appealing."

"I don't know the composition of the voting at all - all I know is that there were seven positive votes and I would like to say thank you to the clubs who voted in our favour. It is disappointing because we felt we had a good case and met all the criteria the SPL was asking for, so we thought we would move forward. But we were only one vote away, so we have to be positive and say it was close."

Partick in the meantime were delighted that they managed to keep their noses in the trough on a technicality with a statement on the club website

"It is clear, however, that the confusion which has surrounded the outcome of the promotion/relegation issue has been damaging to the SPL, to all its members and to Scottish football in general. Partick Thistle will work with other members of the SPL to seek a resolution of these issues and to ensure that by the start of season 2004-05 there will be no doubts about the criteria which will apply for that season and the years to come."

Thats easy for you guys to say !!! two days ago you were threatening to sue everybody !!!

NOW ITS OUR TURN

As Partick co-manager Gerry Britton said (also to the BBC) : "We'll see what happens, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a few more twists and turns but it is obviously great news so far for everyone involved with the club."