Annan Athletic -V- Inverness CT - League Cup

Into the Unknown

It's a journey into unchartered waters as the rebooted Caley Jags travel to Galabank Stadium, Annan, for the first competitive game of season 2024/2025. It's going to be a difficult season for pennyless Inverness unless a wealthy benefactor appears out of the Highland mist or the Battery Farm Project takes a massive U turn. I'm no holding my breath for a quick decision on either happening anytime soon. As they say around here, it is what it is, but it beats training at Kelty and and being dictated to by the very people who are responsible for the situation we find ourselves in. We will try and concentrate on events on the field and keep our fingers crossed that a resolution can be sought for the off-field issues.

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Match/Ticket Info

Panos pleads for patience

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We have only met twice in competitive games with both ending in resounding wins for the Caley Jags. Last meeting was in 2009 though and Annan have bedded themselves in to the Leagues well. However, given our current demise I would imagine Annan will be feeling confident about this one as Ferguson has little to choose from since our financial demise and mismanagement.

This was Ian Broadfoot's report from the first meeting in 1998: 8 - 1  The home side demolished a determined Annan side after an early fright. A loose ball found Norman Montgomery clear inside the Inverness half and he lobbed the ball over Jim Calder. Caley Thistle stormed upfield and scored 3 goals in a 6 minute spell. In 16 minutes Barry Wilson was set up by Iain Stewart just inside the area and he drove the ball low past Robert McColm. Three minutes later Brian Thomson slipped it to Stewart on the 18 yard line and he sent a low ball past the keeper. On the 20 minute mark Thomson was fouled just outside the box. He took the kick himself and sent it into the top corner. A fourth goal came in the 38th minute. Thomson and Stewart set up Barry Robson down the right and he headed straight for goal. Under strong pressure Robson hit it home. In 55 minutes Mark McCulloch cleared upfield from the half-way line and found Stewart who ran through the defence and slipped it to the side of the keeper he unselfishly sent it across to Thomson who only had to tap it in. In 74 minutes it was 6-1. A Vetle Andersen cross from the left went in off the head of defender Stanley Leslie. 10 minutes later Wilson got the seventh with a low drive from 15 yards and with 4 minutes left substitute Duncan Shearer rose above the Annan defence on the penalty spot and headed in an Andersen cross to complete the 8-1 record score. Annan's bad tempered tackling was finally punished in 86 minutes when Stanley Leslie was sent off. 

Annan Athletic: They finished 8th in League 1 last season and will be facing us at least another four times this season. New additions: Wullie Gibson (Manager) Paul Smith (midfielder, Ayr United) Paul McGowan (midfielder Cove Rangers) Josh Todd, (midfielder Queen of the South). Max Kilsby and Ryan Muir are signed on again. Loans in: Jamie Smith (GK Hamilton Academical).

Who to look out for: 

• Striker Aidan Smith became the clubs leading SPFL goalscorer last season when he passed Peter Weathersons goal total. His great work ethic and attacking running has seen him become the first name on the managers team sheet. The lively, left sided attacker started his career at Queen of the South before moving to Annan then onto Peterhead FC.
• Striker Tommy Goss joined the club from Queen of the South in the summer of 2021 and has become a firm fans favourite. The 6ft 4″ striker grabbed 28 goals last season and became the clubs record scorer for goals scored in a single SPFL season.
• A man with a wealth of experience at hailing taxis, Paul McGowan joined Dundee in June 2014 and became a mainstay and a key player for the side throughout his 9-year tenure there, making over 300 appearances for the Dark Blues. He joined Dunfermline Athletic on loan in 2023 and won both the Scottish Championship and the Scottish League One in the same season. After leaving Dundee he then spent a season with Cove Rangers.

Inverness CT: Much has been made about our plight, and the way the club has handled it. Danny Devine, Charlie Gilmour and Billy Mckay were the only big names not to be disconnected from the club. Add a couple who struggled for game time last season in Luis Longstaff, Adam Brooks and Jake Davidson and the rest of the squad is made up of fringe players and youths. Yes, that is the reality we are facing this season in League 1. It's going to be a long season methinks unless a miracle happens to come our way.

Injuries are starting early this season and we have doubts over Billy Mckay, Danny Devine Robbie Thompson and Adam Brooks, so nothing new there.