Scotty

Another momentous season - a new manager, top-flight survival, half a season at ‘home' in Pittodrie, two new stands at the renamed Tulloch Caledonian Stadium and SPL football in Inverness. The club's second decade started on 10 July with a friendly at Brora - just 24 hours after finally gaining entry to the Bank of Scotland Premierleague. It had been a long, hard struggle after winning the First Division Championship, but the uncertainty ended thanks to a groundshare arrangement with Aberdeen, a positive vote by the SPL member clubs and the cessation of appeals by Partick Thistle. Another momentous season - a new manager, top-flight survival, half a season at ‘home' in Pittodrie, two new stands at the renamed Tulloch Caledonian Stadium and SPL football in Inverness. The club's second decade started on 10 July with a friendly at Brora - just 24 hours after finally gaining entry to the Bank of Scotland Premierleague. It had been a long, hard struggle after winning the First Division Championship, but the uncertainty ended thanks to a groundshare arrangement with Aberdeen, a positive vote by the SPL member clubs and the cessation of appeals by Partick Thistle. Replacements in the squad were required for Charlie Christie (retired), Bobby Mann (to Dundee), Paul Ritchie (to Brechin) and David Bingham (to Gretna). Graham Bayne (from Ross County) was already in place, after signing a pre-contract agreement. Stuart Golabek succeeded Bobby Mann as captain and July signings were defenders Darren Dods and Richard Hastings (returning for his second spell at the club), midfielders Liam Fox and Ian Black and Spanish forward Juanjo Carricondo Perez. The players returned for pre-season training not knowing where they would be playing but by the time they visited Brora the future was clearer. They romped home 7-0 but this was followed by disappointing draws at Huntly (1-1) and Lossiemouth (0-0). The usual diet of local friendlies was supplemented by visits to Inverness by Queens Park Rangers and Hartlepool with both matches ending 1-1. Sandwiched between these games were a 10-2 win away to Deveronvale and a 1-1 draw at Forfar. A 5-0 away win at Elgin was followed by a 6-0 home victory against Clach in the Inverness Courier Challenge Cup - Charlie Christie captained the side to mark his retiral. The final pre-season match was a 3-1 home win against Ross County in the semi-final of the Inverness Cup. Behind the scenes preparations were being made for a season on the road but the burden of travel to/from Aberdeen was eased by sponsorship from Rapsons. Season ticket sales were brisk despite the 200-mile return trip for each home game. Inverness Medical confirmed that their shirt sponsorship would continue with a new ‘One Touch' logo. Morven Reid took the hot seat as Operations Manager. Sandy MacKenzie replaced Kenny Cameron on the board at the start of the season but, in December, he stood down in favour of former chairman David Sutherland. Emily Goodlad relinquished her post as physio in November and David Brandie took over. The First Division championship flag was presented to the club on Friday 6 August by Lord Macfarlane at an Inverness Town House ceremony, and 24 hours later the SPL adventure started at Livingston. A comprehensive 3-0 defeat brought everyone back down to earth. The national media poured criticism on the Highlanders and made them firm relegation favourites. The Herald's chief sports writer Graham Speirs was a prominent prophet of doom and he promised to eat his hat if ICT avoided the dreaded drop back to the SFL. He was to eat both his words and his hat! The first ‘home' SPL match at Pittodrie on Sunday 15August was successful on the field (a 2-0 win against Dunfermline) but the attendance was not great. It was announced as 1972 but this apparently failed to include season tickets - the number was understood to be nearer 3000. The honour of scoring the club's first SPL goal went to skipper Stuart Golabek. The crowd on the 22nd was rather greater for the visit of Celtic live on Setanta TV. The defining moment of the afternoon was the 17th minute red card for Juanjo after an altercation with Neil Lennon. Lennon went down and a penalty was awarded - TV evidence vindicated Juanjo and he was declared innocent following an appeal to the SFA. ICT had to play on with ten men and succumbed 3-1. On the 24th there was a CIS Cup tie away to Ross County and a narrow 1-0 victory. The final SPL match of August was a 2-1 defeat away to Dundee United on the 28thand ICT ended August in eleventh place. The squad was strengthened in early August by the signing of Scotland Under-21 striker Bryan Prunty from Aberdeen. It was back along the A96 to Aberdeen on the 11th to play Hibs who won 2-1. On Sunday 19 September it was another first - a visit to Ibrox. The home side were clear favourites and they did win, but it was a close 1-0. On 22 September it was the third round of the CIS cup against Motherwell. An SFA/SFL dispensation to play the tie at home came with strings attached - the terracing and enclosure could not be used. For those unable to make it to Pittodrie this was a chance to see their team in Inverness, but it was no happy homecoming. Motherwell ran out worthy 3-1 winners against a below-par ICT. The following Saturday when Robbo took his team to Tynecastle but it was not a happy day. Hearts won 1-0 and injuries compounded the misery. Richie Hart left the field with a back spasm then Steve Hislop was stretchered off with torn knee ligaments. With no points in September, Caley Thistle propped up the SPL. October started with two ‘home' matches - a 1-1 draw with Motherwell then a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen. There was a well-won point at Kilmarnock on the 23rd and a 2-1 victory against Dundee the following Wednesday thanks to two Graham Bayne goals. Reserve ‘keeper Mike Fraser came on for the injured Mark Brown with three minutes left - his first appearance after 69 bench slots. On Sunday 24 October there was great sadness at the passing of Honorary Life-President Norman Miller, after a short illness. Norman was a former chairman of Caledonian and was deeply involved in the Caledonian/Thistle merger. What eventually proved to be John Robertson's last game in charge was a 2-0 victory against Livingston at Pittodrie on the 30th. Seven points out of a possible nine in three October matches pushed ICT up to ninth and earned John Robertson the ‘Manager of the Month' award. When Hearts manager Craig Levein was appointed manager of Leicester City John Robertson was immediately touted as favourite to replace him. An approach was made to ICT and, with compensation settled, Robertson was unveiled as Hearts new head coach on 3 November. Donald Park went with him and the search began for a successor. Parky agreed to take charge on a caretaker basis for the away 1-1 draw at Dunfermline on the sixth before heading for Edinburgh. Thus the Robertson/Park era came to an end and it was time to move on. At the PLC's AGM on 8 November a proposal to convert back to a private company was put forward - this would release the company from the restraints of the Stock Exchange and allow an investor to hold in excess of 30% of shares without the need to bid for all shares. A show of hands was 81/10 in favour, but a full poll resulted in 65% for and 35% against - with 75% needed to pass the motion it failed. This caused a major row which threatened the economic fabric of the club. The economic uncertainty led to a delay in the appointment of a new manager. John Docherty and Charlie Christie took charge for two games and had a baptism of fire on the 13th - Celtic in Glasgow and a 3-0 defeat. Their second match was a 1-1 draw with Dundee United match. The failed bid to revert to a private company resulted in major shareholders Tulloch being unable to commit new funds to the club. In turn this created an air of confusion around the club but, following behind-the-scenes meetings, the fog gradually began to lift. The search for a new manager was declared over on 25 November with the unveiling of Craig Brewster and Rangers' coach Malcolm Thomson. Charlie Christie took over the role of first team coach. The Brewster/Thomson era began at Easter Road on 27 November. Juanjo gave a 34th minute lead but, in a very tight match, Hibs came back to win 2-1. ICT finished the month in ninth place but the relegation zone was very crowded. Foundation work for two new stands to meet SPL standards had already taken place but full construction work began on 29 November. The necessity for this to be completed before the end of the season was clear, but there was a new sense of urgency when an early return to Inverness became a possibility. Informal soundings of SPL chairmen revealed support for this move. Timing was now vital and an SPL board meeting held the key. If an early return was to be allowed, the target date was the home match against Dunfermline on 29 January. A book covering the club's ten-year history, ‘Going Ballistic!' by club historian Ian Broadfoot, was launched on 1 December at a buffet lunch in Caledonian Stadium, attended by 40 guests. The event was fully covered by the media and the resultant publicity helped to ensure bumper sales in the run-up to Christmas. It was marketed through the club shop, the web site, Debenhams and bookshops in Inverness, Nairn, Elgin and Grantown. Any doubts about its economic viability were soon dispelled by healthy sales and, on the day of the staff Xmas party (21 December) it was announced that it was the number one best seller in Inverness. In early December there were two decisive Pittodrie SPL matches - against Rangers on the fifth and Hearts on the 11th. Remarkably both ended 1-1. The Scottish Cup third round draw took place on the day of the Hearts game and St Johnstone were drawn at home. Building work at the stadium led to a switch to Dingwall. Between the Rangers and Hearts matches - on 7 December - there were celebrations in Inverness as the five-man SPL executive voted unanimously to allow the club to play SPL games at Caledonian Stadium from 29 January - on condition that 6000 covered seats were provided and under-soil heating was installed. An EGM of the PLC was arranged for 20 December to revisit the conversion to a private company and this time the motion was passed on a unanimous show-of-hands. Work on the two new stands had already started but this vote strengthened the economic backing. The total cost of the two stands was estimated at £1m with Highland Council lending £400,000, matching funds from Tulloch PLC and the football club investing £200,000. The timetable was very tight but steelwork appeared above ground on 17 December and within days the shape of the south stand was clearly visible. Despite snow, frost and even a hurricane, Tulloch's army of workmen kept the project on target for 29 January. There were two more away matches before the turn of the year - a 2-1 win at Motherwell a 0-0 draw away to Aberdeen. Monday 3 January 2005 was a busy day on all fronts - the last ‘home' match at Pittodrie and the start of undersoil heating installation at Caledonian Stadium. The 2-0 defeat by Kilmarnock was very disappointing given a good ICT performance. The Pittodrie groundshare started amidst a wave of enthusiasm for SPL football but nerves jangled as the true cost became known. In the end all was well and firm friendships were built between the Inverness and Pittodrie staff leading to mixed feelings when the final ‘home' game in the far east was over. Craig Brewster's playing debut was delayed until the Scottish Cup tie against St Johnstone on 9 January. It felt strange to play at ‘home' in Dingwall and it took a goal from captain Stuart Golabek to snatch a 1-0 victory. Amidst difficult conditions work at Caledonian Stadium continued and on Saturday 8 January the last length of undersoil heating pipe was laid. This gave the pitch three weeks to recover before the first SPL match. With the cladding on the south stand nearly complete and the framing of the north stand well under-way Tulloch were confident that all would be ready for 29 January. There were two SPL matches before the Inverness return - at Dens Park on the 15th Dundee won 3-1 despite one of the best ICT displays of the season and a week later there was revenge at Almondvale as Livingston were whipped 4-1. On 20 January Craig Brewster announced his first signing; Danish midfielder Bajram Fetai joined from Rangers on loan until the end of the season. The final stage in the stadium upgrading exercise was the formal granting of the appropriate certificates then on 27 January Tulloch chairman David Sutherland formally handed back the upgraded stadium to the club and it was all systems go. Saturday 29 January was another historic day in the short history of the club as the upgraded stadium (now the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium) was formally opened and the team ran out to play Dunfermline. The build up to the match had captivated the north and the home stands were a sell-out. It was on with the show and any worries about a let-down disappeared as Caley Thistle began to dominate and Barry Wilson scored a classic goal in 35 minutes to give a deserved lead. The scoring was completed by Craig Brewster's goal in 74 minutes. Three valuable points, eighth place at the end of January, and a nine point gap over bottom club Livingston. The following Saturday it was round four of the Scottish Cup and another A96 trip to play Aberdeen at Pittodrie. It ended in a 2-1 defeat. The following Tuesday Forres were beaten 4-1 in the final of the Inverness Cup. Sunday 13February was a major date in the calendar - Celtic's first visit to Inverness on league business. It was a sell-out and fans flocked from all over the country. They were devastated when overnight snow caused a late cancellation due to a waterlogged pitch. That left just one more match in February - 1-1 away to Dundee United on the 19th. Caley Thistle now lay 8th - ten points clear of Livingston at the foot. On 17 February 80 supporters attended the inaugural meeting of the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust. The meeting was chaired by MP David Stewart and a guest speaker was James Proctor of the Trust movement's parent body Supporters Direct. Names were taken of those interested in assisting with the Trust formation and a steering group assembled. This group quickly set to work and the launch date was set for 25 August. Hibs came to town on Wednesday 2 March and were soundly beaten 3-0. Three days later it was back to Ibrox and the home faithful were stunned when Bryan Prunty’s last-minute goal earned the Highlanders a point. The purple patch continued the following week at Tynecastle when John Robertson’s side were beaten 2-0. These results were no flukes – the team was playing with a confidence and spirit that was a joy to behold and relegation worries were beginning to fade. The rearranged visit of Celtic on the 16th was not quite so successful. Celtic won 2-0 but it was a sign of the times that home fans were so disappointed. March’s performances were, however, enough to earn Craig Brewster the Bank of Scotland Premierleague manager of the month award. Into April and a home 1-0 defeat to Aberdeen on the second then a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock on the 9th pushed ICT up to seventh. Motherwell came north on Tuesday 12th and ICT won 1-0. There was just one match to go before the top six places were decided and Motherwell were just three points ahead. It all came to a head on Saturday 16th with Dundee as visitors to Inverness. ICT were 3-0 up after 65 minutes and Motherwell were one down at Kilmarnock. A top six finish was possible at that point but two Dundee goals and a Motherwell equaliser ended all hopes. The 3-2 victory did however ensure that SPL survival was a mathematical certainty. At least eighth place was assured and there was now little to play for except pride and the additional cash if seventh place was secured. Fringe players were given the chance to shine but the results of the last five matches were disappointing – 0-0 away to Dunfermline, 1-2 at Kilmarnock, 0-1 at home to Livingston, 1-1 at Dundee and finally a 1-0 defeat to Dundee United. The United game on 21 May brought down the curtain on a fantastic season but the defeat meant that Kilmarnock took seventh spot. Home fans were disappointed with the tail-end results but eighth was still a remarkable achievement. Ross Tokely’s tremendous season led to him scooping the pool with all five player awards. Mark Brown started all 42 games although an October injury put this in doubt. In the event reserve ‘keeper Mike Fraser made two substitute appearances but Brown’s 100% starting record was intact. Brown also finished the season having played 133 games in a row – an ever present for three seasons. Graham Bayne played in all 42 games of 2004-05 but his total included eight substitute appearances. Top goalscorer was Barry Wilson with ten. Copyright to and used with permission of Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC Club Historian - Ian Broadfoot

A season of triumph and an amazing end to the Club’s first decade. 2002/03 had been a tremendous success but 2003/04 was even better. The Bell’s Cup was captured and there was a Scottish Cup semi-final appearance for the second year in succession. The league went to the last day when a full house at Caledonian Stadium witnessed John Robertson’s side take the First Division championship. A season of triumph and an amazing end to the Club’s first decade. 2002/03 had been a tremendous success but 2003/04 was even better. The Bell’s Cup was captured and there was a Scottish Cup semi-final appearance for the second year in succession. The league went to the last day when a full house at Caledonian Stadium witnessed John Robertson’s side take the First Division championship. After weeks of drama, confusion, ballots and diplomacy entry to the SPL was achieved, but at the expense of a season’s groundshare in Aberdeen. In the close season Barry Robson joined Dundee United, Dennis Wyness signed for Hearts and David Bagan left for Queen of the South. David Bingham came from Livingston then Darran Thomson and David Proctor signed from Hibs. Barry Wilson returned from Livingston as the transfer window closed. A major shirt sponsorship deal was signed with Inverness Medical. Drs Ian Smith and Derek MacLeod took over jointly as Club Doctors. Roy McLennan left the Board but was replaced in October by Nigel Spiller. On the commercial side Debbie Ross left and Les Kidger stepped in to take over most of her duties. The youth and community set-up was revamped when Danny MacDonald rejoined the club as Community and Football Development Manager. ICT took part in Oban’s Keyline tournament on July 12th then friendlies started with away victories against Clach, Forres and Brora. Three high-profile home friendlies resulted in successes against Aberdeen, Livingston and Hearts. There were also away wins at Lossiemouth and Forfar. August was hectic with three Bell’s Cup and four league matches. In the cup Gretna were beaten 5-0 away, it was 2-1 at Peterhead then 1-0 at home to Ross County. The opening league match away to Falkirk (at Ochilview) was traumatic. Stuart McCaffrey scored, Falkirk equalised, then McCaffrey was red carded for stamping - TV evidence proved his innocence and the card was rescinded. The league continued with a 0-0 home draw against Clyde then St Johnstone were beaten 2-1 in Perth. The first derby in Dingwall ended 1-1. On September 2nd Caley Thistle were clear favourites at home against Queen’s Park in the CIS Cup but the Spiders achieved a 2-1 giant-killing victory. It was better in the semi-final of the Bell’s Cup with a 4-0 away win against Raith. On October 4th Raith were beaten 2-1 in the league and Caley Thistle sat proudly alone at the top of Division One. The stint at the top lasted two weeks until a 3-2 defeat at Dumfries. October was completed with the Bell’s Cup final against Airdrie United on Sunday 26th 3000 fans made the trip to Perth and they were not disappointed. Airdrie soaked up early pressure and the goals were a long time coming. David Bingham headed home in 79 minutes then Steve Hislop scored to end the contest. Bobby Mann collected the club’s first senior cup and the ghost of the 1999 defeat had been laid. There was more good news at the AGM three days later when the first-ever operating profit was revealed. To be in the black to the tune of £129,000 for the year to 31st May 2003 contrasted sharply with a loss of £272,000 for the previous year. A plan for temporary seating to meet SPL requirements, should promotion be achieved, was also unveiled. at McDiarmid Park. November saw six league games. It started badly with defeats to Falkirk and Clyde then Ayr were soundly beaten 3-0 at Somerset Park. The derby match was brought forward to Friday 14th because Scotland were playing Holland and it turned out to be a night of drama. Goals from David Bingham, Steve Hislop and Barry Wilson seemed to set up a win but County made it 3-1 then with 20 minutes to go it was 3-2. In added time Steve McGarry equalised and it felt like a defeat. The 4-0 win away to St Mirren on the 22nd led to Saints’ manager John Coughlin falling on his sword. The final game of November was at home to Brechin who were on a mini-revival. They were demolished 5-0 and this took Caley Thistle to the top of the league on goal difference with the first six teams only separated by two points. Early December wins against Queen of the South and Raith gained top spot outright but this was surrendered when the away Falkirk match was postponed. Clyde beat Ayr 2-1 to go top. The final game of 2003 was a six-pointer at home against St Johnstone. Despite ICT dominance Saints held out until a Barry Wilson penalty settled it. In January Darren Mackie came on loan from Aberdeen and reserve ‘keeper Ally Ridgers left for Clach. The New Year’s derby at Dingwall went County’s way 1-0 then a week later it was the start of the Scottish Cup at home to Brechin. On paper this was a banker and Caley Thistle duly won 5-1. There were league victories against Ayr and Brechin then a 1-1 draw at St Mirren before going back to Paisley for a Scottish Cup fourth round tie. The new £2.1m Highland Football Academy situated in Dingwall opened in January and both Ross County and Caley Thistle quickly began to make full use of its facilities. The Scottish Cup tie in Paisley on February 7th was not a match to relish and Saints dominated. The weather was dreadful and it was a day for defensive heroics. With 12 minutes left a breakaway led to a winning goal from Darran Thomson. The home fans were stunned and even the Caley Thistle camp conceded that the 1-0 result was a steal. Motherwell were drawn away in the quarter final. Back to the league and a win against Raith Rovers before defeat to Queen of the South. Clyde regained top spot and the final Saturday of the month was to be the showdown. Clyde were due in Inverness but snow and frost wiped out the First Division card. The weather relented to allow the away game against Falkirk to go ahead on March 2nd but it ended in a 2-1 defeat. The cup tie on the sixth was another big day out for the fans but, with Motherwell on a roll, there was pessimism. It ended 1-0 thanks to a Barry Wilson wonder goal in ten minutes. He spotted Gordon Marshall off his line and a 30 yard lob came off spectacularly. It was then backs-to-the-wall and Motherwell failed to score. The Scottish Cup semi-final had been reached for the second season in a row. In the league Clyde were in the driving seat and the games against St Johnstone and Clyde on March 13th and 16th were crucial. Clyde were six points ahead of ICT with Saints a further three points adrift. At Perth, St Johnstone took a 2-0 lead but a brace from Paul Ritchie in the second half set up a dramatic finish. In injury time, Saints’ Keigan Parker scored a spectacular goal to make it 3-2. Clyde only took a point against Brechin but still had a seven point lead. The home Clyde match was quite a night. Paul Ritchie scored, Clyde equalised with a freak goal then David Bingham made it 2-1. With two minutes left a Barry Wilson penalty goal made it 3-1. A vital win which reduced the deficit to four points. A 1-1 draw at a windy Ayr the following Saturday was very disappointing but the conditions made it a lottery. Clyde soundly beat St Johnstone 3-1 and thus extended their lead back to six points. Caley Thistle’s home league derby win the following week came thanks to a goal by Barry Wilson on the hour mark. At the end of March, Clyde were just four points ahead and St Johnstone three points behind Caley Thistle. The visit to relegation-threatened St Mirren on April 3rd was not a match to remember. Enough chances were created to win but it ended goalless. Minds could now turn back to the cup. On Saturday April 10th Inverness emptied for the day as fans headed for the Scottish Cup semi-final against Dunfermline at Hampden. The crowd of 13,255 was slightly down on last season and the match turned out to be less than a classic. The team gave everything and at the end were running on empty. As the clock ticked over 45 minutes in the first half Paul Ritchie gave Caley Thistle the lead but Craig Brewster equalised in 67 minutes. It ended 1-1 and went to a Pittodrie replay on April 20th. Celtic beat Livingston to reach the final and this ensured UEFA Cup qualification for the other cup finalist. Before the cup replay there were two important home league matches - Brechin and Queen of the South were both beaten. Ticket sales for the Pittodrie replay were slow and Inverness supporters comprised the majority of the 5358 crowd. It turned out to be a great night as the team put on a superb performance but the final score was 3-2 for Dunfermline. It started well when Paul Ritchie scored in seven minutes but with 13 minutes left it was 3-1 to the Pars. David Bingham converted a penalty in injury time but there was no time left for any more heroics. The twin dreams of a Scottish Cup final and European football were over, but it was very close. Despite the disappointment there was a determination to fight for the league title. Raith were beaten, Clyde drew in Dingwall and there were now only two points in it. On Sunday 25th April it was the final of the North Cup at Forres but a 1-0 defeat to Elgin. On May Day Caley Thistle entertained Falkirk and Clyde went to Ayr – both ended in jittery draws. The crunch match at Broadwood on May 8th was akin to a cup tie - a win for Clyde and they would take the title but otherwise it would go to the last day of the season. The atmosphere was electric and the first half was played at a frantic pace. It was goalless at half time then Caley Thistle took the lead through Liam Keogh in 54 minutes. Ian Harty equalised with a penalty in 72 minutes then seven minutes later Steve Hislop scored the winner. The visitors were triumphant as they moved to the top of the First Division by one point. A day to remember but a job only half completed. The climax to the season – and the decade – came on May 15th against St Johnstone at Caledonian Stadium. The deadlock was broken on the half-hour mark when a David Bingham overhead kick fooled ‘keeper Craig Nelson and it was 1-0. Near half-time Keigan Parker hammered the ball past Mark Brown from long range to equalise then in 56 minutes Barry Wilson converted a penalty. Clyde were now 4-0 ahead at Brechin but any doubts disappeared when Paul Ritchie headed goal number three with 14 minutes left. The whistle went and the Inverness fans again went ballistic. The players were swamped in a good-humoured pitch invasion. The SFL helicopter landed at Culloden House Hotel, the official party was brought to the stadium in double-quick time and Lord Macfarlane presented the trophy to Bobby Mann. A magic moment for the crowd and everyone involved with the club. The management team and players went off on a lap of honour and it was a long time before the party ended. A major decision had now to be made as the only possibility of promotion was a groundshare. Pittodrie was the nearest SPL ground and, after a series of meetings with shareholders and fans, the Board was convinced there was backing for the temporary move. Agreement was reached with Aberdeen for the groundshare and the details submitted to the SPL on May 28th. SPL members voted on the issue on June 1st but only seven votes out of the necessary eight were gained. Three ‘No’ votes and two abstentions did the damage. Relegation-threatened Partick had been lobbying hard and it paid off. At issue was whether the groundshare agreement should have been concluded by March 31st. The affair dominated the media and Ken Mackie was constantly in the spotlight. Hearts and Hibs asked for a second vote and this was fixed for June 22nd. Crucially Dundee United Chairman Eddie Thompson reversed his position and pledged support for the Inverness cause. He also wanted to table a motion allowing Inverness to be used subject to high-speed improvements. The SPL had agreed that the seating requirement would come down to 6,000 from 2005/06 and Thompson suggested a dispensation. ICT lodged an appeal with the SFA against the June 1st decision but this was overtaken by events. Partick went to the Court of Session to try to stop the second vote but an interim interdict was refused by Lord Brodie just before the SPL meeting. This time the vote went 10-2 in favour and the champagne flowed in Inverness. There was no real support for Eddie Thompson’s second proposal so the groundshare was on. Partick Chairman Tom Hughes accepted the result but his Board did not agree. An appeal to the SFA was lodged but meanwhile ICT began to plan for the big time. There was no other choice – the appeal was not to be heard until July 8th and the organisation of a year in Aberdeen would need all the time available. The three-man SFA Appeals Committee duly met at Hampden and, after over three hours deliberation, found against Partick. SFA Chief Executive David Taylor revealed the decision: “The Appeals Committee has decided that Partick Thistle have no grounds of appeal in terms of their submissions under Article 133.1 of the SFA Constitution. The appeal therefore fails.” After overnight consideration Partick decided to take the matter no further and to concentrate their energies on football. Thus on July 9th the curtain came down on Partick’s hopes and removed all doubts surrounding Caley Thistle’s SPL membership. The saga could now pass into history and the lessons learned would hopefully ensure that nothing similar ever happened again. Finally everyone could move on with some certainty. It was time for a year on the A96 with the prime aim of SPL survival whilst Caledonian Stadium was being improved to the new SPL standards. SPL entry was a dramatic but fitting end to the Club’s first decade. Copyright to and used with permission of Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC Club Historian - Ian Broadfoot

The SFL Division One game between Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle scheduled for 20/12/03 was postponed due to bad weather. A new date is still to be scheduled. Caley Thistle had an unexpected day-off today as the match at Ochilview against Falkirk was postponed by match referee Dougie MacDonald in mid morning. The match between Raith Rovers & St Mirren was also cancelled These postponements allowed Clyde to retake top spot with a 2-1 victory over Ayr United at Broadwood. St Johnstone grabbed a late point when Mixu Paatelainen scored in the 90th minute to ensure that their match against Queen of the South finished 2-2 and County beat Brechin 2-1 in Dingwall in a match that saw County scrape into the top half of the table The re-arranged date for this match has not yet been set. The draw for the 3rd Round of the Scottish Cup takes place tomorrow.

Caley Thistle have won the Challenge Cup with David Bingham putting in a man of the match performance topped off with a goal. Steven Hislop made sure of it 1 minute from time with another fine effort. Champion-eeeees Caley Thistle have won their first ever national cup with a victory over Airdrie United at McDiarmid Park. After a first half that could have seen either side leading, Bingham and Wilson went close for Caley Thistle, and Brown had to tip a Vareille shot onto the bar, it was Caley Thistle who took control of the game in the second half. It took until 79 minutes for the first goal to happen, but it was man of the match David Bingham who scored it to put Caley Thistle ahead. Steven Hislop wrapped it up in 89 minutes with a fine run for the second goal for Caley Thistle.

John Robertson and Mark Brown have taken the Bells awards for the month of September. Robbo is awarded his first manager of the month award for a great start to the season, and Mark helped him win it by conceding so few goals. Caley Thistle rose to the top of the first division after our last game, and John Robertson has been rewarded for this year's fantastic start to the season by being named the Bells Manager of the Month for September. Robbo and Donald Park have made a tremendous start to the season. After winning all 8 friendlies prior to the start of the season, including victories over Aberdeen, Livingston and Hearts. League form has also been far better than in previous seasons, with only 1 league loss so far, against last season's champions Falkirk. September started with a loss in the CIS Cup to Queens Park, but performances for the rest of the month took Caley Thistle to the final of the Challenge Cup for the second time and to the top of the league. Caley Thistle keeper Mark Brown wins the September Player of the Month award and must also take a lot of credit for the great start to the season by only conceding 5 league goals and 3 cup goals in 13 games since the start of the season. Mark has also been rewarded for his performances this season by earning a call-up to the Scottish U21 International squad.

There has been a lot of talk on the message boards and in the newspapers about an alleged Boardroom Bust-Up between management team John Robertson and Donald Park and the Board of Directors. Whilst there may have been a misunderstanding of certain things, there was no bust-up. Boardroom Bust-Up ? It is understood that two weeks ago the manager wanted to sign another striker, who it is assumed was Jim Hamilton (although this is unconfirmed). ICT are operating with their squad (due to financial sensibilities) on a very tight basis. Steven Hislop had already been brought in during the winter break as a future replacement in the squad for Dennis Wyness, therefore there would be no more money within the current wage structure to add another striker. The manager was told that he could discuss it with the chairman when he (the chairman) returned from holidays, and these discussions took place this past Monday. The manager was given permission to pursue his signing target(s) on Monday night. It is assumed that the P&J, who first broke the 'news' that there had been a "bust-up" spoke to someone within the club and during that conversation they managed to get only part of the story and came up with a poor headline that suggested lack of funds and a budget row. The Highland News are also set to lead their sports coverage with this negative and unfounded story. On the money side. A few people have mentioned the magical 500k figure again. This money was never meant to go to the manager for team-building. It was made clear from the very start, when David Sutherland and Tullochs invested it in the club, that it was destined to be used to maintain financial stability within the club for a number of years. There will be a better understanding of the current finances in the coming weeks as the AGM draws near, but for those that think that ICT are rolling in cash, just remember that the club may have made a fair amount of cash last year, but the debt was still in existence at the time of last year's AGM, and the verbalised aim of the board stated at last year's AGM was for the club to break even. 8 pre-season wins out of 8 .... perhaps Robbo already hasa great squad !!

A season of high drama on and off the field. Changes at the top, championship contenders, more cup giant-killing and a Hampden appearance. A season that started in economic confusion ended with a Tennent’s Scottish Cup semi-final match at Hampden and a top four league place. A season of high drama on and off the field. Changes at the top, championship contenders, more cup giant-killing and a Hampden appearance. A season that started in economic confusion ended with a Tennent’s Scottish Cup semi-final match at Hampden and a top four league place. Ken Mackie took over as chairman in May and economic stability was achieved with a £500,000 cash injection by Tulloch in September. In the close season Martin Bavidge left to pursue a full time career in geology but was to continue playing part-time with Forfar. Neil MacDonald went to Clach, goalkeepers Jim Calder and Nicky Walker hung up their gloves and Motherwell’s Mark Brown took over the number one shirt. Richie Hart came from Brora and Chris Miller from Barnsley – Hart was to become a first team regular but Miller left in January after only one appearance. Steve Hislop signed from Ross County during the January transfer window. Emily Goodlad took over physio duties and Drs Ian Smith and Derek MacLeod continued to deputise for Club Doctor John MacAskill while he recovered from a lengthy illness. On April 26th “The Doc” sadly died and a large club contingent attended the funeral service in Fort William. During his nine-season service to the club he made many friends and travelled many miles from his home in Fort William. John will be badly missed by everyone at the club. Pre season training started on July 2nd and the first public outing was an unsuccessful one at the annual Keyline/Oban Saints tournament on July 13th. Six pre-season friendlies in July produced mixed results. The league season opened on August 3rd with a frustrating goalless draw against Alloa at home. Three days later it was a long midweek trip to Berwick in the Bell’s Cup and a 1-0 victory for the home side. On August 10th Caley Thistle travelled the relatively short distance to Perth to play St Johnstone for the first time and lost to a late goal. The season’s first senior goal did not come until August 17th - Ross Tokely was the scorer against Falkirk at home but the concession of two late goals led to another defeat. The tide turned on the 24th On the last day of the month came an amazing 4-0 away victory against promotion-fancied St Mirren. This result led to the sacking of manager Tom Hendrie and a climb to fourth place in the league. The final of the Inverness Cup took place on September 3rd against Ross County at Grant Street Park and the Dingwall side won 1-0. with a 2-0 home victory against Ross County. Home victories in the CIS Insurance Cup against Dumbarton and St Mirren earned a third round tie away to Celtic. The match was played on October 24th and many feared a sound beating in revenge for February 2000. In the event Caley Thistle put up a good show and went down 4-2. Steve Paterson was linked with Dundee United when Alex Smith was sacked but nothing came of it. A good league run from September to November led to top place being achieved. The cup victories and league run ensured that Steve Paterson was named SFL Manager of the Month for September, October and November. Dennis Wyness won the player award in September and October with Barry Robson taking the honour for November. Steve Paterson’s achievements threw him into the limelight just as Aberdeen parted company with Ebbe Skovdahl. A dramatic 3-3 draw at Ayr on December 7th was to be Steve Paterson and Duncan Shearer’s swansong as they left for Aberdeen four days later. On Boxing Day former Hearts and Scotland player John Robertson was named the new manager. He came from the post of first team coach at Livingston and brought in former Hearts (and Caledonian) player Donald Park as Head Coach. Park was appointed on January 3rd. An undefeated December run meant that 2002 ended with Caley Thistle in the number one slot. Robertson made a dream debut with a 4-1 away win against St Mirren on December 28th amidst a blaze of publicity. The new transfer window system led to speculation that Dennis Wyness and/or Barry Robson would leave in January – perhaps following their former manager to Aberdeen. In the event neither moved despite late bids from Dundee United for Robson. Freezing weather meant that only two games were played in January – a narrow home defeat to Ayr and a 2-0 Scottish Cup victory against Raith Rovers. In the next round Hamilton were beaten 6-1 and this earned a quarter final tie at home against Celtic. Three February league defeats led to a drop to third. The 5-1 home defeat by Ross County in the postponed New Year’s Day match was a major shock and disappointment. Six league matches were played in March – four wins, one draw and one defeat – but the highlight was the Celtic match on March 23rd live on Sky TV. Tickets were at a premium and the excitement in the days leading up to the match was intense. Martin O’Neill watched the team go down 4-1 at Clyde and this may have lulled him into a false sense of security. Celtic came north just after defeating Liverpool in the UEFA Cup and Martin O’Neill rested some of the big names. This was to prove a major error as a Dennis Wyness goal ensured another historic victory. Henrik Larsson played for the full 90 minutes but his usual strike partner John Hartson only came off the bench in the 62nd minute. This top class partnership could not break down the home defence and O’Neill was left to make excuses. It was clear by this time that Falkirk were going to be First Division champions but the race for second place was an open one. This all took a back seat as preparations were made for the biggest game in the club’s history – the semi-final of the Scottish Cup at Hampden on Sunday April 20th. The opponents were not known for a long time but eventually Dundee beat Falkirk in a replay to earn their Hampden place. An 11000 allocation ensured that tickets were easy to obtain and thousands went south to enjoy a day out at the National Stadium. The match did not really live up to the pre-match billing and, despite Dundee and Caley Thistle being attack-minded teams, there was only one goal in it. Semi-finals are often nervy affairs and this one did not explode into the thriller that had seemed likely. The game hinged on two incidents – Dundee ‘keeper Julian Speroni produced a wonder save in nine minutes to deny Dennis Wyness then in 78 minutes the winner came from a mishit shot by Georgi Nemzadze. The cup dream was over but heads could be held high. It was now just a question of where Caley Thistle would finish in the league. A 5-1 victory at Alloa gave some hope of ending in the top three but defeats to Ayr and St Johnstone meant that fourth could not be bettered. Paul Ritchie was named Player of the Month for April with an Alloa hat-trick being his fourth of the season. The season ended on May 10th with high drama around the country. Caley Thistle were guests at Falkirk’s party to celebrate Brockville’s last game but spoiled the day by winning 3-2. Charlie Christie’s 82nd minute goal proved to be the very last at Brockville. In Dingwall Ross County beat Ayr 4-1 to avoid relegation on goal difference. Dennis Wyness ended the season as club and division top scorer with 27 goals in the league and cups. He was also named First Division Player of the Year. Mark Brown started in all 44 games and Dennis Wyness also played 44 times – including one substitute appearance. The Falkirk match was Wyness’s 119th in a row. Stuart Golabek scooped the pool in the annual awards as he was named Player of the Year by the Official Supporters Club, Players and the Internet Supporters’ Club. Dennis Wyness was named Supporters’ Player of the Year following a vote at the last home game and the Matchday Programme Player of the Year was Richie Hart. As the close season arrived all the talk was of the re-opening of the transfer window – who would stay, who would go and who would arrive? Time will tell. Copyright to and used with permission of Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC Club Historian - Ian Broadfoot

Preservation of First Division status, Scottish Cup exploits and economic trauma. The First Division was tight and safety was only assured at the eleventh hour. Paul Sheerin left for Ayr United and Richard Hastings went to Ross County. Arrivals were Paul Bradshaw, Russell Duncan, Paul Ritchie and Nicky Walker. Bradshaw’s career was to be short but the rest became established first team players. Preservation of First Division status, Scottish Cup exploits and economic trauma. The First Division was tight and safety was only assured at the eleventh hour. Paul Sheerin left for Ayr United and Richard Hastings went to Ross County. Arrivals were Paul Bradshaw, Russell Duncan, Paul Ritchie and Nicky Walker. Bradshaw’s career was to be short but the rest became established first team players. In July Sharp were unveiled as the new shirt sponsors then the transfer of Caledonian Stadium to a Charitable Trust was completed – the debt of £2.6 m was wiped out as a result. General Manager Gary Thomson left for personal reasons. At the Keyline Tournament in Oban on 14 July the team came second to Clyde then played six pre season friendlies. The start of the league campaign was hard - by the end of August the team were last but a month later had climbed to sixth. The Bells Challenge Cup campaign lasted two matches – both went to extra time. Forfar were beaten 3-2 at home then it was down to Alloa and defeat by the same score. The CIS Insurance Cup started with a trip to Albion Rovers on 11th September. News of the US World Trade Centre attack came through during the trip south and this overshadowed the 2-0 victory. The North Cup final on 22 September was lost 2-0 to Clach while the senior team were being demolished 6-0 at Airdrie. Partick came north for round two of the CIS Cup and were beaten 4-2 on penalties after a 3-3 draw. The third round took place on 9th October at Dunfermline and led to the first premier scalp of the season – a 1-1 draw then 4-1 on penalties. The best league result in October was a 5-1 home win against Clyde – by the end of the month third place had been achieved. In late September Steve Paterson was touted in the press for the vacant St Johnstone manager’s post but speculation ended with the appointment of Billy Stark. There were two league victories in November – 5-1 at Raith then 3-0 against Ross County at home. The Raith game saw the first goalkeeper substitution - Jim Calder replaced Nicky Walker in the 77th minute. There then followed two visits to Ayr in five days. A 3-0 league defeat was followed by the quarter final of the CIS Cup. After a ninth minute Ross Tokely goal it all went pear shaped. Tokely was sent off a minute later and a lively Ayr side tore the ten men apart. In the end it was 5-1. December saw a mixture of league fortunes but they turned the year in fifth place. At the AGM of the PLC on 13 December the Chairman mooted a move from East Longman to somewhere more central to give easier access and hopefully attract more fans. It was not long before rumours started of a sale of the site to ASDA and relocation to the Bught Park. January started with weather problems and a delayed Scottish Cup third round match away to Arbroath – a narrow 2-0 victory earned a lucrative away match against Hearts. This took place on the 26th and the road south to Edinburgh was filled with 3000 Inverness fans. On a dreadful pitch Caley Thistle were magnificent and Hearts were well beaten 3-1. Tokely, Wyness and Bagan were the heroes with spectacular goals. There were only two league games played in January because of frozen pitches – Raith were hammered 5-0 at home but it was 3-0 for Airdrie away. It was all enough for Steve Paterson to be named Manager of the Month. February league games produced a win, draw and defeat leading to fourth place. February was dominated by the build up to the Scottish Cup quarter final tie away to Partick Thistle on the 23rd. It was another exciting awayday for the fans which ended 2-2. Caley Thistle were in the lead twice but Partick fought back to earn a replay. This took place on 5th To the disappointment of the home fans Partick’s Scott Paterson scored the only goal. It was back to the League and the fight against relegation. Squad reductions began and Mike Teasdale and Les Fridge both moved on in March. This was catch up time with six league games being played during the month. By the end of the month the team lay fifth after two wins, one defeat and three draws. It was then down to Ayr on the 6th April with both sides needing a victory to be safe. Ayr won 1-0 and safety was not assured until a home 1-1 draw with Clyde the following week. March in Inverness on a very wet night. On the 17th April there was drama at an EGM of the PLC called to discuss a £150000 debenture issue. A shareholders’ vote against the plan was taken as a vote of no confidence and the Board resigned en masse. David Sutherland had already announced his intention to stand down as Chairman and Ken Thomson was leaving the Vice Chairman’s post. After numerous meetings the crisis was ended with an announcement on 29th April that Tulloch were to purchase a 51% controlling interest in the Club – major shareholders were agreeable in principle but a full shareholders vote would still be required. The football ended on 27th April with a fine 3-0 home win against champions Partick and a creditable sixth place in the league. Copyright to and used with permission of Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC Club Historian - Ian Broadfoot

I met with the outgoing chairman this week and discussed his vision of the future for the club. I met with the outgoing chairman this week and discussed his vision of the future of the club which he maintains that he will continue to be a supporter of as an ordinary supporter like the rest of us. The main thrust of what he had to say is included in a letter he has released today (Friday 26th April) which I have reproduced in full below. It was clear speaking to him, that although still upset at what had happened at the EGM, he bears no grudges against anyone at the club, and that the transition of power to the new board must be handled in a professional and non-disruptive manner to ensure that the club and the team do not suffer, and also in the hope that the new board have the vision to continue with the opportunities that the club might have to correct wrongs of the past. He maintained, that the running of Caley Thistle presented even more challenges than his day to day business of Tulloch, which although much bigger in terms of turnover and personnel was easier because of various factors, not least the "goldfish bowl" environment that comes with the territory in football. He confirmed that he will also continue to contribute financially in the daily running of the club via Tulloch as he already does to a great extent that goes largely un-noticed. (eg. Shareholders / Season Book holders ... have you ever noticed that any mail you get has been franked through a Tulloch franking machine, saving the club an estimated £300 per mailshot) He also intimated that recent initiatives such as the Pay-A-Player scheme suggested on this site should move forward regardless of who is at the helm, as the club need gestures such as this to help it financially through the coming years, and that regardless of messages on the Internet in either support, or criticism of him, that we should all unite behind one key element that draws us to this website, and to the Caledonian Stadium, and that is the team we all love and support managed by the best manager in the country, with a squad that has already agreed a wage cut to help the club through these troubled financial times. With sadness, we say goodbye to David Sutherland as chairman, and welcome him as a regular supporter, and echo his wishes that the new board continue to move the club forward in a responsible manner. If they do that, then they will surely retain the confidence of the supporters as all that we ALL want is a club heading in the right direction, and away from the precipice of financial ruin with a team on the park that we can all be proud to say we support. FAREWELL LETTER FROM DAVID SUTHERLAND The curtain rings down on another season and on my three years as club Chairman. I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the ordinary punters who so regularly support Caley Thistle. Much is said about those who do not come to the Caledonian Stadium, perhaps the focus should be more on those loyal and enthusiastic people who do. You deserve a club that will survive and go from strength to strength. Though stepping down, I will be amongst you as a paying customer next season, as I fully intend to remain as a supporter. This is no time for regrets or recriminations about the recent EGM when the actions of a small group of major shareholders triggered the resignation of the board. It was disappointing after all the work we had put in, but it is now history and I genuinely wish the new board every success in their endeavours and I hope that some members of the old board will stay aboard. It is important that the budget put in place for next season is now implemented with Steve Paterson and Duncan Shearer able to sign the players needed. Being Chairman has been a great deal of hard work and taken up a lot of time, liasing with the bank and with various parties, to rid the football operation of the £4 million debt which I inherited. I will remain involved with ICT Trust and Property Company, where the debt now lies, to help generate the extra income which can help the football club further down the line. But as well as hassle, its been fun. The thrills of knocking Celtic and Hearts out of the Scottish Cup on their own grounds, the many laughs we've had, the expansion of support of local businesses, the creation of the covered enclosure - all of these have given me particular satisfaction. No Chairman could have a more loyal vice-chairman than Ken Thomson, whose last game in office this also is. Ken has been a tireless worker for the cause and deserves enormous credit for the turnaround at the club. Ken Mackie has shown great focus as financial director while Sandy Catto, Ian MacDonald and Roy MacLennan have all made valuable contributions. Graeme Bennett became, for my money, the best Director of Football in the country, a former player who could liaise with the team management and dressing room in a way that "men in suits" could not. Thanks too, to people like John Innes and Keith MacKay who have worked behind the scenes to raise fresh income for the club. Debbie Ross and her staff at the stadium have also worked well. I have tried to bring sound business principles and strategic thinking to the way in which this club has been run. It is not for me to judge whether or not this has worked. But the perilous state of Scottish Football suggests that we were ahead of the game in getting our finances right, and hopefully, I leave a good inheritance and real options ahead. All the best then, to those who succeed me in the boardroom, and I ask the shareholders and supporters to give them their backing. After all, we all have the interests of the club at heart. Its been a whirlwind three years at the helm and in some ways it'll be a relief to have some spare time again. But I am glad to have tried to play a positive role in driving Inverness Caledonian Thistle forward and ensuring that it has a sustainable future given that the new board complete the fundraising exercise the current board started ! Our fans and our city deserve a team playing at as high a level in Scottish football as can be economically sustained. Come on, Caley Jags and please give your support in the seasons ahead. Yours in sport David F Sutherland

David Sutherland talks to CaleyThistleOnline.com about all the recent rumours surrounding Inverness Caledonian Thistle, including the talk of Stadium relocation and the spectre of more mergers... David Sutherland, when I spoke to him last, agreed to set the record straight and answer some of the questions that had arisen on the message boards and in rumours throughout the town over the last few weeks. We thank the Chairman for taking time out to keep us informed. This article IS an official answer from the Chairman to these rumours/speculation. Wage Cut Inverness Caledonian Thistle have taken the lead in the sense of the impetus of a wage cut to assist us in our aim to balance the revenue books. This impetus came from Pele Paterson and the players, whose spokesman was Bobby Mann. A Tremendous input from our captain! Scottish football is indeed in turmoil and I think it is a case of watching this space over the next few months as a great number of clubs, particularly the full-timers in the First Division, are on "the brink". Stadium As I explained at our AGM the Stadium move idea was as a result of a brainstorming session which addressed a number of issues and analysed our position viz: - We are in our highest placed position ever within the Scottish League system. The team are exciting to watch. The quality of football is 1st class on the park. Many teams dread a visit to the Caledonian Stadium. This then poses the question - why do we not generate larger crowds? A city the size of Inverness should have a home support of at least 2,500 and the larger games do bring the supporters out at levels above the level of 2,500 so this then led us on to consider various components of our structure: - The price? Cold/exposure? Apathy? Location? Lack of real quality competition? Any merger hangovers? On price we follow the SFL recommendations but perhaps this should be examined carefully. The new enclosure, to be opened on 12th January, weather permitting, will be named the Kevin Bissett enclosure and a big thank you to everybody here who helped. The enclosure certainly helps to break the wind and we hope to be able to extend the depth of it in the close season. [note from Debbie Ross -- Once again, for the next Home Game (12th January) Season Ticket holders will be permitted a guest at no extra charge with their season book] Apathy - maybe we have the market as it stands in Inverness but we then need to address the next generation of supporters and fans ie youngsters. [another note from Debbie -- The Club are looking at developing the fanbase, and to this end, this is why they have attempted different things, such as the FREE Busses going to Tomorrow's Cup Game in Arbroath ... still time to book via the club.] Location is an issue and I think I all accept that the Stadium, with hindsight, could have benefited from design enhancement but this then forced us to address the location problem? This is where we really examined our product and dilemma and I have to say, in view of the Directors, it is an issue in that the fan who walks to the Stadium has a torturous route to follow. This is why we have provided a free bus service on match day from the city centre and that is perhaps a service we need to advertise more widely. Nevertheless we decided to ascertain if a better location existed within the city boundaries and this is how the question of stadium location was born with no hidden agenda and a simple exploration of the opportunities available. Merger Could I start by saying that there is no masterplan. Debate with Ross County has not occurred and I did qualify the AGM statement by saying that one or two grenades would be thrown to demonstrate how deep your board thinks about the options available to it. Two teams, one better than the other (Inverness Caledonian Thistle of course!) struggling to make ends meet in the same market - in business the logic would be simple - merge and eliminate one layer of cost. BUT, Hold on, this is not so easy in football as you have the vital ingredient of the fan base, and without fans you don't have a club. Look at the economics pre merger in Inverness and if you add Thistle and Caley fan base divide by two you have the answer ie merger creates alienation and dilution of support. Merging two problems in football doesn't mean you solve the problems, it means you reduce the problem to one problem ie I think the route cause of the malaise is not the two clubs tackling too small a market more that the football business in total is in need of revamp throughout Scotland and the First Division in particular. As with the football academy we will, however, continue to explore methods of saving costs with Ross County and others but, as you state the academy has not been a good example and partnerships never work if unfairness creeps into the position. If we have an ambition to encourage youth however to develop under our system we will also need outlets to develop the talent and to ensure that grooming does occur to enable youngsters to move through to the first team so, don't write this off yet. To sum up therefore merger has been born out of the dialogue above and I have stated, publicly, that it can't happen for the reasons outlined. If however Scottish football continues its path to meltdown, and the opportunity emerged for one outfit from the Highlands, say, to gain membership of a revamped SPL or whatever the league might be, this would be a different ball game because clearly at present the two clubs are in a position where they could not meet the criteria for membership. That then begs another questions in terms of the criteria for membership of a higher leagues but again we then meet the next hurdle which is the wage rates which in turn we cannot afford. I hope that gives you some insight into how we emerged from our AGM with these high profile issues on the agenda but I assure you and the fan base that these appeared on the agenda simply as discussion topics rather than proposals. Through your excellent site could I wish all loyal fans and supporters a good new year. Please keep supporting us as it is hard being on the bridge with all the icebergs around football at present and keep enjoying football at the Caledonian Stadium. As you will have seen from the press even our manager and players are trying to encourage people to come back and support us or if you haven't visited us - it is never too late. Could I wish you a happy new year, I am sorry the Ross County game was called off but I didn't think they had a hope in H*** of making it anyway but in turn I hope and pray that we make the next round of the Cup with the first hurdle being Arbroath on Saturday. As you will have heard from Moray Firth Radio we are promoting the use of free transport to encourage a travelling support and I hope as many people as possible can attend the Arbroath game. Have a happy new year and lets hope we achieve our objectives within the Scottish League this season and keep up the good work. David Sutherland

The "revolving door" at Caley Thistle is about to turn again, this time with the departure of our Chairman .... so it seems, according to the Inverness Courier. David Sutherland to Quit ?? The Inverness Courier ran a front page article with the sensational news that David Sutherland was to quit the club. It went on to say that this was possibly due to tension surrounding the formation of the Stadium Trust, and made veiled references to the fact that Gary Thompson was leaving, as well as Catriona Bisset who had previously left. Sandy Catto was touted as a possible choice for new chairman. After a little investigative work, we have discovered a little more of the actual facts. David Sutherland has always said he would look to step down after he felt he had achieved what he set out to do, which was to put the club on a firm financial footing. With what has transpired over the last few weeks with the share issue, Sharp sponsorship and formation of the stadium trust, the Football Club is now debt free as promised for the first time in its short history. It has taken a lot of hard work from both the Chairman, Vice-Chairman Ken Thomson, and the rest of the board to achieve this, and this should be wholeheartedly applauded. Yet there are those who choose to try and talk down that achievement, or to find conspiracy theories where there are none. Mr Sutherland commented in the Inverness Courier article "I feel I have done my bit, completed my sojourn. Change is something that is needed quite regularly, I'm really quite strong on that" He went on to say "The club is a community asset, not a personal fiefdom" At times, the Chairman, has been working so hard to achieve what he set out to do at Caley Thistle, that he may have perceived himself to have neglected parts of his own business or found himself "burning the midnight oil" trying to look after both businesses. This is the main reason that Mr Sutherland is looking to step down, so that he can make sure that Tulloch is running properly (and have time to remove the sharp pointy objects from between his shoulder blades). His departure, if confirmed will not take place until the AGM which is some way away so it not entirely imminent. Alexander "Sandy" Catto was touted in this article as a possible new Chairman, but ruled himself out saying "I'd be seeking to try and persuade David to stay on" [personally we here at CaleyThistleOnline are with Mr Catto on this one and hope he might help DS reconsider and stay on] Veiled references were also made to try and lump together the departures of Catriona Bisset, and Gary Thompson alongside the possible departure of the Chairman, and whip it up into a possible conspiracy theory. This is simply untrue. Catriona Bisset, when employed by the club, was employed on a short term contract, as she had made it plain that she was looking to open her own restaurant (The Mustard Seed ... now opened). The acquisition of property for that restaurant and its development happened earlier than she expected, and she left the post to get it ready to trade. She is no longer connected with the club. Gary Thompson is leaving for personal reasons, but did offer, when tending his resignation to work a full 3 months notice, to allow the club to find a suitable replacement. (not the actions of a man who is desparate to leave). Gary himself has said "Its a personal matter between myself and the club.Its unfortunate that it is being portrayed as anything sinister, which I can assure you, it is not. I have been with the club since 1999 and there is something else I want to do .. Its as simple as that". [Personal comment] My wish, here at CaleyThistleOnline is that David Sutherland can be persuaded to stay on, and continue to steer the club in the right direction, as those before him also tried to do. He may not get everything right at the club, but he has got a damn site more things right than he has got wrong, and personally, on the few occasions I have spoken to him, have found him to be passionate about the success of Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Ken Thomson, is another who suffers from the same backbiting and sniping directed towards him behind the scenes, and he too must wonder if it is sometimes all worth it, but without those two involved with the club and pushing things forward, I seriously believe we would be facing a situation not unlike Airdrie or Morton

Chairman David Sutherland has responded by letter to all shareholders with his, and the board's feelings on the contents of Dougie McGilvray's letter. As promised, we have been provided with this response so you can make up your own mind. In response to former Chairman, Dougie MgGilvray's letter to all shareholders, current Chairman David Sutherland has issued the following letter to all shareholders in response. 26th February 2001 Dear Shareholder You will by now have received in the post a letter from Dougie McGillvray, the former Chairman of the Club, on the restructure plan which seeks to rescue Inverness Thistle & Caledonian FC Plc from financial oblivion. Could I say at the outset that during the year of the current Board stewardship, three issues of note should be borne in mind: (1) The plan to remove the Club's debt by transferring the Stadium to a Trust has been well rehearsed and indeed presented to shareholders, as a body, in the course of the last calendar year. I took from these presentations the support obviously indicated from the floor. (2) The reason we moved on the Trust route was in response to the rejection of the original rescue plan strongly opposed by Mr McGillvray. (3) Our current model, and I've made no bones about this, has been based on the actions of clubs similar to ours who have found themselves in the First Division with a debt mountain to climb. The club in question, Dunfermline Athletic FC, have now moved out of the First Division into the Premier Division and, apart from last weekend's result, are doing rather nicely and therefore are an excellent role model for us. I have no problem with somebody constructively asking questions as this is what stewardship is all about and I am pleased that under the new Board's stewardship we have stabilised the team who are doing rather well in the League at present. Whilst the current Board have provided the platform for progress over the last 12 months, it is you, the shareholders and supporters, who have encouraged the team to move onwards and upwards. I know Steve Paterson and his players greatly appreciate the support of the current Board and the support which is undoubted from the shareholder and fan base. Turning to our financial plight, there are now plenty examples around of clubs who have hit brick walls. Under the previous administration of the Club, we were on the brink of administrative Receivership akin to Airdrie, and my earlier comments are repeated in that the move and organised rejection of the rescue plan forced us to think of another way to avoid disaster. Anybody who tells you as shareholders differently is simply not facing reality and I have told you, as shareholders, on every occasion we have met over the past 12 months the truth and the facts. Could I say at this juncture that a significant amount of work has been injected into the equation by your current Board and advisers and as this process moved on we enjoyed the support of the Bank of Scotland and our creditors. The current plan was clearly outlined in our Pathfinder document "The Road To Premier League Football" and we then followed on with the Prospectus issued early this year. In terms of the general questions, I'd like to use the forum of the EGM to be held on Thursday next, March 1st, as a platform to answer these questions but for avoidance of doubt: The Stadium moves to the Trust/Propco. The Trust/Propco will also take over the current Plc debt of over £2.1m (and rising) and will leave the Plc approximately £400,000 cash positive. The rent will be modest. The Trust finds development opportunities and raises money to execute these development opportunities once planning has been secured. As well as providing development opportunities the Trust would then have the resource behind it to build new stands to meet the criteria of other leagues - fundamental to our future strategy. Once the Trust earns surpluses, these would be distributed in a tax efficient manner which will be explained at our EGM. In the interim, and no secret has been made of this, the Club has to balance its books between gates and associated income and, despite negative comments, the conferencing income has increased and we are endeavouring all the time to increase our exposure to income generating sources which will cross subsidise football. All the shareholders and other investors have the option of investing either in the new property company or the existing Plc but because of the risk of a speculative investment in the property company, this is being targeted at obtaining larger investment sums from a smaller number of investors who are prepared to tie up their capital in the property company on a longer term speculative basis. Those investors who invest in the existing Plc will be investing in the Football Club in order to provide funds to strengthen the playing side and assist in providing additional spectator facilities. The Football Club will continue to have control of the Stadium which it will hold on a sub lease from the property company for as long as the term of the current Head lease which is over 90 years and, although the property company will effectively own the Stadium, the Football Club will continue to enjoy the use of the Stadium without the burden of its current accompanying debt. Contrary to what is stated in Mr McGillvary's letter in transferring its debt to the property company, the plc is effectively getting rid of its debt long term indicated above and will no longer have liability for this. As a result of this exercise, the effect on value is neutral within the Plc on the basis that the restructuring will eliminate the debt and the asset but we replace this with positive cash. However, the objectives of the Club have been well rehearsed to you as shareholders and the escalating debt we inherited in December 1999 needs to be eliminated to give us any chance at all. As Mr McGillvray states in his closing remarks of his letter, should any shareholder have a better plan for £2.6m of cash injection to remove the debt burden and leave us with headroom - fine - let them come ahead and do so on the basis that they would have the current Board's support. As part of our inheritance we marshalled out a catalogue of errors from the past and whilst we haven't got it right yet, we have within the current plan a method of achieving stability and a future. Let me say, for avoidance of doubt, that we have given opportunities to present alternative plans at every juncture of evaluation of our route to achieve the current proposals in front of you as shareholders in this Football Club. Whilst not an agenda matter at the Plc EGM, your company's Board of Directors do consider that the purpose of the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Members' Club in assisting with the formation of Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC has now been substantially fulfilled and that the members of the Members Club now hold a disproportionate voting strength to the potential disadvantage of additional investment by new and existing shareholders in the plc. The more additional investment which comes into plc under the current share issue the more difficult it will be for a single person or group to take control of the Football Club, which is the current Board strategy. We are a community family orientated Club and intend to remain so! Additionally, we have encouraged the Members Club to think positively in terms of how their shares might be placed, e.g. with the Supporters Club, the Trust or indeed to act as the catalyst for the formation of a Supporters Trust which is in line with Government policy. Please do come along to our EGM procedure on Thursday next, i.e. 1st March, and I regret that the correspondence flow deflects concentration and support from the team's current run in the Scottish Cup and the replay at Kilmarnock on Wednesday evening. Could I urge you not to be deflected by this, keep on track, come and support the team on Wednesday evening and come and listen to your Board's proposals on Thursday evening. Yours sincerely David Sutherland The letter was also signed by the following officials/staff at the stadium Steve Paterson, Ken Thomson, Graeme Bennett, Ian Macdonald, Ken Mackie, Sandy Catto, Catriona Bissett, Gary Thompson