From the Archives.

[Charles Bannerman]

Possibly the closest scenario to the current one in the First Division which I can directly recollect is the finish to the Highland League title race in 1988. Buckie had looked odds on favourites to take the title as the only other contenders Caley went up the Hill to Jags Park for their final game on the last Saturday of the season. The only thing that would do Caley was a win at Kingsmills (against what, before the Howden End veterans get on the case, I would stress was an incredibly good Jags side!) and for Buckie to slip up v Peterhead. Buckie duly did so, but the Inverness Thistle defence was proving obstinate... until Wilson Robertson grabbed the only goal of the game late on.

This completely changed it, leaving Buckie three points and seven goals behind Caley, but Buckie still had to complete their programme at the Clach Park the following Wednesday night.

Now these were the days when customers in the Rodgers' shop outnumbered spectators at the Clach Park where things had become utterly dire in the run up to the 1990 near collapse. As a result, the 8 goal win Buckie needed couldn't be entirely ruled out.

It wasn't surprising, then, that Grant Street was full of Caley fans who had become Clachers for the night and the atmosphere in there was amazing. (This may also have been the last game at Grant Street before the stand (ahem!) "burned down". )

In the end it was a 2 all draw so Caley won the league by two clear points but, having been at both games, it was a great few days for football in Inverness.

As it happens this was also Caley's last ever Highland League title. Great memories.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Charles Bannerman

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Great goal by Wilsy up at Jags park and a great atmosphere at Grant Street on the Wednesday . Happy days :023:

[The Mantis]

And half the Caley team sitting in the stand.

[old caley girl]

Oh happy days. Seems such a long time ago now.

[Charles Bannerman]

And half the Caley team sitting in the stand.

You mean when it burned down? :023:

Certainly that night at Grant Street I think the entire Howden End, committee, playing staff etc etc simply translated itself that half a mile to Grant Street Park. As Dalneigh Caley says, it was a great atmosphere there.

It was also a time when Inverness football totally dominated the Highland League. Ross County were only a year on the road to recovery from their debt-enforced amateur status, Elgin's day under Pele was yet to come and the Aberdeenshire teams which currently dominate the league were very much the poor relations.

Since 1987, Caley and Thistle between them had swept the boards and there was one point during 88 (I think it was after Thistle won the Q Cup) all the available honours (League, League Cup, Q Cup, North Cup and Inverness Cup) resided on one side or the other of the River Ness.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Charles Bannerman

[The Mantis]

Clicky thing

[caley100]

:023: :D :clapping04: :clapping04:

Ahhhh... the memories!

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

Shouldnt this be in the Memories section - this Bannerman loon is getting off with murder. What does he have on the Moderators ?

[Charles Bannerman]

Shouldnt this be in the Memories section - this Bannerman loon is getting off with murder. What does he have on the Moderators ?

Naw naw MacKenzie.... I deliberately made the point at the top of the thread that it was motivated by the analogy with ICT's current situation at the top of the First Division. :D

[BornCaley]

I remember this year well and the final game at Clach park...Dont remember Ross County at all in those days as they werent rivals then

[The Mantis]

They're not rivals now either :004: