Airdrie… 35 years on.

[Charles Bannerman]

 

I was reminded of one of Inverness football’s finest moments - a decade before the Celtic Park epic whose silver jubilee approaches - when I saw this January 1990 photo of snowbound Telford Street in today’s PandJ. There’s a fair chance that this was taken in relation to Caley’s Scottish Cup replay against Airdrie on a snowy night at Telford Street, where the team from the Highland League edged its Scottish second tier opponents 5-4 on penalties after a 1-all draw. The outcome, a decade before going ballistic, was another episode in Inverness’s proud Scottish Cup history.

One of my great regrets is having had to miss this legendary occasion.

The game started 7 minutes late to allow a 3485 crowd in and Caley went a goal down but Wilson Robertson equalised to send the tie to penalties where John Docherty missed Caley’s first one. Airdrie also missed one, taking the shootout to sudden death where Danny MacDonald (the current manager’s brother-in-law) buried Caley’s sixth and Hamish Morrison saved Airdrie’s next to send Telford Street wild.

This was a golden era for Inverness in the Scottish Cup since this game came just a few years after Thistle beat Kilmarnock 3-0 at Kingsmills to earn a trip to Celtic Park and Caley played both Rangers and Hearts - although I recollect that at least two of these games ended in 6-0 defeats. Then in 1992, Caley held visitors St Johnstone to a draw and that was just four years before Caley Thistle reached the quarter finals against Rangers. Fast forward another 3 and 4 years and we have back to back semi-final appearances at Hampden… and there were still two finals to come.

Putting that lot together makes quite a Scottish Cup saga across four decades!

Edited January 6 by Charles Bannerman

[Yngwie]

If I am remembering correctly, the tie at Airdrie ended 2-2 and I think the home side needed a late equaliser. Airdrie were close to the top of the second flight at the time, highlighting what a remarkable performance (x2) this was by Caley.

[Charles Bannerman]

1 hour ago, Yngwie said:

If I am remembering correctly, the tie at Airdrie ended 2-2 and I think the home side needed a late equaliser. Airdrie were close to the top of the second flight at the time, highlighting what a remarkable performance (x2) this was by Caley.

That’s a JFK moment for me since I remember I was on the car outside BandQ in the Carse listening to Sportsound when the original tie ended, but I couldn’t remember the actual score.

[Scotty]

I remember being at this game. It was bloody cold. Could not get into the Howden end that night and had to stand in no-mans land between the stand and the Howden End. After the game, like many others, we trudged diagonally across the park to the Comet/B&Q end exit that had been opened as the main exit was struggling to cope with the crowd. I remember to this day that as cold as it was, the ground was heavy and muddy as ****. Ruined a decent pair of shoes that night.

  

[bishbashbosh]

 

[+old caley girl]

I remember watching thar penalty shoot out from the tunnel with the late Fiona Mackenzie. Well I say watched....think it was through my bitten fingernails! 

Would never happen now re playing in these conditions but what a night!! 

[Charles Bannerman]

2 hours ago, bishbashbosh said:

 

Thanks BBB! I tried to include that video in my OP but my technical ineptitude let me down!

[IBM]

55 minutes ago, Charles Bannerman said:

Thanks BBB! I tried to include that video in my OP but my technical ineptitude let me down!

He is a clever cookie Charles 

[+Gringo]

Cricky, 35 years, wow! The tie in Airdrie was my first ever time of watching Caledonian F.C. We were so unlucky not to win the game at the first attempt. If I remember correctly we fell behind and, I think, a goal down at HT. Second half saw Caley go for it. We were 2-1 up until around the 96th minute. We were robbed. Great introduction though to my Caley supporting days. I couldn't make the replay unfortunately. 

[buckett]

Great memories.

Back in the days when the Highlands were represented by Highlanders (mostly)

[STFU]

On 1/6/2025 at 6:57 PM, bishbashbosh said:

 

And we're still using the same camera for our highlights today.