Queens away March 2025

[tm4tj]

Palmerston Perils

 

Only six games left to save our skins and we face a perilous trek to Dumfries to play Queen of the South in what has always been a tricky place to extricate points from. Our last visit to Palmerston saw Admin Brooks take 'revenge' on his former club as he scored twice in a 3-2 win for the hosts. We came from two nil down to level the game through Bavidge and Bray but were undone ten minutes from the end when substitute Jordan Allan scored the winner. We did avenge that a couple of weeks later with a 1-0 win in Inverness courtesy of another Alfie Bavidge goal. Unfortunately injuries have somewhat thwarted our progress up the table lately with Bavidge, Longstaff and MacLeod missing. Add red carded Remi Savage to that list as we head for Dumfries. On the plus side, Musa Dibaga is back after his squad call up for Gambia.

An encouraging statement was released by the Joint Administrators this week after productive talks with interested parties appear to have ironed out some issues to enable the Admin Process to progress to a conclusion without further legal issues being raised. It is expected the process will continue through April. Read the statement in the Positive Admin Link below.

STOP PRESS 28th March 2025

Minutes after publishing the Preview, Alan Savage played his opening hand with an £800K bid to buy the club.

"Everyone who has an interest in Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club knows the predicament the Club is in.

"With the clock ticking I thought it was the right time to bring my personal offer to the table to buy the Club out of administration.

It is as follows:

"I am setting up a company, let’s call it FC Inverness as a special purpose vehicle to buy the Club out of Administration for £800,000 and this offer is open until close of business 11th April 2025.

"For the record: If my action prompts the acceleration of a better offer from another Buyer I will immediately step aside. My offer last August was to fund this club for 3 months until a buyer was found, this was extended to the end of the season and that still stands. But without ownership and full control I can only pay up to June’s wages if my offer is not accepted.

Over to BDO.

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Match/Ticket/Supporters Bus/Info

Positive Admin Developments

Alan's Salvage Bid

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Venue: H2H

Pld

Won

Drn

Lst

For

Agst

+ / -

Home	23	14	3	6	40	26	+14
Away	21	8	7	6	36	25	+11
Neutral	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Total	44	22	10	12	76	51	+25

The away fixture at Palmerston is a lot tighter than the fixture in the Highlands where we hold a good advantage over the Doonhamers. This one is always a difficult encounter with the extra mileage adding to the misery on a poor day at the office.

Last 10 Competitive Meetings v Queens

1 - 0 (H)

2 - 3 (A)

1 - 0 (H)

1 - 2 (A)

2 - 2 (H)

2 - 1 (A)

2 - 1 (H)

1 - 1 (A)

0 - 1 (H)

3 - 0 (A)

Biggest away win in recent times was a 3-0 win in the Championship in 2020. Inverness deservedly opened the scoring through Kai Kennedy in the 20th minute, his first goal for the club as he cut in from the left and scored low behind Leighfield from a tight angle, the ball coming off the keepers leg. Roddy MacGregor scored a second with a tremendous finish five minutes after the break to give Inverness a cushion. Miles Storey secured the points with a vicious left footed shot into the bottom corner from fifteen yards. Great three points for Inverness and consolidation in the middle of the table. Queen of the South were the last side we played back in March before covid19 came along and changed our lives. On that occasion Inverness ran out 3-1 winners.

INVERNESS CT  The Season So Far

D L  D  D W D D D L   / W L  D W W W L  W L  

W W L W W L W D W / W L  D 

Since Scott Kellacher was handed the reins in game 11, there has been a more positive approach to our matches which has resulted in improved performances and a more enjoyable matchday experience all round. Alas we were brought back to earth with a disappointing result in our last game of 2024, a crushing 1-4 defeat at home to Cove Rangers. We'll have to put that one down to a bad day at the office. However, we bounced back in our first game of the second half of the season in the six pointer against Dumbarton with a hard fought 2-0 win. That win over Dumbarton was a vital one and the introduction of Alfie Bavidge was a welcome one as he opened the scoring early in the first half. Charlie Gilmour slotted in the clincher in the second half to give us a cushion over the Sons and to narrow the gap on Annan to seven points. We took part in the only League1 game the next weekend and came away from Annan with a resounding 3-0 win, Alfie Bavidge netting again with Keith Bray and then Billy Mckay from the spot.  It was then on to Palmerston on the Tuesday night but in a five goal encounter we went down 3-2. Alfie Bavidge notched his third goal in three games and Keith Bray added a second but goals from Adam Brooks (2) and Jordan Allan kept the points in Dumfries. We bounced back with a resilient 1-2 win at Alloa in our third away game on the bounce, Dunfermline bound Keith Bray with his fourth of the season and Alfie Stewart. We got our revenge at home to QotS (1-0) with Alfie Bavidge scoring his fourth goal in five appearances. Alas it was a bridge too far at Arbroath and we went down losing three without reply. The Stenhousemuir fixture was postponed and was re-arranged for March 11th. We went to Kelty and came away with a narrow 1-0 win thanks to Alfie's 5th goal in 7 appearances. Montrose proved to be stubborn opponents and it took a superb diving header from Keith Bray to rescue a point in a rather turgid encounter after Sandilands had opened the scoring in the first half. A last gasp win at Dumbarton on the Saturday with Alfie Bavidge scoring his 6th goal in 9 games. Unfortunately Alfie was injured early on against Stenhousemuir in midweek but that didn't stop us running up a 4-1 win with goals from Brannan, Gilmour, Bray and Allan. Annan came North on Saturday in a six-pointer and it was a disappointing defeat after Annan parked the bus after scoring in the third minute. Next up was a 1-1 draw with Alloa despite hitting the woodwork twice and missing a penalty.

Scott Kellacher will be without Luis Longstaff who has a hamstring operation and missed the last four games. Kellacher said in last midweek to the press: “Alfie won’t be involved against Alloa. The scan came back a wee bit unclear so he is waiting to do another scan. “He has to rest for probably the next 10 days to see if it settles down, and then they will try to get another image of it. Then we’ll know where we go from there. “We also had two or three wee niggles which included Calum MacLeod who missed out again. With Remi Savage red-carded against Alloa, he will miss the game in Dumfries. Musa Dibaga should return after Aidan Rice filled in last week with a good performance from the young Celtic B keeper between the sticks. I presume Connal Ewan will slot in at centre back. Alas our bench has a dearth of quality which goes hand in hand with administration.

Latest Updates from Scott Kellacher talking to Paul Chalk @ P&J: Inverness have had three trialists training up North this week. One goalkeeper, Yan Gromov, right back Diste Camara Sylla, and forward Malick Diakite from North West Counties League side Squires Gate. The club awaits Alfie Bavidge's second scan results. No further update on Calum MacLeod. Big Musa is back and raring to go.

 

Pos	Team	Pld	Gd	Pts
1	Arbroath	30	17	54
2	Cove	30	18	49
3	Stenny	30	12	49
4	Alloa Ath	30	5	41
5	Queen of Sth	30	-5	39
6	Kelty Hearts	30	0	37
7	Montrose	30	-5	36
8	Inverness CT	30	4	33
9	Annan Ath	30	-25	30
10	Dumbarton	30	-21	10

 

LAST SIX: L  W L  L  W D 

They started their last six losing 0-3 at home to Arbroath. That was reversed by a 3-0 humping of Montrose before defeat at home by Kelty (0-1) and 3-1 at Cove. They picked up a win at home to Alloa (3-2) before last weeks 0-0 draw at Dumbarton. So, mixed results for Queens since we beat them 1-0 (which was followed by a 2-1 loss at Stenhousemuir 7 games ago). Admin Brooks is their top scorer with 7 goals and former Caley Jags winger Kai Kennedy is one to watch.

 

 

 

 

 

Here's our run-in over the (hopefully) last five games.

April 2025

5th	3:00:PM	Cove Rangers (A)	League (League 1)	-	-	-
12th	3:00:PM	Kelty Hearts (H)	League (League 1)	-	-	-
19th	3:00:PM	Stenhousemuir (A)	League (League 1)	-	-	-
26th	3:00:PM	Arbroath (H)	League (League 1)	-	-	-

May 2025

3rd

3:00:PM

Montrose (A)

League (League 1)

-

-

-

 

 

[STFU]

I predict a makeshift squad with lots of doom and gloom from social media fans before kick off. We'll then bag 2 goals in the first 15 minutes and go on to skin them by 4 goals with 4 different goal scorers. Billy Mckay to break Barry Wilson's record by scoring one from Kingussie.

[STFU]

P.S. brilliant preview as always.

[+CaleyHedgehog]

Best of luck to ICT today, and welcome back to Musa...we missed you.

All the off pitch shenanigans must be exhausting  for the team and coaches, but they have stood firm all season and done our club proud.

Keep it up for these last few games and hopefully there will be a club here to play for next season, and you will get your rewards in the form of contracts.

Well done to travelling support too, you've been outstanding.

C'mon Caley 

 

[tm4tj]

Starting:

Brooks & Kennedy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MacLeod on bench 

Missing:

Longstaff 

Bavidge 

Cairns 

[Yngwie]

Not much going on upfront with that lineup and bench. Hopefully the defenders and midfielders can chip in with a few goals!

Edited Saturday at 03:03 PM by Yngwie

[bishbashbosh]

23 minutes ago, Yngwie said:

Not much going on upfront with that lineup and bench. Hopefully the defenders and midfielders can chip in with a few goals!

There is now.

[Peleistheman]

Alfie Stewart goal ! 24mins.

[CaleyCanary]

That excitement didn’t last too long 1-1 now

[bishbashbosh]

2-1 qos

[caley100]

Ah shyte.   was hoping for at least a draw.   Still time...

[Satan]

Think our purple patch lasted about 25 minutes, been under the pump since then. Do we continue with 10 men, in the vain hope of equalising or maybe protecting our goal difference?

[caley100]

Thats it f*cked now.. 

[KennySim93]

Annan winning.  Not a good day...

[Yngwie]

Turning into a nightmare day for us with Annan now winning.

At 3.25 we were winning and they were losing. 

Edited Saturday at 04:43 PM by Yngwie

[bishbashbosh]

4 regular starters off. Giving this one up, saving legs for next game.

Probably needs brannan off also, already booked and still giving fouls away. Time to calm down.

regroup for next week.

[Satan]

Next week away to Cove while Annan host Queens...

[bishbashbosh]

Shouldn’t have stopped at Kingussie to see if billy could break Barry Wilson’s record.

[CaleyCanary]

Aye not looking that great at the moment, just our healthy goal difference keeping us from 9th 

[Yngwie]

Getting pumped 4-1 now. So it seems that without Bavidge we are pretty rubbish?

[Huisdean]

The points dropped against Annan and Alloa are now coming back to haunt us. The decision to let Billy take the penalty last week was poor and the ridiculous sending off for Savage have really hurt us.

[CaleyCiuin]

Drove down to this game today fairly optimistic we might get something, even with a depleted squad. Rubbish weather, rubbish performance, rubbish result. Right back in the relegation playoff fight. Now for a rubbish drive home .

[CaleyCanary]

2 minutes ago, CaleyCiuin said:

Drove down to this game today fairly optimistic we might get something, even with a depleted squad. Rubbish weather, rubbish performance, rubbish result. Right back in the relegation playoff fight. Now for a rubbish drive home .

Thanks for cheering me up - thought I was having a shyte day but there’s always somebody worse off…

[Satan]

20 minutes ago, bishbashbosh said:

4 regular starters off. Giving this one up, saving legs for next game.

Probably needs brannan off also, already booked and still giving fouls away. Time to calm down.

regroup for next week.

At this rate we'll be saving legs for the playoffs.

[Charles Bannerman]

For four minutes, the cushion was heading for six points…then Annan and Queens both came from behind to reduce that to goal difference.