Inverness Caley Thistle Supporters Trust attacks decision to relocate first team training to Fife
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Caley Thistle’s major supporters’ group has accused club leadership of “ripping the soul out of the club” by moving their training base 140 miles to Fife.
Calling for change of leadership, ICT Supporters’ Trust called the decision to relocate first team training to Kelty Hearts’ ground “bizarre” and said the team would now be “completely disconnected” from the local community.
• Seething Caley Thistle fans react to news that first team training is relocating to Fife
• Angry Inverness Caley Thistle fans launch petition in protest of the club’s decision
Caley Thistle sent shockwaves through the local football and business communities. yesterday (Friday) by announcing the strategic restructure, saying it was necessary to counter the high cost of accommodation in the city and difficulties in attracting players to Inverness.
The current board views it as a means to tap into and compete in the central belt player market and attract a better calibre of players, while cutting expenditure substantially in the face of reduced income.
They have declined to say what the saving would be, but have told the Courier they had costed moved well before relegation to League One was confirmed.
The ICT Supporters' Trust statement said: “The bizarre decision to move ICTFC’s training base to Fife has proved that those at the top of the football club are completely and utterly disengaged with the fanbase.
“Only a few days ago, ICT Chairman Ross Morrison stated, ‘now is the time to demonstrate unity,’ yet he has now overseen a decision that literally rips the soul of the club out of the community.
“Since our relegation a week ago, the Supporter’s Trust have heard from hundreds of fans and numerous ex-players who want to see the club re-engage with the local community, supporters, and businesses.
“The club’s answer to that is to move the whole footballing department’s training base 140 miles away.
“One justification the club has cited is the cost of housing players in Inverness. If the club had managed their finances better in recent seasons, then these costs would have been covered.
“The club has become so distracted on chasing big money solutions they have lost out on vital local income that could have been used to help the clubs finances and avoid having to take this dramatic step.”
Caley Thistle have said that their youth academy operations, from under 18s football downwards, will remain in Inverness at the Highland Football Academy.
The Courier understands that a senior Caley Thistle coach will remain mainly Inverness-based to act as a bridge between the youths and the first team set-ups.
There are also likely to be personnel changes and, potentially, new recruitment to Duncan Ferguson’s backroom team with the Everton legend set to remain in place to lead next season’s push for promotion.
The supporters’ trust statement continued: “The unanswered question is what next for our Youth Academy?
“ICT have a history of producing top quality youth players, with many in the current system capable of stepping up, but unfortunately, we have a manager who doesn’t play them and wants them to train 140 miles away from where they live.
“It seems that the Manager will continue in his position, despite his failure, and he will continue to disregard the opportunity for local home-grown talent.
“Our team will spend minimal time in Inverness, instead commuting from the central belt and back every second Saturday.
“They will be completely disconnected from Inverness and from the club’s support.
“The future of the club is at stake here.
“We therefore reiterate our demands for change that allows for fresh leadership of our football club with supporters at the centre of the club’s decision-making and we call on all major shareholders to get together and address this situation before it’s too late.”
