Inverness Caley chairman hits out at fans bringing club into disrepute
TOUGH action is promised against Caley Thistle yobs who disgraced the football club at last Saturday’s away game against Brechin.
It will mean ringleaders being banned from all ICT games for a period of time, it is understood.
A special meeting of ICT Supporters Travel Club was held on Wednesday to discuss the trouble, which saw six fans ejected from Brechin’s ground during the game.
As ICT prepare to return to Brechin’s Glebe Street tomorrow to play Aberdeen Colts in the Irn-Bru Cup, Inverness chairman Graham Rae issued a hard-hitting statement that promised "decisive" action against chief protagonists who brought shame on the club during and after the match that Caley Jags won 4-0.
Liz MacRae of the supporters group CaleyJagsTogether became quite upset as she told how some of the young team have gone online to attack supporters who spoke out against them, including herself and Rosie Webb of the side’s Travel Club who work tirelessly behind the scenes fundraising to help keep bus fares down so that supporters can get a door-to-door service to away matches.
Miss MacRae said: "They have called Rosie an out-and-out liar for saying there was damage to a D&E bus, despite the bus company stating this had happened.
"We are supporters too, season ticket holders, but the amount of abuse that has been targeted against us is quite upsetting.
"Basically there is a minority of young fans who can’t see they have done anything wrong and are attacking anyone who says anything against them.
"It was great getting the good atmosphere that the young support brought, but some have crossed the line and think they can get away with anything including abuse and setting off fireworks and smoke bombs."
She added: "I am delighted the chairman has put out such a strong statement promising action. The Saturday incidents are being investigated and we are all working together to try and resolve this situation.
"The ringleaders have been called in previously and had warnings after this sort of behaviour started brewing, but a small minority still cause trouble.
"Six supporters were thrown out of the ground on Saturday but you are probably talking about another five or six who are the ringleaders."
ICT Supporters Travel Club promised to address the matters of concern, adding: "Once these matters have been dealt with internally, we shall issue a statement."
D&E Coaches boss Donald Matheson said about £180 worth of damage was caused when fans ripped an air conditioning unit from the roof of a coach on Saturday.
"They also pulled out some electrical wiring which was quite a dangerous thing to do," he said.
"The amount of rubbish and litter was the worst seen in all the years we have transported ICT fans and was not a good advert for the supporters."
It is the latest supporters-related trouble for the Championship club, after some fans were caught up in violence following last season’s Scottish Cup tie at Elgin City.
Mr Rae said: "There was a small group of ICTFC supporters who disgraced the club by behaving in a threatening, abusive and disrespectful manner.
"The club has now received correspondence entitled ‘Unacceptable Conduct’ from a senior representative of the Scottish Professional Football League who was at the game and observed this small group of ICTFC fans behaving so badly.
"I have received multiple complaints from other supporters of the club who were at the game and who have expressed their utter dismay at the dreadful behaviour of some of our supporters.
"D&E coaches have advised us that one of their vehicles was badly damaged by these rogue supporters on the journey home. This kind of shameful conduct by supporters of ICTFC is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.
"I can confirm that the club is identifying those who were involved, and that we will take decisive action to stamp out this unacceptable behaviour at both home and away matches."
ICT fans went on CaleyThistleOnline to vent their feelings against the hooligans.
"Some of the young crew let us down," said one commentator. "They should grow up. Their singing (mostly) is positive, but smoke flares etc is pathetic. Those who are known to be in among it should not be allowed on to the supporters bus in the first place."
Another stated: "Someone on here will know who they are, and, if so, need to let the club know. While we need younger fans to help create an atmosphere, we don’t need louts like these."