Warm Highland welcome for Caley Thistle's Europa League rivals Astra Giurgiu
CALEY Thistle's Europa League rivals Astra Giurgiu were given a warm Highland welcome this afternoon at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium.
The special meeting was arranged to mark ICT's first ever European match against the Romanian top flight club.
Provost Helen Carmichael and Highland Council vice-convener Bill Lobban presented gifts to Astra's president executive Dani Coman and director of football Mihai Matei ahead of tonight's second qualifying round first leg clash (kick off, 7.45pm).
Provost Carmichael said: “Inverness is extremely proud of its football team reaching the Europa League for the first time and we are delighted to welcome FC Astra from Giurgiu in Romania to the capital of the Highlands.”
Cllr Lobban added: “Playing in the Europa League is a great achievement for Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and we are pleased to be sharing this moment with FC Astra. We hope this will be a catalyst for a bigger following with more fans getting behind the team both now and into the future. I wish them well today and on their second match when they play at Guirgiu on the 23 July.”
UEFA match delegate Eduard Kindle was also welcomed to Inverness by the Highland councillors and directors of ICTFC, including Ken Thomson, who said: "We're extremely pleased to be able to bring European football to the Highlands and welcome Astra to our city. For a 21-year-old club, it is a massive milestone in our amazing journey from the Highland League.
"Highland Council, and the City of Inverness Area Committee in particular, have always been extremely supportive, also giving us excellent recognition when we won the Scottish Cup for the first time, and we look forward to building on that partnership with them in the coming years.
"We know it will be a challenging evening against a more experienced team at this level but the support of the home crowd will spur on Gary Warren and his team mates on what we hope will be a memorable occasion.
"Astra are extremely welcome in Inverness and we look forward to visiting their country and their city in the second leg next week."
