Butcher targets more signings
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The acquisitions of winger Aaron Doran and striker Billy McKay this week took the amount of close season signings at Inverness to seven following the earlier arrivals of Josh Meekings, Tom Aldred, Greg Tansey, Andrew Shinnie and Gregory Tade.
Doran (20), who had a successful spell on loan with Caley Thistle during the second half of last season, is set to put pen to paper on a two-year deal after leaving English Premiership side Blackburn Rovers, while 22-year-old McKay has signed a one-year contract following his departure from Northampton Town.
This has helped to take the squad numbers up to 19, but Butcher is still keen to bolster his squad further before the new Scottish Premier League season begins a week on Saturday, although he will not be pursuing his interest in trialist Kerrea Gilbert, who is currently on trial with the MK Dons, while Stuart Duff is not expected to return, despite having been offered a one-year deal with Caley Thistle.
“We are probably two to three short of where we want to be,” he said. “I would like another defender and a forward, so we’ll keep working away on that.
“Kerrea Gilbert won’t be joining and I’m disappointed in that, but we’ll get on with it.
“I’m hoping to have a couple of trialists coming up to Inverness next week and we’ll see what happens there.”
Butcher praised the signing of Doran as a major coup for Caley Thistle after the Irishman shone last season, scoring three goals in 16 appearances.
McKay is something of an unknown quantity. A Northern Ireland under-21 international, he spent two years at Northampton, scoring 16 goals in 84 appearances, before deciding to leave the club at the end of last season.
“Aaron showed towards the end of last season what he can do, but now he’ll have the chance to have a real crack at it,” said Butcher.
“He offers us another attacking option alongside the likes of Richie Foran and Jonny Hayes, so it’s another very exciting signing.
“Billy is a quick, tenacious, little forward who unsettles defenders and he’s certainly a player who has room for improvement.
“He scored for Northampton against Liverpool at Anfield last season, so it shows he can do it on the biggest of stages and it’s good we’ve managed to get him here because other clubs wanted him.”
McKay is currently with the Caley Thistle squad on their pre-season trip to England, but was not involved last night in the match against Bristol Rovers and will not play in the final friendly tomorrow evening at Aldershot Town.
Butcher is hopeful Doran can feature in the Aldershot match and trialist Jamie Stevenson will also be given a further chance to impress in this encounter after he played in 4-2 win over Yeovil Town on Tuesday night — a game in which central defender Meekings sustained an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out for up to four weeks.
Foran and Andrew Shinnie were both on target against Yeovil, but it was two-goal Tansey who impressed with a fine performance for Caley Thistle in the middle of the park and Butcher was full of praise for the 22-year-old.
“I think he’s going to be a superb player for us,” he said. “He’s improved immensely already since coming here.
“He’s such a whole-hearted player and he’s got exceptional energy levels — I think he runs around even when he’s cleaning his teeth!
“It was great to see him getting his first goals for the club against Yeovil and I’m very pleased with him.”
