Inverness Caley Thistle in defiant ‘we’re back’ statement as club offer ticket deals to boost attendances for final home matches of 2024/25 League One season
Inverness Caledonian Thistle are hoping that several fan initiatives for home games across the remainder of this season will send out a simple message: “we are back”.
The Caley Jags have already handed out over 600 free tickets to primary school children for tomorrow night’s re-arranged clash with Stenhousemuir, and that is just the beginning of what is on offer.
For the match against Annan Athletic on Saturday, March 15, under-12 tickets will be reduced to just £1.
A week later against Alloa Athletic, season ticket holders will be able to bring up to two friends with them for £5 each.
Then, for the match against Kelty Hearts on Saturday, April 12, Caley Thistle will be offering a family package where two adults and two children can get in for £45 in total.
For those matches as well as ICT’s final home match of the season against Arbroath on Saturday, April 26, the club are also reintroducing corporate hospitality packages in the Kingsmills Lounge.
Inverness hope that bigger crowds will help boost the team’s chances of avoiding a bottom two finish in League One despite their points deduction due to administration, with more people coming through the gates also helping to restore the club to a more stable financial footing.
“We want people to get behind the club now – good times are in sight, but we need the families, kids and schools to help come and support us while having a great day out,” the club’s commercial business manager Andrew Benjamin explained.
“We have brought back our hospitality package, and we think it’s really reasonable compared to other clubs. It’s a great day out with great entertainment, and brilliant food, which is how football hospitality should be.
“At the moment any difference is an important one. If we get 10 tables per game over the next four home games, that generates a lot of income for us, so that’s the part people can play.
“The word that we’re putting out there through Charlie Christie and Alan Savage, and other people involved at the club, is that we are back.
“We can’t keep looking at the past, we need to move forward now. We can’t do any more than what we’ve done – some people are now gone, and the people still at the club are good people who want to make a difference.
“I gave up a job I had for 10 and a half years to come here, and I wouldn’t have done that if I didn’t think it was going in the right direction.
“Since I’ve been here, the atmosphere around the club among the staff is phenomenal. You wouldn’t think we’re in the situation we’re in, so I want that to start building outside the club too.”
Prior to Caley Thistle entering administration, there was a sense that trust between the football club and their local community had been broken.
That has been part of the work required of Alan Savage since he returned to the club, as well as his financial contributions.
Savage admits that it will take time to earn that trust back, but is optimistic that people will not be disappointed if they give their backing to the Caley Jags at this point.
“I think people like consistency and honesty, and I call a spade a spade,” Savage reasoned.
“Over time, people will come in and see friendly faces, and be well-received, and see how far we can get through focusing on football.
“We want to give people a fair deal, and make sure they get something back for what they are giving to us. The city needs a football club, so why not make it a good experience? That’s what we’re trying to do.
“If the club is successful, everybody benefits. We’re not trying to kid people on, or ignore them, or wind them up.
“We’re now focusing on common sense things that will enhance the football club. The dug outs are being renewed for example, and they should be up and running in a few weeks’ time.
“That shows people that we think there is a future, and we are fixing things that need fixing on and off the field, so we are optimistic.”
Benjamin continued: “People in the club now are people who want to move the club forward. We can’t do any more to correct the past, because we weren’t part of that, but now we will do whatever we can to make sure that the revenue that is out there will come into the club.
“It is all about football now. The form we’re in, if we didn’t have the points deduction we’d be near the top of the league.
“Let’s move forward together by getting people in the stadium and backing the team, and get the message out there that we’re back.”
