Inverness Caledonian Thistle threaten to pull out of match at Greenock Morton over facilities row
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Inverness Caledonian Thistle head coach Billy Dodds has warned they might not play Saturday’s Championship match at Greenock Morton unless there is an improvement to their changing facilities.
It comes after he blasted the state of the facilities given to his team on Tuesday night during the Scottish Cup third round replay at Morton, which he described as disgusting and would not put vermin in.
He described the conditions as two portable buildings on top of each other, where there was no light in the top portacabin.
A generator failed which meant there was no light in the bottom portable building at half-time or full-time, forcing him to give his team talk and full-time talk in the dark, with only staff and players’ mobile phones providing light in cold, damp conditions.
Yesterday, Dodds said unless they are given reassurances that they are provided with acceptable changing facilities, the match might not go ahead.
“If we go back down there and it is not Covid safe, there will be an issue,” confirmed Dodds.
“There is a chance the game won’t go on.
“Do they expect us to accept those sort of conditions?
“It will be dark by the time the game finishes, we will have the same two portacabins, going up those stairs, you couldn’t put one foot in front of the other.
“We are professional footballers, it is a professional game, do the honourable thing, do the correct thing.”
Midfielders Sean Welsh and Aaron Doran suffered injuries in Tuesday’s match, but Dodds said they could not be treated by their physio in the facilities due to the lack of light.
“My physio was unable to see them or diagnose what the problem was with them,” he said.
“They had to get back on the bus, there was a treatment table in the portacabin, but the physio couldn’t see it.
“My kitman didn’t know if he packed up all the kit.
“I don’t make a big deal of things and try to focus on my team, in games this year I have not been involved with officials at all and look to stay top of the league. But we couldn’t find all the kit, what is happening, this is one of the biggest embarrassments in Scottish football.”
It has been reported Greenock Morton have applied to Inverclyde Council for alternative facilities.
Dodds hopes they will be told improved facilities will be available.
“It would be nice to be reassured it is a facility that is big enough, Covid safe and that is the main thing. If it is Covid safe, has lighting and a bit of heat, I’ll be happy.”
