Concerns over Caley Thistle's England trip
Caley Thistle manager Terry Butcher
CALEY Thistle’s pre-season trip to England is under threat if a third fixture cannot be confirmed.
Inverness are set to face League One side Yeovil Town on Tuesday 12th July before facing relegated Bristol Rovers, now of League Two, two days later at Twerton Park in Bath.
If another game cannot be arranged, it is likely Inverness will not make the 550-mile trip to the south-west.
“If we don’t get a third game, we will probably just cancel the trip,” said Caley Thistle assistant manager Maurice Malpas yesterday.
“Hopefully we can get something confirmed. We will need to get that done in the next three or four days.”
The trip will be preceded by a visit to Almondvale Stadium to face Livingston on Saturday 9th July. The only other confirmed pre-season match is against Clach at Grant Street Park on Monday 27th June.
Meanwhile, Inverness manager Terry Butcher is set to unveil the first stage of his new look squad tomorrow.
He is expected to reveal at least one new signing and announce which players have agreed new contracts with the club.
It comes after he released 10 first team players earlier this month and held a 31-player trial game at Tulloch Caledonian Stadium just over two weeks ago.
“I am looking at releasing some news on Wednesday about players that have re-signed and players that are going to sign,” Butcher said yesterday.
Inverness are waiting for responses from top scorer Adam Rooney, midfielder Stuart Duff, defender Kenny Gillet and youngsters Shane Sutherland and Gavin Morrison, who have all been offered new contracts because their current deals expire this summer.
Caley Thistle have been monitoring former Hibs defender Kevin McCann, who was on loan at the club last season; released Rangers midfielder Andrew Shinnie, who played in the trialist game and is the older brother of Inverness full-back Graeme; as well as French forward Gregory Tade, who has been linked to several SPL clubs since leaving Raith Rovers.
* Caley Thistle goalkeeper Jonny Tuffey made his seventh appearance for Northern Ireland in a 2-0 defeat to Wales in the Carling Nations Cup on Friday night.