Defender says Inverness Caledonian Thistle will come back stronger after promotion disappointment
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Danny Devine believes the support shown to Inverness Caledonian Thistle’s players by the fans will inspire them to come back stronger next season.
In the second leg of the Premiership play-off final away at St Johnstone, there was so much interest from the Highlands that the Caley Jags had to ask for extra sections of the McDiarmid Park stands to be opened.
Even though the night did not go the way Inverness would have wanted, losing 4–0 in Perth and 6–2 on aggregate, the squad were given a rousing ovation from the fans after the full-time whistle.
That level of support will be needed again next season if Caley Thistle are to mount another challenge for promotion back to the top flight, and Devine says it has been appreciated by the players.
“They were outstanding, even after the game,” Devine, who is in talks to extend his contract, said of the support given by the fans.
“I don’t think it was ever a 4–0 game, but obviously we were pushing forward a lot at 2–0 to try and get a goal back.
“The fans were absolutely incredible, the amount of them that travelled down on a Monday night and made the trip.
“They’ve been like that right the way through the season, especially in these tough play-off games where it has been a real grind.
“They’ve been there backing us all the way, and obviously the squad would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came out.
“We just have to go away, dust ourselves down and come back stronger.”
For now, ICT’s players have a chance to go away, recover and switch off from football after what has been another extremely hectic campaign at the Caledonian Stadium.
It also provides a chance to reflect on a campaign which saw plenty of good and bad moments in the Highland capital.
Inverness started the season brilliantly, becoming the early pace-setters in the Championship, before an 11-match winless streak cost them a chance at automatic promotion – all before the drama of the play-offs.
“That’s football – you get ups and downs,” stressed Northern Irish centre back Devine.
“We had a long period without a win, which really took its toll.
“We’re kicking ourselves that we didn’t mount more of a challenge in terms of automatic promotion, but it wasn’t to be.
“We gave ourselves the best opportunity through the play-offs going into St Johnstone, but that’s football isn’t it? St Johnstone won it on the night, and that’s it.
“We’ll go away and rest up, take a couple of weeks off.
“I’m sure that after a couple of weeks the boys will be desperate to get back in and start working for next season.”
