5 questions Inverness Caley Thistle must answer for its loyal fans

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Fans say they are still looking for answers on what the future holds for Inverness Caledonian Thistle after it was relegated from the Championship.

The club did confirm last night it would remain a full-time team in League One next season as they attempt to win promotion back to the Championship at the first time of asking.

However, the statement was criticised by supporters for not answering enough questions which are being asked by its supporters.

With the club confirming it will be restructuring its finances on June 1, fans have questions on how their club will operate next season.

So we look at what we think are the five main questions fans want answers to regarding the club’s future.

Will the board and club management continue as it is?

After the club were relegated on Saturday, fans took to the pitch at full time to protest against the board as well as chief executive officer Scot Gardiner. Fans are calling for changes at the top of the club as a result of dropping out of the Championship.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust said it blamed “a series of questionable decisions” in how the club is run as the reason for the club’s failure this season.

As a result of the fans reaction, will there be changes at board or management level? If they choose to remain, how do they propose to improve the situation at Inverness Caledonian Thistle, both on and off the pitch?

Will Duncan Ferguson stay on as manager and what does the future hold for players out of contract?

Duncan Ferguson says he will stay on as manager for as long as the club wants him to stay.

Originally arriving at the end of September on a three-year contract, he was unable to get Inverness out of relegation trouble as they lost the Championship play-off final.

There has been no comment from the club regarding Ferguson’s future and if they remain committed to honouring the remainder of his two-year contract.

Does the board have faith in their first team manager to get them back to the Championship?

It was confirmed after full time on Saturday, that no players who are out of contract have been offered new deals at present. It is believed 10 players are out of contract with the club. As of Wednesday, there is still no update if players have been offered new deals or which players are being released.

Is the future of the youth academy safe?

At the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust meeting in April, chairman Ross Morrison said that the club could not afford to continue running its youth academy in its current form.

He said the club were looking for more funding from the Scottish Football Association as well as possibly looking for a sponsor to keep it going.

With the club now relegated to League One and still looking to keep a full-time squad, is the future of the youth academy safe? Can the club continue to run the academy in its current form, or will it have to look at changing at how it operates in the future?

In addition, are the projects run by the ICT in the Community Trust, which run youth events across the Highlands, safe from being cut in the future? And what about the development on land beside Inverness Royal Academy?

The youth academy should be seen as way to feed players into the first team. Recent successes include Scotland star Ryan Christie.

How is it proposed to bring in new income to stabilise the club?

The financial situation at Inverness Caledonian Thistle has been well reported. However as they drop into League One, the amount of prize money available next season will drop. So how do the club plan to bring in new sources of income?

Last year, in financial accounts released for the year ending May 31, 2022, Inverness Caledonian Thistle recorded a loss of £835,751. Its latest annual accounts for the last financial year are expected to be released soon.

Its proposed Battery Energy Storage Facility development at Fairways, which would have brought in £3.4 million to the club, was rejected by Highland Council in March. However, the club says it is appealing the decision with the Scottish Government and are awaiting the result. They have said they remain confident it will be approved.

It was also revealed last month that the club now own the land around the stadium after acquiring it last year. Chairman Ross Morrison said previously the club were working on deals which would be worth £450,000 to the club. Can the club provide an update on how the club proposes to use the land around them to make money? Morrison said previously “Caley Thistle should be a commercial property company with a football club hanging off it.”

It is also known that the club are looking to attract sponsorship for the stadium as well as in individual stands to attract more income. Can the club give an update on how that is progressing?

Does communication between the club and supporters need to be improved?

The club have been criticised by its fan base for not communicating decisions that it has made regarding the running of the club in recent years.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust have said the relationship between those running the football club and its supporters are at an all-time low.

The Trust itself is looking to raise money to increase its shareholding at Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a bid to purchase a seat on the board of directors.

Chairman Ross Morrison and director Scott Young have attended recent meetings of the Inverness Caledonian Thistle Supporters Trust to speak with fans which has been welcomed.

But what can the current Caley Thistle board do to improve the relationship between the club and supporters. Does it feel it is doing enough to be transparent with how the club is operating?

It feels like more communication is key so loyal supporters can get a better understanding of what is happening at a club their pledge their time and hard-earned money towards season after season, game after game, for better or worse.

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