Inverness City hope for quick resolution to home ground debate
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INVERNESS City player-boss Jordan MacDonald hopes for a swift resolution to the future of their home ground – to allow them to plan for the future.
There has been no movement on where City will be able to call home, if anywhere, when their lease on Lister Park from Highland Council expires in October 2017.
Fears have been raised about whether City could continue should they be forced to find somewhere else to play, given that it took £70,000 of fundraising last time they were left homeless.
A reserved MacDonald insists the club is not looking for “handouts”, rather just some assistance in securing their future.
“It would be massive if we couldn’t come to some sort of arrangement,” said MacDonald.
“A lot of sports get help (from the council) and we’re not looking for handouts, we just want help.
“There’s enough room for a junior football team in Inverness and hopefully we can come to some sort of resolution soon.
“It would be a shame for the boys that have been here from the start if the club wasn’t to be here next year.”
The council confirmed in February that there would be no extension to the lease upon its expiry, insisting the five-year agreement initially put in place gave City time to find a more long-term solution.
City have been existence for 10 years and snubbed promotion to the top level of north junior football, because they did not have a permanent home.
During the club’s previous search for a ground, they played games at the Meeting Park, Nairn’s Showground pitches and Grant Street Park.
It is very much wait and see now for City, with MacDonald yet to receive any notification from chairman Alastair Wardhaugh with any news.
Attention must turn to matters on the pitch, where City do not have their troubles to seek.
They sit bottom of the McBookie.com Superleague with one win from seven games. A crucial home game against Newburgh Thistle, formerly Bridge of Don, comes on to the horizon tomorrow.
Given the small margins separating teams in the league – six points separate City from Banks o’Dee in seventh – MacDonald will not be panicking just yet.
There is an urgency, though, to correct their recent errors, which in turn will start to produce positive results.
“The players are despairing a wee bit but I have to give them credit,” said MacDonald. “They’re keeping their heads up and doing everything we ask of them.
“Win two games and we’re in mid-table. We need to stick together to make it happen and we will.
“The squad we have got is fantastic and I’ve no doubts that we’ll get that one win that will change things around.
“I imagine Newburgh will be much the same as they were last season. (Manager) Lewis Muirhead has been at Glentanar and Sunnybank and his sides never give up. But we’ve got to have nothing else but going for a win on our mind.”
City’s recent woes were compounded by a painful penalty-shootout exit to Deveronside in the second round of the North Regional Cup last weekend.
Donald Horsburgh had given the visitors the lead in Banff with a first-half penalty, as both sets of players battled the high winds at Canal Park.
The elements played a part in Deveronside equalising in the second half as Jamie McKinnon let fly from distance and his shot deceived City goalkeeper Grant Beattie, who allowed the ball to go through his hands and in.
Neither side could push for a winner and with no extra-time played, the game headed to penalties. City’s Kelvin Mackenzie was the only player to miss as his side bowed out of the competition.
“We weren’t great in the first half and didn’t test the goalkeeper anywhere near enough,” said MacDonald.
“The wind was unbelievable and I don’t know how the game was on, but I don’t want to use that as an excuse.”
Danny Murdoch misses tomorrow’s game through injury but Justin Rodgers, Allan Kerr and Reece Paterson will all be available again.
