Out of Mark Ridgers' 250 games for Inverness Caley Thistle, which were his favourites?
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MARK Ridgers is set to play his 250th game for Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday when they take on Ayr United at the Caledonian Stadium.
The 33-year-old has been the number one on a regular basis for the club over the last six years when he arrived from Partick Thistle in 2017.
He has previously played at Orlando in the United States as well as at Hearts and St Mirren, along with loan spells at East Fife, Airdrie United and Kilmarnock.
But it has been Inverness where he has found regular first team football, and been a part of the highs and lows over the past six seasons.
During his time at the club, Ridgers has said the club's matches in cup competitions have been the ones that he remembers most fondly.
Despite the result, Inverness Caledonian Thistle reaching the Scottish Cup final last season, losing 3-1 to Celtic is among the top of the list.
But the Scottish Cup quarter final 2-1 victory over Dundee United in 2019, Scottish Cup semi final defeat to Hearts in 2019 as well as their 1-0 Challenge Cup final victory over Dumbarton in 2018 he ranks among his favourite games for the club.
Ridgers said: “The Scottish Cup final was great to experience, the result obviously wasn’t.
“Winning the Challenge Cup was actually great as well, as it was the first cup final I’d played in, despite involvement in semi-finals and finals before at Hearts, but not played.
“The Scottish Cup quarter-final, where we played Dundee United a few years ago, when Aaron Doran scored, was a great one and took us to the semi-final, where we played Hearts.
“I thought that might have proven my maiden game and my only game, but since then I’ve managed another two.
“In a short period of time, as a club and me personally, we’ve achieved a lot.
“One aim was to break the clean sheet record and I did that.
“I’ll continue to do that through to the end of the season and then sit down with the manager and club to discuss what’s next for me.
“But I’m really happy to be playing and I’ve definitely got a few more years left.”
Ridgers says it is a proud moment for him to reach 250 games for Caley Thistle.
The goalkeeper is out of contract at the end of the season, but hopes to remain at Inverness for years to come.
If he does, he hopes he can help Inverness back to the Premiership after playing in the division below since 2017.
“I’m really proud. It is a lot of games in a short period of time, especially in football nowadays.
“That’s seven seasons I've been here and it is great to get so many games in.
“I’d have loved a lot of them to be Premiership games, but we have to deal with where we are just now.
“For me, it is great to hit that milestone, but there is still a long way to go.
“I’m out of contract at the end of the season as well, so that’s one thing I have to look at. Fingers crossed something happens on that and there are many more games to come."
Asked if he wants to stay at Inverness longer, Ridgers said: “It is one of those you have to look at. Yes, I’d like to stay longer.
“But you have to open up the mind a little bit as well because I’d love to get a crack at the Premiership, with this club.
“It is easier said than done. To get out of this league, we all know is really difficult. There seems to be a timeframe at the moment for teams coming down, maybe two or three years.
“If you don’t, you’re more or less trying to be stable and compete, which we have been.
“We went really close a couple of years ago, but this year is going to be a fight for many teams.
“But we’re up for it now - we’ve changed fortunes - the manager has come in and is four games unbeaten.
“We’re looking for five and, where we are, the only way is up.”
