Caley Thistle had a request to the SPFL to postpone Saturday’s Championship fixture at Queen of the South turned down, after the team bus was delayed for six hours following a serious crash on the A9 on Friday.
Inverness’ players and staff did not arrive at their hotel in Dumfries until 3.30am on Saturday, having not been able to continue their journey past the accident at Killiecrankie until after 10pm on Friday.
By the time the bus was able to continue, the players had run out of water on the bus and required a stop at a service station for food having not eaten since mid-day.
Inverness manager John Robertson said his players were visibly distressed after being in full view of emergency services attending to the three-car collision and were fatigued in the build-up to the match, with some having not slept.
Despite support from SPFL operations chief Anton Fagan and Queens manager Gary Naysmith in Caley Jags’ efforts to postpone the fixture, SPFL secretary Ian Blair made the final decision that it went ahead.
This prompted a furious reaction from Caley Thistle boss Robertson, who prior to the game said: “We were told by Iain Blair by text that he wanted the game to go ahead regardless of our situation. It’s a very poor decision.
“If we don’t play, we get fined £10k or £15k. That’s the ludicrous part. This is the same man that allows Rangers and Celtic to cancel games to play glamour friendlies. Just because it’s little old Inverness, it can’t be allowed to happen.
“If he is ever sat on the A9 in a similar situation he might have some understanding. We were quite prepared that had the bus been in traffic at 12, we were going to turn back at Pitlochry and head back up the road.”
