Had this report been written at the end of September it would have read more like an obituary.
Fresh from Premiership relegation and all the financial cutbacks that brings, Caley
Thistle were languishing near the foot of the Championship as their hastily assembled squad struggled to get to grips with life in the second tier.
Fast-forward three months and the picture is somewhat rosier.
Some signings that appeared questionable at first glance have grown into pivotal starting figures.
Coll Donaldson, I am looking at you.
The highlight of the campaign to date has to be the incredible clean-sheet run they
went on, with 708 minutes between conceding against Dumbarton and St Mirren.
Donaldson and Brad McKay became the rock-solid pairing Caley Jags were accustomed to with Gary Warren and Josh Meekings, with David Raven and Carl Tremarco providing valuable experience in the full-back positions.
Between the posts Mark Ridgers recovered from a wobbly early spell – which included sitting out three games for Owain Fon Williams – and has become a much more reliable presence at the back.
Wins against Dundee United and Dunfermline underlined this team’s capabilities, seeing off two of the league’s promotion contenders with relative ease.
The Dunfermline one, in particular, will have been pleasing for John Robertson given how comfortably they carved Inverness open at East End Park earlier in the season.
Supporters also have a cup semi-final to look forward to and a new opponent to welcome to the Highlands, with Crusaders travelling to Inverness on February 17 in the Irn-Bru Cup.
Who is to say what cup success would do for the club’s promotion push?
They have left themselves a lot of catching up to do but it is not inconceivable for Caley Thistle to be in the thick of the promotion race.
For the financial sake of the club, a return to the top flight has to be achieved sooner rather than later.
Robertson has pointed to the examples of Dunfermline and Morton, who have had to go down a second time before rebuilding enough to mount a challenge for a top-flight return.
Given Caley Thistle’s longevity in the top flight and how they struggled for attendances then, anything longer than
a season in the Championship and further stringent measures
will be needed.
A total of £1.2million was shaved off the budget after the drop and another £500,000 has been mooted by chairman Graham Rae should they fail to make an immediate return.
That puts some pressure on Robertson, whose return was probably considered an internet rumour by many supporters until he appeared in front of the press in the Caledonian Stadium boardroom.
Should he repeat his feat of 2004, when he took Inverness into the top tier for the first time, hero status around the city will be secured.
For a side used to punching above its weight as underdogs, the time is now for Inverness to start swinging with the big boys.
