Caley Thistle defender Shaun Rooney says the club’s financial difficulties have made his side all the more determined to secure a top flight return – as Championship winners.
Inverness held an extraordinary general meeting last week in an attempt to attract new directors and fresh investment, given the cash-flow problems they have faced as a result of a third successive campaign in the second-tier.
Rooney netted in a 2-0 victory over Ayr United on Saturday which moved John Robertson’s men to within two points of the Championship summit, and the right back sees no reason why his side cannot aim for top spot.
He said: “It doesn’t bother any of us. The chief executive came in earlier in the week to give us a rundown about how the chairman had left the club debt-free with no loans.
“The club have the stadium and the rights, so I don’t see why people wouldn’t invest in us.
“If we can get back to the Premiership all the money will start to come back. There are Celtic and Rangers away days, and the games against them at home when they bring a lot of fans.
“We want to challenge for the title this year.
“We don’t want to be playing for play-offs or second place – the league is what we are going for.
“Dundee United beat us 4-1 at the start of the season, but we have to just get our heads down and keep on working. We have a good team ourselves, with better squad depth than last year. Why should we not challenge for the title?”
Rooney’s goal followed James Vincent’s first-half breakthrough against the Honest Men, with the 23-year-old thrilled with the response to last weekend’s 3-1 loss to Partick Thistle.
Rooney added: “I thought the lads were excellent. We all stuck in together and did our jobs right, and I thought we deserved the result.
“It was especially pleasing after last week which was a disappointing result. We got the job done.”
Rooney’s first goal of the season emanated from what is fast becoming a trademark marauding run forward, with the right back adding: “I had one against Queen of the South where I probably should have pulled the trigger. It was good to get the goal this time.”
