Caley Thistle defender Robbie Deas is determined to follow in the path of former Celtic team-mate Jamie McCart by earning another crack at Premiership football.
Deas yesterday joined Inverness on a three-year deal after the Highlanders reached an agreement with the Hoops, where he still had another year remaining on his contract.
Inverness beat off competition from fellow Championship sides Dundee, Dunfermline and Raith Rovers for the 20-year-old, who spent last season on loan with Alloa Athletic.
Deas’ move follows a similar pathway to that of former Hoops youth player McCart, who joined Caley Jags after leaving Parkhead in 2018.
McCart’s performances earned a move to top-flight club St Johnstone in January, and Deas hopes to join him in the Premiership by helping John Robertson’s men to promotion.
Deas said: “I know Jamie McCart who was here before, and he kicked on and did really well.
“I’m looking to do that, of course, but we have got the chance to challenge for the league here and get ourselves back in the Premiership.
“That’s the goal at the moment. I know the history of the club, so I’m delighted to be here.
“I have spoken to John Robertson quite a bit. The ambition is just to develop and kick on as a player, but to get the promoted and get the club to where it belongs.”
Inverness had been keen to sign Deas on loan in January, however he remained at the Wasps for the remainder of the shortened campaign.
Deas says he jumped at the chance to move north once he heard the Highlanders had reignited their interest, adding: “I had heard of interest at the start of the year.
“It’s a big club. It always took my eye coming up here to get away and get fully focused on my football.
“When I got the opportunity to speak to the manager there was no looking back from there – I couldn’t wait. The way he spoke about they play as a club, and Inverness as a city, it was hard to say no.”
Deas made 26 appearances for the Wasps to help Peter Grant’s men avoid relegation last term, and he feels he benefited from his first spell in the second-tier.
He added: “I was at Cowdenbeath the season before, and that helped me a lot.
“After the jump from League Two to the Championship, it did take me a few weeks to get used to it, but I felt like I thrived on it.
“I’m just keen to take every challenge as it comes. I felt like I kicked on quite a lot and I really enjoyed it. I want to do the exact same here.”
