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One-tie final would be best for play-offs, says Caley Thistle legend Ross Tokely

Inverness players celebrate after Kirk Broadfoot scores the winning penalty at Arbroath.
Inverness players celebrate after Kirk Broadfoot scores the winning penalty at Arbroath.

Caley Thistle legend Ross Tokely reckons it’s time for a shake-up of the Premiership play-offs – with a one-tie final in a neutral venue leading to the prize.

If Inverness are to win promotion back to the top-flight for the first time since 2017, they will make history by becoming the first quarter-finalists to go all the way.

ICT finished third in the division and they got past fourth-placed finishers Partick Thistle then runner-up Arbroath over four ties overall to reach Friday’s showdown with St Johnstone.

Ross Tokely in his Caley Thistle playing days.

The Highlanders aim to go all the way by getting the better of the 11th-placed finishers in the Premiership.

Inverness first-team coach Barry Wilson recently explained he doesn’t see merit in the Championship’s fourth-best side being rewarded with a play-off berth and suggested a revamped format.

Tokely, who twice won the second-tier title at ICT, insists the balance is too far weighted in favour of the Premiership club and is calling for a fairer system.

He said: “These play-offs are tense, tight affairs. Inverness finished third and I wonder how much it has taken out of Inverness, who don’t have a massive squad.

“After a long, hard season, this is a hard slog. I agree with (ICT first-team coach) Barry Wilson’s recent comments about the number of games they have to play and there has to be a shake-up with the play-offs.

“Even if third could play second in the Championship then it’s a one-off final, it would be fairer.

“A two-legged match when Inverness have already played four play-off ties within two weeks, favours the Premiership team.

“A one-match final at a neutral venue would be fairer.”

Huge result for ICT at Gayfield

After seeing off part-timers Arbroath on penalties last week, Tokely reckons Billy Dodds’ big punchers deserve a great share of credit for making it through.

He added: “Everyone has been talking about Arbroath, but Inverness deserve the credit for reaching the final. A lot of teams would have conceded goals and lost their shape, but the players battled for the club.

“You could see how emotional Billy Dodds was after the game. It was such a roller-coaster, but he was proud with the way the boys dug in.

“It was a big result. A lot of people didn’t fancy Inverness after it ended 0-0 in the first leg.”

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