Caley Thistle goalkeeper Ryan Esson reckons his club’s success has long since surpassed the expectations he held when he joined the Highlanders seven years ago.
Esson played in Sunday’s 3-2 Scottish Cup semi-final victory against Celtic at Hampden Park and will be in the team for the final against Championship side Falkirk on May 30.
Inverness are also on the verge of qualifying for European football for the first time in their 21-year history as they are third in the Premiership table.
Former Aberdeen goalkeeper Esson joined Caley Jags in 2008 after spells with Shrewsbury Town and Hereford United.
The 35-year-old believes the club’s achievements are beyond what he thought was possible. He said: “It will mean everything for me to walk out on cup-final day.
“When I went to Shrewsbury it didn’t work out the way I wanted it to, but Craig Brewster signed me for Inverness.
“If somebody asked me when I joined Caley Thistle where my career was going, I would never have thought I could get to a cup final last year and another one this year.
“It’s one of these things footballers dream of.
“I’ve formed a relationship with the club now and it is in my heart.
“I always thought Caley Thistle was a great club, but when I first came here I was wondering where the club could go. I never realised how good it was.
“Caley Thistle have never been in Europe or won a cup final and we’ve got a chance to do both.
“We’re not there yet, but we’ve given ourselves every opportunity. As players and as a club, we want to be there.”
Esson is confident the Highlanders can continue to defy the odds.
He added: “We showed on Sunday with the way we went about things, we believe in ourselves.
“It’s up to others to decide if they believe in us as well. There’s sometimes probably not enough credit for them.
“We don’t actually look at that. We know where we are and we know where we can go. I don’t think people have seen the best of what we’ve got to offer.
“On the right surface and at the right venue, anything can happen with this team.
“I think now there’s that little bit of belief we can go places.
“We’re not just settling for things, we want to drive on. As players and as a club we’re trying to get on to the next level.”