Caley Thistle senior academy and first-team coach Gordon Nicolson is urging the club’s talented teenagers to aim to make the breakthrough into the first team.
Nicolson has managed Strathspey Thistle and worked as a video analyst for Elgin City amid a range of roles throughout north football.
Helping to develop young footballers, and seeing them flourish, remains a big motivation for Nicolson, who works under head of youth academy Ross Jack at ICT.
Both men were asked by interim chief executive Charlie Christie to take on additional jobs last month of helping coach the first-team when the League One club fell into administration.
With manager Duncan Ferguson and his assistant Gary Bollan and goalkeeping coach Stuart Garden axed by administrators, changes were needed amid drastic cuts.
Scott Kellacher stepped up from first-team coach to become the head coach, with striker and captain Billy Mckay becoming assistant boss while continuing to play.
Nicolson is encouraged by the way some of the club’s under-18 players have contributed so far this season.
He said: “Ross and I are still heavily involved in the youth side of things. We both love coaching the youngsters. The more time on the grass, the better, and I’m sure our wives are in agreement with that.
“Getting that mix is such a great experience. Working with the professionals on the grass in the mornings and the kids at night.
ICTFC under-18s making match-day squads
“We’ve been getting the message across to the kids that they have the pathway, the opportunity, to put themselves forward.
“In the past couple of weeks, our squad has had some of our under-18s as well as academy graduates. That’s a pathway that’s available at the club.
“There is good talent coming through our system and our academy and it is up to them to really grasp the opportunities that might fall their way.
“It’s great to see the likes of young Leo Walker, Sam Thompson and Sam Reid, who are still in the under-18 squad, currently being involved in the first-team training and in match-day squads.”
In 2020, the Covid pandemic offered Nicolson a surprise return to the Caledonian Stadium, having been at the club from 2006 to 2009.
He said: “This is my second time at the club. I was here when we were a Premier League side, working in the youth department under Danny MacDonald, who was a great mentor to me.
“I had a bit of time away and ended up at Strathspey Thistle, but during Covid I got back involved with the youth side here under Charlie Christie.
Nicolson asked by Christie to step up
“The big draw for me at the time was looking at who was here with Charlie, Ross Jack and Ross Tokely.
“I thought they were a good group of lads to work with and learn from. That brought me back into the club.
“The intention was to keep both roles on but I felt like the right thing to do was to just take that opportunity to come back to the football club properly. That’s what I’ve been doing for nearly the last four years.
“To get involved with the first-team coaching comes from a horrible time for the football club.
“I spoke to Charlie and the gaffer, and they explained what they were looking for. I was only too happy to help.
“The football club has been great to me and it’s given me bags of opportunities and experiences.
“I want to help the boys in whatever capacity they need me to help. I’m delighted with how it’s going.”
After Saturday’s game at Queen of the South was postponed due to the severe wintry weather, Caley Thistle turn their focus to this Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie at fellow League One side Cove Rangers.
Just a few weeks ago, ICT were 2-1 winners at Cove , coming back from a goal down to earn three precious points.
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