THE MEND IS NIGH
Amid the financial doom and gloom shrouding Caley Thistle, their CEO is sure of two things: They WON’T go into administration and WILL win the Championship
AN invite into the boardroom at Inverness Caley Thistle offers more than an insight into the precarious nature of Scottish football finances.
Chief executive Scot Gardiner casts his gaze out the window over the Moray Firth and picks out Fort George and Castle Stuart.
It is a million-dollar view over calm waters where dolphins frequently come to frolic. Although the stadium is owned entirely by the club, unfortunately you can’t raise a mortgage on the scenery.
It’s all a far cry from White Hart Lane where Gardiner moved almost two decades ago to become commercial boss under Sir Alan Sugar and Daniel Levy following a successful period in a similar post under David Murray at Rangers. “At the time Haringey Borough made Govan look like Las Vegas,” says Gardiner, still an avid Spurs fan.
“In my first week in the job we had two shootings on our doorstep and the outline of the bodies as they fell were taped on the ground, like a scene from Naked Gun.
“The transformation of Spurs and the borough as a result of the new stadium has been magnificent, miraculous even. There are elements of that transformation I’d love to replicate at this club.” Most eyebrows would be raised further north than Wick at that last statement but Gardiner, who knows the Scottish game inside out after spells as CEO at Hearts and Dundee, deserves an audience. Three weeks ago he took the brave move to outline the financial threat facing Caley Thistle in their 25th anniversary year unless they moved to shore up alarming losses associated with playing in the Championship.
It was a clarion call for £500,000 – almost three quarters of which has already been committed – to keep the club buoyant as they prepare to announce losses for the second year in a row of more than £800,000.
Turnover has dropped £1million to around £2.5m since they were relegated two years ago, with gate receipts alone accounting for almost half that shortfall.
Gardiner, 54, took the reins in April and is slowly overseeing a transformation – even if it involves revealing some stark truths.
New directors are imminent and there are plans to make the stadium an ambitious multi-purpose facility, maybe even using the land around its perimeter to the advantage of the club and local community.
Administration? Not a chance, he insists, as he seeks to build on his experience in the Big Smoke while following the example of another club 100 miles south.
He says: “I was one of very few to
survive at Spurs when Daniel Levy replaced Alan Sugar, an amazing leader who enjoyed the best helicopter view of projects I’ve seen.
“He’d look at your plans, turn them sideways then ask, ‘Why not do it this way?’ And you’d ask yourself, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’
“Daniel took over with Joe Lewis and I was impressed by his decision to put together a board of directors with specific skillsets from finance, property, the legal sector, HR and PR, with everyone at the top of their game.
“I’m trying to do the same here. I mean no criticism of previous boards but we need people of financial heft so that if we hit a speed bump they can help out.
“Look, I called that meeting of shareholders and fans recently because we needed to shake the tree. I’ve met a number of people who have said they wouldn’t let the club come to harm.
“Let’s do it now rather than let it reach crisis levels. We’re rebuilding and we need investment and that’s why we’ve gone to the market. We have a vibrant future. I know what we need to do and how to get us there. We aspire to be like St Johnstone – let’s get back to the Premiership and stick there.
“Our crowds won’t get to 10,000 but I’ll run us correctly. We won’t lose money, we’ll make it. But in the meantime? I need some assistance.”
Gardiner oversaw a similar transformation at Dundee, helping the club switch from fan ownership to a private one while winning the Championship.
He worked closely with Ann Budge after Hearts exited administration, again taking the club back into the top flight.
In the last seven days Gardiner has travelled more than 1600 miles across Scotland, attending matches and meetings while negotiating potential deals with backers he hopes will bear fruit.
His drive is remarkable, not least as he continues to battle the debilitating condition of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. His initial self-consciousness at suffering the illness has long ago given way to acceptance and, with it, good humour. He collapsed en route to a meeting with Budge two years ago and called closest friend John Robertson to take him to hospital in Edinburgh, which hardly guaranteed the discretion he craved.
“John was furious,” he laughs, “but I insisted he leave me at the front door because I didn’t want to draw further attention to a disease I’ve found to be terribly embarrassing.
“I mean, can you imagine being wheeled into hospital in Edinburgh by John Robertson? So many people would have stopped for a chat it would have taken us an hour to get through the door. Who was the nurse who checked me in? Jason Holt’s step mum. And who came and took my bloods? Robbo’s sister-in-law. “What are the chances?” Speaking of chances, the coffee in his Spurs mug may have long gone cold but his title talk for Inverness is hardly lukewarm. Player bonuses have been renegotiated this season and are now only paid if they win as 14 draws last time out ruined their title challenge. Gardiner says: “We’ve got the best manager in the Championship and our squad is hugely improved on last season. All the swirl has been around the two Dundee teams, all the pressure is on them. Take it from me, it’ll be like the tortoise and the hare – Inverness Caley Thistle will win the league.”