Sutherland eager to lift Caley Thistle back to the top tier

IT GOES without saying that Shane Sutherland would love to bring the Premiership glory days back to Inverness.

With a spot of Scottish football history required to achieve it, though, the 31-year-old has almost to be dragged kicking and screaming away from full focus on Firhill on Tuesday night.

The Wick-born frontman broke through at Caley Thistle just after Terry Butcher’s team regained top-flight status in 2009-10.

He would make 86 appearances in three fulfilling seasons before being released by the big Englishman after a top-four SPL finish.

Sutherland could only watch from afar as Inverness under John Hughes brought European football, Scottish Cup glory and a third-placed finish behind Celtic and Aberdeen.

Back in part-time football for seven years, yo-yoing between Elgin City and Peterhead, Sutherland (pictured) to his eternal credit never gave up on the full-time dream.

He declined alternative career opportunities with a steely focus that was finally rewarded in 2020, at the age of 29, with a call to arms from John Robertson to bolster Caley Thistle’s promotion effort.

It is now five years since Richie Foran’s managerial spell brought a shattering fall from grace for Inverness, relegated to the Championship on the final day of season 2016-17.

It has proved the hardest road back, financially and on the field of play. To complete the journey this season they would need to become the first side in Scotland to do it by navigating three two-legged ties in three weeks.

Sutherland, announced as players’ player of the year after Friday’s 4-0 win against Hamilton, admitted: ‘The club has been in the Championship too long. Everyone involved here would say that.

‘There have been some close calls and some disappointing seasons, but it would be extra special to go up this season. There are six games if we are going to do it that way. It would be a great achievement.

‘If, in two or three weeks’ time, we end up back in the top flight, what a summer that will be, but it is all about Partick on Tuesday.’

Caley Thistle, who travel to Firhill for the first leg on Tuesday, are hitting top form again at the right time, having won six and drawn one of their final eight league games. Sutherland said: ‘We’re hitting a good streak of form at a good time.

‘To play the way we did on Friday was a credit to those who haven’t played so much, for keeping themselves ready.

‘We have a bit of momentum but Tuesday in the play-offs will be different. It is basically a two-legged cup tie.’