Inverness in disarray after chief executive Crook quits

SCOTTISH Cup semi-finalists Inverness Caledonian Thistle have been plunged into turmoil after chief executive Yvonne Crook quit the club following a boardroom bust-up. The Championship outfit secured a last-four clash with Hearts or Partick Thistle after beating Dundee United in the quarter-finals last Sunday. But Crook (pictured) now becomes the eighth member of staff to leave since January, cutting short her ten-month reign after directors rejected an ultimatum to choose between keeping her at the club or academy director Danny MacDonald. A string of senior figures have already quit in protest at the treatment of MacDonald and over Crook’s management style. Vice-chairman Allan Mackenzie stepped down in January. Stadium manager Andy Johnstone, head of finance Evelyn Brown, academy administrator Ronnie Duncan, child protection officer Graeme Cooper, youth coach Daniel Lamond and community coach Callum Ferguson have since followed suit. In a club statement, Scots-Canadian chairman Graham Rae said: ‘Mrs Crook was an energetic and creative lead officer for the club. ‘Her tireless efforts to run the business and attract new investment were greatly appreciated by directors of the club, who collectively wish her well in whichever direction her future career takes her.’ With Caley Thistle entering their 25th anniversary as a senior club, fans will now demand answers from the board at what looks sure to be a stormy AGM later this month. Attempts to secure new investment are certain to be stepped up after a second season in the Championship contributed to an £810,000 annual loss. Meanwhile, as he awaits the winner of Tuesday’s replay between Hearts and Partick Thistle, manager John Robertson insists he couldn’t care less if the last-four clash takes place at an empty Hampden or is shifted to Easter Road. Both semi-finalists would have to agree to request a change of venue from the SFA before a switch is considered. Hearts legend Robertson said: ‘You want the semi-final to go ahead at Hampden but you have to look at it from a player’s perspective and a fan’s perspective. You want a bit of atmosphere. ‘We’ll probably take three, three-and-a-half thousand. If it’s Partick Thistle, they’d probably take six, seven or eight thousand, so it would look pretty sparse at Hampden. ‘Dare I say it, I’m not even sure if Hearts would take a massively big support to Hampden for a half past 12 kick-off. ‘If they get through, it wouldn’t surprise me if they lobbied for Easter Road and said: “Look, Inverness will fill one stand, we’ll fill three. ‘Listen, we don’t care where it is. We’d play on Leith Links. We’re in a semi-final and that’s what we want to be in.’ With both semi-finals still scheduled to take place at Hampden, Robertson fears an early kick-off and high ticket prices will kill any chance of a decent travelling support from the Highlands. ‘We want to go to Hampden, but I think the SFA are going to have to come up with some creative pricing or something like that because it’s a difficult one,’ he said. ‘The time is going to be crucial as well. If it’s half past 12, it doesn’t matter who the opposition is. You’re going to ask the Inverness supporters to come down the road. There’s a few things for them to think about.’