Youth players’ parents dig deep for club

Caley Thistle will continue to participate in the Scottish FA’s Project Brave after receiving financial support from 90% of parents of the club’s academy players.

Inverness had asked parents of the club’s 140 youth players aged 12-18 to provide payments of £10 per week to maintain the academy in its present form of “progressive” Project Brave status.

The Highlanders outlined a need for financial help to cover costs of the academy at meetings held at Caledonian Stadium last week, with the club receiving enough backing after setting a deadline of today for responses.

The club also said a number of businessmen and women are willing to make contributions to support the academy, including one who has pledged to donate a five-figure sum.

Caley Jags chairman Ross Morrison said: “In my time on the board, this is probably the most emotional I have been.

“The pandemic has put enormous pressure on the club and the financial consequences have been staring us in the face and on our bank balance for months.

“Scot and I were determined to exhaust every avenue to keep the dreams of Highland boys from Inverness and beyond alive.

“I would like to sincerely thank the parents for answering our cri de coeur.

“We will now focus efforts to take up additional kind offers made by parents and business people alike.

“The spirit of TogetherNess has been shown to be alive and well again at Caledonian Stadium.”