Looks like back to the future but Inverness

Caley Thistle have come a long way in nearly 24 years of existence but John Robertson knows they must retrace old steps in order to reclaim their place among Scotland’s elite.

Inverness’ relegation from the top flight last season came just two years after some of the club’s greatest moments, when they won the Scottish Cup and played European football for the first time.

Robertson was the man tasked with reviving Caley Jags’ fortunes last summer following the dismissal of Richie Foran, returning for a second spell having previously won promotion to the top-flight in 2004 after winning the Challenge Cup courtesy of a 2-0 win over Airdrie earlier in the same season.

With Caley Jags 12 points adrift of the promotion play-off places with 10 games remaining, a return to the Premiership at the first time of asking looks unlikely.

Robertson has the chance to secure silverware in his first season back at Caledonian Stadium however, in today’s IRN-BRU Cup final against Dumbarton at McDiarmid Park.

Robertson reckons a triumph at Perth would mark a significant stride in Inverness’ efforts to get back on track.

He said: “This club is 23 years old, it has won a Scottish Cup, played in Europe, finished third in the league, won three championships and also a Challenge Cup.

“All that didn’t happen overnight, a lot of good platforms had to be put in there for it to come about.

“From Steve Paterson to myself, then Terry Butcher built a new squad which John Hughes inherited and took even further on.

“That’s what happens in football and now we are back to a complete rebuilding stage.

“We have to go through it all over again, some of the performances have been

“We have to go through it all over again”