The rise and fall of Inverness Caledonian Thistle

Billy Mckay, front left, is part of a new management set up at Inverness

Inverness Caledonian Thistle (ICT) is fighting for survival 30 years after its controversial formation.

The Highland club is in administration and seeking much-needed new investment after running up large debts.

Its players and management team also face the huge task of escaping relegation from League 1 after the club was docked 15 points as punishment for getting itself into financial difficulty.

This all feels a long way from glory days "Super Caley" enjoyed in the past, with teams led by managers including Hearts legend John Robertson, former Celtic and Hibs defender John Hughes and England captain Terry Butcher.

For ICT it all began in 1993 when the Scottish Football League decided to expand from 38 to 40 teams for season 1994-95.

It was suggested Inverness's three Highland League clubs - Thistle, Caledonian and Clachnacudden - join forces and make a bid for one of the two slots.

Clach dropped out of the project but Caley and Thistle, who were both formed in 1885, pushed on towards a merger.

There were fans who were vehemently opposed to amalgamation, and it took a narrow 54-46% vote to finally confirm the formation of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Some supporters were so scunnered by the decision they gave up football and started following rugby instead.

'Super Caley'

Graeme Shinnie lifts the Scottish Cup in 2015

ICT, a part-time club, started playing its first games in Division 3 in 1994.

In the 1996-97 season, Inverness secured promotion to Division 2 and in July 1997 manager Steve Paterson, who would later manage Aberdeen, and his coaching team were given full-time roles.

Caley Jags continued their climb through the leagues with promotion to Division 1 in 1999.

The following year the Highlanders were behind one of the most famous Scottish football newspaper headlines.

After beating Celtic 3-1 in a Scottish Cup third round match in February 2000, The Sun wrote: "Super Caley Go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious".

In 2003-04, the then 10-year-old ICT, won promotion to the Premier League.

Over the next 20 years there would be huge highs but also crushing lows.

Terry Butcher congratulates his players after a match in 2013

The club's "fairy tale" season came in 2014-15.

Under John Hughes ICT finished third in the Premier League and secured Europa League qualification - and beat Falkirk 2-1 to win the Scottish Cup for the first time - with 10 men after having a player sent off in the second half.

The day after the final at Hampden in Glasgow, the team took the trophy on a tour of Inverness in an open topped bus.

The club's strong community spirit was clearly on show that day.

Fans who had gathered at the stadium to see the bus start its journey were invited to wait inside the ground, and even got the chance to meet some of the cup-winning heroes.

Hundreds of people lined parts of the bus's route from the stadium to the Northern Meeting Park where 5,000 fans celebrated with the team.

In its first 25 years, ICT also won three league championship trophies and two Challenge Cups.

If 2014-15 was the fairy tale, more recent seasons could be called a nightmare.

Inverness were relegated to the Championship on the last day of the 2016-17 season, a win over Motherwell not being enough to save it.

ICT under manager Billy Dodds did reach the Scottish Cup final in 2023, but lost 3-1 to Celtic.

But last season, a run of poor league results and defeat in a play-off against Hamilton saw ICT drop to League 1.

Angry fans took to the pitch in protest.

Manager Duncan Ferguson worked for free in his last days at Caley Jags

Rumours of significant financial problems were growing louder, and supporters feared the club would go bust.

They were also dismayed by plans to move the club's training base 136 miles away to Kelty in Fife.

Bosses said the move would allow it to recruit players unwilling to relocate from central Scotland to the Highlands.

The plan was abandoned following a backlash.

Over the past few months the state of ICT's finances have become apparent, and there has been boardroom drama, with chief executive Scott Gardiner resigning and former chairman Alan Savage returning to prop up the club with funding.

Losses ran to £1.2m last season and a similar loss is forecast for this term.

Desperate measures were taken to raise revenue.

An online appeal was launched and team manager Duncan Ferguson took a pay cut and then worked for free.

A deadline to find a buyer, or raise enough money to stave off administration, came and went in mid-October.

The administration process has been described as a way of giving the club some breathing space to try and sort out its debts and secure its future.

Savage has spoken optimistically of encouraging local businesses to invest in the club, and his hopes of uncovering another young star like Ryan Christie, who left ICT for Celtic and now plays for Bournemouth and Scotland.

Veteran striker Billy Mckay is part of ICT's first team new management set up, though hopes of a swift fightback on the pitch were dashed by a 3-1 defeat at Dumbarton.

But as the club's history tells, ICT rarely does things the easy way.