Inverness stunned by promotion defeat

Inverness Caledonian Thistle chairman Ken Mackie admitted today that he was stunned when the club failed in their bid for promotion to the Bank of Scotland Premier League.

The Bell’s First Division champions had planned to ground-share with nearest rivals, Aberdeen, in a bid to meet top-flight criteria and that bid was discussed at the SPL’s general meeting today.

They needed at least eight top-flight clubs to vote in their favour for the proposal to go ahead but failed by one vote.

The Highland side will now appeal to the Scottish Football Association but Mackie is astounded that their bid for promotion was not successful in the first place.

He said: “It did come as a surprise because I really did think we would get the eight votes we needed.

“We got a majority but we didn’t get the eight votes required under SPL rules.

“It’s disappointing because we felt we had a good case and met all the criteria the SPL was asking for so we felt we would move forward today.

“But we were only one vote away so we have to be positive and say it was close.”

The club’s Caledonian stadium does not meet the 10,000-seater criteria for entry to the SPL and Mackie defended their decision not to go down the same route as clubs such as Partick Thistle and St Mirren by adding more seats.

Inverness pipped Clyde to the title on the final day of the First Division campaign and Mackie claims to take such steps by the March 31 deadline would have been foolish.

He added: “We took what was a prudent line in terms of management of our own organisation.

“If we had invested in a 10,000-seater stadium at that point in time, then we would have been investing in something we may not have needed.

“We did not know until the last game of the season if we were going to be promoted or not.

“It’s a very good, very tight and competitive league so I do not think that would have been the correct decision to make.

“The decision to ground-share with Aberdeen was one which we felt would have enabled us to go up and compete in the SPL. I’m sorry that hasn’t succeeded today.”

Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness hopes Inverness win their appeal to the SFA – but insists their backing of the First Division club has nothing to do with their own financial rewards if the ground-share plan goes ahead.

It is believed the Dons will make around £650,000 from the deal but Wyness insists Inverness should be promoted simply because they are the First Division champions.

He said: “Today was really nothing to do with ground-share for us or our own interests.

“Under certain circumstances we could have lost money on this whole deal so it wasn’t about that for us.

“We have consistently said it is about promotion and relegation and that is what we believe should have happened today.”

He added: “There was not a great deal of debate around the issue today although it was obviously taken very seriously.

“It seems the five clubs who voted against the proposal already had their minds made up for whatever reason.

“It was a secret ballot so I don’t actually know who the five clubs are. If you can find out who they are you should ask them to explain themselves because I think Scottish football needs an explanation from those five clubs.”

Partick will feel that justice was done after the SPL changed their entry rules midway through the season.

But it is a painful kick in the teeth for Inverness after coming to an agreement with Aberdeen to share Pittodrie and Mackie has vowed to appeal against the decision.

He said: “The revolution of ground-share with Aberdeen was considered by the general meeting of the SPL and the outcome of that was that we got seven positive votes, but not eight.

“Therefore we have failed in our bid to be promoted to the SPL at this time.

“What we do have is a right to appeal to the Scottish Football Association within seven days and we will be doing that.

“At this time we do not know what the grounds are but we will be appealing.

“I don’t know the composition of the voting at all – all I know is that there were seven positive votes and I would like to say thank you to the clubs who voted in our favour.

“It is disappointing because we felt we had a good case and met all the criteria the SPL was asking for, so we thought we would move forward today.

“But we were only one vote away, so we have to be positive and say it was close.”