Inverness City boss ponders future

STEVIE Graham has conceded he would have to consider his position at Inverness City should the club be denied promotion to the North Superleague for the second season in succession.

City were crowned North Region Division One champions on Tuesday after Islavale, the only team who could mathematically catch them, lost to Bishopmill United.

Inverness and manager Graham, however, had their celebrations cut short just 24 hours later after a visit from Scottish Junior Football Association secretary Tom Johnston to the Highland Capital revealed their proposal to play at Bught Park next season did not wholly satisfy the governing body’s requirements.

Having won promotion the season before only for problems regarding finding a permanent home venue for the club to scuppper it, City are facing the prospect of missing out once again.

For Graham, who originally set the club in 2006 with former co-manager Mike Pollard and Dave Siegel, managing director of HighNet, another season without North Superleague football may force him into a re-think regarding his own future with City.

"I stood in front of the players and the committee last year and told them we wanted this club to be going into the North Superleague," he said.

"If I cannot deliver on that then I have to seriously think about my future at this club.

"Everyone at this club from the players to the committee has put in so much time and affort to make this happen, but there’s only so much we can do.

"I had offers from elsewhere last year, but I made a commitment to City. However, it’s frustrating if we don’t get promoted because I want to test myself against the best managers in the region.

"The players have also remained extremely loyal. I know they had offers to go elsewhere as well, but they chose to stay here because they want City to go up to the North Superleague.

"There is no prouder man than me at what this club has achieved, but I can’t keep asking the players to stay here when they could be playing at a higher level."

Yet more uncertainty has cast a dark shadow over City’s title win, which was achieved with Inverness still having five games of the league season to go.

Despite the disappointing news that promotion may not be attainable yet again, Graham paid tribute to his squad for putting the events of last season behind them.

"They guys have worked so hard, not just this season, but over the last few years to win this title," he said.

"We should have won the title last year, but we didn’t. However, the boys learned from their mistakes and have given me 100 per cent throughout this season.

"It is a tremendous spirit we have within the squad at Inverness City and I can’t speak highly enough of the players — they deserve it."

City face the short journey to Nairn’s Showfield Park tomorrow to face Stoneywood in the quarter-finals of the North Regional Cup as they look to finish the season with one more piece of silverware in the trophy cabinet.

Captain Colin Mason is missing as he begins a two-game suspension, while Michael Turner is an doubt due to injury.