Butcher certain ICT can do something special this season

TERRY Butcher has vowed that this current crop of Caley Thistle players can become the special ones this season.

The present first-team squad have already created club history by reaching the last four of the Scottish League Cup, although they will aim to go that one step further in the competition should they overcome Hearts in tomorrow’s semi-final at Easter Road.

With Inverness also second in the Scottish Premier League, a first-ever top six finish is looking increasingly likely, while the possibility of European football is another incentive for a Caley Jags side that has only lost three times in 27 outings so far this season.

It is a campaign that although far from finished, has the potential to be write itself into the Highland Capital club’s history books, according to Caley Thistle manager Butcher,

"You want this season to be special and you hoped it would be special, but what I’m saying now is that it will be special — that’s how strongly I feel about this season," he said.

"Being special means achieving things that we’ve never achieved before and if we can do that then it will be an incredible season for us."

For Caley Thistle, tomorrow represents a step into the unknown, but Butcher has previous experience of a Scottish League Cup semi-final.

In 2005, Butcher was in the Motherwell dugout as the Steelmen defied the odds to beat Hearts 3-2 after extra-time at Easter Road to seal a trip to Hampden.

Eight years on, the 54-year-old can see similarities, especially when it comes to what the crowd numbers will be.

With Hearts expecting more than 10,000-plus fans compared to 2500 Inverness supporters, they will have strong backing, but Butcher is confident those making the journey from the Highland Capital can be just as noisy.

"We’ve already talked about what the semi-final is going to be like in terms of the noise and the atmosphere," he said.

"Hearts will outnumber us quite considerably with their fans. They will not have to travel as much where our fans will have to.

"However, the important thing for me is not so much the size of our fans, it’s the noise they make and our away fans make a helluva lot of noise.

"Also, we’ll have 10 times more than what we normally have for an away game.

"Will Hearts have 10 times more fans than they would get at home? No they won’t, but we’ll have 10 times more of our fans, which is a massive thing for us.

"If they make as much noise as the 150-200 people who normally come and watch us away from home then we’ll have great support.

"However, I’m sure we will get great support anyway because they have enjoyed this season and they want to be there when we make history again."

Butcher will also face a familiar opponent this weekend in the shape of Hearts boss John McGlynn.

The pair know each other well, having worked their way up from coaching youth football and Butcher has nothing but respect for McGlynn, particularly given the financial difficulties that have overshadowed his time in charge of the Jambos.

"John has had to deal with the worst situation of any Hearts manager that I can remember," said Butcher, who has no fresh injury concerns ahead of tomorrow’s encounter.

"There’s been transfer embargoes, players leaving, budgets being cut dramatically and people not getting paid.

"It’s horrendous for him to work under those conditions, but he took it on and I think he knew what he was taking on.

"However, John is a really honest guy and he’ll give it all that he can.

"We go back a long way. I was at Dundee United as a youth team coach and he was youth team coach at Hearts.

"We had some great battles. He was a little sergeant major on the sidelines, but he’s mellowed a bit now.

"However, if you think I’m bad, then he can shout. He can certainly make himself heard over on the other side of the pitch.

"We had some great battles against Raith Rovers when John was in charge and we were in the First Division.

"He did an exceptional job there and I’m sure he’s got a lot of respect from the Hearts players for what he’s done so far and what he wants to do."