Question mark remains over future of Inverness Caledonian Thistle

A question-mark remains over the future of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

The troubled football club issued an ambiguous statement on Thursday saying the deadline for interested parties had passed but did not say if there had been any offers.

The board will meet on Friday afternoon to discuss the situation.

If administration is looming, Caley Thistle’s financial status could land the club a 15-point deduction and job cuts.

Manager Duncan Feguson was stoic, as ever, at a news conference ahead of Saturday’s League One home game against Annan Athletic.

He said: “As you can imagine, the players are all worried. They’re up there just now with the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association), going through what the outcome could be for them.

“It’s been tough for them behind the scenes but obviously on the pitch they’ve been very, very good and you can see they’ve been playing for me. And they’re playing for themselves, so that’s been pleasing.”

A deadline passed on Wednesday night for the club’s online fundraiser that failed to reach a target of £200,000 to keep the club going.

It has emerged that potential investors have included Scotland’s biggest landowner, Danish billionaire Anders Hoch Polvsen.

A Moray businessman has also expressed an interest.

The club refused to comment on talks it had on Thursday morning with IT and finance entrepreneur David Anderson from Cullen.

Mr Anderson was joined by Gordon Ritchie of GRM Marketing and Inverness businessman Don Lawson in discussions with the club’s interim chairman Scott Young and board members Graeme Bennett and Gordon Fyfe.

The talks were said to have been productive.

A Thursday lunchtime statement from the club said the time for any interested parties to make an offer had “come and gone.”

It added: “We’re currently looking at our position and will make a statement in the coming days.”

The players met representatives of their union, the Professional Footballers’ Association on Thursday, to hear how they might be impacted.

Club captain Billy McKay echoed his manager, heaping praise on the young squad.

He said: “You can’t block it all out at the end of the day because it’s our job. But the changing room’s been really good, really good this season.

“They’ve all contributed to that. It’s not down to me or the older ones – they’ve been great, themselves.”

Ferguson reckons even with a potential 15-point deduction, his side could still avoid relegation.

Saturday’s game against Annan Athletic has become even more crucial.