‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’: Ex-Caley Thistle striker says stability is the priority but won’t rule out promotion push

David Bingham believes Caley Thistle should focus on stability in next season’s Championship – but hasn’t ruled out a promotion push.

The former Inverness attacker was a key figure in John Robertson’s First Division winners of 2003/04, scoring 14 goals in 42 games in his sole season in the Highlands.

That was a campaign which took the club into Scottish football’s top-flight for the first time, a period which lasted for 11 of the next 12 years.

Caley Thistle have been in and out of administration since being relegated from the Championship in 2024, but Scott Kellacher’s team are back in the division after winning League One earlier this month.

‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’

Airdrieonians and Ross County have been relegated from the Championship, replaced by League One champions Inverness and play-off winners Stenhousemuir, with their boss Gary Naysmith now taking over as Ayr United manager, who are also in the Championship.

Livingston have dropped down from the Premiership and the other opponents known at this stage are Arbroath, Dunfermline Athletic, Raith Rovers, Queen’s Park and Morton.

Championship runners-up Partick Thistle will face the Premiership’s second bottom side St Mirren in the play-off final on Thursday and Monday, which will decide who plays in the first and second tiers.

Bingham said it’s important for the Highlanders to find their feet in the Championship after their two-year absence.

And he praised chairman Alan Savage, whose £800,000 purchase of the club lifted them out of administration last year.

He said: “I don’t know Alan Savage personally, but you have to give him credit for coming in and putting his money where his mouth is when it seemed the club could fold.

“He’s put the club back on a sound financial footing.

“I would imagine he wouldn’t do anything reckless. If it’s to be a year or two in the Championship, so be it.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day. If they could go up to the Premiership next year, it would be fantastic, but they have to make sure they establish themselves in the Championship again.

Re-evaluate goals throughout the season

“Once the season progresses and you might find yourself in a certain position, then you can re-evaluate your goals.

“But without getting ahead of themselves, they should enjoy their fantastic League One title win.

“There will be players coming and going, like there is at any club, whether successful or not.

“Scott will have his eyes on players. You need to keep improving and sometimes that can be with the majority of your squad, while at other times you might want to make wholesale changes.

“Listen, in an ideal world it would be great to do what Falkirk did and get back-to-back promotions, but the enormity of that (achievement by Falkirk) can’t be lost.

“Next year will be another competitive season in the Championship.

“At this moment, we don’t know whether it will be St Mirren or Partick Thistle who will be the final club.

“Whoever it is, they will increase the competitiveness of the league.

“Even when you face part-time teams, you cannot write them off. Arbroath have finished in a play-off position again this season.

“Part-time teams won’t be pushovers. Stenhousemuir have come up and they’re in a fantastic position as Gary Naysmith now goes in as Ayr manager.”

Younger players ‘play without fear’

Bingham insists keeping a core of younger players within the Caley Thistle set-up would be the ideal way forward, allowing the team to have a mixture of experienced players supported by natural youthful energy.

He said: “Back in our days, myself, Barry Wilson and Paul Ritchie were the OAPs of the squad, even though we were the front three.

“However, we had an abundance of legs behind us, such as Roy McBain, Richie Hart, Liam Keogh and Russell Duncan. Even the guys at the back were a good bit younger than us as well.

“We were able to do our work at the top end of the pitch, more than ably assisted by Stevie Hislop.

“I know the financial issues will have forced it on Inverness a bit, but it’s great to see younger players coming through to the team. When I coached and played, it was always in teams where a good percentage are younger players.

“Like anything in life, how do you get experience? You need exposure in games that mean something. They prepare you and you find out about young players in those games.

“A lot of them will play without fear. It’s nice to see that.”

Ross County’s relegation was a blow

And Bingham believes north neighbours Ross County being relegated to League One on May 1 was bad outcome for ICT too, but hopes they could become rivals as soon as next year.

He added: “It’s a pity Ross County didn’t stay up, because you would have four derbies in the Championship next season.

“That would have been great for the area. When I was at Inverness, I was fortunate because County were also in the league. We had four tremendous games against them.

“It brings the crowd out – maybe 5,000-6,000 at these games. They’re great derbies to play in.

“It’s a shame that won’t happen, but maybe Ross County can do what Caley Thistle did last season and get back up from League One.

“But for now, the onus is on the Inverness players to make it worthwhile for fans to come regularly and support the team.

“It’s not cheap to get into games now, but hopefully the fans will see they’re getting value for money by watching Inverness.”

[Source: Press and Journal]