Sports Flashback: Inverness Caley Thistle manager Craig Brewster left in the dark over funds available to recruit players in January transfer window
With just hours until Christmas Day, long gone are the days where footballers could indulge over the festive period.
That was certainly the message then-Caley Thistle manager Craig Brewster was sending to his players 20 years ago this week as he laid down the law just weeks after replacing John Robertson in the hot-seat.
Also on the agenda was a hunt for a new forward over the bridge at Ross County, who at the time were on a poor run of form in the old First Division.
Inside the first paper that week, the focus was on Highland League action as Nairn County picked up a 3-1 win over Fort William thanks in no small part to a hat-trick from Willie Barron.
Clachnacuddin, meanwhile, had just seen their match away at Inverurie Locos called off just 30 minutes before kick off.
In the Friday edition of the paper, Highland Rugby Club coach Alisdar Stewart was left ruing the fact that rugby is a winter sport after soft under-foot conditions hampered his side’s ability to play their preferred style.
There was also a focus on runner and hockey player Lindsay MacKintosh, who spoke about defying doctors’ expectations to compete in sport despite suffering from severe asthma.
On the back page of the Christmas Eve edition of the paper, though, was evidence that the more things change, the more things stay the same.
Scott Kellacher will be hard pushed to add to his squad in the January transfer window due to the club’s current administration, but 20 years ago Craig Brewster was also wondering if there would be funds to strengthen his squad mid-season – albeit in quite different circumstances.
