2007–08 Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C. season

The 2007–08 season was Inverness Caledonian Thistle's fourth in the Scottish Premier League and 14th since the merger that created the club. They also competed in the Scottish League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Inverness Caledonian Thistle F.C.
2007-08 season
ManagerCraig Brewster
Scottish Premier League9th
Scottish Cup4th round
Scottish League CupQuarter-final
Top goalscorerLeague: Don Cowie (9)
All: Marius Niculae (10)
Highest home attendance7,753 vs. Rangers, 20 January 2008
Lowest home attendance3,420 vs. Kilmarnock, 19 April 2008
Average home league attendance4,753

Scottish Premier League

Caley Thistle finished 9th of 12 teams in the SPL, on 43 points from 38 matches. They managed only a disappointing 11 goal differential, from 51 goals scored and 62 allowed. It was a mixed season for statistics, as this tied the club's record for goals scored in an SPL season, set in 2004–05, but also demolished their record for SPL goals conceded by 14. But overall, it could be called a poor season for the Caley, with the lowest total points and lowest finishing league standing since their promotion in 2004.

The exception to this poor form, and the main reason for the team's survival in the SPL, was the month of December. A streak that included wins against Hearts and Celtic earned Craig Brewster Manager of the Month and Marius Niculae Player of the Month honors.

Scottish Cup

To go along with the lackluster league season was a short and poor Scottish Cup. Caley Thistle entered the tournament in the fourth round, and faced Hibernian at Easter Road. Dean Shiels scored a hat trick and sunk Caley's hopes for a cup run at the first possible point as the match finished 3–0 to Hibs.

League Cup

The League Cup provided a bit more positive news for Caley Thistle fans, as the club reached the quarterfinals for the second time in three seasons, on the strength of a 4–1 win over Arbroath and a 3–0 win over Gretna. The run stopped abruptly, however, away to Aberdeen, who beat Caley Thistle 4–1 on the strength of another hat trick (albeit including two penalties), this time from Barry Nicholson.

Results

All the results of the regular matches [1]

Scottish Premier League

4 August 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 0–3 Rangers Caledonian Stadium
12:30 Ferguson  16'  90' Novo  64' Attendance: 7,711
Referee: Clarke
11 August 2007 Premier League Motherwell 2–1 Inverness CT Fir Park
15:00 O'Donnell  85' McCormack ((goal|90}} Tokely  82' Attendance: 4,259
Referee: Freeland
18 August 2007 Premier League St Mirren 2–1 Inverness CT Love Street
15:00 Miranda  19' Corcoran  55' Cowie  58' Attendance: 3,309
Referee: Collum
25 August 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 0–3 Dundee United Caledonian Stadium
15:00 Dillon  46' Robson  58'  81' Attendance: 4,178
Referee: Underhill
1 September 2007 Premier League Hibernian 1–0 Inverness CT Easter Road
15:00 Fletcher  2' Attendance: 13,258
Referee: Smith
15 September 2007 Premier League Celtic 5–0 Inverness CT Celtic Park
15:00 Vennegoor of Hesselink  15'  59'

Donati  41' Nakamura  56'

McGuire  og70'
Attendance: 56,020
Referee: Thomson
22 September 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 2–1 Hearts Caledonian Stadium
15:00 Wyness  64' Brewster  90' Black  og34' Attendance: 4,918
Referee: Tumilty
29 September 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 4–2 Falkirk Caledonian Stadium
15:00 Wyness  7'  54'

Duncan  18'

Black  32'
Milne  28' Arfield  47' Attendance: 4,011
Referee: Somers
6 October 2007 Premier League Kilmarnock 2–2 Inverness CT Rugby Park
15:00 Koudou  1' Nish  56' Ford  og22' Cowie  61' Attendance: 4,456
Referee: Brines
21 October 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 1–2 Aberdeen Caledonian Stadium
14:00 Wyness {goal|58}} Young  8' Tokely  og62' Referee: Smith
27 October 2007 Premier League Gretna 0–4 Inverness CT Fir Park
15:00 Wyness  2'

Cowie  31' Wilson  73'

McBain  75'
Attendance: 1,096
Referee: McCurry
3 November 2007 Premier League Rangers 2–0 Inverness CT Ibrox Stadium
15:00 Boyd  1' Cuéllar  63' Attendance: 48,898
Referee: Collum
10 November 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 0–3 Motherwell Caledonian Stadium
15:00 Clarkson  15'  53' Smith  87' Attendance: 3,608
24 November 2007 Premier League Inverness CT 1–0 St Mirren Caledonian Stadium
15:00 Cowie  6' Attendance: 3,699
Referee: Allan
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[lower-alpha 1]
7 Falkirk 38 13 10 15 45 49 4 49
8 Heart of Midlothian 38 13 9 16 47 55 8 48
9 Inverness Caledonian Thistle 38 13 4 21 51 62 11 43
10 St Mirren 38 10 11 17 26 54 28 41
11 Kilmarnock 38 10 10 18 39 52 13 40
Source: Scottish Professional Football League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
Notes:
  1. Teams played each other three times (33 matches), before the league split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six) for the last five matches.

Scottish League Cup

Round Date Opponent H/A Score ICT Scorer(s) Attendance
R2 28 August Arbroath H 3–1 Niculae (2), Wyness 1,246
R3 25 September Gretna H 3–0 Bayne, Wilson, Wyness 1,717
R4 31 October Aberdeen A 1–4 Bayne 7,270

Scottish Cup

12 January 2008 Round 4 Hibernian 3–0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle Easter Road
15:00 Sheils  5'  53'  84' Morais  88'  McGuire  88'  Attendance: 9622
Referee: Conroy}

Club Records Set

  • (+) Tied - Most SPL goals scored: 51 (also scored 51 in 2004–05)
  • () Lowest SPL finish: 9th (previous was 8th in 2004–05 and 2006–07)
  • () Least SPL points: 43 (previous was 44 in 2004–05)
  • () Worst SPL goal difference: 11 (previous was 6 in 2004–05 and 2006–07)
  • () Most SPL goals allowed: 62 (previous was 48 in 2006–07)

Transfers In

DateNameMoving fromFee
8 May 2007 Ally RidgersClachnacuddinFree[2]
1 July 2007 Don CowieRoss CountyFree[3]
4 July 2007 Dean McDonaldGillinghamUndisclosed[4]
17 July 2007 Marius NiculaeMainz 05Free[5]
14 August 2007 Steven WattSwansea CityLoan[6]
31 August 2007 Zbigniew MałkowskiHibernianLoan[7]
31 August 2007 Phil McGuireDunfermline AthleticLoan[8]
31 August 2007 David ProctorDundee UnitedFree[9]
31 January 2008 Dougie ImrieClydeUndisclosed[10]

Transfers Out

DateNameMoving toFee
1 June 2007 Stuart GolabekRoss CountyFree[11]
28 June 2007 Craig DargoSt MirrenFree[12]
1 July 2007 Darren DodsDundee UnitedFree[13]
31 August 2007 Ally RidgersElgin CityLoan[14]
31 August 2007 Zander SutherlandElgin CityLoan[14]
1 January 2008 Alan MorganKilmarnockFree
17 January 2008 John RankinHibernian£110,000
29 April 2008 Stuart McCaffreySt JohnstoneFree

References

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