Last Update:
June 12, 2024
The Tulloch Caledonian Stadium is a modern and tidy looking ground. It is dominated by the Main Stand, which runs along one side of the pitch. This all seated stand, is quite smart looking and is partly covered (to the rear), whilst opposite is a small open terrace, that is now unused. At one end is the North Stand or more commonly known as the ‘Bridge End’, which is an all seated covered stand which is the ‘home end’ of the ground. The other end, the South Stand, is a similar looking all seated stand, that is given to away supporters. One unusual fact about the Caledonian Stadium, is that it has the widest pitch of any league team in Scotland.
The Club was formed in 1994, following a merger of two Clubs; Inverness Thistle & Caledonian FC. The new Club were admitted to the Scottish League for the 1994-95 season.
Away supporters are housed in the new South Stand at one end of the ground, where up to 2,200 fans can be accommodated. John Hill informs me; ‘The ground is very smart and there’s a great atmosphere when it’s a full house. The ground staff are also very welcoming and the location is pretty good, with some stunning views over the water. The only real let down, was the lack of a supporters club at the ground or any nearby pubs. Otherwise, the catering almost makes up for the lack of beer, especially the brilliant steak sandwiches!’
The ground is built right on the coast of the Moray Firth, means that there can be some biting cold winds coming off the sea. However, the ground has quite a picturesque setting and from the away end you get quite a view of the Kessock Bridge climbing up into the distance.
John Blair informs me; ‘There are no pubs as yet around the ground. The nearest pubs are about half a mile away towards the town centre. Try the Gellions, the Phoenix or Gunsmiths, or the Caley Club (near Caledonian FC’s old ground) which has plenty of history. Most home fans tend to head for The Innes Bar in Innes Street near the harbour. It’s about a 20 minute walk from the stadium’. Near the railway station on Church Street is a Wetherspoons pub called the Kings Highway, which is listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide.
From The South:
The ground is straightforward to find and depending on which approach you take into Inverness, the bright orange cantilevers of the Main Stand can be seen for quite some distance away. Continue on the A9 through Inverness and at the roundabout, just before the large Kessock Bridge that takes you across the Moray Firth, turn right for the road down to the ground. There are a couple of good sized car parks (£2) at each end of the ground.
Inverness Railway Station, is about a mile away from the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium, which is about a 20-25 minute walk away. On leaving Inverness station follow the signs for the car park and bus station (going along Railway Terrace). Cross through the car park, keeping the bus station on your left and on your right you can see a bridge crossing the railway line. Go across the bridge and then continue straight ahead along Longman Road. Eventuall, you will reach the stadium on your left.
Thanks to Ingo Braun for the directions and who also adds; ‘After the match there were a number of shuttle buses waiting outside the stadium to take fans back into the town centre’.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Remember if travelling by train then you can normally save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.
Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can save on the price of train tickets.
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Home Fans
Main Stand: Adults £22, Concessions £17, Under 16’s £6
North and South Stands: Adults £20, Concessions £15, Under 16’s £6
Away Fans
South Stand: Adults £20, Concessions £15, Under 16’s £6
Concessions apply to Over 65’s/Under 26’s.
Official Programme £3
Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC fixture list (takes you to the BBC Sports Website).
Ross County.
Nathan Davies informs me; ‘There are 16 disabled spaces in front of the main stand but the dug outs partially obscure the view of the match. A better bet may be to ask whether you can sit at the top of the main stand (accessible via lift), where there is limited space next to the executive boxes. This ensures a much better view. Disabled are admitted free while helpers pay £11. To book a space call the club on 01463 222880.
If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. The Hotels listing also includes details of how far away the accommodation is located from the football ground.
Record Attendance
At The Caledonian Stadium:
7,512 v Glasgow Rangers, Premier League, 6th August 2005.
At Pittodrie (whilst ground sharing with Aberdeen):
9,530 v Aberdeen, Premier League, October 16th, 2004.
Average Attendance
2018-2019: 2,548 (Championship League)
2017-2018: 2,395 (Championship League)
2016-2017: 2,439 (Premier League)
If you require hotel accommodation in Inverness then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.
Official Web Site: www.ictfc.co.uk
Unofficial Web Sites:
Caley Thistle Online
Caley Nostalgia
Social Media
Twitter (Official): @ictfc
Facebook (Official):Â ICTFC
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, then please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I’ll update the guide.
Special thanks to Owen Pavey for providing the ground layout diagram and to Dave Hollands for providing photos of the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium Inverness.
Ground Layout
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v St Johnstone
Scottish Premier League
Saturday January 20th, 2015, 3pm
Mark Wilson (Neutral fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
This was to be my first visit to a Scottish ground and coincided with a short break to the beautiful city of Inverness. I purchased my ticket online a couple of weeks before the game, only to find out that the club were offering a "pay what you can" scheme for this particular match. As the ticket price was comparable to the amount I pay to watch my team, Peterborough United, I didn't mind in the slightest. Upon talking to supporters I found that the younger element were "handing over a fiver" to get in, whereas the more mature fans were agreeing to pay up to £50 to gain admittance!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
You cannot miss the ground as it sits right next to the Kessock Bridge, which spans the Moray Firth. It is clearly signposted and the floodlights could be seen for miles around. It is within easy walking distance of the railway station car park but, due to the cold, I decided to drive from my hotel in the city. There are two car parks (one for home and one for visiting fans) that are situated alongside the ground. For this particular game there was no problem in finding a car parking space and despite the sub zero temperatures the attendants were pleasant with a sense of humour.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy….home fans friendly?
I made my way to the club shop and as I was wearing my Peterborough United jacket, the conversation struck up as to why I was there. The girls in the club shop were genuinely interested as to why I chose Cally Thistle and I was advised to visit the supporters' club for a pre-match drink and something to eat. Good advice it was, as there is a decent bar with plenty of eating options too. Sky Sports being shown on the tv inside was a bonus. The home fans were very friendly and at no point was there ever a feeling of hostility towards a Sassenach showing his Posh colours! The atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium was very relaxed.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is a relatively new one and I sat in the main Grandstand which soon filled up. There is plenty of scope for further development, should their league position/finances allow, but for now this is a lovely ground that gives a homely feel. Behind one goal is seating for home fans which was only a third full and the away end behind the other goal was home to the very few die-hard St Johnstone supporters. The side opposite the main Grandstand is uncovered seating which only housed the brave tv crew and the odd ballboy. Facilities are clean and well sign-posted but should you have difficulties a helpful steward is never far away.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Being a friendly club that prides itself on attracting families to the game, I found the atmosphere slightly subdued. Only very occasionally did the home fans burst into song and the visitors from Perth offered no chanting at all. When Inverness took the lead midway through the first half through that Highland goal machine Billy Mckay, there was a feeling more of relief than anything else. The home side were very comfortable and never looked like losing so when they scored a second before half time it really was game over as a contest. St Johnstone offered little threat to the home side and their die-hard fans were too cold to offer much support. Being content to settle with a two goal cushion, Cally just sat back and dictated play, much to the annoyance of two vociferous gentlemen at the back of the Grandstand. They were asked politely by a steward to tone their language down, because if they didn't they may not see the full 90 minutes. Unfortunately they chose to ignore this sound advice and when they once again questioned the official's parentage, they were asked to leave the ground which they did with respect and resignation. This all seemed so civilised and polite. The stewards were firm but fair and I enjoyed a little banter with one of them prior to the game. A lot of English clubs could take note here!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Both car parks lead onto what appears to be just a service road that feeds the ground itself, so there is no hanging around trying to negotiate a busy main road. Straight out of the car park and into Inverness City Centre in less than 5 minutes. It did help that there was only a small crowd at the game and I would imagine that when they have a full house against Aberdeen or Celtic there may be a bit of a delay in getting out.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I cannot recommend a visit to Inverness Caledonian Thistle highly enough. A gem in the Highlands. A very welcoming club and a safe environment for children to see a game too. If you get the opportunity to see a game at Cally then do so.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle v St Johnstone
Scottish Premier League
Saturday January 20th, 2015, 3pm
Mark Wilson (Neutral fan)
1. Why were you looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
This was to be my first visit to a Scottish ground and coincided with a short break to the beautiful city of Inverness. I purchased my ticket online a couple of weeks before the game, only to find out that the club were offering a "pay what you can" scheme for this particular match. As the ticket price was comparable to the amount I pay to watch my team, Peterborough United, I didn't mind in the slightest. Upon talking to supporters I found that the younger element were "handing over a fiver" to get in, whereas the more mature fans were agreeing to pay up to £50 to gain admittance!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
You cannot miss the ground as it sits right next to the Kessock Bridge, which spans the Moray Firth. It is clearly signposted and the floodlights could be seen for miles around. It is within easy walking distance of the railway station car park but, due to the cold, I decided to drive from my hotel in the city. There are two car parks (one for home and one for visiting fans) that are situated alongside the ground. For this particular game there was no problem in finding a car parking space and despite the sub zero temperatures the attendants were pleasant with a sense of humour.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy….home fans friendly?
I made my way to the club shop and as I was wearing my Peterborough United jacket, the conversation struck up as to why I was there. The girls in the club shop were genuinely interested as to why I chose Cally Thistle and I was advised to visit the supporters' club for a pre-match drink and something to eat. Good advice it was, as there is a decent bar with plenty of eating options too. Sky Sports being shown on the tv inside was a bonus. The home fans were very friendly and at no point was there ever a feeling of hostility towards a Sassenach showing his Posh colours! The atmosphere both inside and outside the stadium was very relaxed.
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
The ground is a relatively new one and I sat in the main Grandstand which soon filled up. There is plenty of scope for further development, should their league position/finances allow, but for now this is a lovely ground that gives a homely feel. Behind one goal is seating for home fans which was only a third full and the away end behind the other goal was home to the very few die-hard St Johnstone supporters. The side opposite the main Grandstand is uncovered seating which only housed the brave tv crew and the odd ballboy. Facilities are clean and well sign-posted but should you have difficulties a helpful steward is never far away.
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Being a friendly club that prides itself on attracting families to the game, I found the atmosphere slightly subdued. Only very occasionally did the home fans burst into song and the visitors from Perth offered no chanting at all. When Inverness took the lead midway through the first half through that Highland goal machine Billy Mckay, there was a feeling more of relief than anything else. The home side were very comfortable and never looked like losing so when they scored a second before half time it really was game over as a contest. St Johnstone offered little threat to the home side and their die-hard fans were too cold to offer much support. Being content to settle with a two goal cushion, Cally just sat back and dictated play, much to the annoyance of two vociferous gentlemen at the back of the Grandstand. They were asked politely by a steward to tone their language down, because if they didn't they may not see the full 90 minutes. Unfortunately they chose to ignore this sound advice and when they once again questioned the official's parentage, they were asked to leave the ground which they did with respect and resignation. This all seemed so civilised and polite. The stewards were firm but fair and I enjoyed a little banter with one of them prior to the game. A lot of English clubs could take note here!
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Both car parks lead onto what appears to be just a service road that feeds the ground itself, so there is no hanging around trying to negotiate a busy main road. Straight out of the car park and into Inverness City Centre in less than 5 minutes. It did help that there was only a small crowd at the game and I would imagine that when they have a full house against Aberdeen or Celtic there may be a bit of a delay in getting out.
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I cannot recommend a visit to Inverness Caledonian Thistle highly enough. A gem in the Highlands. A very welcoming club and a safe environment for children to see a game too. If you get the opportunity to see a game at Cally then do so.