Entire Caley Thistle squad on national furlough scheme
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INVERNESS Caledonian Thistle have confirmed its entire squad will be placed on the national furlough scheme as it says the club has gone into rescue mode.
All players and most staff at Caley Thistle will see 80 per cent of their wages paid by the Government scheme with the club intending to pay the remaining 20 per cent of their wages.
In a statement released by the club, Caley Thistle are looking at applying for finances from grants that have been available due to the coronavirus pandemic in a fight for survival.
The statement said: "We have agreed that almost all members of staff and every single player will enter into the UK Government Job Retention Scheme.
"We sincerely thank everyone for their full co-operation in taking this action.
"This furlough scheme allows for the Government to ultimately pay 80 per cent of the basic wage of everyone, and it is our intention to pay the additional 20 per cent to every employee.
"A very small operational team will continue to co-ordinate club affairs during the lockdown period.
"We have also been in weekly discussions with the SFA and SPFL and many of our fellow clubs and we will look to avail ourselves of all and any HMRC/Government grants and deferrals as they become available to us because, in effect, we have entered into rescue mode with regards to our club. "
Caley Thistle confirmed a board meeting took place in Aviemore on March 14, 24 hours after Scottish football was suspended due to the pandemic to discuss ways on how to progress forward.
It says it is looking at ways to raise additional finance as well as applying to Government initiatives.
The statement continued: "We are also exploring what we can do to try and raise any revenue we can in order to ease the ongoing financial challenge we face.
"While we have been asked about the early launch of season tickets we are currently looking at ways in which this can be optimised to suit everyone, especially considering the unprecedented financial situation we all find ourselves in.
"We will hopefully be in a position to make an announcement re Season Tickets in the next 10 days and if you are able to support us in any of our initiatives, you will be playing your own part in guaranteeing a future for the generations of Caley Jags to come."
The club also said it has received donations from fans as much as individual five figure amounts.
"We have been truly humbled by the extraordinary generosity of a number of our fans, who in the last couple of weeks have made amazing donations to the club from £10 to £10,000.
"All have been equally appreciated and you have not only made a real difference to our ability to get by but you fill us with the fire we will need to keep going in order to get through this pandemic so that we can all see the Caley Jags run out onto the pitch again, sometime in the future."
