{"product_id":"inverness-thistle-fc","title":"Inverness Thistle FC","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"xdj266r x14z9mp xat24cr x1lziwak x1vvkbs x126k92a\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"UTF-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFounded in 1885, the same year as city rivals Caledonian, Inverness Thistle FC quickly became one of the pillars of senior football in the Highland capital. A year later, Clachnacuddin joined them on the local stage, establishing a three-club rivalry that would shape football in Inverness for over a century.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 1888, Thistle, Caledonian and Clachnacuddin became founder members of the North of Scotland Football Association. A year later, Thistle claimed their first honour, the Inverness Charity Cup, signalling the club’s growing stature. Their earliest recorded colours were chocolate and white — a strikingly unusual combination in Scottish football — before later adopting the more familiar black and red stripes that became synonymous with the club. Like many clubs bearing the name “Thistle”, they were widely known as “The Jags.”\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFounders of the Highland League\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn 1893, Thistle played a key role in forming the Highland Football League and immediately underlined their pedigree by winning the inaugural championship (1893–94). This triumph set the tone for decades of competitiveness. Two years later, the club moved to Kingsmills Park, a ground that would serve as their home until their final season in 1994.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor the next eighty years, Thistle were ever-present members of the Highland League, securing eight league championships in total. They built a formidable reputation across the north of Scotland, combining consistency with periods of attacking flair.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOne of the club’s most remarkable campaigns came in 1969–70, when they scored 124 league goals — an average of 4.13 per game — establishing a post-war Highland League record that stood for 45 years until surpassed by Brora Rangers in 2015.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eScottish Cup Reputation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAlthough the Scottish League remained effectively closed to Highland clubs for much of the twentieth century, Thistle earned respect through occasional appearances in the Scottish Cup. Their most celebrated result arrived in February 1985, when they defeated Kilmarnock 3–0, a performance still regarded by many as the finest in the club’s history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Jags had earlier sought election to the Scottish Football League for the 1973–74 season but lost out to Ferranti Thistle (later Meadowbank Thistle) by a single vote — a decision widely believed to reflect reluctance among Central Belt clubs to travel north.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Road to Amalgamation\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBy the early 1990s, momentum was building for restructuring within the Scottish League system. When two vacancies were announced ahead of the 1994–95 season, both Thistle and Caledonian prepared bids. Fearing that separate applications might see both rejected, the clubs made the decision to submit a joint bid.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe merger was approved. In the summer of 1994, the task of amalgamating two fiercely independent clubs began. The newly formed Caledonian Thistle — later Inverness Caledonian Thistle — were elected to the Scottish League’s Third Division alongside Ross County.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Final Chapter\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe last match in the history of Inverness Thistle FC was played on Saturday, 14 May 1994, against Lossiemouth. After 110 years of competition, silverware, rivalry and community identity, the curtain fell on one of Highland football’s most storied institutions.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTheir final honour, fittingly, was the Inverness Cup, won in their last season — a poignant coda to a club that had helped shape the footballing identity of the Highlands since 1885.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cb style=\"font-size: 0.875rem;\"\u003eProduct details:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cul type=\"disc\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eYou will only pay shipping\/postage for 1 item, no matter how many items you purchase.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDiscounts are given for multiple purchases.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eSize: A3, A4, A5\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSingle Sided\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePaper: 400gsm premium art stock\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003ePrint quality: Museum-grade, high-resolution\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eFinish: Unframed\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eWatermark shown in images does NOT appear on the final print\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCarefully packaged for safe delivery\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA striking piece of football history — ideal for collectors, historians, and lovers of our national game.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"MsoNormal\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAny issues please contact me at \u003ca href=\"mailto:paul@worldvintagecolours.com\"\u003epaul@worldvintagecolours.com\u003c\/a\u003e by clicking the hyperlink and I will get back to you ASAP.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"World Vintage Colours","offers":[{"title":"A3","offer_id":47464258044096,"sku":"Inverness Thistle - A3","price":15.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A4","offer_id":47464258076864,"sku":"Inverness Thistle - A4","price":7.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"A5","offer_id":47464258109632,"sku":"Inverness Thistle - A5","price":4.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/8242\/7840\/files\/A3-InvernessThistleFC.jpg?v=1771184901","url":"https:\/\/www.worldvintagecolours.com\/products\/inverness-thistle-fc","provider":"World Vintage Colours","version":"1.0","type":"link"}