Inverness Thistle Football Club is a

Scottish football Association football is one of the national sports of Scotland and the most popular sport in the country. There is a long tradition of "football" games in Orkney, Lewis and southern Scotland, especially the Scottish Borders, although many of ...

club playing in the

North Caledonian Football League The North Caledonian Football Association is a senior football association operating throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland and is a recognised body of the Scottish Football Association (SFA) and as such has its senior football competit ...

, and are based in the city of

Inverness Inverness (; ; from the , meaning "Mouth of the River Ness") is a city in the Scottish Highlands, having been granted city status in 2000. It is the administrative centre for The Highland Council and is regarded as the capital of the Highland ...

in the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands (; , ) is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Scottish Lowlands, Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Scots language, Lowland Scots language replaced Scottish Gae ...

History

The first incarnation of Inverness Thistle was founded in 1885, playing at Kingsmills Park, and competing in the Highland League as a founding member, winning the title 8 times until the club was merged with rivals, Caledonian, in 1994, to form Caledonian Thistle, later

Inverness Caledonian Thistle Inverness Caledonian Thistle Football Club, commonly known as Caley Thistle, Inverness CT or just Inverness, is a professional football club based in Inverness, Scotland. The team competes in , the third tier of the Scottish Professional Footba ...

, in order to gain election to the

Scottish Football League The Scottish Football League (SFL) is a defunct league featuring professional and semi-professional football clubs mostly from Scotland.One club, Berwick Rangers, is based in the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is located approximately 4&nbs ...

, and are currently playing in League One, the third tier of Scottish Football. The second incarnation came in 2016, where a team used the name in the Inverness and District Amateur Football League before dissolving in 2018. On 12 June 2024, discussions were opened between club and North Caledonian FA officials over joining the league for the 2025–26 season, with club officials clarifying that the formation of the side had nothing to do with the financial issues Inverness Caledonian Thistle were going through at the time. On 12 June 2025, exactly a year after the news officially broke of the talks opening, it was officially announced that Inverness Thistle were going to compete in the North Caledonian League.

Ground

Prior to joining the North Caledonian League, like many clubs in the Inverness and District AFA, Inverness Thistle played at

Bught Park Bught Park (Gaelic: Pàirc nam Bochd ) is the largest park in the city of Inverness, Scotland, and is situated on the western bank of the River Ness. It is home to the Inverness Highland Games and a small scale outdoor music festival. It is l ...

. Upon the club being admitted to the league it was announced the side would be playing at Ferry Brae Park in

North Kessock North Kessock (Scottish Gaelic, Gaelic: ''Ceasag a Tuath'' or ''Aiseag Cheasaig'') is a village on the Black Isle north of Inverness. Description North Kessock is the first village encountered over the Kessock Bridge. Now bypassed by the main r ...

, due to the previous tenants, Inverness Athletic moving to Pavilion Park in

Muir of Ord Muir of Ord () is a village in Easter Ross, in the Highland (council area), Highland council area of Scotland. It is situated near the western end of the Black Isle, about west of the city of Inverness and south of Dingwall. The village had a p ...

Seasons

Football clubs in Scotland North Caledonian Football League teams Association football clubs established in 2024 2024 establishments in Scotland

References

{{reflist Football clubs in Inverness