STARTING XI: Caley Thistle legend Ross Tokely on Barry Robson's shocking attire, 'absolute madman' team-mate and country music
Record-breaking Caley Thistle star Ross Tokely's career spanned 15 years and almost 600 games – from Division Three to the SPL – and he is this week's Starting XI interviewee.
The full-back played in many of the Highland club's major milestones – including Scottish Cup triumphs against Celtic and Hearts – racking up an unrivalled 589 ICT appearances from 1997 to 2012.
With the Caley Jags, he won the Third Division in 1997 and two First Division titles in 2004 and 2010. He was also a Challenge Cup winner in 2003-2004.
After leaving Inverness, Tokely also played for Ross County in the Premiership and starred for Highland League sides Brora Rangers and Nairn County, who he has also managed.
Tokely was also victorious in the North Caledonian League with St Duthus, where he earned Football Times Cup and North Caledonian Cup medals.
Here, he takes us through some of the highlights from his playing career.
I don't remember my debut (which was a 1-0 League Cup loss at Clyde on August 3, 1996), but I was probably the youngest in the team and it started off a very successful season for me as we won the Division Three (now League Two) title.
I travelled through from (from Aberdeen) with (former ICT striker) Iain Stewart for training – given I was still at school, Iain was the driver.
There was also a Caley Thistle fan who lived nearby in Aberdeen and he would take us most of the time to home and aways games.
On the game itself, I think I was played on the right-hand side, but if we lost 1-0, it wouldn't really be a big memory for me.
One thing I do remember about that time was the level between the Highland League and the Third Division… it was a step up in terms of the pace of the game.
Any trophy I won was always a highlight.
The Third Division trophy in my first season with Caley Thistle set the tone for all the promotions which followed.
Both Championship, or First Division, titles we won were unbelievable.
I would also say, at the age of 45, winning the North of Scotland Cup in 2023 with Nairn County, beating Caley Thistle and Ross County in the semi-final and final, was right up there.
I played with a lot of really top players, but the one for me who was untouchable for so long was (101-goal ICT forward) Dennis Wyness.
My game was about getting forward a lot of the time, but also to pass the ball on to feet, and he trusted me to find him with the pass, and there were two or three years at Inverness where he was unplayable.
He started off poorly, don't get me wrong – and there was maybe a song about him!
But no, Dennis scored some amount of goals and he put away a great variety of goals – anything from 25 to 30-yarders to tap-ins.
The way he glided past opponents… I seen him often put rival players on the deck with that dragging movement.
Dennis was always a good friend, who stayed with me for a while, so I'd pick Dennis – although this was a tough question!
Again, I played against some really good players, but the guy I always struggled with was (ex-Ayr United winger) Craig Conway… which maybe helped get him his move to Dundee United!
Craig was left and right-footed and at times I would really struggle to get the better of him. He was always a tricky opponent.
He went on to have a really good career down south as well (mainly with Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers).
In terms of my Highland League days, Fraserburgh's Scott Barbour was always a tough opponent. He's been a terrific Highland League player and I'm surprised that he never made it higher – he had the ability.
Scott was hard as nails, and strong, quick and such a great finisher. I always had to be on my toes against him. It was always a challenge.
Hands down, Barry Robson.
I shared digs with (the former Caley Thistle winger) for about a year and he's a lovely guy, but his dress sense…
He would come to training looking like a tramp – odd socks, tracksuits, everything mismatching and his hair all over the shop. He often looked like he'd been dragged out of bed!
To be fair, when he was manager of Aberdeen he looked a bit smarter, so maybe management has upped his levels.
Firstly, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it should it be negative. It's a case of 'what you see is what you get' with me.
Maybe being too honest at times doesn't do me favours, but I think when I stepped on the pitch I'd be someone who could be relied on.
My dad and grandad used to say whenever you had a bad game, make sure you're right at it for the next match.
If you ever didn't do your best, just make sure you respond next time. Make sure you keep that shirt with consistent performances.
I think I showed a fair amount of consistency over the years.
I know other people say it, but Tynecastle for me is special because of its atmosphere and the stands being so close to the pitch. I had a lot of good memories of playing there.
If I look at when I played in the Highland League, I enjoyed going to Fraserburgh. It could be quite noisy, even with the wind as well, and the atmosphere overall made it one of the noisiest Highland League grounds.
Two contrasting venues and I enjoyed them both.
I always recall my volley with the left foot against Hearts at Tynecastle in the Scottish Cup (in January 2002).
I also scored a cracking overhead kick against Dundee United, but there's probably no footage about – that would be in the top five for me.
I also scored two memorable goals for Nairn County against Banks o' Dee – one was a volley, the other was a free-kick. I never took many free-kicks in my career because I was down the pecking order.
There's only one man for this – Liam Keogh (ex-ICT midfielder).
He was an absolute madman. We were on many an end-of-season Magaluf trip and we room-shared, but if there was one man to get you off a desert island, he'd be my pick.
He's not shy and a total character. I always enjoyed his company and he's such a good story-teller.
I do a fair bit of running. Over the least five years, and certainly over the last few months, I have been heavy on the running.
I love spending time with my grandson and enjoy the river walks with the missus as well.
I'm actually also into my country music right now, so I've been going to a lot of gigs, which I'm really enjoying.
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The National
an hour ago
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Robbie Ure on Rangers dream, Kasper Schmeichel and Scotland
In reality, that unforgettable moment for the young striker, as he opened the scoring against Queen of the South in a League Cup tie on his debut for the club, had been the end result of over a decade of hard graft. 'It was a dream,' Ure said. 'All my family were in the stands, and it came so early. I remember after I'd scored, I was already just so happy, but the game was still going on. It was a great night.' Ure had walked out at Ibrox that evening determined to grasp his opportunity. Though he was just 18 at the time, his upbringing as a Rangers fan and his education in their academy since the age of eight, meant that he was keenly aware even then that such chances are not given lightly. When they come, you have to seize them. 'I'd grown up at Rangers,' he said. 'It became home to me. It wasn't really daunting at first. I just came in, worked hard and enjoyed myself. 'Of course, a few years later when I started to train a little bit with the first team, and being a fan of the club and looking on the pitch and seeing people that I'd usually see from the stands, then it probably became a little bit more daunting to me. (Image: SNS Group) 'But we were like a family. There's a lot of togetherness there in the academy. Everyone is looking out for everyone. It was a really good time for me. Everyone working there really made it feel like a nice place to come and play football. 'And my family, they never put any pressure on me at that young age. It was my dream at the time, to break through into the Rangers first team. But I was also mature enough and realistic enough to know how difficult it can be. 'Look at the last 10 years, there's not many players from the academy that have broken through. I was realistic enough to know that if my time did come, I had to be prepared for it. 'I really want to thank Giovanni van Bronckhorst for the opportunity because he didn't have to give me that chance, and he did. So, I'm forever grateful to him for that. 'When you'd speak to him, he'd have such a presence. It was just great for me and my family that I'd be able to work with someone who was such a good footballer in his time at Rangers, and also a great manager. It was great working with him.' With that knowledge of how difficult it can be for young academy products to sustain a place in the Rangers team, and with his family there to keep a check on him, there was little prospect of Ure getting carried away by his moment in the Ibrox limelight. 'In football, a lot of people will make their debut, but the hard thing is doing it again,' he said. 'The difficult thing is making the second appearance and the fifth and the tenth. 'I knew from the moment that I woke up the next day that I had to keep my head down and keep working. I definitely didn't get ahead of myself. As far as I was concerned, at Rangers, I was still in the same position. 'I had to keep working hard and hope that I do get that second opportunity and that third opportunity. 'I have a great support network around me. My family is so supportive, and my mum certainly wouldn't let me lose my head. She definitely kept me on the ground along with my sisters and everyone else. (Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group / SFA) 'It was just the same. I came to training every day and I trained and played with the B team, and if I got the opportunity to train with the first team again, I was delighted, and I'd work as hard as I could to impress.' Deep down though, as such opportunities dried up, the realisation dawned on Ure that he may have to leave Rangers to further his career, no matter how big a wrench that would prove to be. In a remarkable display of honesty and maturity for one so young, he also came to realise that at the time, he just wasn't quite good enough yet to nail down a regular place in the Ibrox first team. On top of that was the consideration that in Scotland, B teams play much further down the ladder than in many other European countries. The Rangers B team he was a part of was playing in the fifth tier, and with the greatest of respect to the level, that was also, he felt, stymying his development. So, when Anderlecht came calling, the fact the Belgian giants could offer him a platform to play regular football at a much higher level in their own B team was a major driver behind his decision to leave his Ibrox dream behind and head for the continent. 'That was probably the biggest factor in the decision to be honest,' he said. 'It was a big call. I spoke with my family for a good couple of months, but we all decided that it was probably the best decision that I could make. 'At a club like Rangers, there's a pressure to win every game, and me being a striker as well, I was realistic enough to know that the chances are going to be thin on the ground. 'To be fair, I also knew in myself that I wasn't good enough at that time to play games for Rangers, and I knew that I had to develop elsewhere. I knew that the Lowland League at the time was not doing anything for my development. 'We were patient, and I got an offer from a massive club, Anderlecht. The minute I got that offer, I knew that's where I wanted to be to continue my journey. 'Going from the fifth league in Scotland to the second league in Belgium was obviously a big jump. I could come into a huge club and train hard in a good team. 'I obviously had my eyes on trying to go to the first team and training there when possible, but of course, I would still be developing at a good level in the second league of Belgium. At the time, it was a really good step for me, and I learned a lot and I improved a lot playing at that level. 'It was just me over there. My family came and visited but it was just me, really. The first couple of months I was getting a bit used to it all, doing everything for myself, which I wasn't used to doing! 'But I became used to it, and I grew as a person. I matured for sure, and I ended up really enjoying it.' He would go on to make his debut for the Anderlecht first team, a fleeting but memorable experience. 'It was short lived, but it was good,' he said. 'I remember coming on at Antwerp and the atmosphere was crazy. I really enjoyed that moment. (Image: Craig Foy - SNS Group) 'I thought it was a reflection of how far I'd come in such a short space of time. To get given that opportunity was great. 'I really enjoyed the minutes that I was on the pitch for.' And so thoroughly did he enjoy the overall experience, and so beneficial was it to his development as a player, that he would recommend to any young Scot – as many more are now doing – to follow a similar path. 'I knew when I was leaving Rangers that there was a possibility that I might go abroad,' he said. 'I wasn't fazed by it at all. If the opportunity's there I'd 100 percent recommend it. 'You look at some of the names that have done it and are doing really, really well. Max Johnston obviously in Austria has got himself into the Scotland A squad now. 'The evidence is there that there's a lot of talent in Scotland and they can go abroad and really do well and become a better player. I would really recommend it.' (Image: JOHN THYS) Part of the attraction for Ure was getting to work alongside players of vast experience at the top level of the game, and while there would later be a little friendly football friction between him and one of his main mentors at Anderlecht, he had no hesitation in citing a now Celtic player as one of the main influences on his career. 'I have to say Kasper Schmeichel,' he said. 'He made me feel really, really comfortable when I was with the first team. He was such a nice person, so easy to talk to. He would speak to you about everything. 'He was really good with me, and he would also tell me to keep going and that you've got a real chance here. Just work hard every day and you can see what can happen. 'Kasper was someone that really made me feel comfortable when I was with the group and someone that I really appreciate. 'I sent him a message when he went to Celtic, but I don't want to say what I said! But he just always says, it is what it is! 'But I really appreciated his time. He's such a really good guy and he's got time for everyone. I really appreciate him.' Like Schmeichel though, Ure would soon be attracting admiring glances from elsewhere, and in March, a surprise twist lay in store when Swedish club Sirius shelled out a club record fee of €750,000 to bring him to Scandinavia. 'It was unexpected at the time because obviously it was March,' he said, 'I'm always used to the transfer window being in January and the summer, so I didn't expect anything. 'I went on a call with them and a week later I got told that they're really serious about this and they really want you. 'I didn't think too much about the club record fee and everything else. I just looked at it as a perfect opportunity for me to be playing football at a high level. 'I was ready to come in and I enjoyed actually that I was looked at as quite a big signing. I was really happy when everything came together and when I joined. I'm really happy.' He certainly appears to be, as we catch up while he is enjoying the Swedish mid-season break in Marbella, allowing him a chance to reflect on a more than decent opening to his Sirius career, with four goals in his last five outings. 'Yeah, it's a summer break,' he said. 'The next games are in three or four weeks. They've got 12 games up until June 1st and then there's a four-week break. 'It's taken a little bit of getting used to. After November I've got a four or five-week break and then in January I've got pre-season. But I'm enjoying it. 'I didn't know what the level was going to be. My first game I got two assists, so that was great, but I didn't really find my form after that and wasn't getting a lot of chances. Then it became difficult. 'But I wanted to make sure, and it was important for me, that I was getting the basics of my game right, and from there I could really grow and get into situations where I can score. 'The last five weeks have been really positive for me. I feel like I'm finding my feet more and more and I'm getting really comfortable with the level and what's expected of me from the manager.' What next then for Ure? The obvious questions are whether he feels he can be the next young Scot to muscle his way into the senior international squad, and if he can one day reach a level where he can return to Rangers and finally fulfil that dream of being the main striker at Ibrox. At just 21, time is on his side. If he can maintain his current level of improvement - and with his level-headed nature and dedication, there is no reason to suspect he can't – then it would be a brave man who would bet against him achieving both of those goals. 'If I'm honest, I'm a totally different player to the one who left Rangers,' he said. (Image: SNS Group / SFA) 'I think I've become a lot better technically with the ball and I think that's probably thanks to being at a club like Anderlecht, and an academy like Anderlecht where I was training every single day with 16, 17, 18-year-olds that are incredible with the ball. 'I think that I'm a lot stronger. I can use my body a lot better as well than what I could when I was at Rangers, so I do think I'm a totally different player. 'My ambition is just to improve every day and if these things come then that's obviously great. I'm a young player and my full focus is on Sirius and trying to help them, and trying to make sure that I'm improving myself as a player, but also as a team, and scoring and assisting as much as possible. 'It would be obviously great to catch the eye of Steve Clarke, but as I say, if that came it would be great. 'At the moment I'm really happy here and I'm not thinking anywhere past my next game almost, so when these things come then I'll think more into it but at the moment, I am happy where I am. 'I know myself that I have to keep going, keep working hard and I'll see where that takes me in the future.'
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Finn Russell inspires Bath comeback to keep treble dream alive but Scotland star sparks injury scare for final
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Scottish Sun
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Inside story of Ange Postecoglou's Tottenham sacking with Daniel Levy rift that worsened during Europa League run
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SO, Daniel Levy did kill off his main character in the second season finale of the Ange Postecoglou show. Postecoglou himself warned that could be the case just a day after teasing fans at Spurs' Europa League-winning parade that he could stay on for a third campaign with a prestige-telly analogy. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 Ange Postecoglou has left Spurs Credit: Shutterstock Editorial 6 It comes despite him ending the club's 17 year trophy drought Credit: PA 6 Postecoglou does not get the chance to deliver on his third season promise Credit: Reuters The 59-year-old had told hundreds of thousands of delirious supporters lining the streets outside the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that in 'all the best television series, season three is better than season two'. It went down a storm, with many of those who had wanted the Aussie out for the woeful league form now fully behind him after he had ended the club's 17-year trophy drought. Their hope had been that Levy would perform a similarly emotional U-turn, and NOT go through with his pre-final plan of wielding the axe whatever the outcome in Bilbao. How can he possibly ditch the guy who has delivered our first piece of silverware since the League Cup in 2008, and the first European trophy in 41 years, they asked themselves. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL NOW WE'RE BOTH POSH! David Beckham to be awarded knighthood after string of near misses In fairness, Levy did pause for thought, albeit briefly. But Postecoglou always knew the chances of the long-serving Spurs supremo doing an about-face were slim, given how their relationship had frayed in the previous months. So it will have come as no surprise to the former Celtic treble-winner - even if it did to millions of Tottenham fans across the globe. Levy turned to Postecoglou in the summer of 2023, after being snubbed by Arne Slot who had decided to stay at Feyenoord for one more season ahead of his switch to Liverpool. JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS Postecoglou even described himself as 'the last man standing' in the race to succeed Antonio Conte. But the Athens-born Aussie, who had never previously managed in Europe's top five major leagues before, got off to a stunning start by taking 26 points from his first 30 available. That was despite the club selling their record goal-scorer Harry Kane to Bayern Munich on the eve of the season. After an unbeaten first ten Prem games, Spurs were five points clear at the top of the table and anything seemed possible under Postecoglou. Fans took to singing a version of Robbie Williams' Angels regularly after matches, with the key lyrics altered to 'I'm loving Big Ange instead'. Levy seemed giddy with excitement too, proudly declaring at a fans' forum in September 2023 that 'we've got our Tottenham back' in reference to Postecoglou's thrilling style of play. 6 Daniel Levy has wielded his axe again Credit: GETTY 6 Fans and players appeared with him after the Europa League success Credit: Getty But then came THAT 4-1 home defeat to Chelsea in November 2023 - the bonkers game Postecoglou may be best remembered for, even more so than the Europa final win over Manchester United. Having had two men sent off and having lost James Maddison and Micky van de Ven to serious injuries, Spurs, amazingly, continued to attack and almost nicked a 2-2 draw. But then Nicolas Jackson completed what was dubbed the worst hat-trick ever in injury-time - before Spurs were treated to a standing ovation by their fans as they left the pitch. It was unprecedented - yet after that game, things were never the same. Teams started to wise up to Spurs' style of inverted full-backs and clever cut-backs - as well as exposing the gaps they left at the back. Eric Dier, who left to join Kane at Bayern Munich in January, later claimed that Postecoglou 'really doesn't do barely any tactical work, what he does is every single training drill from Monday to Friday is drawn up to represent the way he wants to play.' Van de Ven and Maddison being sidelined disrupted the team's rhythm and they ended up being pipped by Aston Villa to fourth spot and Champions League qualification. Injuries decimated Postecoglou's squad in his second season - with the Aussie's intense pressing style accused of being a contributing factor - and the league campaign began to unravel. Raw teenage talent had mainly been added in the summer - although £65million was spent on striker Dominic Solanke - and it told. Postecoglou hoped for more experience to be added in January but out of the three arrivals, only Kevin Danso fitted that description. Spurs went on to finish 17th after losing 22 league games - the most a Prem team has ever managed and NOT been relegated - including embarrassing defeats to Ipswich and Leicester who both went down. The AngeOut army grew among the fanbase, who had been irked by his misreading the previous season of their desire to lose against Manchester City to deny rivals Arsenal the title. In another clash, Postecoglou mockingly cupped his ear in the direction of Spurs away fans at Chelsea in April. 6 Postecoglou appeared to cup his ears at fans against Chelsea Credit: Getty But all was forgiven when he ended the trophy curse in Bilbao. Ironically, it was done in a defensive style akin to predecessor Jose Mourinho, with the team having just 27 per cent possession and completing just 184 passes. It was more Ange Wall than Ange Ball, which suggested Postecoglou was capable of adapting when many pundits suggested he could not. That feat was not enough though to convince the higher-ups, who had not agreed with Postecoglou's decision to prioritise the Europa League from February onwards. It is understood the club began talking to representatives of other managers from the start of the year, underlining the shaky ground Postecoglou has been on for some time. Now it has collapsed from underneath him, to his disappointment as he felt the job in N17 was not done. But at least he walks away a hero, having finally changed the narrative to one of rare trophy success during the silverware-starved Levy story of the last 25 years.
