Inverness Caledonian Thistle have announced they will be forced to play schoolboys against Hamilton Accies in Saturday's SPFL Trust Trophy clash amid an ongoing injury crisis.
The Highlanders were missing nine first team stars for Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Dundee in the Championship and had a request to recall some of their loan players turned down by the SPFL last week.
Their situation shows no sign of improving ahead of the fourth round tie at New Douglas Park this weekend and Inverness released a statment informing fans that they will essentially have to field their under-18 squad for the tie, adding that many of the players in the pool are "still at school."
Their statement read: "As the ticket prices for our away SPFL Trust cup tie against Hamilton are announced, the club feels that it is only fair to let Caley Thistle fans know that because of our continued unprecedented injury situation and the lack of assistance we applied for via the proper channels at the SPFL, the club will have no choice but to play a team in this tie, which will not include many of our current first team squad.
"While we will obviously welcome support for the boys, this in effect will mean our under-18 squad, many of whom are still at school, will play the game.
"We believe that it is only fair that our supporters know this in advance of purchasing tickets and planning a round trip journey of six hours-plus and over 300 miles, which we do of course face again the following week in the league match at Hamilton.
"We have spoken to Hamilton in advance of the ticket announcement to explain our situation which is in no way a reflection of anything else other than our injury situation."
The clash is the first of back-to-back meetings between the two sides, with Billy Dodds' team also facing Accies in a Championship clash on December 17.
Accies, who beat Inverness 1-0 at the Caledonian Stadium in October, go into the game bottom of the Championship, following a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Queen's Park at the weekend.
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