Almost exactly two years ago, upon learning that Inverness Caledonian Thistle (ICT) FC was looking for new directors, I emailed the club with my CV, offering my services. In my head, I prepared for a meeting at the Caledonian Stadium, at which I would make my pitch as an Inverness boy, a lifelong fan, a communications expert, and an investor. I would offer them around £475,000 in cash as a long-term, interest-free loan, to do with as they saw fit.

I did not receive a reply. Now, I see the club, in deep crisis, is looking for investment. I bought holiday homes in the Highlands with that cash instead, and the rent makes me money instead of ICT.

I fear that my injection would be welcomed today, as – clearly – would a communications expert, . Having scratched the itch of wanting to be a sports reporter early in my career, a working knowledge of football was actually a huge benefit to me as a news reporter. I would occasionally be despatched hither and thither to work on sports stories, other than those related to the groin strains and the merits or otherwise of the 5-3-2 formation.

You should have seen the look on many football managers’ faces when I turned up to meet them in the three-piece suit they’d seen me wearing on the TV news the night before while outside the High Court. One of my regular missions was to interview then Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies at the club’s training facilities, which belonged to the University of Glasgow and were situated in the north .