Christie, Charlie

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Personal

Fullname: Charles Christie
aka: Charlie Christie
Born: 30 March 1966
Birthplace: Inverness
Height: 5' 8.5'' (174cm)
Signed: 1987
Position: Striker
Debut: n/a
Squad No.: n/a
Internationals: Scotland (uncapped)
International Caps: 0
International Goals: 0

Biog

Signed by Billy McNeill in 1987 as a small but skilful 21-year-old striker, on the strength of his performances for Highland League champions Inverness Thistle. He had also played for Thistle in their 6-0 cup defeat at Parkhead in February 1985.

Despite the step-up to full-time training Christie did well in the reserves, scoring 25 goals in his first season. But dislodging Walker or McAvennie from the first-team proved tougher and Christie departed in 1989, after another decent haul for the reserves. McNeill has since suggested homesickness or a failure to settle as a motive, but Christie claimed he just wanted to play.

One anecdote confirmed by both men is that Christie was once named on the bench for a game against Falkirk. But being so used to missing out, he had dropped off Allen McKnight and Anton Rogan then promptly left the ground for some lunch. Returning 10 minutes before kick-off, he was gutted to learn that he'd missed out. A further kick in the teeth came when Celtic were rubbish – meaning he would almost certainly have got on!

He headed back north to Caledonian FC, the other team in Inverness (where he had actually started out before joining Thistle at 18). A gig as player/commercial manager meant his feet were well and truly under the table. In 1994 the current Inverness Caledonian Thistle were formed as a cut-and-shut of both clubs to join the SFL from the Highland League.

In ten years as a player he became an ICT legend and retired in 2004, aged 38, with the club just promoted to the SPL. Having developed into more of a midfield schemer, Christie was named man-of-the-match in the unspeakable SFA cup match in January 2000.

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