Door could re-open for axed Caley Thistle star after Celtic stunner

Caley Jags manager Terry Butcher could offer Grant Munro a new contract after the defender's dazzling show against Celtic.

TERRY Butcher admits he could reconsider his decision to axe Grant Munro after the defender's stunning midweek display against Celtic.

Of the 10 players that the Inverness CT manager decided not to offer a new contracts to this week, Munro was the one which raised the most eyebrows in the Highland capital.

The former England captain told the Highland News it was a tough moment telling Invernessian Munro that his time was up, but his performance on Wednesday could re-open door on his Caley Thistle career.

The ICT vice-skipper scored an absolute screamer in the 3-2 Clydesdale Bank SPL victory against Celtic and capped the evening off by also netting the man-of-the-match award. It's a result which has blasted wide open the race for the title as Rangers now hold a one-point lead with three games to go.

The reaction of Munro's team-mates when he buried his 25-yarder into the roof of the net and of the home support when his name was announced as the game's top player must surely have given Butcher reason to think about doing a U-turn.

He said: "And for Grant Munro of all people to score!

"People like Grant, Chris Innes, and the subs Stuart Golabek, Eric Odhiambo, Russell Duncan and Dani Sanchez, the ones I've released, their attitudes were spot-on. They showed magnificent character.

"This was a free game for us. We didn't have any pressure to to get a result. We just wanted to show we could play a damn sight better than we did on Saturday at Aberdeen.

"We'll have a look again at Grant's situation as he certainly didn't do himself any harm.

"Every player here is playing for the futures, contracted or not. Grant responded the right way, the correct way and a magnificent way.

"I also thought Adam Rooney has his best game for us."

He added: "I wrote the word "annoy" on the board in the dressing room before the game and I don't think the players understood what I meant. I just wanted them to annoy Celtic and get in their faces all over the pitch. Wow, what a game!"