THERE have been myriad intriguing jousts between managerial behemoths throughout the history of Scottish football.

From Jock Stein and Willie Waddell to Alex Ferguson and Jim McLean to Billy McNeill and Graeme Souness to Brendan Rodgers and Steven Gerrard in modern times, the battles of will between the men who occupy the dugouts have often proved every bit as engrossing as the meetings between their teams on the park.

Has anything, though, ever come as close to matching Dick versus Dunc?

The cinch Championship encounter between Arbroath and Inverness Caledonian Thistle at Gayfield today was of great importance to both clubs before this week’s surprising developments in the Highlands.

The hosts were bidding to triumph in their sixth competitive fixture in a row, equal their best winning run since way back in 2001 and potentially leapfrog Raith Rovers and Dundee United into first place in the second tier table.

The visitors were hoping to end a horrendous slump in form – they had won just one of their 11 outings in the 2023/24 campaign and that solitary victory came against League Two rivals Bonnyrigg Rose in the League Cup group stage way back in mid-July - and possibly haul themselves off bottom spot.

But the game assumed even greater significance on Tuesday when Caledonian Thistle, to the astonishment of their supporters and amazement of everyone in the game in this country, announced they had appointed Duncan Ferguson as their new manager.

The former Dundee United, Rangers, Everton, Newcastle United and Scotland striker returning to his homeland after nearly 30 years away to take charge of a struggling provincial outfit who were just two months old when he departed back in 1994 understandably made headlines and generated extra interest in proceedings this afternoon.  

Ferguson coming up against the inimitable Dick Campbell simply added to the occasion and you sensed that far more punters than usual had filed through the turnstiles and onto the terraces to see what transpired.

In the maroon corner, you had Richard Menzies Campbell, who has spent a lifetime in the lower leagues as a player, coach and manager and who will turn 70 in November.

In the red and blue corner, you had Duncan Cowan Ferguson, who enjoyed a stellar career in the Premier League in England, attained legendary status at Goodison Park and served as assistant to Carlo Ancelotti and Rafael Benitez there before a brief stint at Forest Green Rovers this year. They were a disparate duo and then some.

The contrast in sartorial styles between the two men was striking. Dick emerged from the tunnel wearing a three-quarter length raincoat and his trademark bunnet and took a place in the main stand. Big Dunc came out rocking the smart-casual look and started pacing frantically up and down his technical area. Whose approach would yield results?

It is fair to say the arrival of such a high-profile figure at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium had an immediate impact. The away side went three ahead in the opening hour thanks to goals from Luis Longstaff, Aaron Doran and Billy McKay.

A freakish Scott Stewart effort and a late Michael McKenna gave their opponents hope of salvaging a point. But they duly held onto their lead and picked up their first three points of the season.

Inverness were decent defensively, won their duels in every area of the pitch and passed up as many scoring opportunities as they converted before their old failings resurfaced. But the 229 away fans who travelled to Angus were glad they made the long journey when the final whistle blew. It was an impressive start for Ferguson.

The problems at Caledonian Thistle run deep. Billy Dodds, who led them into the last 16 of the League Cup, within a game of the Championship play-offs and through to the Scottish Cup final last season, deserved far greater backing and much more loyalty than he received. His successor needs to get a couple of key men back and a few players in if he is to steer his charges away from the relegation zone in the months ahead.

Feguson, who was an animated presence on the touchline throughout, will certainly realise after his first 90 minutes that much work remains to be done. Still, so far so good. With Morton being beaten by Airdrie, his team moved into ninth on goal difference. He went into the crowd to embrace ecstatic supporters at the end and will be hoping for more celebrations going forward.