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Reluctant Hero
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Biggest Caley signing denied work permit  Great shame
| Quote: | Caley player work permit declined
A petition has been launched in a bid to keep an Inverness Caledonian Thistle player in Scotland.
Romanian signing Marius Niculae has had his initial application for a work permit refused by the Home Office.
He was the club's biggest signing since they joined the SPL, coming from German club Mainz.
Highlands and Islands regional Labour MSP and Caley Thistle supporter David Stewart is urging fans to back Marius in an online petition.
Marius Niculae was the Highland club's scoop of the summer when he was paraded before the press last month.
Caley Thistle agreed to break its normal wage structure to sign him, with chairman Alan Savage's company helping pay his wages.
'Gather support'
The player's permit application was turned down by the Home Office because he had not played for his country in at least 75% of its competitive 'A' team matches during the past two years.
Mr Stewart, a club trustee, said: "Despite his international record as a player, Marius, unfortunately, does not meet this requirement.
"These are, however, only guidelines for an initial application and I am aware there have been many precedents of even internationally unknown non-EU players with no links to the UK being granted work permits.
"Niculae's application will now go to appeal and the important thing now is to gather support for the legal team to use at the hearing."
Along with setting up an online petition, Mr Stewart has written to Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, calling on her to intervene in the case.
The refusal means the Romanian will not face Rangers in this weekend's opening SPL fixture.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/6928760.stm
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SLG
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I hope they manage to sort it out. They'll be pretty gutted if they don't get him must be their only big signing of the summer.
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