Ross County F.C.

Ross County
Full name Ross County Football Club
Nickname(s) The Staggies
Founded 1929 (1929)
Ground Victoria Park, Dingwall
Capacity 6,541[1]
Chairman Roy MacGregor
Co-managers Steven Ferguson and
Stuart Kettlewell
League Scottish Championship
2017–18 Scottish Premiership, 12th of 12 (relegated)
Website Club website

Ross County Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Dingwall, Highland. They play all of their home matches at Victoria Park in Dingwall. The club currently play in the Scottish Championship, after being relegated from the Scottish Premiership in the 2017–18 season. Prior to the 1994–95 season they played in the Highland Football League, a competition they won three times. They have also won the Scottish First Division, Second Division, Third Division (once each) and Challenge Cup twice. In 2010, they reached the Scottish Cup Final and in 2016, they won the Scottish League Cup. Nicknamed The Staggies, County's colours are dark blue, red and white.

History

The club was formed in 1929 after the previous local clubs from the North Caledonian Football League, Dingwall Victoria United (the 'Dingwall Victors') and Dingwall Thistle (the 'Dingwall Jags') successfully applied for Highland Football League membership. The club was subsequently renamed Ross County. Playing in the Highland League from 1929, they won the championship on three occasions, first in 1967, then in 1991 and 1992. They also gained a reputation for their good performances in the early rounds of the Scottish Cup, upsetting league teams on eight occasions. The most notable of these upsets came on 8 January 1994, when they won 4–0 at Forfar Athletic, and were elected to the Scottish Football League three days later.

At the beginning of season 1994–95 the Scottish League underwent changes in its structure, and, following a vote on 11 January 1994, County were allocated one of the two vacancies in the new 10-club Division Three. County gathered 57 votes, while the proposed merger to form Inverness Caledonian Thistle amassed 68.

In 1998–99 they were Champions of the Third Division and thereby won promotion to the Second Division, where they finished in third place. This resulted in promotion to the First Division thanks to a reorganisation of the League, with the Premier League being expanded from ten clubs to twelve. After seven seasons in the First Division Ross County were relegated back to the Second Division in 2006–07. They won the Second Division in 2007–08, and were promoted back to the First Division. Ross County finished their first season back in the First Division in 8th place.

Their manager for a very short spell until October 2005, was former Inverness and Hearts manager John Robertson. He left the club on 24 October 2005, due to differences of opinion on a number of fundamental issues with the chairman. Gardner Spiers, a former Aberdeen coach, was appointed caretaker manager, but he too left in April 2006 after being told he would not be considered for appointment on a permanent basis. Director of Football George Adams took temporary charge before former Motherwell player Scott Leitch was appointed on 18 April 2006. Ross County won their first ever nationwide trophy when they won the Scottish Challenge Cup in November 2006 on penalties with Jason Crooks scoring the deciding spot kick on his competitive debut.[2] Leitch, after winning the Challenge Cup but suffering relegation, stood down at the end of the 2006–07 season, almost exactly one year after his appointment.[3] Former Partick Thistle manager Dick Campbell was announced as his replacement in May 2007.[4] However, after a good run of results to start their Division 2 campaign, Campbell and the Ross County board decided to part company on 2 October 2007. Derek Adams (son of George Adams) took over as caretaker, and was confirmed as permanent manager a month later, after the side's good form continued. County again reached the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup in 2008. They played Airdrie United at McDiarmid Park. Unlike two years previously, County lost in a penalty shootout where four penalties were missed. Ross County also reached the Challenge Cup final on April 2011 in which they beat Queen of the South 2–0.

Chart of table positions of Ross County since joining the League.

In November 2010 Derek Adams left to become Colin Calderwood's assistant at Hibernian.[5] Former Celtic player Willie McStay was appointed as his replacement in November 2010.[6] McStay's tenure was short – lasting only 9 games.[7] Jimmy Calderwood was then appointed until the end of the 2010–11 season.[8] In May 2011, it was announced that Derek Adams was to return as manager.[9]

On 23 March 2010, they defeated Scottish Premier League club Hibernian 2–1 in a Scottish Cup quarter-final replay at home at Victoria Park.[10] In the semi-final, they played Celtic on Saturday 10 April 2010. In a match described as "one of the most astonishing afternoons the national stadium has witnessed", [11] Ross County won 2–0 at Hampden Park and reached the final of the Scottish Cup for the first time in their history.[12] More than 7,000 Ross County fans travelled to Glasgow to watch the game.

In the 2010 Scottish Cup Final on 15 May 2010, County lost 0–3 to Dundee United at Hampden Park.[13] The match was watched by more than 17,000 Ross County fans.

Ross County secured promotion to the Scottish Premier League on 10 April 2012 when their nearest rival to the title Dundee failed to beat Queen of the South. During this push to promotion, Ross County embarked on a 40-game undefeated run in league football, which continued into the Scottish Premier League. The run was ended by St Johnstone on 22 September 2012.[14] The Staggies parted company with George and Derek Adams on 28 August 2014 following a poor start to the 2014–15 campaign. Jim McIntyre was appointed manager on 9 September 2014, with Billy Dodds as his assistant.[15]

On 13 March 2016, Ross County won their first ever major trophy when they beat Hibernian 2–1 in the final of the 2015–16 Scottish League Cup.[16][17] The team's fortunes declined after this success, and they were relegated at the end of the 2017–18 season.[18]

Players, managers, and rivalries

Matchday at Victoria Park

Managers of Ross County have included Bobby Wilson, Neale Cooper and Alex Smith and they have had players such as Mark Hateley, John Hewitt, Brian Irvine and former Celtic player David Hannah.

Their main rivals are fellow Highlanders, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, with whom they contest the Highland derby. This, unlike many rivalries is generally friendly as both sets of fans live and work together given their close geographic locations. However, County have only finished above their rivals twice in their 19 seasons in the league. Due to the geographical proximity of the clubs and despite the rivalry, Inverness CT have signed many former Ross County players over the years, including Barry Wilson, Stuart Golabek, Roy McBain, Graham Bayne, Richard Hastings, Steven Hislop, John Rankin, Andrew Barrowman, Lionel Djebi-Zadi and Don Cowie. Many former Inverness CT players have also "crossed the bridge" in the opposite direction, most notably Grant Munro, Michael Fraser and Ross Tokely in recent years. Both Stuart Golabek and Andy Barrowman had two spells at County each, with the former also having two spells at ICT. A notable player is Iain Vigurs, who is one of (if not the first) few player(s) to cross the bridge more than twice, having spent two spells with both County and Caley Thistle.

Nickname

The Club's nickname is the Staggies, taken from their badge which is a Caberfeidh, or Stag's Head. This in turn was taken from the regimental badge of the Seaforth Highlanders, the regiment in which many locals had fought and died during the Great War.

Mascot

Ross County's mascot, due to their affiliation with the stag crest of the Seaforth Highlanders, is a stag named Rosco, a play on the club's name.

Club records

Honours

League

Cup

Youth

Players

Current squad

As of 14 September 2018[19][20]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 Scotland GK Scott Fox
2 Scotland DF Marcus Fraser (captain)
3 Scotland DF Sean Kelly
4 England DF Liam Fontaine (vice-captain)
5 Northern Ireland DF Callum Morris
6 England MF Ross Draper
7 Scotland MF Michael Gardyne
8 Scotland MF Jamie Lindsay
9 Northern Ireland FW Billy Mckay
10 Scotland FW Declan McManus
11 Scotland MF Iain Vigurs
No. Position Player
12 Cyprus DF Stelios Demetriou
14 Scotland MF Josh Mullin
15 Scotland DF Keith Watson
16 Scotland MF Dylan Dykes
17 England MF Davis Keillor-Dunn
19 Scotland FW Brian Graham
21 Scotland GK Ross Munro
22 Scotland MF Tony Dingwall
23 Scotland FW Russell Dingwall
26 Scotland MF Don Cowie
27 Scotland FW Ross Stewart

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
18 Scotland FW Ryan Dow (on loan at Peterhead)
20 Scotland FW Greg Morrison (on loan at Elgin City)
No. Position Player
24 Canada MF Harry Paton (on loan at Stenhousemuir)

Managers

Coaching staff

PositionName
Co-managersSteven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell
Goalkeeping CoachScott Thomson
PhysiotherapistsKevin Bain & Calum MacAskill
Sports ScientistsGregor Campbell & Ross Hughes
Video AnalystFraser Gorman
Reserve Squad Manager
Head of Professional Academy		Richard Brittain
Academy DirectorDavie Kirkwood
Head of Academy OperationsJim Kelly
Head of Children's AcademyCharlie McPhee

References

  1. ↑ "Ross County Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "Ross County 1–1 Clyde (aet)". BBC Sport website. 12 November 2006.
  3. ↑ Leitch quits post at Ross County – BBC Sport
  4. ↑ Campbell confirmed as County boss – BBC Sport
  5. ↑ Derek Adams exits Ross County to be Hibernian assistant – BBC Sport
  6. ↑ Willie McStay named Ross County manager – BBC Sport
  7. ↑ Willie McStay sacked as Ross County boss – BBC Sport
  8. ↑ Jimmy Calderwood confirmed as Ross County manager – BBC Sport
  9. ↑ Derek Adams returns as Ross County manager – BBC Sport
  10. ↑ "Ross County 2 Hibernian 1". London: The Daily Telegraph. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  11. ↑ "Celtic 0 Ross County 2". Daily Mail. London. 10 April 2010. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  12. ↑ Gibson, Fraser (10 April 2010). "Celtic 0 – 2 Ross County". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 April 2010.
  13. ↑ Murray, Ewan (18 May 2010). "Craig Levein raises hackles after Dundee United see off Ross County". The Guardian. Hampden Park, Glasgow. Retrieved 18 May 2010.
  14. ↑ Bannerman, Charles (22 September 2012). "Ross County 1–2 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  15. ↑ "Jim McIntyre Appointed Ross County Manager". Ross County FC. 9 September 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2017.
  16. ↑ "Hibernian 1 – 2 Ross County: Highlanders win League Cup". The Scotsman. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "Hibernian 1 – 2 Ross County". BBC Sport. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  18. ↑ "Highland clubs got 'complacent' - Ross County chairman Roy McGregor". BBC Sport. BBC. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  19. ↑ "1ST TEAM". Ross County F.C. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  20. ↑ "Ross County". Racing Post. Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
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