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Ross County F.C.

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Ross County
Full nameRoss County Football Club
Nickname(s)The Staggies
Founded1929; 95 years ago (1929)
GroundGlobal Energy Stadium, Dingwall, Ross-shire
Capacity6,541[1]
ChairmanRoy MacGregor
ManagerJim McIntyre
LeagueScottish Premiership
2023–24Scottish Premiership, 11th of 12
Websitehttp://www.rosscountyfootballclub.co.uk/
Current season

Ross County Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Dingwall, Highland. They play all of their home matches at the Global Energy Stadium in Dingwall. The club currently play in the Scottish Premiership after winning promotion as champions of the First Division in the 2011–12 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 home colours are dark blue and white.

History

See also: List of Ross County F.C. seasons

The club were 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 followed 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. 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.[2] Former Partick Thistle manager Dick Campbell was announced as his replacement in May 2007.[3] 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.

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

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.[9]

Two years later County again reached the final of the Scottish Challenge Cup. 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.

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. Described as the biggest match in their history, [citation needed] they won 2–0 at Hampden Park and reached the final of the Scottish Cup for the first time in their history.[11] 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.[12] 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. Due to the 3 events, April 10 is fondly known as Ross County Day. 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.[13] The Staggies parted company with George and Derek Adams on the 28 August 2014 following a poor start to the 2014–15 campaign.

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.[14][15]

Players, managers, and rivalries

Matchday at Victoria Park

Managers of Ross County have included 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. 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 Iain Vigurs, 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.

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

Players

Current squad

As of 1 October 2016[16][17]

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Scotland SCO Scott Fox
2 DF Scotland SCO Marcus Fraser
3 DF Slovakia SVK Erik Čikoš
4 DF France FRA Christopher Routis
5 DF Scotland SCO Jay McEveley
7 MF Scotland SCO Michael Gardyne
8 MF Scotland SCO Martin Woods
9 FW Scotland SCO Ryan Dow
10 FW Northern Ireland NIR Liam Boyce
11 FW England ENG Craig Curran
12 MF England ENG Tim Chow
No. Pos. Nation Player
15 DF England ENG Andrew Davies
16 MF Scotland SCO Tony Dingwall
17 MF England ENG Jonathan Franks
18 MF Scotland SCO Ian McShane
22 MF Scotland SCO Chris Burke
23 FW Netherlands NED Alex Schalk
28 DF Netherlands NED Kenny van der Weg
31 GK Ireland EIR Aaron McCarey
43 DF Scotland SCO Paul Quinn (captain)
53 FW Scotland SCO Greg Morrison

Out on loan

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
20 DF Scotland SCO Scott Boyd (on loan to Kilmarnock)
— FW Scotland SCO Kyle MacLeod (on loan to Elgin City)

Development Squad

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

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK England ENG Mark Foden
— GK Scotland SCO Ross Munro
— DF Scotland SCO David Brownlie
— DF Scotland SCO Matthew Hall
— DF Scotland SCO Christopher McLaughlin
— DF Scotland SCO Sam Morrison
— DF Scotland SCO Reghan Tumilty
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF England ENG Davis Keillor-Dunn
— MF Scotland SCO Dylan Dykes
— MF Scotland SCO Ross MacIver
— MF Scotland SCO Tom MacLennan
— MF Scotland SCO Blair Malcolm
— FW Scotland SCO Russell Dingwall
— FW Scotland SCO James Wallace

Managers

Coaching staff

Position Name
Manager Jim McIntyre
Assistant Manager Billy Dodds
Sports Scientist Ross Hughes
Head of Youth Steven Ferguson
Dev Squad Manager Stuart Kettlewell
Physio Crawford Quinn
Goalkeeper Coach Scott Thomson
Video Analyst Fraser Gorman

Club officials

Position[18] Name
Chairman Roy MacGregor
Operations Director Peter Swanson
Stadium & Services Manager David O'Connor
Director Alastair Kennedy

References

  1. ^ "Ross County Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
  2. ^ Leitch quits post at Ross County – BBC Sport
  3. ^ Campbell confirmed as County boss – BBC Sport
  4. ^ Derek Adams exits Ross County to be Hibernian assistant – BBC Sport
  5. ^ Willie McStay named Ross County manager – BBC Sport
  6. ^ Willie McStay sacked as Ross County boss – BBC Sport
  7. ^ Jimmy Calderwood confirmed as Ross County manager – BBC Sport
  8. ^ Derek Adams returns as Ross County manager – BBC Sport
  9. ^ "Ross County 1–1 Clyde (aet)". BBC Sport website. 12 November 2006.
  10. ^ "Ross County 2 Hibernian 1". London: The Daily Telegraph. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  11. ^ Gibson, Fraser (2010-04-10). "Celtic 0 – 2 Ross County". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 2010-04-10.
  12. ^ Murray, Ewan (2010-05-18). "Craig Levein raises hackles after Dundee United see off Ross County". The Guardian. Hampden Park, Glasgow: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved 2010-05-18.
  13. ^ Bannerman, Charles (22 September 2012). "Ross County 1–2 St Johnstone". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 27 June 2013.
  14. ^ "Hibernian 1 – 2 Ross County: Highlanders win League Cup". The Scotsman. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Hibernian 1 – 2 Ross County". BBC Sport. 13 March 2016. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  16. ^ "1ST TEAM". Ross County F.C. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  17. ^ "Ross County". Racing Post. Soccerbase. Retrieved 27 May 2012.
  18. ^ "Ross County FC – Supporters Meeting Update".
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