Ross County chief on challenges of a Highland club

Ross County chief on challenges of a Highland club

2 hours ago Share Save Steven McKenzie BBC Highlands and Islands reporter Share Save

SNS Ross County chief executive Steven Ferguson said the club had invested in players capable of winning the Championship

Ross County chief executive Steven Ferguson says being based in the Highlands can be a challenge but believes the club successfully attracts quality players north. The population of the Staggies' hometown of Dingwall is smaller than its stadium's capacity of 6,634 fans. The nearest cities - Aberdeen and Perth - are more than 120 miles away, while Glasgow and Edinburgh are almost 200 miles down the road. Ferguson told BBC Scotland Sport it was a “huge challenge" geographically, adding: "But it is one we cannot change. We are where we are."

Ross County were relegated from the Scottish Premiership to the Championship last season. Speaking at half time on Friday during County's televised home game against former Premiership rivals St Johnstone, Ferguson was asked about the challenges of being based in the Highlands. He was reminded that County's footballing neighbours, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, considered moving its base 136 miles south to Fife to be nearer central belt players before scrapping the plan. Ferguson said: "We understand our importance to this area. They love their football up here. They are passionate about their club. "We just need to show that same passion we get from our community." He said County believed it had assembled a good squad. "I would be wrong to say that anything other than winning the league is good enough because we have invested in a group of players we believe is good enough to win the league," he said. Ferguson added: "We are bedding in a lot of players. "It does take a little bit of time - a lot of players are moving to the Highlands. It is a different environment for them. They accept all that."

SNS A goal from Uche Ikpeazu secured a 1-0 win for St Johnstone at Dingwall

Click here to read article