CEO Remarks; 2023

As the year 2023 ends, I am overcome with a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the unwavering support and dedication shown by everyone involved with Ross County Football Club. The challenges of competing in the Scottish Premiership are ever-present, and it is through the collective efforts of our community that we have been able to overcome these obstacles time and time again.

The past year was undoubtedly a roller coaster ride for us all. The playoff victory against Partick Thistle will forever be etched in my memory as one of the most incredible games I have ever been a part of. To come back from a 3-0 deficit with only 10 minutes left in normal time, ultimately securing our Scottish Premiership status through penalty kicks, was a testament to the resilience and spirit of our club. The overwhelming support we received from our fans and the global recognition that followed serves as a reminder of the remarkable bond between our club and its supporters resulting in a humbling increase in our new home strip and season tickets sales at the start of the next season.

The departure of our long-serving commercial manager, Lorraine Christie, and media and communication manager, Dale Pryde Macdonald marked a period of transition for our commercial and communications team. Despite the challenges that arose, I am immensely proud of the dedication and hard work displayed by the team in embracing these changes with Dunc Chisholm taking over the management of our commercial department, Jack Michael taking responsibility for the media and communications at the club and Kathleen Mackay taking on the new role of retail and ticketing lead. They have already made great strides in the last few months with new platforms, data cleanse/collection and digitalisation.

Our academy has also continued to develop across 2023. We had a reshuffle of our full-time staff to best fit their skill sets and the wider club strategy with Gary Warren taking over as Academy Manager, Carl Tremarco as our head of professional academy and the newly formed loans manager role while Gordon Duff will head academy operations and youth programme. For our club to continue to compete in a national games programme doesn’t happen by accident, it takes real dedication from staff, players, and parents to make it all happen. A couple of academies graduate’s successes I want to highlight are Dylan Smith who has played consistently with the first team throughout 2023, while also representing Scotland and captaining the national 19’s team and Jamie Williamson who made his professional debut in our dramatic play-off shoot-out win.

Our foundation has had another great year and continues to grow through the drive and enthusiasm of our team; Ryan Farquhar, Ryan Moreton, Nathan Gatt and Chris Draffin who have overseen successful operations of training camps, courses, schools and outreach programmes across the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. I’m predicting an even better, more exciting 2024 for The Ross County Foundation.

The role of a manager in professional football is undoubtedly a challenging one, and the impact of changing managers cannot be understated. The contributions made by Malky Mackay during his time with Ross County FC will be best remembered for the success of a top 6 finish and a memorable playoff victory. As we welcome Derek Adams to lead our football department into 2024, I have the utmost confidence in his capability to guide our football department with his unwavering determination and familiarity with our club's ethos and challenges.

At every football club there is huge number of unsung heroes’ that deserve a big thank you at this time of year; club secretary Fiona MacBean, Nicola Swales and Kat Dearing in accounts, Davie Fraser and Brian Mackenzie our groundsmen, Heather Henderson, James McGroarty and Lucy Ferguson atreception, David and Alan from operations, welfare and safeguarding, our SLO’s Kenny Maclennan and ShaunCampbell, our army of matchday staff; working the hospitality suits, ticket office and 50/50 sellers not forgettingGary Campbell and his team at Nigg and lastly our kit team, Susan Wilson, Jim Kelly and Alistair Clark, I couldn’t mention kit without mentioning our legendary former kit man Roddy Mackenzie (Gairloch) who sadly passed away in 2023, Roddy was a true gentleman and epitomised what it meant to be a true Staggie, his loss was felt by us all at the club and provided us with great inspiration going into the final game of the 2022/2023 season.

As always, a huge thanks must go to our board, directors; James Macdonald and Jia Mackenzie and our Chairman, Roy Macgregor who without their consistent support, investment, encouragement, and passion throughout 2023 the club would simply not be able to do what we do.

It’s been said before, but I will say it again football without supporters just isn’t football! I understand that sometimes It’s a tough gig supporting Ross County Football Club, the central belt bias, the early starts, the late nights and the dreaded A9 would be enough to put many other supporters off but not the Staggies Army. You continually support your/our club home and away, through the good the bad and the ugly but for every single one of us involved at Ross County Football Club it is this support we appreciate the most and I can’t thank you enough for doing so. I will be the first to say that I/we don’t always get everything right, but I can say honestly, it’s not for the want of trying!

As we embark on the new year, I am filled with optimism and a sense of purpose. Our collective goal of success, both on and off the pitch, remains at the forefront of our endeavours. To provide a club that our supporters, their families, and friends can take great pride in.

In closing, I extend my warmest wishes for a Happy New Year to all our players, staff, families, supporters, stakeholders, sponsors, and our wider community. May the year 2024 bring success, prosperity, with moments of pride and joy for all involved Ross County Football Club.