The General Ross County Chat Thread

[TheScarf]

Vigurs undoubtably will have been offered more money from County but apparently ICTs contract is longer. Will be interesting to see who he chooses.

[Worktheshaft]

It's quiet in here.

[Thistle_do_nicely]

Best wishes for the 2nd tier next season, County (yes, I'm well aware that we may yet join you). Was an exciting running battle for much of the season trying to watch us outdo each other for sheer ineptitude in the battle for that last place finish, but Dool's do what Dool's does. 

[Cyclizine]

Does this mean we can get rid of the horrendous bolted on seats in the Jail End now?

[blackislekillie]

Nae luck County. Always looked forward to Killie going to Dingwall. Easy day out for me and a well run, decent football club.

[yoda]

Back to mixing it with dross like Falkirk and Morton now 

[Matty-RCFC]

My personal season review, bare in mind contract decisions rely on whether Uncle Roy stays on or not.

 

Scott Fox - Don’t know what to say really. Best county keeper I’d seen in my lifetime, up until this season. Was never confident defensively when he was in goals this season. I still think the management would want to keep him about and, while I probably agree with them, I’m not sure he’ll want to stay at a team that will be playing Championship football next season.

 

Aaron McCarey: Much like Fox, was never confident with him in goals. Would always muck up the ones down his throat but pull off the top corner stops.

 

Marcus Fraser - Alright, but fairly anonymous. His worst season in a County shirt, though.

 

Jason Naismith - Pass marks. One of the few. Wears his heart on his sleeve and was definitely my personal POTY. Ought to have played his last game in a RC shirt, I suspect.

 

Christopher Routis - Unsure. Undecided. Joined last year and has shown plenty of signs of promise and started to come into his own at CB imo. He’s still far too composed on the ball and seems like one who doesn’t really give a shit. Will probably be binned.

 

Sean Kelly - Absolutely w**k. Worse than Kenny VDW and that’s saying something. Pathetic attempt of a footballer. There’s hope for us all yet.

 

Michael Gardyne - Club legend, but way past his best. Would be sad to see him go but it would be best for both parties. Just hasn’t done enough this season.

 

Tim Chow - Another shitebag. Seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth recently. Which is good. He’ll be off.

 

Ryan Dow - Same as above, without the disappeared off the face of the earth bit. Pish. Next.

 

Alex Schalk - One of the reasons we finished where we did. Why this guy was looked last week in week out by OC I’ll never know. Been excellent over the last few weeks, just too little too late. Would love him to stay but, much like Fox, wouldn’t put it past him leaving for bigger things.

 

Craig Curran - Maybe an unpopular opinion, but seems absolutely clueless without Boyce. Hasn’t had much game time recently in all fairness, but another player who hasn’t had his best season in an RC shirt. Would be great fit for the Championship, though.

 

David N’Gog - What’s a David N’Gog again?

 

Andrew Davies - Like Midge, has run his last race. We need fresh belief in the changing room, and a change of captaincy could definitely be a start.

 

Dylan Dykes - Obviously out on loan this season, but next season could be a huge year for him if kept on. I liked him last season from the few times we saw him under JM, the sort of player who’d provide great depth in the shite shower we’re going into.

 

Ross Draper - Again, inconsistent. One game you’d think “finally, he’s clicked. He’s turning out to what we want him to be”, and then next game he’d get bullied by a similar type of player. Hasn’t really worked out the way I thought it would, but hasn’t been the worst player in the side this year. Doubt he’ll want to kick about for the championship, though.

 

Thomas Mikkelsen - Clearly didn’t cut it at Prem level, so went to United. Hasn’t really made much of an impact, I don’t think, but has got his name on the scoresheet a few times. Running is a problem for him though, which is never a good sign.

 

Billy Mckay - Y’know, I think back to that midweek game, at Vicky Park, against St J, and how that goalmouth scramble didn’t go in. A proven goal scorer who’s confidence looked absolutely shot throughout the whole season until paired with Schalk. Just wish it was distinguished earlier that those two were our best strikers.

 

Tony Dingwall - Always wanted him to succeed in the team, but it’s never really worked. Much like Dykes, however, could be a big year for him to establish a place in the team, especially with how keen Ketts and Fergy are about bringing through the young boys.

 

Jim O’Brien - Expecting to see him jump ship this summer. An ever present in OC’s masterclass, another inconsistent player. Meh.

 

Liam Fontaine - Didn’t really make much of an impact during his time here, really. Passenger. Was alright. Nothing to shout about.

 

Davis Keillor-Dunn - Now I pray to god, that this kid doesn’t leave this summer. Would love to see him tear it up next season in the championship. Class wee player who, unfortunately, didn’t fit our system in the latter stages of the season. Keen for him to start all the time next season. Want him to be ever-present.

 

Greg Morrison - Was on loan at Dumbarton last I heard of him, but haven’t seen anything of him for ages. Big season for him, though.

 

Mark Foden, Blair Malcolm, Russell Dingwall and Ross Maciver have all been out on loan this season, but they’re players I’d expect to see some of in the coming months.

 

Can’t even be arsed doing the loanees as most of them hardly made any sort of impact. Apart from Jamie Lindsay, who’s was half decent. Will probably go to another premiership team on loan next season, I presume. Harry Souttar was a bit meh, Max Melbourne wasn’t too bad though.

 

So all in all, pish. Absolute pish. Dreadful and fully deserve to go down. Looking forward to the El Kessicko and some different away journeys next season. Also the Irn-Bru cup, maybe a weekend away in Wales/NI on the cards. I don’t know. Part of me looking forward to the challenge. Maybe gives us time to get our shit together, because we really need it.

 

Anyway, au revoir Top Flight football. It’s been a pleasure etc etc.

[accies1874]

I'll miss you c***s  

[yoda]

Quite happy to see some of the Development League title winning team get given a shot next season (although it sounds like the goalkeeper is absolutely rotten). I suspect a fit Tony Dingwall could probably do a half-decent job in the Championship, too. 

You'd expect some major work over the summer. I'd happily see McCarey, Dow, Kelly, Chow, and Mikkelsen hounded out of the club tomorrow. I expect Davies, N'Gog, O'Brien, Gardyne, Schalk, and McKay to move on. Naismith will probably head off somewhere for a half-decent fee.

I'd like to see Fraser, Routis, Draper, and Keillor-Dunn all stay. Fox too, if he can regain some confidence.

 

[DA Baracus]

Unlucks lads. Personally I'm delighted as I've never been to Dingwall. Looking forward to our (minimum) 2 trips there next season. You will also get to munch upon a delightful steak bridie at East End.

Also you get to play in the Irn Bru Cup. 

[Matty-RCFC]

You will also get to munch upon a delightful steak bridie at East End.

I recommend the Haggis Pies up here, if you didn’t know already!

[DA Baracus]

2 minutes ago, Matty-RCFC said:

I recommend the Haggis Pies up here, if you didn’t know already!

I didn't. Are they sold at the ground?

[TheScarf]

59 minutes ago, blackislekillie said:

Nae luck County. Always looked forward to Killie going to Dingwall. Easy day out for me and a well run, decent football club.

Without sticking the knife in even further, having a squad built on soft loans from the chairman isn’t the definition of a well run club.

[blackislekillie]

Is that the case though? Ibalways get the impression that even when McGregor stands down there's a sustainable business left behind.

[TheScarf]

Just now, blackislekillie said:

Is that the case though? Ibalways get the impression that even when McGregor stands down there's a sustainable business left behind.

Of course they’ll be sustainable. Just with players on far less money, ergo far worse players. I’d say their natural level is Championship based on their probable revenue minus the MacGregor bankrolling. 

Ross County and cutting cloth accordingly is a foreign concept at the moment.  Be interesting to see how he plays it over the summer.

[ICTChris]

County will try to do what we did when relegated in 2009, go all in on heading straight back up. I don’t expect that they’ll lose any high earners and will probably have the strongest squad on paper going into next season. What I think could cause them problems is the management team - McGregor isn’t shy of giving managers the bullet early but I think that Kettlewell and Ferguson would get more time due to the fact they’ve been promoted from within. If the co-managers get it wrong they could end up hamstringing County’s chances at the title. When you look at their record in this run-in would anyone call it a success? I don’t think so, especially post-split where a useless Partick side out pointed them 8-3 and a tanking Accies beat them in a crunch game.

[Savage Henry]

My personal season review, bare in mind contract decisions rely on whether Uncle Roy stays on or not.
 
Scott Fox - Don’t know what to say really. Best county keeper I’d seen in my lifetime, up until this season. Was never confident defensively when he was in goals this season. I still think the management would want to keep him about and, while I probably agree with them, I’m not sure he’ll want to stay at a team that will be playing Championship football next season.
 
Aaron McCarey: Much like Fox, was never confident with him in goals. Would always muck up the ones down his throat but pull off the top corner stops.
 
Marcus Fraser - Alright, but fairly anonymous. His worst season in a County shirt, though.
 
Jason Naismith - Pass marks. One of the few. Wears his heart on his sleeve and was definitely my personal POTY. Ought to have played his last game in a RC shirt, I suspect.
 
Christopher Routis - Unsure. Undecided. Joined last year and has shown plenty of signs of promise and started to come into his own at CB imo. He’s still far too composed on the ball and seems like one who doesn’t really give a shit. Will probably be binned.
 
Sean Kelly - Absolutely w**k. Worse than Kenny VDW and that’s saying something. Pathetic attempt of a footballer. There’s hope for us all yet.
 
Michael Gardyne - Club legend, but way past his best. Would be sad to see him go but it would be best for both parties. Just hasn’t done enough this season.
 
Tim Chow - Another shitebag. Seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth recently. Which is good. He’ll be off.
 
Ryan Dow - Same as above, without the disappeared off the face of the earth bit. Pish. Next.
 
Alex Schalk - One of the reasons we finished where we did. Why this guy was looked last week in week out by OC I’ll never know. Been excellent over the last few weeks, just too little too late. Would love him to stay but, much like Fox, wouldn’t put it past him leaving for bigger things.
 
Craig Curran - Maybe an unpopular opinion, but seems absolutely clueless without Boyce. Hasn’t had much game time recently in all fairness, but another player who hasn’t had his best season in an RC shirt. Would be great fit for the Championship, though.
 
David N’Gog - What’s a David N’Gog again?
 
Andrew Davies - Like Midge, has run his last race. We need fresh belief in the changing room, and a change of captaincy could definitely be a start.
 
Dylan Dykes - Obviously out on loan this season, but next season could be a huge year for him if kept on. I liked him last season from the few times we saw him under JM, the sort of player who’d provide great depth in the shite shower we’re going into.
 
Ross Draper - Again, inconsistent. One game you’d think “finally, he’s clicked. He’s turning out to what we want him to be”, and then next game he’d get bullied by a similar type of player. Hasn’t really worked out the way I thought it would, but hasn’t been the worst player in the side this year. Doubt he’ll want to kick about for the championship, though.
 
Thomas Mikkelsen - Clearly didn’t cut it at Prem level, so went to United. Hasn’t really made much of an impact, I don’t think, but has got his name on the scoresheet a few times. Running is a problem for him though, which is never a good sign.
 
Billy Mckay - Y’know, I think back to that midweek game, at Vicky Park, against St J, and how that goalmouth scramble didn’t go in. A proven goal scorer who’s confidence looked absolutely shot throughout the whole season until paired with Schalk. Just wish it was distinguished earlier that those two were our best strikers.
 
Tony Dingwall - Always wanted him to succeed in the team, but it’s never really worked. Much like Dykes, however, could be a big year for him to establish a place in the team, especially with how keen Ketts and Fergy are about bringing through the young boys.
 
Jim O’Brien - Expecting to see him jump ship this summer. An ever present in OC’s masterclass, another inconsistent player. Meh.
 
Liam Fontaine - Didn’t really make much of an impact during his time here, really. Passenger. Was alright. Nothing to shout about.
 
Davis Keillor-Dunn - Now I pray to god, that this kid doesn’t leave this summer. Would love to see him tear it up next season in the championship. Class wee player who, unfortunately, didn’t fit our system in the latter stages of the season. Keen for him to start all the time next season. Want him to be ever-present.
 
Greg Morrison - Was on loan at Dumbarton last I heard of him, but haven’t seen anything of him for ages. Big season for him, though.
 
Mark Foden, Blair Malcolm, Russell Dingwall and Ross Maciver have all been out on loan this season, but they’re players I’d expect to see some of in the coming months.
 
Can’t even be arsed doing the loanees as most of them hardly made any sort of impact. Apart from Jamie Lindsay, who’s was half decent. Will probably go to another premiership team on loan next season, I presume. Harry Souttar was a bit meh, Max Melbourne wasn’t too bad though.
 
So all in all, pish. Absolute pish. Dreadful and fully deserve to go down. Looking forward to the El Kessicko and some different away journeys next season. Also the Irn-Bru cup, maybe a weekend away in Wales/NI on the cards. I don’t know. Part of me looking forward to the challenge. Maybe gives us time to get our shit together, because we really need it.
 
Anyway, au revoir Top Flight football. It’s been a pleasure etc etc.

If it was up to me I’d keep: Keillor Dunn, Dingwall, Curran, Mikkelsen and Gardyne.

Dykes and Tummilty have done well out in loan and I’d expect to be first team regulars. Malcolm, MacIver and Ashmore I view as guys who will supplement the first team.

Mark Foden looks dreadful in the 20s. I fear he’ll be our keeper next year. Yikes.

Ideally we’d also have Fraser and Naismith and Schalk, but I’d imagine they’ll all go elsewhere, and who could blame them?

Fox, Davies, Draper and Mckay are all under contract for next year, lord knows whether they’ll hang around. Draper I’d say is most likely to stay. If they all stay, along with Naismith, our stay in the championship will be short.

Routis and O’Brien, your guess is as good as mine.

Kelly, Chow, Ngog, Dow and Fontaine are among the worst players I’ve seen and if they’re anywhere near the squad next year, League 1 here we come.

I’m happy to give Kettlewell and Ferguson more time, but I can see one of them - Kettlewell most likely - becoming the main man. I could also see them both gone by next Christmas if it doesn’t work, and I’m not at all convinced it’s going to be a success.

I really won’t miss all the Premiership baggage. Worse things than relegation. The financial hit means very few of the out of contract players will come back, and those with contracts will either be sold, or hang around on a reduced budget. Looking forward to competitive games against ICT, as not having Boyce levels the field for them.

If we’ve learned anything from this season, it’s that loaning players from England is a terrible idea. Harry Souttar is definitely the least talented one in his family, and his brother’s crap.

Chow + Kelly - Boyce = doom.

[CountyFan]

1 hour ago, TheScarf said:

Without sticking the knife in even further, having a squad built on soft loans from the chairman isn’t the definition of a well run club.

As opposed to a club that gets council handouts to build stadia? Glass houses, stones etc etc

[Thistle_do_nicely]

2 hours ago, Matty-RCFC said:

My personal season review, bare in mind contract decisions rely on whether Uncle Roy stays on or not.

 

Scott Fox - Don’t know what to say really. Best county keeper I’d seen in my lifetime, up until this season. Was never confident defensively when he was in goals this season. I still think the management would want to keep him about and, while I probably agree with them, I’m not sure he’ll want to stay at a team that will be playing Championship football next season.

...

Mark Foden, Blair Malcolm, Russell Dingwall and Ross Maciver have all been out on loan this season, but they’re players I’d expect to see some of in the coming months.

 

Can’t even be arsed doing the loanees as most of them hardly made any sort of impact. Apart from Jamie Lindsay, who’s was half decent. Will probably go to another premiership team on loan next season, I presume. Harry Souttar was a bit meh, Max Melbourne wasn’t too bad though.

 

So all in all, pish. Absolute pish. Dreadful and fully deserve to go down. Looking forward to the El Kessicko and some different away journeys next season. Also the Irn-Bru cup, maybe a weekend away in Wales/NI on the cards. I don’t know. Part of me looking forward to the challenge. Maybe gives us time to get our shit together, because we really need it.

 

Anyway, au revoir Top Flight football. It’s been a pleasure etc etc.

There's a few names there that I'd be very interested in if we can stay up tbf, chiefly Draper to replace Osman who'll be away. Schalk too at least partially after his hat-trick against us since we'll be losing Sammon and almost certainly shifting on Storey. McKay too. I've always thought Marcus Fraser was very decent although how much of that was down to us just being utterly toothless vs. him looking like Maldini relative to the regular Andrew Davies shitshow's against us I'm not so sure.

Not Fox though, hope he tries to engineer a top flight move for his international aspirations, fails and then gets to enjoy the 2nd tier again, the moody dick.

Edited May 12, 2018 by Thistle_do_nicely

[Romeo]

As opposed to a club that gets council handouts to build stadia? Glass houses, stones etc etc

Dross County fans losing the plot then?