2017–18 Ross County F.C. season

The 2017–18 season was the club's 5th season in the Scottish Premiership and their sixth consecutive appearance in the top flight of Scottish football. Ross County also competed in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Ross County
2017–18 season
ChairmanRoy MacGregor
ManagerJim McIntyre
(until 25 September)
Owen Coyle
(from 28 September - 1 March)
Steven Ferguson and
Stuart Kettlewell
GroundVictoria Park
Scottish PremiershipTwelfth Place
Scottish League CupSecond Round
Scottish CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Schalk (11)
All: Schalk (13)
Highest home attendance6,590 vs Celtic
Premiership
18 November 2017
Lowest home attendance1,108 vs Alloa Athletic
League Cup
15 July 2017
Average home league attendance4,612

On 25 September, manager Jim McIntyre was sacked by the club.[1] On 28 September, Owen Coyle took over as manager.[2] He resigned on 1 March with Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell taking over as co-managers[3] but they could not keep County in the Premiership and on 12 May after 6 years they were relegated back to the Championship.[4]

Results & fixtures edit

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Pre-season edit

1 July 2017[5] Friendly Elgin City 0–1 Ross County Borough Briggs
15:00 Report Herron   72'
6 July 2017 Friendly Valenciennes 2–1 Ross County Pinatar Arena, Spain
19:00 Mothiba   38'
Ndao   65'
Report Schalk   35'

Scottish Premiership edit

5 August 2017 1 Dundee 1–2 Ross County Dens Park
15:00 Hendry   86'
Holt   78'
BBC Report Chow   29'
Lindsay   35'
Routis   61'
Gardyne   71'
Attendance: 5,032
Referee: Willie Collum
12 August 2017 2 Ross County 1–2 Aberdeen Global Energy Stadium
15:00 Curran   2'
Routis   39'
O'Brien   57'
Keillor-Dunn   82'
BBC Report Reynolds   23'
Logan   71'
Shinnie   72'
Attendance: 5,965
Referee: Don Robertson
19 August 2017 3 Motherwell 2–0 Ross County Dens Park
15:00 Heneghan   3'
Rose   27'
Tait   53'
Moult   74' (pen.)
BBC Report Chow   17'
Fraser   46'
van der Weg   74'
Attendance: 3,911
Referee: Alan Muir
27 August 2017 4 Ross County 1–3 Rangers Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Davies   45'
Mikkelsen   59'
Gardyne   71'
BBC Report Morelos   31', 41'
Herrera   89'
Attendance: 6,400
Referee: Craig Thomson
9 September 2017 5 Ross County 1–1 Partick Thistle Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Kelly   58'
Routis   61'
Davies   45'
Schalk   86' (pen.)
BBC Report Devine   7'
Spittal   22'
Attendance: 3,660
Referee: John Beaton
16 September 2017 6 Celtic 4–0 Ross County Celtic Park
15:00 BST Rogic   13'
Dembélé   42'
Forrest   52', 74'
BBC Report O'Brien   47' Attendance: 58,624
Referee: Steven McLean
23 September 2017 7 Ross County 0–1 Hibernian Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Draper   56'
O'Brien   67'
BBC Report Hanlon   13'
Bartley   57'
Attendance: 4,181
Referee: Andrew Dallas
30 September 2017 8 Kilmarnock 0–2 Ross County Rugby Park
15:00 BST BBC Report Curran   34'
van der Weg   44'
Attendance: 3,337
Referee: Craig Thomson
14 October 2017 9 Ross County 1–2 Heart of Midlothian Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Keillor-Dunn   36' BBC Report Gonçalves   34'
Walker   59'
Randall   65'  
Attendance: 4,819
Referee: William Collum
21 October 2017 10 Ross County 2–1 Hamilton Academical Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Davies   21'
Schalk   70'
O'Brien   82'
Mikkelsen   90+2'
BBC Report Docherty   52'
Boyd   67'
Longridge   89'
Attendance: 3,509
Referee: Stephen Finnie
24 October 2017 11 St Johnstone 0–0 Ross County McDiarmid Park
19:45 BST BBC Report Fraser   59'
Chow   68'
O'Brien   90'
McCarey   90+2'
Attendance: 2,267
Referee: Barry Cook
28 October 2017 12 Aberdeen 2–1 Ross County Pittodrie Stadium
15:00 BST Christie   12'   88'
McLean   52' (pen.)   90+2'
McKenna   75'
BBC Report Gardyne   8'   90+1'
Lindsay   52'
Draper   84'
Attendance: 13,918
Referee: Don Robertson
4 November 2017 13 Ross County 3–2 Motherwell Global Energy Stadium
15:00 GMT Gardyne   13', 42'
Keillor-Dunn   26'
Draper   84'
BBC Report Bowman   48'
Hartley   52'
Moult   79'
Attendance: 4,014
Referee: Euan Anderson
18 November 2017 14 Ross County 0–1 Celtic Global Energy Stadium
12:30 GMT Gardyne  42'
O'Brien   77'
Kelly   88'
BBC Report Boyata  45+1'
Tierney  66'
Griffiths   78'
Attendance: 6,590
Referee: Nick Walsh
25 November 2017 15 Heart of Midlothian 0–0 Ross County Tynecastle Stadium
15:00 GMT Walker   45+1'
Stockton   73'
BBC Report O'Brien   56'
Draper   88'
Attendance: 15,601
Referee: John Beaton
2 December 2017 16 Ross County 0–2 Dundee Global Energy Stadium
15:00 GMT Draper   78' BBC Report O'Hara   18'
El Bakhtaoui   89'
Attendance: 3,896
Referee: Steven McLean
9 December 2017 17 Rangers 2–1 Ross County Ibrox Stadium
15:00 GMT Morelos   59'
Wilson   83'
BBC Report Curran   10'
Keillor-Dunn   71'
Attendance: 48,139
Referee: Euan Anderson
13 December 2017 18 Ross County 2–2 Kilmarnock Global Energy Stadium
19:45 GMT Routis   31'
Naismith   41'
BBC Report Power   34'
Brophy   61'
Boyd   54'   86'
Mulumbu   90'
Attendance: 3,021
Referee: Andrew Dallas
16 December 2017 19 Hamilton Academical 3–2 Ross County SuperSeal Stadium
15:00 GMT Imrie  30' (pen.)
Sarris   75'
Lindsay   89' (OG.)
Skondras   90+2'
BBC Report Curran  73'
Van Der Weg   84'
Gardyne   86'  
Attendance: 1,272
Referee: Gavin Duncan
23 December 2017 20 Hibernian 2–1 Ross County Easter Road
15:00 GMT Stokes  21'
Shaw  75'
BBC Report Curran   14' Attendance: 16,228
Referee: Nick Walsh
27 December 2017 21 Ross County 1–1 St Johnstone Global Energy Stadium
19:45 GMT Schalk   54' (pen.) BBC Report Johnstone   2' Attendance: 3,636
Referee: Greg Aitken
30 December 2017 22 Partick Thistle 2–0 Ross County Firhill Stadium
15:00 GMT BBC Report Doolan   35'
Sammon   86'
Attendance: 2,870
Referee: Stephen Finnie
24 January 2018 23 Motherwell 2–0 Ross County Fir Park
19:45 GMT Souttar   45' (OG)
Main   47'
Kipré   79'
Ross MacLean   81'
[1] Routis   60' Attendance: 3,196
Referee: Kevin Clancy
28 January 2018 24 Ross County 1–2 Rangers Global Energy Stadium
14:00 GMT Naismith   25'
Chow   50'
N'Gog   90'
[2] Candeias   21'
Cummings   82'
Attendance: 6,541
Referee: Steven Maclean
31 January 2018 25 Ross County 2–4 Aberdeen Global Energy Stadium
19:45 Schalk   77', 82' [3] McLean   28', 64'
Rooney   32' (pen.), 34'
Attendance: 4,318
Referee: Andrew Dallas
3 February 2018 26 Dundee 1–4 Ross County Dens Park
15:00 Waddell   57' [4] Keillor-Dunn   49'
Schalk   61', 64'
Souttar   89'
Tim Chow   90'
Attendance: 4,971
Referee: John Beaton
17 February 2018 27 Ross County 1–1 Heart of Midlothian Global Energy Stadium
12:30 Fontaine   53'
Naismith   76'
Tansey   89'
[5] Lafferty   53'
Adao   87'
Attendance: 4,936
Referee: Craig Thompson
24 February 2018 28 St Johnstone 2–0 Ross County McDiarmid Park
15:00 BST Davidson   29', 40'   33'
Kane   59'
MacLean   86'
[6] Curran Attendance: 2,533
Referee: Willie Collum
10 March 2018 29 Kilmarnock 3–2 Ross County Rugby Park
15:00 BST Erwin   16'
Broadfoot   33'
Boyd   46'
Brophy   74'
[7] Naismith   53'
O'Brien   72'
Mckay   86'
Schalk   90+1'
Attendance: 4,001
Referee: John Beaton
17 March 2018 30 Ross County 2–2 Hamilton Academical Global Energy Stadium
15:00 Lindsay   23'
Davies   76'
[8] Imrie   49'
Ogkmpoe   52'
Attendance: 3,586
Referee: Kevin Clancy
31 March 2018 31 Celtic 3–0 Ross County Celtic Park
15:00 BST Dembélé   25'
Armstrong   48'
Rogic   60'
[9] Davies   39' Attendance: 58,765
Referee: Steven McLean
3 April 2018 32 Ross County 4–0 Partick Thistle Global Energy Stadium
19:45 BST Lindsay   14'
Schalk   35'   56'   72'
Draper   41'
Report Keown   65' Attendance: 3,944
Referee:   Willie Collum
7 April 2018 33 Ross County 1–1 Hibernian Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Mckay   28'
Draper   43'
Routis   44'
Report Shaw   90' Attendance: 5,389
Referee:   Bobby Madden
21 April 2018 34 Ross County 0–0 Motherwell Global Energy Stadium
15:00 BST Lindsay   45+1'
Schalk   53'
Fontaine   90+1'
Report Kipré   54' Attendance: 3,879
Referee:   Alan Muir
28 April 2018 35 Hamilton Academical 2–0 Ross County SuperSeal Stadium
12:30 BST MacKinnon   1'
Imrie  56' (pen.)
Templeton   67'
Sarris   90+2'
[10] Fraser  21' Attendance: 2,057
Referee: Bobby Madden
4 May 2018 36 Partick Thistle 1–1 Ross County Firhill Stadium
19:45 BST Erskine   21' BBC Report Mckay   42' Attendance: 4,312
Referee: Kevin Clancy
8 May 2018 37 Ross County 0–1 Dundee Global Energy Stadium
19:45 BST BBC Report Murray   51' Attendance: Andrew Dallas
Referee: 3,976
12 May 2018 38 St Johnstone 1–1 Ross County McDiarmid Park
15:00 BST Wotherspoon   90+2' BBC Report Curran   3' Attendance: Nick Walsh
Referee: 3,279

Scottish League Cup edit

Matches edit

15 July 2017[6] Group D[6] Ross County 2–0 Alloa Global Energy Stadium
15:00 Fraser   40'
Curran   69'
BBC Report Attendance: 1,108
Referee: John McKendrick
18 July 2017 Group D[6] Montrose 0–6 Ross County Links Park
19:45 Hay   81'
Watson   90'
BBC Report Mikkelsen   15', 54'
Gardyne   31'
Curran   27' (pen.), 45'
Schalk   58'
Attendance: 421
Referee: Alan Newlands
21 July 2017 Group D[6] Ross County 0–0
(4–3 p)
Hibernian Global Energy Stadium
19:45 BBC Report
SPFL Report
Attendance: 2,065
Referee: Steven McLean
Penalties
29 July 2017 Group D[6] Arbroath 0–0
(4–5 p)
Ross County Gayfield Park
15:00 BBC Report
SPFL Report
Attendance: 702
Referee: Steven Kirkland
Penalties

League Cup Group D Table edit

Pos Team Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification HIB ROS ARB MON ALO
1 Hibernian (Q) 4 3 0 1 0 13 1 +12 10 Qualification for the Second Round 6–1 4–0
2 Ross County (Q) 4 2 2 0 0 8 0 +8 10 p0–0 2–0
3 Arbroath 4 1 1 1 1 6 7 −1 6 0–0p 4–0
4 Montrose 4 1 0 0 3 2 15 −13 3 0–6 2–1
5 Alloa Athletic 4 0 0 1 3 2 8 −6 1 0–3 1–1p
Source: [7]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[8]
(Q) Qualified to the phase indicated

Knockout stage edit

9 August 2017 Second Round Ross County 2–3 (a.e.t.) Motherwell Global Energy Stadium
19:45 BST Schalk   65'
Dow   69'
Curran   104' (pen.)
BBC Report Bigirimana   50'
Moult   77'
MacLean   90+3'  112'
Cadden   92'
Dunne   104'
Attendance: 1,612
Referee: Stephen Finnie

Scottish Cup edit

20 January 2017 Fourth Round Kilmarnock 1–0 Ross County Rugby Park
15:00 GMT Boyd   45+3'
Erwin   88' (pen.)
BBC Report Draper   39'
Chow   88'
Attendance: 3,595
Referee: Bobby Madden

Squad statistics edit

Appearances edit

As of 12 May 2018

No. Pos Nat Player Total Premiership League Cup Scottish Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK   SCO Scott Fox 31 0 26+1 0 4 0 0 0
2 DF   SCO Marcus Fraser 43 1 38 0 4+1 1 0 0
3 DF   SCO Jason Naismith 41 2 34+1 2 5 0 1 0
4 DF   FRA Christopher Routis 30 2 21+3 2 1+4 0 1 0
5 DF   SCO Harry Souttar 13 0 11+2 0 0 0 0 0
6 DF   SCO Sean Kelly 18 0 11+2 0 5 0 0 0
7 FW   SCO Michael Gardyne 39 4 27+6 3 5 1 1 0
8 MF   TPE Tim Chow 20 1 10+4 1 5 0 0+1 0
9 FW   SCO Ryan Dow 23 0 4+14 0 5 0 0 0
10 FW   NED Alex Schalk 37 13 20+11 11 4+1 2 0+1 0
11 FW   ENG Craig Curran 40 10 20+15 6 4+1 4 0 0
14 FW   FRA David N'Gog 10 1 4+6 1 0 0 0 0
15 DF   ENG Andrew Davies (c) 30 1 24 1 5 0 1 0
17 MF   ENG Ross Draper 29 1 25+3 1 0 0 1 0
18 MF   SCO Jamie Lindsay 32 2 21+5 2 4+1 0 1 0
22 FW   NIR Billy Mckay 24 3 14+9 3 0 0 1 0
23 MF   ENG Greg Tansey 3 0 2+1 0 0 0 0 0
24 MF   SCO Tony Dingwall 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 MF   SCO Jim O'Brien 31 0 24+3 0 1+2 0 1 0
31 GK   EIR Aaron McCarey 16 0 12+2 0 1 0 1 0
32 DF   ENG Liam Fontaine 14 0 14 0 0 0 0 0
35 DF   ENG Max Melbourne 6 0 6 0 0 0 0 0
40 MF   ENG Davis Keillor-Dunn 30 3 18+11 3 0+1 0 0 0
41 GK   ENG Mark Foden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
43 FW   SCO Greg Morrison 1 0 0 0 0+1 0 0 0
47 MF   EST Mattias Käit 6 0 3+3 0 0 0 0 0
51 GK   SCO Ross Munro 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Players who left the club during the 2017–18 season
12 FW   ENG Inih Effiong (Released from contract) 3 0 2 0 0 0 1 0
16 MF   SCO Dylan Dykes (loaned to Stranraer) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 FW   DEN Thomas Mikkelsen (loaned to Dundee United) 14 4 2+7 2 1+4 2 0 0
28 DF   NED Kenny van der Weg (Joined Hamilton Academical) 21 2 16+3 2 1 0 1 0
33 MF   ENG Chris Eagles (Released from contract) 9 0 7+1 0 0 0 0+1 0
42 DF   SCO Reghan Tumilty (loaned to Falkirk) 2 0 1+1 0 0 0 0 0
44 FW   SCO Russell Dingwall (loaned to Forfar Athletic) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
45 MF   SCO Blair Malcolm (loaned to Cowdenbeath) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Team statistics edit

League table edit

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation[a]
8 St Johnstone 38 12 10 16 42 53 −11 46
9 Dundee 38 11 6 21 36 57 −21 39
10 Hamilton Academical 38 9 6 23 47 68 −21 33
11 Partick Thistle (R) 38 8 9 21 31 61 −30 33 Qualification for the Premiership play-off final
12 Ross County (R) 38 6 11 21 40 62 −22 29 Relegation to the Championship
Source: Soccerway BBC
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification and second-stage group allocation).[9]
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Teams play each other three times (33 matches) before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).

Transfers edit

See also edit

Notes and references edit

  1. ^ "Ross County sack manager McIntyre". BBC Sport.
  2. ^ "Coyle relishes Ross County challenge". BBC Sport.
  3. ^ "Ross County name Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell as co-managers".
  4. ^ "St Johnstone 1-1 Ross County". BBC Sport.
  5. ^ "Pre-Season Friendly". Ross County FC twitter. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Betfred Cup 2017/2018 Fixtures". spfl.co.uk.
  7. ^ "Summary - League Cup Group D". Soccerway. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  8. ^ "Format". SPFL. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Premiership 2017/2018 - Season rules". Scoresway. Retrieved 1 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Ross County sign Sean Kelly after AFC Wimbledon exit for defender". BBC Sport. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  11. ^ "Ross County bring in Lindsay on loan". SPFL. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  12. ^ "Thomas Mikkelsen joins Ross County from Odense after Dundee United loan". BBC Sport. 4 July 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017.
  13. ^ "Ross County: Jim O'Brien makes move permanent following loan spell". BBC Sport. 20 July 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  14. ^ "Billy Mckay: Northern Ireland striker leaves Wigan for Ross County". BBC Sport. 25 July 2017. Retrieved 29 July 2017.
  15. ^ "Ross County sign midfielder from Inverness Caledonian Thistle". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 12 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Chris Eagles signs for Ross County until end of season". Sky Sports. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  17. ^ "Ross County: Midfielder Greg Tansey joins on loan from Aberdeen". BBC Sport. 9 January 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
  18. ^ "Inih Effiong joins the club". Ross County FC. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  19. ^ "Ross County sign former Liverpool striker David Ngog". BBC Sport. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 23 January 2018.
  20. ^ "Harry Souttar: Stoke defender joins Ross County on loan after signing new contract". BBC Sport. 24 January 2018. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  21. ^ "Liam Fontaine: Ross County sign defender from Hibernian". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  22. ^ "Liam Fontaine: Ross County sign defender from Hibernian". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  23. ^ "Liam Fontaine: Ross County sign defender from Hibernian". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
  24. ^ "Liam Boyce: Burton sign Ross County striker in club-record deal". BBC Sport. 20 June 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  25. ^ "St Mirren sign Ian McShane after midfielder leaves Ross County". BBC Sport. 13 July 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2017.
  26. ^ "IT'S A DOUBLE SIGNING: McLAUGHLIN IS ON BOARD". Dumbarton Football Club. 15 July 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  27. ^ "Scottish League Two ins and out – summer 2017". BBC Sport. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  28. ^ "Kilmarnock: Chris Burke joins Rugby Park side on one-year deal". BBC Sport. 18 July 2017. Retrieved 20 July 2017.
  29. ^ "Scottish League One ins and out – summer 2017". BBC Sport. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  30. ^ "Jay McEveley: Tranmere Rovers sign former Derby County defender on one-year deal". BBC Sport. 27 July 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  31. ^ a b c "Club captain Paul Quinn one of several Ross County departures". BBC Sport. 22 May 2017. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  32. ^ "Paul Quinn: Dundee United sign defender on short-term deal". BBC Sport. 12 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  33. ^ "Jonathan Franks: Hartlepool United re-sign winger after Ross County exit". BBC Sport. 17 August 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  34. ^ "Completed Transfers – Deadline Day August 2017". SPFL. 30 August 2017. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  35. ^ "Blair Malcolm completes loan move to Cowdenbeath". Ross County FC. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  36. ^ "Chris Eagles signs for Ross County until end of season". Sky Sports. 23 November 2017. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
  37. ^ "Oscar Gobern: Yeovil sign midfielder on non-contract terms until end of the season". BBC Sport. 1 December 2017. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
  38. ^ "Dylan Dykes completes loan move to Stranraer". Ross County FC. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  39. ^ "Thomas Mikkelsen completes loan move to Dundee United". Ross County FC. 19 January 2018. Retrieved 19 January 2018.
  40. ^ "Russell Dingwall and Ross Maciver complete loan move to Forfar". Ross County FC. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  41. ^ "Russell Dingwall and Ross Maciver complete loan move to Forfar". Ross County FC. 26 January 2018. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  42. ^ "Ross County release Kenny van der Weg at Dutch left-back's request". BBC Sport. 1 February 2018. Retrieved 1 February 2018.
  43. ^ "Hamilton Academical sign Kenny Van der Weg & Ross Jenkins". BBC Sport. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  44. ^ "Chris Eagles: Winger leaves Ross County by mutual consent". BBC Sport. 4 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.