A look back at how Ross County have fared in the Scottish Premiership split in years gone by
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Ross County face a crucial few weeks as the Premiership prepares to split into two halves to end the 2023/24 season.
Earlier today the Staggies’ final five fixtures were confirmed, with three home matches potentially providing a big boost to interim manager Don Cowie, who remains unbeaten at the Global Energy Stadium.
That has been the exception rather than the rule over the years, though, with County only having three home games post-split three times out of nine until this year.
With no match this weekend ahead of the split matches, then, we have taken a trip down memory lane to see how the Staggies fared in their previous split fixtures.
2012/13
Final position: 5th
Split summary: Ross County’s first season as a top-flight club saw them competing with the big hitters in the division straight away.
Despite losing three games on the trot going into the split, top-six status had already been secured, and the Staggies began to turn things around with a 2-2 draw against St Johnstone – Richie Brittain scoring both from the penalty spot.
Ivan Sproule and Iain Vigurs would find the net in a 1-0 win over Dundee United and a 1-1 draw with champions Celtic respectively, before a setback as County lost 2-0 to Motherwell.
A last-day derby against Caley Thistle would bring the curtain down on their first ever Premiership campaign, and although an Andre Hainault goal would not see the Staggies move above their Highland rivals in the standings, it did prevent Caley Thistle securing European football for the first time.
2013/14
Final position: 7th
Split summary: Although Hearts’ administration meant automatic relegation had been decided before the split, any one of the other five teams in the bottom half were in danger of falling into the play-off.
Defeat to the Jambos was not the way County would have wanted to kick off their final five matches, but they bounced back with a 2-1 win at home over Kilmarnock thanks to goals from Filip Kiss and Richie Brittain (from the penalty spot).
Another loss, to St Mirren, set up a tense final week for the Staggies, but they would prevail.
A spot kick from – who else – Brittain moved County above Hibernian with a 1-0 win, before a dramatic 3-2 win over Partick Thistle saw Jordan Slew, Joann Arquin and Melvin De Leeuw find the net – and the Staggies finish top of their section.
2014/15
Final position: 9th
Split summary: The Staggies did go into this split with a 10-point cushion over bottom of the table St Mirren and a six-point cushion over second-bottom Motherwell, but County did their best to make it a nervy end to the campaign.
Just one point from their first three post-split fixtures against Partick Thistle, Motherwell and St Mirren (a 1-1 draw at Fir Park), left the comfort level practically non-existent.
However, back-to-back victories in their final two games would see County come good.
First it was a 2-1 home win over Hamilton that came courtesy of Michael Gardyne and Liam Boyce (despite Filip Kiss’ sending off), then the same scoreline away at Kilmarnock thanks to second-half goals from Liam Boyce and Rocco Quinn.
2015/16
Final position: 6th
Split summary: As far as a mixed bag of results go, this might be a definitive set for Ross County.
Results against all of the top three were backed up by zero points against St Johnstone and Motherwell, leaving the Staggies with fewer points than – albeit still one place above – Highland rivals Caley Thistle.
Stewart Murdoch scored at Celtic Park to earn a point against the champions, before David Goodwillie did the same at Tynecastle against Hearts, before a final day celebration at Pittodrie.
Brian Graham, Alex Schalk, Liam Boyce and Martin Woods all found the net in a dominant 4-0 win over Aberdeen to send the fans home happy.
2016/17
Final position: 7th
Split summary: Ross County’s most successful split ever, the Staggies actually went unbeaten during their last eight matches of the campaign – including 13 points out of 15 after the Premiership split.
First off it was a derby delight against the soon-to-be-relegated Caley Thistle, with Liam Boyce finding the net an incredible four times – still a club record to this day.
Christopher Routis would then score the only goal at Fir Park to beat Motherwell, before Boyce’s opener was cancelled out at Dens Park against Dundee.
Michael Gardyne, a Remi Matthews own goal and a stoppage time Jonathan Franks goal helped County past Hamilton, before that man Boyce again was at the double to see off Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on the final day.
2017/18
Final position: 12th
Split summary: Arguably the campaign in Ross County’s recent memory that bears the greatest resemblance to this season, the club churned out some creditable results that were not enough to save a club who had twice changed manager.
Steven Ferguson and Stuart Kettlewell had come in as a double act to replace Owen Coyle, who had in turn had a disastrous reign after replacing Jim Mcintyre early in the campaign.
By and large, the damage had already been done, but draws at home against Motherwell and away at Partick Thistle gave them a chance going into the final day at St Johnstone.
Alas, it was not to be, and results elsewhere meant that even if David Wotherspoon had not cancelled out Craig Curran’s early goal in stoppage time, it would not have been enough to prevent County’s relegation.
2020/21
Final position: 10th
Split summary: Another battle against relegation this time went in Ross County’s favour under John ‘Yogi’ Hughes.
A point from their opening two games, away at Kilmarnock with goals coming from Michael Gardyne and Alex Iacovitti, kept the Staggies in a three-way battle to avoid the drop with Hamilton and Kilmarnock.
Jordan White and Iacovitti scored in a 2-0 win away at Dundee United, before Blair Spittal and Charlie Lakin ensured that County could not go down automatically with a win over Hamilton.
With Killie still capable of catching them to avoid a play-off on the final day, though, Iain Vigurs and Michael Gardyne officially fired County to safety in both players’ last appearances for Ross County away at Motherwell.
2021/22
Final position: 6th
Split summary: Still to this day County fans may be wondering how their side did not qualify for European football the next season.
Buoyed by league top scorer Regan Charles-Cook, the Staggies secured top-six football at the last moment with a 1-0 win over Aberdeen in Malky Mackay’s debut season.
The split that followed, though, was nothing short of a disappointment.
Just a solitary point from the five games, a 0-0 draw away at Hearts, saw Motherwell and Dundee United each secure European spots ahead of the Staggies.
2022/23
Final position: 11th
Split summary: Given the heroics of last season’s play-off final, it would be easy to forget the work that went in over the split to ensure County had that lifeline in the first place.
Off the back of a 6-1 hammering at Tynecastle, County were four points adrift going into the final five games and in dire need of a turnaround in fortunes.
Vital wins early on in the split against Livingston (goals courtesy of Alex Iacovitti and Alex Samuel) and Dundee United (thanks to a Jordan White hat-trick) dragged the Staggies ahead of United in the table.
One last point, in equally dramatic circumstances as the play-off final, would come against St Johnstone, as County fought back from two goals down thanks to Yan Dhanda, Jordan White and Jack Baldwin.
