Ross County's Staggie Army ready to roll for special Easter away day!
A RALLYING cry to the Staggie Army is being answered the length and breadth of the UK, with hundreds ready to roll for an Easter assault on the capital this weekend.
A fan-led campaign supported by players and backroom staff at Ross County Football Club aims to attract up to 1,000 supporters to cheer on the side in Edinburgh to play Hearts on Saturday.
As team manager Derek Adams yesterday backed the call for support, it emerged that fans from as far afield as Brighton and North Wales will be making the trip — supplementing the six supporters’ buses paid for by the club and heading out from Dingwall on Saturday. A five-figure sum has been earmarked by the club — with players also chipping in — to meet the costs.
The club’s top aim now is to avoid the dreaded play-off slot immediately above their already-relegated opponents, Hearts.
Derek Adams said yesterday: “It is so important we get fans travelling to away games. We had to do something about that. As a football club, we’ve got together and been able to provide something for them to get down. We know how difficult it is for supporters, but the better the atmosphere we can generate from our own fans, the more it is going to help us.”
Embo-based County fan Gary Bissett, a leading light in the online Dark Blue Saturday social media campaign to rally fans, said: “To get the numbers we have going is unbelievable. As someone said this week, it started with a tweet!” Asked about his major motivation, he admitted: “I was scared to death we might get relegated.”
Mr Bissett, a parcel delivery firm depot manager in Tain, has followed County since their Highland League days, praised the response of fellow fans and the club, which is taking a financial hit laying on buses. He hopes fans will repay the gesture with vocal support — and by attending the following home game against Kilmarnock in force.
He said: “There’s 90 minutes to back the boys. Win, lose or draw, we are the fans. Football is nothing without fans.”
Ross County FC chairman Roy MacGregor told the Journal: "It’s a tremendous show of support from the fans for the team and the Club, and as a chairman I find that extremely moving.
"I always feel at the heart of the football club is the fan, and that heart is certainly going to be beating loudly on Saturday!”
A Hearts spokesperson said: “Tynecastle is rightly regarded as one of the most atmospheric grounds in the country and there isn’t a finer sight than when the stadium is full with the fans in full voice.
“We look forward to welcoming Ross County supporters this weekend and it’s terrific so many are planning on making the long journey.
“After the latest good news about the bid to save Heart of Midlothian FC, we’re sure their attendance on Saturday will add to what promises to be a great occasion.”
Tickets for the match remain on sale at Ross County. There’s also been a sharp uptake on sales of the home shirt, which fans are encouraged to wear in a show of solidarity.
Going to the match? If you have pictures or stories you’d like to share, email us at editor@rsjournal.co.uk or tweet us @Rossnews
