Preview Ross County

Dunfermline have started looking forward to away league matches since their mediocre home form is eclipsed by an impressive run of six away games without defeat.

Saturday's First Division match against Ross County will be the Pars first visit to the most Northerly League Club in the country.  This will only the third meeting in competitive action. The only previous meetings, the Scottish Cup on 25th January 1997 when County were knocked out 4-0 courtesy of goals from Harry Curran, Hamish French and an Andy Smith brace, and the September fixture at East End Park that Dunfermline won 3-1.

Scorer last time: Scott Thomson

Dunfermline have started looking forward to away league matches since their mediocre home form is eclipsed by an impressive run of six away games without defeat.  County appear to have hit a bit of form of late.  They have climbed to fourth in the league and will go above their visitors if they were to win.. They had a bit of a blip last weekend however relinquishing their two goal lead and after having Dyron Daal sent off,  let Dumbarton take them back to the Strathclyde Homes Stadium for a replay on Tuesday of next week.

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Morton): Paul Gallacher; Greg Ross (Nick Phinn 78),  Scott Thomson, Greg Shields (Paul Willis 84), Austin McCann; Calum Woods, Steven Bell, Stephen Glass (c), Alex Burke (Graeme Holmes 55); Graham Bayne, Andy Kirk
SUBS: Calum Reidford, Stuart Dearden.

ROSS COUNTY (v Dumbarton): Tony Bullock; Mark McCulloch, Alex Keddie, Andy Dowie, Scott Boyd (Scott Morrison 74), Steven Watt (Richie Hart 62), Martin Scott, Richard Brittain, Dyron Daal, Sean Higgins, Adam Strachan (Michael Gardyne 78)
SUBS: Derek Soutar,  Grant

Former Pars Mark McCulloch (33) started his professional career with Dunfermline in 1994 and Scott Morrison (24) was a Cup Finalist with the Pars in 2007.  Another familiar face who won't be in the dugout however is Ross Jack.  The Assistant to Derek Adams was shown the door on Monday.

Referee for this match will be Steve Conroy.  The official was at East End Park for the goalless draw with Partick and was in charge of the torrid 5-0 home defeat to Hamilton last year.

The History

In 1929 a group of officials from the amateur side Dingwall Victors were disbanded and from their ashes arose a new team - Ross County FC.  Based in Dingwall they were the only Highland League team from Ross and Cromarty.

As a nod to their predecessors, the home ground established in Dingwall was given the name Victoria Park, while for a badge they chose the Caberfeidh or Stag's Head from the regimental badge of the Seaforth Highlanders - the regiment in which many locals had fought and died during the Great War. The badge decided the team's nickname, and to this day they are affectionately known as the Staggies. The first game played by Ross County was against a Highland League select and was watched by over 1,200 spectators - ample demonstration that the newly formed club had the support necessary to become a force in the League.

In their first season Ross County lifted the North of Scotland Cup, and over the years gained a reputation for playing attractive and high quality football as they lifted several further trophies both before and after the Second World War.

It was not until Season 1966/67 that the club succeeded in winning the Highland League Championship. The next League success was not to come until 1990/91, but the team then successfully repeated the trick the following season. It was these back to back successes which gave the club's then Chairman Hector MacLennan the confidence to apply for membership of the Scottish Football League when restructuring saw a requirement for new teams to be admitted for the 1994/95 season.

Thanks to the skills of Hector and Club Secretary Donnie MacBean as well as the countless people who had worked behind the scenes to prepare the bid, Ross County succeeded in gaining admission to the Third Division along with near neighbours Inverness Caledonian Thistle. The club then began a programme of building both on and off the park. A programme of Stadium works saw capacity and seating increased as well as adding additional functionality to the ground by providing rooms for use as Conference venues as well as Matchday Hospitality.

The strengthened team rose to the new challenges presented by the League and in Season 1998-99 they won the Third Division Championship. Although there must have been some doubt as to whether the team could survive in the Second Division, they did more than just survive and the following Season Ross County again benefited from League reconstruction, the expansion of the SPL to 12 teams meaning that the Club won promotion to the First Division even though they had only finished third in the table.

Since their arrival in the First Division, Ross County have worked hard to develop as a club. Having secured survival in the First Division, the work began to develop the team and facilities to a standard where SPL football was an attainable goal. Although under soil heating and increased seating would still be required, the Board of Directors have put plans in place to ensure that when the dream becomes reality, the Club is ready for it.

One time Pars player and subsequently Manager, Dick Campbell, also played with Ross County and became their manager for Season 2007-08. He had gained promotion no fewer than six times in his career and this experience, coupled with the talents of the younger players, should have been exactly what Ross County needed. Unfortunately, this partnership didn't work and Dick left the Club after only 3 months in charge.