2019–20 Ross County F.C. season

Ross County
2019–20 season
ChairmanRoy MacGregor
ManagerSteven Ferguson and
Stuart Kettlewell
GroundVictoria Park
Dingwall, Ross-shire
(Capacity: 6,541)
Scottish Premiership10th
Scottish League CupSecond Round
Scottish CupFourth Round
Top goalscorerLeague: Ross Stewart, Billy McKay (7)
All: Ross Stewart, Billy McKay (11)
Highest home attendance6,575 vs Rangers
(League)
Lowest home attendance3,301 vs Livingston
(League)

The 2019–20 season was the club's 1st season back in the Scottish Premiership, the top flight of Scottish football, after being promoted as Champions from the Scottish Championship.[1] Ross County also competed in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Results & fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Pre-season

29 June 2019 Friendly Nairn County 0–3 Ross County Station Park, Nairn
15:00 Stewart
Mckay
MacBeath
29 June 2019 Friendly Forres Mechanics 0–11 Ross County Mosset Park, Forres
15:00 Watson
McManus
Paton
Murray
Graham
Armstrong
5 July 2019 Friendly Netherlands Groningen 2–0 Ross County Assen, Netherlands
19:00 Postema 12'
Sierhuis 70'
7 July 2019 Friendly Netherlands GFA Deventer City 1–3 Ross County Doorwerth, Netherlands
19:00 Watson
Graham
Stewart
27 July 2019 Friendly Ross County 2–0 England Carlisle United Victoria Park
15:00 Power 52'
Vigurs 73'		 [1] Attendance: 735
Referee: Steven McLean

Scottish Premiership

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Premiership
3 August 2019 1 Ross County 3–0 Hamilton Academical Dingwall
15:00 Chalmers 30'
Mckay 36'
Stewart 57'		 Report McKenna Yellow card 1'
MacKinnon Yellow card 51'
Oakley Yellow card 71'		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 4,071
Referee: Alan Newlands
10 August 2019 2 Heart of Midlothian 0–0 Ross County Edinburgh
15:00 Report Morris Yellow card 45'
Kelly Yellow card 73'
Spittal Yellow card 87'		 Stadium: Tynecastle
Attendance: 15,652
Referee: Alan Muir
24 August 2019 3 Ross County 1–4 Livingston Dingwall
15:00 Stewart 44' Report Guthrie 3'
Lawless 14'
Dykes 26'
Stobbs 52'		 Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 4,237
Referee: John Beaton
31 August 2019 4 Aberdeen 3–0 Ross County Aberdeen
15:00 Leigh 34'
Cosgrove 37' (pen.)
Hedges 50'
Ojo Yellow card 51'
Considine Yellow card 73'		 Report Stewart Yellow card 27' Stadium: Pittodrie Stadium
Attendance: 13,006
Referee: Nick Walsh
14 September 2019 5 Ross County 2–1 St Mirren Dingwall
15:00 Stewart 62'
Fraser 90+2'		 Report Andreu 72' Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 3,637
Referee: Colin Steven
21 September 2019 6 Motherwell 1–2 Ross County Motherwell
15:00 Gallagher Yellow card 58'
Campbell 61'
Carroll Yellow card 78' Yellow-red card 80'		 Report Graham 75'
Gardyne Yellow card 84'
Stewart 88'
Spittal Yellow card 90+4'		 Stadium: Fir Park
Attendance: 4,620
Referee: Alan Muir
28 September 2019 7 Kilmarnock 0–0 Ross County Kilmarnock
15:00 Report Gardyne Yellow card 40'
Fraser Yellow card 82'		 Stadium: Fir Park
Attendance: 4,906
Referee: Alan Newlands
5 October 2019 8 Ross County 2–2 St Johnstone Dingwall
15:00 Chalmers 10'
Spittal 68'		 Report May 24'
Kennedy 51'		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 4,124
Referee: Euan Anderson
19 October 2019 9 Celtic 6–0 Ross County Glasgow
Elyounoussi 4', 72'
Édouard 46'
McGregor 49'
Fontaine 50' (o.g.)
Forrest 55'		 Report Stadium: Celtic Park
Attendance: 58,560
Referee: Don Robertson
26 October 2019 10 Hibernian 2–2 Ross County Edinburgh
Horgan 50'
Allan 56'		 Report Graham 72'
Chalmers 90'		 Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: 15,452
Referee: Steven Maclean
30 October 2019 11 Ross County 0−4 Rangers Dingwall
19:45 Stewart Yellow card 59' Report Morelos 20', 71'
Jack 29', 37'		 Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 6,575
Referee: Bobby Madden
2 November 2019 12 Hamilton Academical 2–2 Ross County Hamilton
15:00 Smith 52'
Oakley 64'
Martin Red card 90+3'		 Report McKay 1'
Graham 88'		 Stadium: New Douglas Park
Attendance: 1,268
Referee: Colin Steven
9 November 2019 13 Ross County 1–3 Aberdeen Aberdeen
15:00 GMT Mullin 5' (pen.)
Morris Yellow card 22'
Fontaine Yellow card 84'		 Report McGinn 10'
Hedges 52'
Ferguson Yellow card 64'
Considine 70'		 Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 6,510
Referee: Alan Newlands
23 November 2019 14 St Mirren 2–1 Ross County Paisley
15:00 McLoughlin 43'
Foley 88'		 Graham 24' Stadium: St Mirren Park
Attendance: 4,708
Referee: Euan Anderson
1 December 2019 15 Ross County 1–4 Celtic Dingwall
Stewart 24' Report Christie 11', 38'
Rogic 67'
Johnston 73'		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 6,512
Referee: Nick Walsh
4 December 2019 16 Ross County 2–1 Hibernian Dingwall
Stewart 65', 75' Report Doidge 34' Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 4,196
Referee: David Munro
14 December 2019 17 Ross County 1–0 Kilmarnock Dingwall
Erwin 90+2' Report Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 3,688
Referee: Alan Muir
21 December 2019 18 Livingston 4 − 0 Ross County Almondvale Stadium
15:00 Lamie 31'
Dykes 41', 50', 73'
Sibbald Yellow card 60'		 Report Attendance: 1,201
Referee: Colin Steven
26 December 2019 19 Ross County 1 – 2 Motherwell Dingwall
15:00 GMT (UTC) Spittal 24'
Spence Yellow card 48' Red card 62'
Foster Yellow card 71'
Fontaine Yellow card 90+4'
Graham Yellow card 90+5'		 Report Gallagher Yellow card 49' 90+2'
Maciver 81'
Hartley Yellow card 90+4'
Polworth Yellow card 90+5'		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 4,181
Referee: Greg Aitken
29 December 2019 20 St Johnstone 1 − 1 Ross County McDiarmid Park
15:00 Hendry 84' Report Vigurs 72'
Graham Yellow card 68' Yellow-red card 90+3'		 Attendance: 2,658
Referee: Bobby Madden
22 January 2020 21 Ross County 0 – 0 Heart of Midlothian Dingwall
19:45 Vigurs Yellow card 81' Report Souttar Yellow card 90+2' Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 4,301
Referee: Gavin Duncan
25 January 2020 22 Celtic 3 – 0 Ross County Glasgow
McGregor 37' (pen.)
Bauer Yellow card 51'
Édouard 65', 68'		 Report Stadium: Celtic Park
Attendance: 58,785
Referee: Kevin Clancy
29 January 2020 23 Rangers 2−0 Ross County Glasgow
19:45 Defoe 41'
Arfield 47'
Goldson Yellow card 52'
Polster Yellow card 67'		 Report Mullin Yellow card 45'
Spence Yellow card 74'
Kelly Yellow card 76'
Fraser Yellow card 86'		 Stadium: Ibrox Stadium
Attendance: 47,583
Referee: Don Robertson
1 February 2020 24 Kilmarnock 3–1 Ross County Kilmarnock
15:00 Brophy 54', 57'
Kabamba 82'		 Report Vigurs 25' Stadium: Fir Park
Attendance: 4,733
Referee: Willie Collum
5 February 2020 25 Ross County 2–0 Livingston Dingwall
19:45 McKay 2', 59' Report Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 3,301
Referee: Nick Walsh
12 February 2020 26 Hibernian 3–0 Ross County Edinburgh
19:45 McNulty 7'
Doidge 41'
Jackson 84'		 Report Stadium: Easter Road
Attendance: 14,486
Referee: Steven McLean
15 February 2020 27 Ross County 1–1 St Johnstone Dingwall
15:00 McKay 90+4' Report May 33' Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 3,569
Referee: Colin Dteven
22 February 2020 28 Aberdeen 1–2 Ross County Aberdeen
15:00 Main 28'
Campbell Yellow card 18' Yellow-red card 32'		 Report McKay 43', 88' Stadium: Pittodrie Stadium
Attendance: 14,860
Referee: Gavin Duncan
4 March 2020 29 Motherwell 4 – 1 Ross County Motherwell
19:45 O'Hara 17'
Aarons Yellow card 20'
Campbell 25', 75'
Tait Yellow card 65'
Watt 90+3'		 Report Fontaine 3'
Morris Yellow card 16'
Vigurs Yellow card 64'
Stewart Yellow card 80'		 Stadium: Fir Park
Attendance: 3,191
Referee: Alan Muir
8 March 2020 30 Ross County 0−1 Rangers Dingwall
12:00 Fontaine Yellow card 12'
Stewart Yellow card 56'
Spittal Yellow card 90+1'
Morris Yellow card 90+5'		 Report Kent 77' Stadium: Global Energy Stadium
Attendance: 6,400
Referee: Andrew Dallas

Scottish League Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish League Cup
13 July 2019 Ross County 4–1 Montrose Dingwall
15:00 Mullin 7'
Stewart 13', 46'
Mckay 85'		 [2] Lyons Yellow card 18'
Allan 51'		 Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 1,159
Referee: Chris Fordyce
16 July 2019 Brechin City 0–4 Ross County Brechin
19:45 [3] Stewart 33', 44'
Mckay 49'
Spittal 75'		 Stadium: Glebe Park
Attendance: 272
Referee: Alan Newlands
21 July 2019 St Johnstone 1–2 Ross County Perth
15:00 Tanser 8' (pen.)
Craig Yellow card 73'		 Mckay 30', 45+1'
Vigurs Yellow card 63'		 Stadium: McDiarmid Park
Attendance: 1,648
Referee: Bobby Madden
24 July 2019 Ross County 2–0 Forfar Athletic Dingwall
19:45 Graham 15', 76' [2] Bain Yellow card 66' Stadium: Victoria Park
Attendance: 1,002
Referee: Willie Collum
17 August 2019 Partick Thistle 3–2 (a.e.t.) Ross County Glasgow
15:00
[3]
Stadium: Firhill Stadium
Attendance: 2,053
Referee: Steven McLean

Scottish Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Cup
18 January 2020 Ayr United 1–0 Ross County Ayr
15:00 Bell 37' Report Stadium: Somerset Park
Attendance: 1,538
Referee: Andrew Dallas

Squad statistics

Appearances

As of 8 March 2020

No. Pos Nat Player Total Premiership Scottish Cup League Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Scotland SCO Ross Laidlaw 22 0 17 0 0 0 5 0
2 DF Scotland SCO Marcus Fraser(c) 31 1 25+1 1 0 0 4+1 0
3 DF Scotland SCO Sean Kelly 23 0 18 0 1 0 4 0
4 DF England ENG Liam Fontaine 27 1 22 1 1 0 4 0
5 DF Northern Ireland NIR Callum Morris 19 0 17 0 0 0 2 0
6 MF England ENG Ross Draper 12 0 8+3 0 0 0 1 0
7 FW Scotland SCO Michael Gardyne 17 0 13+1 0 0 0 2+1 0
8 FW Scotland SCO Lee Erwin 19 1 11+6 1 1 0 0+1 0
9 FW Northern Ireland NIR Billy Mckay 33 11 22+5 7 0+1 0 4+1 4
11 MF Scotland SCO Iain Vigurs 22 2 16 2 1 0 3+2 0
12 DF England ENG Tom Grivosti 8 0 5+1 0 0 0 2 0
14 MF Scotland SCO Josh Mullin 32 2 21+6 1 1 0 3+1 1
15 DF Scotland SCO Keith Watson 20 0 14+3 0 0 0 2+1 0
16 MF Scotland SCO Lewis Spence 15 0 10+5 0 0 0 0 0
18 DF Scotland SCO Richard Foster 21 0 19+1 0 1 0 0 0
19 FW Scotland SCO Oli Shaw 7 0 2+5 0 0 0 0 0
20 MF Scotland SCO Blair Spittal 26 4 10+10 2 1 0 4+1 2
21 GK England ENG Nathan Baxter 14 0 13 0 1 0 0 0
22 MF England ENG Jordan Tillson 8 0 5+2 0 1 0 0 0
23 MF Scotland SCO Joe Chalmers 19 3 6+8 3 0 0 4+1 0
24 MF Canada CAN Harry Paton 23 1 11+8 0 1 0 2+1 1
25 DF Scotland SCO Coll Donaldson 8 0 7 0 1 0 0 0
26 MF Scotland SCO Don Cowie 9 0 7+2 0 0 0 0 0
27 FW Scotland SCO Ross Stewart 26 11 19+2 7 0 0 4+1 4
38 DF Scotland SCO Ruari Fraser 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
41 GK England ENG Tommy Dixon-Hodge 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
43 DF Scotland SCO Josh Reid 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
44 FW Scotland SCO Matthew Wright 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Players who left the club during the season
8 MF Scotland SCO Jamie Lindsay 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
17 MF Scotland SCO Ewan Henderson 10 0 6+3 0 0+1 0 0 0
19 FW Scotland SCO Brian Graham 23 6 5+13 4 0+1 0 2+2 2
22 MF Republic of Ireland IRL Simon Power 4 0 0+1 0 0 0 1+2 0
25 GK Scotland SCO Jack Ruddy 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
36 MF Scotland SCO Mark Gallagher 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Goalscorers

Rank Pos. Player Premiership Scottish Cup League Cup Total
1 ST Scotland Ross Stewart 7 0 4 11
ST Northern Ireland Billy Mckay 7 0 4 11
3 ST Scotland Brian Graham 4 0 2 6
4 MF Scotland Blair Spittal 2 0 2 4
5 MF Scotland Joe Chalmers 3 0 0 3
6 MF Scotland Iain Vigurs 2 0 0 2
MF Scotland Josh Mullin 1 0 1 2
7 DF England Liam Fontaine 1 0 0 1
DF Scotland Marcus Fraser 1 0 0 1
FW Scotland Lee Erwin 1 0 0 1
MF Canada Harry Paton 0 0 1 1
Totals 29 0 14 43
Last updated: 4 March 2020

Team statistics

League table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts PPG Qualification or relegation[a]
8 Kilmarnock 30 9 6 15 31 41 −10 33 1.10
9 St Mirren 30 7 8 15 24 41 −17 29 0.97
10 Ross County 30 7 8 15 29 60 −31 29 0.97
11 Hamilton Academical 30 6 9 15 30 50 −20 27 0.90
12 Heart of Midlothian (R) 30 4 11 15 31 52 −21 23 0.77 Relegation to the Championship
Source: BBC SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points per game; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-Head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only if deciding champion, UEFA competitions qualification, second stage group allocation or relegation).[5]
(R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[4]

League Cup table

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish League Cup § Group B

Pos Team
 Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification ROS FOR MON STJ BRE
1 Ross County 4 4 0 0 0 12 2 +10 12 Qualification for the Second Round — 2–0 4–1 — —
2 Forfar Athletic 4 3 0 0 1 9 4 +5 9 — — — 2–1 3–0
3 Montrose 4 1 1 0 2 4 9 −5 5 — 1–4 — 1–0 —
4 St Johnstone 4 1 0 0 3 6 5 +1 3 1–2 — — — 4–0
5 Brechin City 4 0 0 1 3 1 12 −11 1 0–4 — 1–1p — —
Source: [6]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.[7]

Transfers

Main articles: List of Scottish football transfers summer 2019 and List of Scottish football transfers winter 2019–20

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "Ross County secure title and promotion". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 May 2019.
  2. ^ "Ross County v Forfar Athletic". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 24 July 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  3. ^ Crawford, Kenny (17 August 2019). "Partick Thistle 3–2 Ross County (AET): Steven Saunders the hero for hosts". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  4. ^ "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  5. ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Summary - League Cup Group B". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
  7. ^ "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Joe Chalmers: Ross County to sign Inverness CT player". BBC Sport. 20 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Ross County sign goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw on pre-contract deal". Press and Journal. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  10. ^ Smith, Tyrone (4 June 2019). "Ross County: Blair Spittal out to 'rebuild reputation' after Partick Thistle exit". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 June 2019.
  11. ^ "County sign Chelsea goalkeeper on season-long loan". Press and Journal. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
  12. ^ "In-demand Norwich City winger seals loan switch to Scottish top-flight". Eastern Daily Press. 4 July 2019. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  13. ^ "Ross County sign goalkeeper Jack Ruddy on a six-month deal". BBC Sport. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  14. ^ "Ross County sign goalkeeper Jack Ruddy on a six-month deal". BBC Sport. 23 July 2019. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  15. ^ "Steven Mackay sold Greg Morrison on Brora Rangers move after Ross County release". 25 May 2019. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
  16. ^ "Callum Semple leaves Ross County". Press and Journal. 24 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2019.
  17. ^ "Scott Fox: Goalkeeper leaves Ross County after talks breakdown". BBC Sport. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
  18. ^ "Declan joins McKinnon's Bairns on Loan". Ross County FC. 16 July 2019. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  19. ^ Skinner, Andy (24 July 2019). "Lindsay leaves County to join Rotherham". Press & Journal. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
  20. ^ "Keny van der Weg: Defender leaves Ross County to return to Holland". BBC Sport. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.