Ross County have confirmed a significant restructuring of their football management team following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership, vowing to make an immediate return to top-flight football their top priority.

The Dingwall club, who dropped to the Championship after a disappointing play-off defeat to Livingston last week, released a statement acknowledging the frustration and disappointment felt across the club and its fanbase.

“Last week’s result against Livingston – resulting in us playing in the Championship next season – has left everyone at the club, personally and collectively, hugely disappointed. We know how much playing Premiership football matters to our community, and we share their deep frustration at how the season concluded. 

 As you might imagine, we have done a lot of soul searching at the club over the last week, and following that, have decided to restructure our football management team under Don Cowie as we make gaining immediate promotion our sole focus.

 We believe strongly that we have a dedicated and talented manager in Don and that he is the right man to lead us for the season ahead.

To support Don, we have appointed the experienced John Robertson as assistant manager with immediate effect. Carl Tremarco and Paul Cowie will leave the club, and we thank them for their efforts and wish them well for the future.

John has more than 400 games under his belt as a manager, knows the challenge of recruiting from our base in the Highlands, has experience of the Scottish Championship, and has worked with Don in the past.  He already knows the club well and has spent much of last season watching from the sidelines in his role as a BBC pundit.

“Everyone at the club is determined to put us in the best position possible to gain promotion back into the Premiership – and to do so within a season. Bringing John in to support Don, will allow us to reshape the playing squad and turn things around as quickly as possible” said Chief Executive Officer Steven Ferguson.”