Cowie set for Staggies role after sealing top-flight status

DON Cowie will discuss becoming permanent Ross County boss with chairman Roy Macgregor after the Staggies secured cinch Premiership status with a 6-1 aggregate win over Raith Rovers at the Global Energy Stadium.

The home side had led 2-1 from the first leg of the Play-off at Starks Park on Thursday night and a Simon Murray double and goals from Jordan White and substitute Brandon Khela saw the home side ran out comfortable 4-0 winners.

Cowie was assistant to Malky Mackay and then became interim manager in February 2024, following the departure of Derek Adams and after the Play-off win over Rovers, Macgregor said: “Don was told before he got the job that it was his no matter what happened.”

Former Ross County, Hearts and Scotland player Cowie,” delighted” to retain cinch Premiership football, said: “What was said was that the chairman saw me as the person to take this club forward.

“We were aligned in not thinking that needed to be the focus, because we didn’t need any distractions.

“Our main focus was on keeping this club in the Premiership.

“You have to have a chat and see how things look. The chairman has shown a lot of belief in me, and he has stated that he sees me being the person to take the club forward.

“At any club you need to have a bigger conversation about how that looks going forward, and we’ll have that.

“I’ve said all along that I want to be a manager, and I felt I was ready three months ago.

“Since then, that belief I have in myself has only strengthened, and this is a club I have a lot of affection for, so I don’t see any issues there.”

Rovers boss Ian Murray had no complaints about the defeat and admitted his Championship side had come up against a team that was “quicker, stronger, faster” as he vowed to go again next season.

He said: “You have to give credit to Ross County because they punished us.”