Ross Draper wants to right the wrongs of Ross County’s relegation after signing a new one-year deal with the club.
The former Caley Thistle midfielder and Michael Gardyne both penned contracts over the weekend to be part of County’s push for an immediate return to the top flight.
Draper admitted the players felt a sense of responsibility for the Staggies’ losing their six-year Premiership status and, for him, being part of the fightback was a no-brainer.
He said: “It’s been a strange season for me but with Stuart Kettlewell and Steven Ferguson coming in, I’ve obviously played a lot more football than under the previous manager. They see me as a big part of what they’re going to do, with the players they’re getting in and the direction of the club.
“It’s a bit of a no-brainer to try get the club back up and get this season out of the way.
“I didn’t have to move my family and the facilities at Ross County are still great – nothing has changed.
“My girlfriend is mobile in terms of work and I’ve got family down the road, so moving wasn’t something that would bothered us.
“It was a case of wanting to stay and make up for last year. Everyone feels partly responsible for something that shouldn’t have happened and the aim is to get the club back where it belongs. With the right direction and management, which I believe the club has now, I can see a successful plan and I want to be part of it for years to come.”
The pair join Billy Mckay and Iain Vigurs in signing on, with Jason Naismith still under contract.
Chris Routis has turned down the chance to extend his two-year stay in the Highlands and will leave the club.
Russell and Tony Dingwall have both been offered contracts as well as Dylan Dykes, but David Ngog, Aaron McCarey, Tim Chow, Thomas Mikkelsen, Blair Malcolm and Reghan Tumilty have already left.
County’s co-managers Kettlewell and Ferguson are wanting to get a squad together quickly and Draper feels they have to be targeting promotion.
Draper added: “With Partick Thistle going down, it makes the Championship a strong league and promotion has to be the target. It was the same last year when I was sat in this situation at Inverness and if it wasn’t for a last-minute goal against Dunfermline, they’d have made the play-offs. The play-offs has to be the minimum target and we want to be up there competing.”
Kettlewell said Draper’s consistency will be key for the Staggies in the Championship.
He said: “Ross Draper has played every game for Steven and I since we came in 10 games ago. He has given us the type of consistency we feel we’ll need next season.”
