New Ross County signing Josh Mullin has tasted promotion two seasons running and would love to do it again in Dingwall.
Mullin has left Livingston for Ross County on a two-year deal and after back-to-back promotions with the Lions, has his sights set on a unique hat-trick with his new club.
The 25-year-old made 88 appearances for Livingston after joining in 2016 and was a regular in their League 1 title win. He also featured during their remarkable run to the Premiership play-off final, where they beat Partick Thistle over two legs to return to the top flight for the first time in 12 years.
Mullin said: “A few people have said that I must hate getting promoted but I have experienced it a few times now – there’s no better feeling. If I can do it for a third time in a row then I’d be delighted.
“I don’t think it’ll be easy. We want to start the season as best we can and see where it takes us. It’ll be a hard task but with the group of boys we have it’s very doable. I played in a squad that would run through brick walls for each other so if we have that here then there’ll be no problems.
“I know Ross County want to go straight back up and I would love to be part of that. I played in this league week after week last season and I know how hard it is. I would like to get back up again with Ross County, now I’ve got a couple of years there.
“Seeing the facilities, you realise how much of a community club is and the chairman said the same – everything is about the community. The facilities they have there too, you can tell they were a Premiership side.
“I spoke to Stuart (Kettlewell, co-manager) first and he said how much he wanted to get me in. They knew other things were happening and wanted to speak to me as soon as possible. When you have a manager like that, it gives you that bit of confidence and it made my decision each, just how he put his point across.”
Mullin admitted it was a wrench to leave Livingston after a memorable couple of years in West Lothian but felt his career was best served by moving to the Global Energy Stadium.
“Of course it’s difficult to leave but it was about where my career might benefit. The facilities up at Ross County made it a no-brainer. I would have liked to try the Premiership with Livi and it was difficult to leave. But the age I’m at and where I see my career going, the best chance of progressing is at Ross County and that was my main reason.
“I spoke to a couple of boys before I signed. Raffa (De Vita) was injured and he had enough on his plate, so I didn’t want to worry him with my stuff. But I spoke to him after it was done and he was positive – he said I would love it up there and that it’s a great club to be at.”
The former Celtic and Rangers youth dropped to junior football in 2011 with Pollok and also played for Kilbirnie Ladeside, before rejoining the senior ranks with Albion Rovers in 2014 where he won the League 2 title.
Mullin added: “I wasn’t enjoying my football as much and I dropped down to play with some friends and it was the best thing I ever did. In the juniors at the age I was, it toughened me up a bit and I learned a lot.”
