Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson has criticised the SPFL’s decision to switch the Staggies’ final home Championship match of the season to a Friday night.
County’s game with Queen of the South was earlier this week moved a day forward to Friday, April 26 with a 7.05pm kick off for television coverage.
The change has given supporters just over two weeks’ notice for a fixture which could precede a title celebration, with County currently eight points clear at the top of the table.
Ferguson says the late switch will hit the Dingwall club financially, and he also sympathises with supporters of both clubs who will now be unable to attend the match.
Ferguson said: “I totally understand the supporters’ view. We’re as annoyed as they are.
“We tried to fight it, like we’ve tried to fight two or three scheduling issues this season – and its’ had no impact. Nobody is listening.
“It has a huge implication for us financially. I believe hospitality was sold out through the whole stadium. You couldn’t get a bite to eat or drink anywhere.
“For a club of our size, playing against Queen of the South, it’s massive to have that sell out.
“People have made the arrangements ages ago, travel arrangements and whatever else, so for them to flip it to the Friday is poor.
“We get no extra money from the television, remember. There’s no carrot dangled.
“We need to go with it. We can’t influence it – we tried.
“It will have an effect on us, financially, as a football club and it is the supporters I feel sorry for because we have a lot of people travelling distances to our home games.
“To get along here for five past 7 on a Friday after work, from the west coast or the islands is just not possible.
“I’m sure Queen of the South won’t be overjoyed, either, but we will go and prepare the best we can and see if we can win a game of football.”
County could have the opportunity to win the league with a win at home to Partick Thistle tomorrow, should second placed Dundee United fail to defeat Ayr United at Tannadice this evening.
Ferguson insists the Staggies’ focus will be unaffected by United’s result, adding: “We play Partick on Saturday and while we know there’s a game before that, we can’t influence that.
“We will be watching it, of course, but our focus won’t change whatever happens – we need three points on Saturday.
“This one’s an easy one for us – three points is a must if we want to get to where we want to go.
“Our preparation won’t change. We’ll dust ourselves down after midweek and look forward to Partick.”
