Watching brother Liam in action for Livingston last season gave Ross County defender Sean Kelly added inspiration following the Staggies’ promotion to the Premiership.
Goalkeeper Liam was part of a Livi side which defied the pre-season odds last season by finishing comfortably clear of relegation in ninth place after coming up from the Championship via the play-offs.
It proved to be the 23-year-old’s final season with the club, before he moved on to English Championship side Queens Park Rangers in the summer.
Sean, who is three years older, will be part of the Staggies’ side making the trip to Almondvale this weekend and he is full of admiration for the West Lothian outfit’s recent achievements.
He said: “My brother played there last year, so I have been to a lot of Livingston games over the past year or so, and even before when they were in League 1.
“A lot of those players are still there, and what they’ve been able to build over the last couple of years has been quite impressive.
“What they did last season is something we would like to emulate. They started really strongly and then faded away towards the end, but that start made them comfortable for the rest of the season.
“They were getting results against Rangers and Celtic, so there were questions being asked about their pitch and style of play. They win games, so nobody will care what anybody else thinks. They had a great season.”
Kelly was part of a Staggies defence which recorded its first clean sheet since September in Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Kilmarnock, but the former St Mirren player says the Dingwall men paid little attention to the long wait for a shut-out.
He added: “There was a wee bit made of how many goals we have conceded but I don’t think it affected us.
“In our own changing room, we know the strengths we have. Clean sheet or not, it’s irrelevant if you win the game.”
Kelly is enjoying a sustained run in the side following a succession of injury problems, adding: “I’m pain free at the moment. It’s been all good the last couple of months or so, which is big for me on the back of missing a few games this season.”
