Ross County defender Tom Grivosti’s season looks to be over with the Englishman requiring surgery on a toe injury.
Grivosti has been sidelined since suffering the injury in the 4-0 defeat to Rangers on October 30, when contact with the boot of Gers striker Alfredo Morelos resulted in the 20-year-old damaging ligaments in his toe.
Although the Staggies have tried to nurture Grivosti back to fitness in recent weeks, the former Bolton Wanderers player will now need an operation which Staggies co-manager Steven Ferguson revealed is likely to spell the end of his campaign.
Ferguson said: “It’s not good news for Tom. He’s getting the best of treatment, but it’s looking like we won’t see Tom again this season.
“It’s the ligament that needs an operation. Tom is obviously very down, but we’ve tried to re-assure him that he’s getting the best treatment that we can get him.
“It was one where he kicked the bottom of Morelos’ boot, you can’t legislate for it.
“Tom will have kicked somebody’s foot a hundred times and not come away with the injury that he’s got, so he’s been a little bit unlucky.
“We’ll support Tom in the right way to make sure that he fully recovers and gets the chance to fulfil the potential that he’s got.”
Ferguson insists he and fellow co-manager Stuart Kettlewell will not shirk responsibility for the task of averting the Staggies’ recent slump.
County go into tonight’s home game against Livingston looking to end a run of eight matches without a win in all competitions, which has left the Dingwall men just four points above bottom place in the Premiership.
Despite concern over the lack of form, Ferguson insists the Staggies are focused on trying to end the bad run, adding: “Stuart and I are under no illusions that as managers of the club, the buck stops with us. We take full responsibility for our group of players and the run that we’re on, as we did last year.
“It’s our job to come up with the solution to the problem, but for us to do that we need the players to react in the way that we believe they will.
“We don’t shirk away from what the responsibility is. We understand people’s frustration, we understand the criticism we’re receiving.
“What we need to do is win a game of football. What that does is change everybody’s opinion and outlook, for a week at least.”
Livi have netted eight goals in their two victories against the Highlanders this season, and Ferguson is determined to perform better against Gary Holt’s on-form team tonight.
He added: “Livingston have had some fantastic results. They have a proper identity and they play to their strengths.
“We’ve been on the end of two heavy defeats, and we can’t make it a third one, it’s as simple as that.”
