Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor feels the Staggies’ restructure is evidence of the Dingwall club finally being able to nurture its own talent.
Steven Ferguson, who first joined the Staggies as a player in 1996, has become the Staggies’ new chief executive following a two-and-a-half year spell as co-manager alongside Stuart Kettlewell.
That leaves Kettlewell in sole charge, with the Staggies boss to be assisted by former club captain Richie Brittain.
Also part of Kettlewell’s coaching team will be Don Cowie, who has called time on a playing career which started and ended at County, bookending a successful spell in England which saw him win 10 Scotland caps.
MacGregor feels his vision for the Highlanders has started to take shape in recent years.
He said: “The journey started for me 25 years ago, when we tried to build a professional football club in a corner of the world where there wasn’t professional football.
“We are not a city club, we are a community club. On that journey, we have had to import coaches, staff and players.
“In the last two or three years we have got to a stage where we are breeding people from within.
“Steven was the first professional footballer I took to the club.
“We see that with Don Cowie, who was involved with the club as a nine-year-old boy in an academy, and he went on to play in a cup final in England, and play for Scotland.
“For him to come back to his hometown at the end of his career and be offered a coaching role by Stuart is just part of the Ross County journey.
“We are full of Ross County culture. That culture goes from the staff to the fans, to the board.
“We all have the same aim of trying to better ourselves.
“We have Ian Maxwell as head of the Scottish FA now, and he was groomed at Ross County. We are well used to grooming people.”
