Ross County will play their opening Premiership fixtures behind closed doors but manager Stuart Kettlewell says the pressure is still on the Staggies to entertain.
County’s season begins with a home game against Motherwell on August 3, although top-flight matches will initially be played without fans.
A date has yet to be set for the return of crowds to stadiums, although the Scottish government have indicated it is unlikely to be earlier than October.
The Staggies’ season ticket packages will give supporters access to a televised stream of games played behind closed doors, with the club still working on setting up a viewing platform.
Despite this, County have confirmed their season ticket sales for the new campaign are ahead of the equivalent stage last season, having now been on sale for two weeks.
Kettlewell says the Staggies have a duty to give their supporters watching from home reason to be excited for the campaign ahead.
Kettlewell said: “We had a conversation with the chairman and some of the management and we’re talking about this excitement of the virtual season ticket and this production there is going to be.
“The pressure comes on us to go and try to perform. I watched Tottenham v Everton on Monday and it would have put you to sleep. The day before I watched Manchester City v Southampton and it was a proper football match and spectacle.
“We know there’s a fair chance spectators won’t be in there to begin with, so we will have to try to create some sort of spectacle in these first three home games and try to capture the imagination of our supporters and see if we can build a bit of momentum.”
After facing Motherwell, County play their second game of the campaign away to Hamilton Accies, before successive home matches against Kilmarnock and Dundee United.
Kettlewell hopes to take advantage of an early run of fixtures at Victoria Park, adding: “We said the same thing last year – it is only a good run of fixtures if we capitalise on it.
“On paper I can go and say to the players this is terrific – we’ve got three home games in the first four. But the onus is really on us to put on a show.
“Hopefully, that home advantage works in our favour and we can get off to a good start.”
Kettlewell is pleased to finally have an opening fixture to work towards, with the Staggies hoping to build up their preparations for the new campaign by organising friendlies once First Minister Nicola Sturgeon gives bounce games the green light.
Kettlewell added: “It’s good to actually see it on paper and start to build a plan for our players and staff.
“It’s always an exciting day for everybody at the best of times, but I think when we’ve had such a famine in football terms in Scotland for the last four months or so, it was a really positive day for us all.”
