Steven Ferguson feels a fresh wave of young Ross County supporters have restored energy to Victoria Park.
The Staggies have drawn on the backing of a number of young fans, who manager Malky Mackay praised on numerous occasions last season.
It provided a timely boost for the Dingwall club, with matches having predominantly been played behind closed doors throughout the previous 2020-21 campaign.
Those to have signed up include new and returning former season ticket holders.
Staggies chief executive Ferguson says the younger fanbase has been the driving force in bringing noise and atmosphere to the ground.
Ferguson said: “I think last season we saw the real passion from a group of our young supporters who want to come and make Ross County their club.
“Over recent years it has been hard for young people, but to be in a place now where they want to drop the games consoles and travel with the club right across the country is a massive step forward for Ross County.
“I think we will always reflect on that day at Pittodrie when we clinched top six.
“When you look at the crowd that day, I think a lot of it was spurred on by the noise, commitment and desire our young group were showing over the months previous both at home and away.
“The important thing for us now is to keep these young people onboard and grow from within.
“Earlier this season there was a group of about 10 or 12 of them and now they have expanded into that whole section of the Jailend.
“Into the bargain you now have people of all ages in that area of the ground and it’s become quite inter-generational.
“It’s great for the players, it’s great for the club and it’s great for our young guys who have now made a real emotional attachment to their club and want to help push us on.
“Our job now is to make sure that we continue to support them and keep giving them the energy to build that area of the stadium.”
New season ticket holders an encouraging sign
Ferguson believes the desire shown by a younger generation of Staggies fans bodes well for the future prospects of the club.
He added: “The most overwhelming thing this season has probably been the uptake of new season ticket holders and their ages.
“A big portion of our season ticket sales this year has been new supporters who haven’t purchased one before or in a number of years. That has been coupled with a younger fanbase buying season tickets.
“These are the key markers that I think a lot of the clubs in Scotland want to see is more new fans coming in and also younger fans coming into the club.
“As the club for the Highlands it shows that we are doing something right in bringing that new generation of supporter to the stadium and not just on a one-off.”
Staggies keen to play role within schools
Ferguson says the Staggies remain intent on playing a proactive role at schools within their catchment area.
He added: “I think a lot of it is down to the great work we are doing in schools every week.
“We have given each of the schools we work with free tickets.
“In total we have given away over 1,341 tickets in the final few weeks of the season to schools, and they are getting the bug when they come to the matches.
“Reaching schools, young people, new supporters and new audiences is the part that as a real community club, we always strive to do, and have done here successfully for many years.”
