Ross County will start their 10th season as a top-flight club when they kick-off against Hearts at Tynecastle on Saturday.
It is a milestone that has been impressively achieved within 11 campaigns, with the chain only broken by their Championship-winning season in 2018-19.
Malky Mackay’s men will make the trip to Edinburgh aiming to preserve a strong recent record of starts, having not tasted opening day defeat since 2016.
We look back on how the Dingwall outfit have fared in their nine previous curtain raisers in the top-flight.
2012-13
Ross County 0-0 Motherwell – August 4, 2012
Finished: Fifth
The newly-refurbished Victoria Park was the setting for a historic afternoon which saw Ross County play Scottish top-flight football for the first time.
Led by a piper on to the park, there was something of a carnival atmosphere inside the Dingwall ground.
A goal-less draw was an unspectacular, albeit creditable result against a Well side who were playing the match between two legs of a Champions League qualifying tie against Panathinaikos.
2013-14
Celtic 2-1 Ross County – August 3, 2013
Finished: Seventh
County threatened to make an early statement in Glasgow’s east end, when Dutchman Darren Maatsen’s thundering early strike gave them the lead against the champions.
The Staggies could not hold out, however, with Anthony Stokes equalising towards the end of the first half, before coming up with the winner three minutes from time.
Following a slow start to the campaign, a strong final stretch saw them finish seventh.
2014-15
Ross County 1-2 St Johnstone – August 10, 2014
Finished: Ninth
County were handed a difficult start against the Scottish Cup winners, who took command of the match through Michael O’Halloran and Steven MacLean.
Jake Jervis pulled one back with a debut goal for the Staggies, but they fell to the first of seven straight league defeats.
That resulted in the dismissal of Derek Adams, with a magnificent run of late-season form under his successor Jim McIntyre saving the Staggies from relegation.
2015-16
Celtic 2-0 Ross County – August 1, 2015
Finished: Sixth
County fell to a two-goal defeat despite a spirited performance at Parkhead.
Leigh Griffiths opened the scoring from the penalty spot after just four minutes, at the start of what looked like a long afternoon for the much-revamped Staggies side.
Celtic goalkeeper Craig Gordon was then fortunate to escape a red card for what appeared to be the denial of a clear goalscoring opportunity, when he fouled Jackson Irvine just outside the box, with Stefan Johansen netting the Hoops’ second shortly afterwards.
It proved to be a thoroughly successful campaign, however, with County finishing sixth and going on to win the League Cup.
2016-17
Ross County 1-3 Dundee – August 6, 2016
Finished: Seventh
The Staggies started the league campaign having already suffered disappointment in the League Cup, with the then-competition holders having been knocked out in the group stage in its first-ever staging.
Jim McIntyre’s men got off to the worst possible start in the league, too, with Rory Loy’s first half double putting the Dark Blues firmly in command.
Paul McGowan made it three after the break, with Craig Curran’s strike proving to be a consolation for the Dingwall outfit.
2017-18
Dundee 1-2 Ross County – August 5, 2017
Finished: 12th – (Relegated)
County secured their first ever opening day win as a Premiership club with a hard-earned triumph at Dens Park.
New signing Jamie Lindsay opened the scoring with a sweet first-half strike, before Frenchman Christopher Routis added a second after the break.
Jim McIntyre’s men held firm after Jack Hendry pulled a goal back for the hosts, but the victory did not set the tone for the campaign. Only five more wins followed, with County ultimately relegated after a campaign which saw them served by three different management teams.
2019-20
Ross County 3-0 Hamilton Accies – August 3, 2019
Finished: 10th
County unfurled the Championship flag for the second time, to mark their return to the top-flight at the first attempt.
They picked up from where they left off from their title-winning campaign, with a stylish victory over Accies.
New signing Joe Chalmers opened the scoring with a sublime finish on his league debut, with Billy Mckay adding a second shortly before the break.
Ross Stewart nodded home a third after the interval on a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for the Staggies, at the start of a campaign which was eventually curtailed due to Covid.
2020-21
Ross County 1-0 Motherwell – August 3, 2020
Finished: 10th
County returned to action for the first time following the Covid shutdown, in a Monday night fixture behind closed doors at Victoria Park.
It was Stuart Kettlewell’s first match in sole charge of the Staggies, after previous co-manager Steven Ferguson became the club’s chief executive earlier in the summer.
It proved to be a tale of penalties, with Ross Stewart’s first-half spot-kick proving to be the winner after Liam Donnelly missed from 12 yards after the break.
Callum Lang saw red for the Steelmen late in the match, as the Staggies held out for another opening day win.
2021-22
Ross County 0-0 St Johnstone – July 31, 2021
Finished: Sixth
This was effectively Malky Mackay’s first competitive game in charge, given the Staggies had already been eliminated from the Betfred Cup prior to playing their only two group matches in the competition.
A crowd of nearly 2,000 set the tone for the return of supporters to Victoria Park in significant numbers, following a season of closed-door matches due to Covid.
Although it was a far from entertaining spectacle, County emerged with a creditable point against the cup double winning Saints.
They had to hold firm to secure a point however, with Saints’ Ali McCann blazing a second half penalty high over the bar.
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