Ross County have kick started their summer transfer business with the quickfire additions of midfielders Scott Allardice and Kyle Turner.
After clinching Premiership survival, the Staggies have set about raiding the second tier in their recruitment drive.
In Caley Thistle player Allardice and Partick Thistle’s Turner, Staggies boss Malky Mackay has drafted in two of the lower division’s leading players who were unable to achieve promotion with their previous clubs.
With that in mind, County appear to be making the most of their top-flight survival.
Had they gone down, it is unlikely they would have been able to entice two players who clearly had their eye set on making the step up.
Murray has already made step up with Staggies
Allardice and Turner take the same pathway as Simon Murray, who had been Mackay’s most recent permanent signing after joining from Queen’s Park in January.
Murray arrived in Dingwall fresh from a prolific opening half of the campaign, having netted 18 goals for the Spiders before making the January transfer deadline day move north.
His departure was widely considered to be one of the major factors in the Glasgow outfit failing to sustain their push for promotion.
Nevertheless, Murray will treat the new season as something of a fresh start after earning his move back to the Premiership.
He has yet to establish himself as a regular starter, with all but five of his 16 appearances so far coming from the bench.
Murray has shown he is firmly on the right path by netting three goals from those substitute outings, however, including strikes against St Johnstone and Partick which were crucial in the Staggies’ great escape.
The 31-year-old has had previous spells in the top flight – with Dundee, Hibernian and Dundee United – and will be eager to make the most of his latest chance.
Allardice and Turner aiming to grasp opportunity
He will come across a former team-mate in the shape of Allardice, with the pair having played together at Tannadice.
Allardice was a young player aiming to make his mark at a point when United last found themselves in the Championship, making 19 outings for the Tangerines.
A spell in Ireland proved to be fruitful for Allardice, as he impressed during stints at Bohemians and Waterford.
John Robertson gave him his opportunity to return to Scotland with Caley Thistle in 2020, and he has grasped his chance in the Highlands.
The Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic was his 100th and final outing for Inverness, in what has been by far the most sustained spell of first team action of his career.
A strong physical presence, along with a fine range of passing and shooting ability are among the attributes which County fans can expect Allardice to add to their midfield.
Turner is another player who has earned his move to the top-flight the hard way.
Having been a Partick youth player, he was unable to make the first team breakthrough before he was picked up by Stranraer in 2015.
After four years at Stair Park, he earned a full-time reprieve at Dunfermline, before getting the opportunity to return to the Jags in 2021.
He netted nine goals in 90 appearances for Thistle, and was an impressive performer in their dramatic play-off tussle which ultimately ended in defeat to his new club County.
In his previous two summer transfer windows, Mackay has tended to look outwith the Scottish market in his recruitment.
This year’s early signs suggest a change in tack – but County can be sure of having three players who are hungry to make the most of their step up to top-flight football, which each of them has earned in different ways.
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