Ross County midfielder Martin Woods believes the Dingwall club is unrecognisable from the one he joined nearly 18 months ago.
Former Barnsley midfielder Woods was one of manager Jim McIntyre’s first signings, arriving a month after the former Queen of the South manager succeeded Derek Adams in charge at Victoria Park in September 2014.
The Staggies were bottom of the Premiership but a run of 10 wins from its final 14 games of last season secured top-flight safety.
County have carried momentum into the current campaign, and are the only Premiership side still involved in all three domestic competitions, with next month’s League Cup final against Hibernian the chance of a first piece of silverware.
The Highlanders remain fourth in the Premiership despite consecutive losses against Hearts and Celtic, and Woods said it is important to take stock of how far his club has come.
The 30-year-old said: “If I am being brutally honest, the squad the manager inherited at the time was way off. There is a major difference between then and now.
“There was no competition for places back then.
“It was basically the manager trying different things to find some kind of solution, which must have been a difficult job for him until he got to the January window when he could get the players he wanted. That was a big thing.
“The infrastructure changes have made a difference. Little things the club do matter. Some people may thing that’s just footballers being prima donnas, but when they look after us off the field.
“Footballers can be quite complex characters, and we just want to focus on our game and training rather than outside factors. I felt when I first came to the club there was a lot going on the manager had to change.
“There has been a massive turnaround at the club.”
Woods also paid tribute to chairman Roy MacGregor for his continued backing, which he believes acts as motivation for the players to deliver success this season.
Former Scotland under-21 international Woods added: “This club is nothing without the chairman, let’s be honest.
“He is this club. He is a supporter and he puts his money where his heart is. He wants to back this club in everything it does.
“Without him, the club wouldn’t be where it is. Everybody here appreciates the job the chairman does and they know how passionate he is about the club. He makes everyone else want to do well for him.
“I am sure that’s the same for the manager. After the semi-final win against Celtic, the manager thanked the chairman. That’s in all our minds.”