Don Cowie will discuss becoming Ross County boss after top-flight status secured

Don Cowie will discuss becoming permanent Ross County boss with chairman Roy MacGregor after the Staggies secured cinch Premiership status with a 6-1 aggregate win over Raith Rovers at the Global Energy Stadium.

The home side had led 2-1 from the first leg of the play-off at Starks Park on Thursday night and a Simon Murray double and goals from Jordan White and substitute Brandon Khela saw the home side ran out comfortable 4-0 winners.

Cowie was assistant to Malky Mackay and then became interim manager in February 2024, following the departure of Derek Adams and after the play-off win over Rovers, MacGregor said: “Don was told before he got the job that it was his no matter what happened.”

Former Ross County, Hearts and Scotland player Cowie,” delighted” to retain cinch Premiership football, said: “What was said was that the chairman saw me as the person to take this club forward.

“We were aligned in not thinking that needed to be the focus, because we didn’t need any distractions.

“Our main focus was on keeping this club in the Premiership.

“You have to have a chat and see how things look. The chairman has shown a lot of belief in me, and he has stated that he sees me being the person to take the club forward.

“At any club you need to have a bigger conversation about how that looks going forward, and we’ll have that.

“I’ve said all along that I want to be a manager, and I felt I was ready three months ago.

“Since then that belief I have in myself has only strengthened, and this is a club I have a lot of affection for, so I don’t see any issues there.”

Macgregor said: “He knew when he took over it didn’t matter where we finished, it would be him.

“But I didn’t want the interruption of speaking to his agent and all that during an important time.

“I have known him for a long time, since he was nine years old, so to watch his journey, being a local boy, going away to play for Scotland then coming back to be the manager, it has been fabulous.

“It has been traumatic off the park and if it has been like that off the park it will be difficult on it.

“The manager did so well to galvanise things and get the place going again.

“It was difficult for him, I made a mistake because he wanted the job when Malky left but I didn’t think it was fair to put him into that at the time.

“It was a mistake. So I am delighted for him.

“He has a bond with the players, him being a local boy has been important for Ross County.”

Rovers boss Ian Murray had no complaints about the defeat and admitted his Championship side had come up against a team that was “quicker, stronger, faster” as he vowed to go again next season.

He said: “You have to give credit to Ross County because they punished us.

“They were clinical, their goals were good strikes and they put you to the sword if you give them opportunities. And that’s the bottom end of the Premiership.

“There is always a physicality aspect of it, especially one-v-one situations.

“Our guys are in good shape but we’re playing against quicker, stronger, faster athletes and it’s not what you’re used to.

“In one-off games you can get away with it sometimes but over two games home and away it shows.

“We want to be at that level one day so it shows how far we have to go.”