Ross County

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Is the Scottish Premiership in need of a shake-up? If so, how do you go about it?

News emerged on Tuesday that the SPFL is considering changing Scotland's top flight to a 10, 14 or 16-team division in an attempt to help reduce fixture congestion.

In its current 12-team form, the clubs split into a top and bottom six after 33 rounds of matches, with 38 rounds played altogether.

That format has been in place since 2000-01 and retaining that model is also an option, but reports have also suggested the split could be scrapped.

For any fresh structure to pass, it needs the backing of 11 of the 12 Premiership clubs, and eight out of 10 from the Championship plus 75% of League One and League Two combined.

And judging by the fan reaction to the mere thought of reducing the league to a 10-team division, you would have to assume that idea is already unlikely.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, former Premiership players Cammy Bell and Cillian Sheridan provided their views on a potential restructure.

Expansion is the only option for former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Bell, while ex-Celtic striker Sheridan would like to see the split retained.

"I think we need a little bit of freshness about our game," Bell said. "So, if we can expand that league, then absolutely do it. We've got big enough clubs now that can generate good crowds.

"We're at a time just now where we've got the potential of trying to change it and certainly for me it's got to be expansion."

"The split works now," Sheridan added. "When I first came over and saw the whole split thing, I just never really got it. But in the past few years it has been quite interesting.

"If the league is wrapped up, if relegation is wrapped up, it does add a little bit of excitement to things in terms of teams getting into the top six and having to get European football."

Amy MacBeath
BBC Sport Scotland

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Ross County youngster Dylan Smith is taking inspiration from fellow Inverness-born players Ryan Christie and Stuart Armstrong as he looks to build on his recent Scotland Under-21 debut.

The 18-year-old defender, who featured against Republic of Ireland and Iceland last month, said: "Seeing those role models coming from the Highlands shows it's not impossible to play for your country from here, but I'll have a couple of years in the 21s and hopefully take another step from there."

Smith has made two County appearances in 2025 after being recalled early from his season-long loan at League 1 leaders Arbroath, where regular game-time benefitted him "massively".

"Last season wasn't ideal for me, I came off the back of an injury, but I got the chance to prove I can play at a good level and thought I showed that," he added.

"Arbroath are doing well and I left top of the league as well so it was a good loan spell and I'm coming back stronger and fitter than I was last season."

County boss Cowie said the coaching staff have a lot of belief in the teenager, who they have watched gradually improve since he joined as an apprentice at 16.

"We are absolutely delighted with where he is right now, the progression he's making and it's an unbelievable achievement for him from the Highlands making his debut for the Scotland Under-21 team," said Cowie.

"He's training extremely well, he's challenging, and that's on the back of a really good loan spell at Arbroath. But one thing at a time. The next challenge is playing in a regular basis in the Premiership."

Amy MacBeath
BBC Sport Scotland

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Ross County manager Don Cowie has been speaking to BBC Scotland before the Premiership game against Aberdeen this weekend.

Here are the key points:

• On the 1-0 home defeat by Dundee United, the Staggies boss says his side are "disappointed and frustrated" at missing out on "a real opportunity to continue the momentum".

• With two games left before the split, Cowie insists County "strive for six points and that will always be the case". While they are huge outsiders for a top-six place he says "that's the beauty of the league - everyone is striving for something" so the points are "so valuable" for everyone.

• On stopping the Dons' nine-game unbeaten run, Cowie will use his side's 2-1 win in the last meeting to show what they can achieve and strive to do again.

• Asked if County are confident they can avoid being drawn into a relegation scrap this season, he says "we are sitting ninth in the league for a reason" having enjoyed some "relatively good" form since Christmas. That has given them the "evidence and real belief going into every game".

• On how tight the Premiership is this season, Cowie described it as "ultra-competitive" and a league where you "have really got to earn what you get" from every match.

• He confirmed "everyone is fit and healthy" with Michee Efete finally returning after three months out. Ryan Leak is the only player who remains injured.

Ross Morren
Fan writer

As Premiership football returned following the international break, Ross County fans were optimistic their side could make it three home victories in a row and continue their late push for a top-six place.

County faced a Dundee United side who had only won one of their previous eight matches and were looking to make amends for defeat in the Dundee derby.

Victories against United in Dingwall have been hard to come by for the Staggies, with just one win in 11.

Sunday's meeting was not one for the football purist. It was extremely cagey as both sides battled to take control, but they lacked the quality to carve out any clear chances from open play.

However, in the second half United took a strong grip of the match and looked the far more likely side to find the opening goal.

In these types of matches, it's a defensive mistake or a set-piece that can make the difference and it proved to be the latter this time as Ryan Strain's corner was met by Ross Graham, who scored the only goal.

County failed to have any shots on goal in the entire second half, whereas United had 11, including four on target, which emphasises that if either side deserved the victory, it was the visitors.

Overall, it was a really disappointing performance by County and it now looks almost certain, barring a miraculous run of results, we will be playing bottom-six football when the split comes around.

Ross Morren can be found at The County Corner, external

With two matches to go until the Scottish Premiership splits, only four points separate the teams in sixth and ninth as they fight to squeeze into the top half and potentially secure European football next season.

Dundee United's narrow win in Dingwall means they are almost certain to be in the top half regardless of their results against Hearts and St Johnstone before the split.

Data company Opta give Jim Goodwin's side a 99% chance of being in the top six given their six-point buffer and superior goal difference to St Mirren, Motherwell and Ross County.

At the other end of the spectrum, they rate County's chance as next to zero, at 0.3%, given they have a four-point gap to make up on sixth-placed Hearts with a far poorer goal difference.

Hearts are only one point above both St Mirren and Motherwell, but the Tynecastle side's superior goal difference is almost worth an extra point at this stage, and they are heavy favourites to sneak in with a 66% chance.

However, Neil Critchley's side play Motherwell away in their final match before the split, which could prove crucial given the congested nature of the table.

St Mirren are away to Dundee and home to Ross County as they attempt to overhaul Hearts, buoyed by their dominant 5-1 win over Kilmarnock on Saturday.

And Motherwell boss Michael Wimmer is hoping to bounce back from their defeat by Aberdeen when they travel to Rugby Park next weekend before that all-important match against Hearts.

"The league always feels - Celtic and Rangers are a bit different - like you could beat everyone," said John Sutton, who played as a striker for three of the sides hoping for a top-six spot in Hearts, St Mirren and Motherwell.

"The split gets knocked a little bit, I really liked it as a player. You make the top six, and it's game on, trying to get European qualification.

"I think if you take Celtic and Rangers out of things to an extent, every game's a very tricky game. I expect the picture to change this weekend and I expect it to change the following weekend as well."

We asked for your views on Ross County's defeat at home to Dundee United.

Here's what some of you said:

Ali: County players cannot be criticised for lack of effort, they all gave 110%, but we struggled to compete with United physically, and with the finer 'dark arts' side of the game. Apart from Connor Randall's closing down and ball winning, our midfield was non existent. So heads up and onwards with the main task at hand, to stay in the league.

John: Hugely disappointed in the football. A golden chance blown away by long-ball tactics against a taller defence. No thought of playing out from the back. Old school football.

Alistair: That was awful. Both teams played it like a pre-season friendly. It lacked skill, there was very little passion and it turned into a dire match on a dire surface. Not good for anyone seeing this on TV. I would've changed channels. County players beware, you are far from safe from the drop.

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• Ross County have failed to score in 13 of their 31 league games, more often than any other team in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee United have kept a clean sheet in 10 of their 31 games, only Rangers (13) and Celtic (20) have done this more often in the Premiership this season.

• Dundee United have scored in their last five games in the Premiership, their longest run of games with a goal in the competition since a run of seven games from 30 October 2024 to 14 December 2024.

Watch highlights as Dundee United edge out Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

Match report: Ross County 0-1 Dundee Utd

Available to UK users only

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Ross County manager Don Cowie: "Frustrated. Disappointed. We spoke before the game that this was an opportunity, at home, to get three points.

"We just didn't do enough within the game. At half time, the game was balanced and there was a fine line between who could win it.

"We fell foul of a set play, which we had a warning of five minutes prior, and we didn't take heed of that.

"Credit to Dundee United, they deserved the victory.

"We're at home and we want to play on the front foot and create chances. We had a couple in the first half but nowhere near enough.

"It was about doing the right things, making them defend, and we didn't do that. They did, that's why they're a top six team."

Dundee United all but secured a top-six finish after a scrappy 1-0 win at Ross County.

Defender Ross Graham headed in the winner from a second-half corner to earn Jim Goodwin's side their first league victory in eight matches.

Both sides traded chances in the first half with United's Luca Stephenson and County's Alex Samuel each passing up big opportunities to open the scoring.

After a tight opening 73 minutes, the visitors eventually took the lead.

Graham, who had just missed a near-identical opportunity five minutes prior, outmuscled County defender Jonathan Tomkinson to get his head on Strain's fine delivery and fire United in front.

The visitors then enjoyed a period of sustained pressure in which Louis Moult and Sam Dalby came close, but were denied a second by a combination of strong defending and goalkeeping.

Goodwin's side are now six points clear of the bottom six with two games until the league splits.

Let us know your thoughts here.

Adam Binnie
BBC Sport Scotland

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County really had to take something from this one if they wanted to keep their hopes of a top-six finish alive.

Don Cowie's side host Aberdeen and visit St Mirren before the split, and now need maximum points and a number of other results to go in their favour.

Their attention must turn to avoiding the drop, particularly that dreaded relegation play-off spot in which they've finished the past two seasons.

They are four points clear of Dundee in 11th and 11 clear of bottom spot.

Strap in County fans, it's that time of the season again.

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Ross County will again be without Michee Efete (knee), Ryan Leak (Achilles) and Will Nightingale (knee).

Dundee United will be without the suspended Emmanuel Adegboyega but Luca Stephenson has recovered from the head knock that forced him off against Dundee.

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Ross County boss Don Cowie is pleased to have competition for the number one goalkeeper spot after Jordan Amissah signed a new deal.

The 23-year-old joined the club in December as cover for Ross Laidlaw after he picked up a knee injury.

Since then the former Sheffield United player displaced Jack Hamilton, signed a deal until the end of the season, and has kept Laidlaw out of the team since his return to fitness and now has put pen to paper on a deal running until the summer of 2027.

"Jordan's done really well," Cowie said.

"He came in at a really challenging time for us. Ross Laidlaw was out injured.

"He's come in, got his opportunity, he's taken it. I think he's performed really well. He's been really consistent.

"It's been over a short period of time. The challenge for him is to do that long-term.

"We've got someone else at the club in Ross Laidlaw, a very good goalkeeper, real experience, who's been a great servant for this club.

"For us to have two really good goalkeepers pushing each other for that spot, it bodes well."

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Ross County goalkeeper Jordan Amissah says it "felt right" to extend his stay at the club.

The 23-year-old's contract extension will run until the summer of 2027 and he has hailed the club as a "magnificent" place to play.

German-born Ghanaian Amissah, who has kept four clean sheets in 13 appearances since joining on an initial short-term deal in December, said: "It's been quite a good time really ever since coming up.

"I've enjoyed my time here so far and it just felt right to extend my stay.

"I'm a big people person so it's for me being on the pitch, things have to go well obviously to get settled in. But it's the people around the club, especially the kind of club Ross County is [with] a lot of people making this club work and the staff, the boys in the changing room, we've got a very, very good group.

"The boys made me feel welcome from the get-go. Obviously I knew Kacper [Lopata] from my time at Sheffield United with him so it made it really easy. It's just been magnificent really, it's just been so easy and obviously playing as well, it's been a big help."

The Staggies are four points clear of the relegation play-off spot and four adrift of sixth place, and Amissah is looking forward to playing Dundee United on Sunday as it is the only side he is yet to face in the top flight.

"We've been taking it pretty much game to game, there's no point looking to much ahead and thinking if we do this and this and this and then this can happen," he added.

"I think it's the only team I've not been involved in a game against yet.

"Following Scottish football, you know Dundee United, it's a big club, so it's going to be an exciting occasion and I'm really looking forward to it."

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• Ross County's Jordan Amissah has conceded 16 goals (excluding own goals) from an expected goals on target faced total of 21.9 in the Scottish Premiership this season – his 5.9 goals prevented is the most of any goalkeeper in the division this term, despite him only playing 12 games. Dundee United's Jack Walton ranks second for this, with 5.4 xGoT prevented (40 goals conceded, excluding own goals, from 45.4 xGoT faced).

• Ross County are winless in six Scottish Premiership games against newly-promoted opposition (D2 L4) since a 3-0 victory over Kilmarnock in January 2023.

• After their 3-0 win in November, Dundee United could win back-to-back Scottish Premiership meetings with Ross County for the first time since May 2022.

• Ross County have won both of their past two home league games, as many as their previous 10 beforehand (W2 D4 L4).

• Dundee United have won just one of their past seven league fixtures (D1 L5), beating Motherwell 1-0 in February.

Amy MacBeath
BBC Sport Scotland

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Ross County manager Don Cowie is refusing to look beyond the weekend visit of Dundee United as his side look to keep their slim top-six hopes alive.

With three games remaining before the split, ninth-place County are four points off sixth and four above the relegation play-off spot.

"The only objective is Dundee United on Sunday," Cowie told BBC Scotland.

"We know where we are, we know the points we've got to this stage, we are happy with what we've done but we want to get better and improve.

"And that starts with wanting to get three points against Dundee United on Sunday."

County have won half of their dozen fixtures since Christmas but Cowie believes "there's still a lot of room for improvement" as they go into the final stretch.

And as they prepare to return to action after the two-week international break, the County boss said it was "important that everyone in the football department got some time off".

He added: "It's been a busy spell since the last international break in November so it was a chance for everyone to go away and recharge this week and get ready for another important game against Dundee United."

Amy McBeath
BBC Sport Scotland

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Don Cowie has been speaking to BBC Scotland before Ross County's Premiership game with Dundee United on Sunday.

Here are the key points from the County boss.

• Cowie believes there is "a lot of room for improvement" as his side "strive for consistency" despite the decent run of form since Boxing Day, which has seen County win six and draw two of their 12 matches. Two of their four defeats came against the Old Firm.

• With three games left before the Premiership split Cowie said the "full focus" is on Sunday's match, not on league position.

• He praised the job Jim Goodwin has done at United so soon after returning to the top flight, but reckons the Tannadice side are going through a "challenging" spell that everyone but Celtic have also experienced this year.

• Cowie is well aware the visitors will see the weekend game in Dingwall as an "opportunity to cement themselves in that top six".

• The Staggies manager knows Sam Dalby will pose a threat for United, but he is "delighted" to have the "real physical presence" of Jordan White as the pair have notched up the highest number of successful duels in the league.

• Cowie confirmed County are still missing Ryan Leak and Michee Efete through injury but hopes to have returning internationalists back in the mix again from Friday.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

What if the Scottish Premiership was decided on overperforming your expected goals (xG) rating?

You're rolling your eyes, aren't you? Fair enough, but the above graphic still paints an interesting picture.

In the second column you will see each team's current xG tally after 30 games, but the table is sorted based on the third column, which shows how much each side has overperformed or underperformed by.

For example, the chances leaders Celtic have created throughout the season suggests they should have scored around 77 goals, but Brendan Rodgers' side have surpassed that tally with an overperformance of almost 12 goals.

Remarkably, Dundee have overperformed their xG total of 34 by 11 goals. If Tony Docherty's side could sort out their defensive issues, it's safe to assume they wouldn't be fighting for survival.

It's the opposite for Kilmarnock, with their underperformance of 5.5 showing they have struggled to take their chances. Addressing that is key if Derek McInnes wants to pull his side away from the bottom.

Other underperformers include Hibernian, Dundee United and Ross County, while the remainder of the teams in the division appear to be fairly steady.

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Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill said he had to avoid the team becoming "very disjointed" after not bringing Ross County striker Ronan Hale off the bench in his side's 5-1 friendly loss to Sweden on Tuesday night.

The former Cliftonville man was the subject of a lengthy international transfer after previously representing Republic of Ireland at youth level and was included in O'Neill's squad for the first time this month.

But the 26-year-old was an unused substitute in friendlies against Switzerland and Sweden with O'Neill saying he did not want to bring him on "slightly out of position" in the latter stages with the team already 5-0 behind.

"It's very difficult in that situation," he said.

"You can throw on another player and play him slightly out of position, but at that time we're trailing in the game 5-0.

"I have to protect the morale of the team a little bit, the team can get very disjointed at that point in time."

O'Neill added that Hale will have benefitted from the experience of being away with the squad for the first time.

He said: "Those players will get their chances.

"They will go back to their clubs, they have to get minutes and do well.

"This is Ronan's first trip, he will understand what we want from him from what he's seen in training."

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"Great addition" Jordan Amissah has signed a new two-year deal with Ross County.

The goalkeeper has impressed for the Highland side since his winter arrival, keeping four clean sheets in his 12 appearances for the club.

The 23-year-old's fresh contract extension will run until the summer of 2027.

"We are delighted Jordi has extended his stay at the club," County manager Don Cowie said.

"He has been a great addition to the group since joining in December and has given us excellent competition in the goalkeeping area."

Ross County striker Jordan White has won more duels than any other player in the Scottish Premiership.

The towering forward has enjoyed 236 successes, with Dundee United counterpart Sam Dalby next with 228.

Of those duels, 187 of them were aerial, where White also tops the pile.

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