For the third time, I ask you, HOW CAN YOU NOT LOVE THIS CLUB!?!?
That pretty much says it all.
During my morning rounds of the virtual football world I came across a Ross County F.C.-related story in the SPL section (WEEEE!!!) of the BBC’s football website that stopped me in my tracks. Not so much because the action described in the story was out of character for Ross County F.C., but more because a) it was totally unnecessary on the club’s part and b) because it was just one more example of Ross County “walking the walk” after “talking the talk.” Ross County represents itself as many things, perhaps most notably as a “community club” and as a “fiscally responsible club,” and they are both of those things. We may now add a third item to the list, “stewards of the Scottish game.”*
Here is what the club has offered to do for Motherwell F.C. supporters ahead of Saturday’s inaugural SPL match at Victoria Park Global Energy Stadium: Ross County will pay the traveling costs of any Motherwell supporter who makes the trip to Dingwall (almost 200 miles each way) on an official M.F.C.-sponsored coach. This move is at least in part motivated by the fact that Motherwell’s match against County will be bracketed by two Champion’s League matches that will have taxed the pocketbooks of M.F.C. supporters.
Not bad, eh?
Granted, County will likely make all of their investment back through a full house at the ground and through the sale of everything from pies, to programs, to pre-match pints, but it is an unprecedented move nonetheless. Moreover, it is the kind of gesture that, if picked up by other clubs could go a long way towards easing the financial damage done to the league and its clubs by the departure of Rangers F.C.
So, from me, a personal tip of the cap to the R.C.F.C. board for making this offer to supporters of the Steelmen- hopefully many of them will take advantage of it!
*Historical Side Note: Scotland’s one time royal family- the Stuarts- got their name because they served as “stewards” to the crown. The more you know…
