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Ross County may be lining up Cove Rangers striker Michael Beattie as a replacement for Derek Adams. Beattie becomes a free agent later this month.
Beattie has scored over 150 goals for Cove Rangers in the Press and Journal Highland League in the past four seasons.
Scottish First Division clubs Morton, Hibs and Raith Rovers, and English First Division Carlisle and Huddersfield are chasing Adams.
Club chairman Roy McGregor was practical about the affair when he said, "Money will not be the issue in this case. We'd rather not lose a player of Adams' ability but if he gets the opportunity to play at a higher level then we will not stand in his way."
It is believed that a six-figure sum has been tendered for Adams and that County are holding out for £125,000. Adams has not had talks with any of the interested clubs because this cannot happen until County have accepted a bid for him.
Adams was signed from Burnley two season ago and over the past few weeks he has underlined his status as one of Scottish football's leading strikers. He grabbed his 50th goal for County in last Saturday's match against Cowdenbeath but in the previous week he was County's hero when he came of the bench to sink Premier side Dundee United's hopes of proceding further in the Scottish League Cup. Two super strikes saw to that.
DRM 1 September 1998
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Inverness Clachnacuddin have signed transfer-listed Jamie McPherson from Ross County. McPherson's services have been in demand by several Highland League clubs but the 28-year-old striker opted for the Inverness club.
Meanwhile, English Premiership side Derby County have joined in the interest for Derek Adams. Norwich City and Manchester City are two other clubs reputed to be showing interest from south of the border. Two Scottish Premier clubs are keeping a "watching brief" on developments in the negotiations for the player.
County chairman, Roy McGregor said, "Five clubs have expressed and interest but we have only had one firm offer that neither the club nor the player is settling on."
This offer is believed to be £100,000 from Greenock Morton.
DRM 3 September 1998
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Complimentary tickets will be in big demand at Tynecastle on Wednesday as potential buyers take the opportunity to watch Ross County striker derek Adams against premier-class opposition.
The Dingwall club have already turned down a £100,000 offer from Morton for the 23-year-old, who is currently studying for an electrical engineering degree.
Now a host of clubs, including Norwich City, Manchester City, Preston, Carlisle, Dundee, Hibs and Raith Rovers intend to see how Adams does against Hearts in the Scottish League Cup quarter final to be played next Wednesday.
"I've just signed a two-year extension to my contract, which gives me another three years at Victoria Park. So I'm in no rush to go anywhere," said Adams. "Obviously if the right club came along I'd consider going full-time again."
Adams had three-and-a-half years with his hometown side Aberdeen but never quite made the breakthrough to the first team. He then joined Burnley, and although he played in the first team at Turf Moor, he returned to Aberdeen homesick.
In two years with Ross County, Adams has more than rediscovered his appetite, and last Saturday he scored his 50th goal for the club.
Manger Neale Cooper is bold enough to admit that Adams' days at County are numbered.
Adams scored the two goals that knocked Dundee United out of the cup in the last round.
"I'd love to repeat that feat at Tyncastle," he says. "But our first priority at Victoria Park is to win promotion. We just missed out last season by one point, wo we're determined to do it this season. The spirit at the club is fantastic. There is a genuine feeling we are set for greater things."
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After his Ross County side defeated Dundee United 2-0 in the League Cup, Neale Cooper received a surprise telephone call. Alex Ferguson (manager of Manchester United) was on the line.
"He congratulated me on beating United," said Cooper. "He always liked beating them when he was at Aberdeen."
Cooper laughs a lot, and lately, he has had a lot to laugh about. County top the Third Division with maximum points from five games an which they have scored 16 goals and conceded only one. That impressive start included a 8-0 win over hapless Albion Rovers on a day when principal striker Derek Adams was missing.
On Wednesday next (9/9), they face Hearts in the Scottish League Cup quarter final at Tynecastle, their reward for that victory over Dundee United. On current form, it is hard for Cooper becoming depressed but the pressure last season did take its toll on his health.
"I had a throat infection which I couldn't shake off, and, for a spell, the pressure got to me. There are a lot of things expected from this club and I think it got on top of my health for a while. I was taking football too seriously and it was going home with me and it began to affect my family.
"By nature, I am a cheerful person, but I realise now that you can only do so much. There's that old cliche that you must give 120%, but you can only give 100%. It took a chat with the chairman and my family to make me realise that."
The expectations Cooper refers to are created by Roy McGregor, County's Chairman. McGregor says that County are a First Division side currently playing in the Third.
McGregor says, "We want to be more than just a football club. We have a vision that by the year 2000 we will have a sports academy, with 30 or 40 local children combining the sport of their choice with their academic studies. We believe if we give something back to the community they will come and support us."
Any Chairman can talk of big things, but under McGregor's leadership County have already proved that they are an ambitious club. Last week a reputed £200,000 bid for Adams was rejected. Every other club in the Third (or Second) Division would have grabbed the money.
The club is innovative too. As well as family facilities there are hospitality rooms and an astro training pitch. County recently appointed Scotland's first woman Community Coach, Fiona McWilliams. Coach Danny McDonald oversees County's younger teams in their respective Scottish leagues. In all a set-up many First Division sides are envious of.
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While improvements off the pitch continue apace, it is on it that progress is being cruelly thwarted. In 1996-97, County recovered from losing their opening six matches to miss out on promotion by goal difference. Last season Arbroath pipped them by one point.
County's early form suggests that nothing will be left to chance this time.
Cooper said, "This is the best start we have ever made. Everybody knows how important it is for us to get promotion this time. It is the last year of my contract and a lot of players are playing for new contracts too.
"This is the biggest and best squad of players I have had in my three years here. When I was at Aberdeen, there were certain places we would have to go to and win a battle first before we could go on to win the game and Alex Ferguson would pick his side accordingly. Aberdeen used to surprise a few teams by their approach and they carried an awe with them.
"If we are being made favourites in this league then we are going to have to carry that kind of awe with us, we will have to show people why we are favourites. We have the physical presence in the side to do that."
Cooper does not think his side will beat Hearts on Wednesday, bu then, they did not think they would beat Morton and Dundee United.
"I want the players to enjoy it," Cooper added. "It is a good way of getting all the players together. We have players from Fife and Glasgow who can't train at Victoria Park through the week, so the League Cup has helped us by giving mid-week games. Tynecastle was a good ground for me when I was a player at Aberdeen and I am looking forward to going back there."
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English Premiership side Middlesborough and First Division Birmingham City are the latest clubs to join the chase for the highly-rated striker Derek Adams.
Middlesborough boss Bryan Robson and City manager Trevor Francis both had Adams watched in County's 2-0 victory over Berwick Rangers last Saturday. Adams scored both County goals to take his tally for this season to seven.
Morton have already had a £100,000 bid rejected and this is believed to be the only firm offer tendered for Adams. However, interest from Hibs, Motherwell, Raith Rovers, Derby County, Sunderland, Manchester City and Norwich City has been declared.
It is only a matter of time before Adams leaves Ross County and this is most likely to happen if County lose to Hearts on Wednesday.
Adams said, "I am with Ross County just now and until the club accepts an offer from another club I am still a County player.
"There is a lot of pressure on me because I do know there are people watching me. It is hard but I've just got to keep going and, fortunately, I am scoring goals at the moment.
"It is also good for other players at the club because teams are seeing them as well. They are delighted at that and hopefully one or two of them will also get a bigger move."
County boss Neale Cooper is resigned to losing the player. He said, "There were a lot of clubs watching him and he did well. If Derek wants to go full time then it is up to him. I get on well with him and I have informed him what has been going on.
"There is a lot of interest in him and maybe something will happen this week. A lot of players would be put off with all the speculation but he has responded brilliantly to it.
"He is in the right frame of mind and I have no problems with him. That's the kind of boy he is and I think he can play at any level.
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Ross County manager Neale Cooper reckons he will face the hardest task of his managerial career at 6.30pm tomorrow night - one hour before the kick-off in the Scottish League Cup quarter final against Hearts.
"I'll have to tell two players that they will be watching the biggest game in the club's history from the stand and I'm not looking forward to it one bit, " said Cooper.
"It's not every day that a Third Division player finds himself in this position playing against one of the leading sides in the country in the quarter final of a national cup competition.
"We're taking a 16-man squad to Tynecastle but only 14 can be involved in the tie and telling a couple of the lads that they're not involved will break their hearts and mine."
Cooper's own playing career saw him collect every major domestic honour with Aberdeen and Rangers but, along with the highs, he remebers the lows when he had to sit out big games.
"I know exactly how they'll feel because I was taken aside at various times in my own career by a few managers and told I wasn't going to be part of games I was desperate to play in, " Cooper recalled.
County head for Edinburgh with no injury worries and on the crest of a wave which has seen them maintain their 100% record in competitive matches this season.. Added to last Saturday's squad are fit again Willie Furphy and Stuart Golabek. Seven goal Derek Adams is sure to figure prominently in the game.
Cooper promises there will be no change to the attacking football which has become County's trade mark.
He added, "Obviously, we can't afford to go to Tynecastle and launch a cavalry charge at a side of Hearts' quality but we wont change our philosophy wholesale because the approach we took against Dundee United worked so well in the last round.
"Over the course of the game we'll get a chance or two, even against a side as good as Hearts and we'll be looking to take them if we can. If we do, who knows what might happen."
County will have a strong, vocal support at the tie. They have all but sold their ticket allocation (1,780) and so the A9 will be busy as the fans head south.
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Ross County boss Neale Cooper revealed after watching his heroes take Hearts all the way to extra time and penalties that he expects a move for striker Derek Adams this morning and he suspects the player will not be in his line-up for Queen's Park on Saturday.
Cooper said: "There have been a lot of people watching Derek, and although I want to keep him he wants full-time football, and I think he can score goals at that level.
"We have an important game with Queen's Park on Saturday, and although I want the player to stay I don't think that's going to happen."
The club is believed to be Motherwell, whose chairman John Boyle was seen last night deep in conversation with County supremo Roy McGregor after Finnish boss Harry Kampman had Adams watched scoring twice against Berwick Rangers last weekend.
Cooper, not surprisingly, was full of praise for every one of his 14 players.
He said: "It was a moral victory for us to play one of the top teams in the Premier League and take them to penalty kicks."
He added: "This game ranks above the Dundee United match in my book, we did ourselves proud tonight and the players did exactly what I wanted them to do.
"Although we got beat eventually, I told my players in the dressing room that they can be very proud of themselves."
Cooper went on to confirm that his main goal this season is most definitely the league campaign and it's back to business as usual on Saturday when County take on Queen's Park at Hampden.
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Derek Adams signed for Motherwell in a £175,000 deal, a record for the Third Division. Adams chose Motherwell ahead of a host of other clubs including Birmingham City, Reading and Hibs.
"Motherwell ahve given me a great opportunity to get back into full-time football and at Premier League level. It was a chance I had to take after talking to the Motherwell chairman Mr Boyle, manager Harry Kampman, Brian McClair and Pat Nevin," said Adams.
"All four of them had seen me play at some stage before they came in with their offer to Ross County and I was very impressed with what they had to say to me during our talks. I wanted to stay in Scotland and everything I heard and saw at Fir Park convinced me that joining Motherwell was my best option."
Adams will go straight into the Motherwell squad for next Saturday's tie with Aberdeen but it is unlikely that he will play.
Ross Couunty chairman Roy McGregor was delighted to collect this record fee for his club.
He commented,"Derek leaves many friends and admirers behind at Victoria Park where everyone appreciated his commitment and his performances for Ross County over the past two years. We wish him the very best for what is certain to be a glittering future."
County mangager Neale Cooper joined his chairman in praising Adams when he said, "Because his for has been so good, Derek has been the focus of most of the attention. He thoroughly deserves full-time football and everyone here at Ross County wish him well."
Ross County hold the record in their division for an outgoing fee as well. In 1992 they paid Southampton £45,000 for the services of Barry Wilson.
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Roy McGregor announced that would cut admission prices for Ross County's home game against Albion Rovers next month. This is to reward the supporters who have been County's 12th man on the park.
Neale Cooper believes that it is a fitting reward for the supporters who have roared his team towards it's best ever start to a season.
Cooper said, "Lately they have been tremendous, especially after the frustration of narrowly missing out on promotion again last season.
"I spoke with the Hearts Chairman after the match and he stated that not many Premier Division sides bring anything like the support that we had.
"Last season we won our last six hames and I think the fans saw that we did not miss out on promotion through lack of effort. When they came back in pre-season they saw that we were playing more attacking football and we have carried that on to the start of the season. The players are delighted with the backing and it tells in the way they are performing."
County will reduce admission prices to £4 (from £7) for adults and £1 (from £4) for concessions for the home match on October 10.
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Ross County have signed Dunfermline's Dutch winger Iwo den Bieman on a free transfer. Den Bieman was released by Dunfermline at his own request and has signed a month's contract with County.
Den Bieman said, "There was no point in me sitting in the stand at East End Park, so I've taken charge of my own career with this move.
"Lots of clubs have been following County's players, so coming here puts me in the shop window. If no-one approaches me within the month then I will take stock of the situation with Mr McGregor."
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Neale Cooper has plans to sign two players in an attempt to plug the gap left by the deprture of Derek Adams last week to Motherwell.
Top of Cooper's list appears to be Fraserburgh striker Paul Keith. County are also linked with Cove Rangers player Michael Beattie but it is more likely that this player will move south and sign for Hartlepool.
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Ross County have signed 26-year-old Montrose striker Gary Higgins for a fee of £10,000.
He goes straight into the squad for today's home match against Brechin City.
Higgins has signed a two year contract and he said, "It's a big move for me and I'm delighted to be joining Ross County. They're an attractive team who play a good blend of attacking football."
County boss Neale Cooper commented on his new signing, "I played with Gary at Dunfermline when he was a young player. He's an aggressive player who loves to score goals."
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