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Ross County have released details of their 2000/01 season ticket package, which club officials believe will see fans enjoy First Division football and better facilities next term at bargain prices.
The Dingwall club's chief executive, Alastair Kennedy, is gearing up for a rush of bookings for Victoria Park's new 1,500-seater West Stand, as season tickets and reserved seats look likely to be snapped up quickly.
"It would have been easy for us to make extra money with the lure of First Division football and the return of derby games against Caley Thistle, but we've decided to take the opposite view and create a season ticket pricing structure aimed at making coming to Victoria Park good value for money," said Kennedy.
Season tickets for main areas of the new West Stand and the existing East Stand are priced at £150 for adults, £80 for OAPs and under-18s and £70 for under-12s, with season tickets for the newly-roofed Jail End terracing set at £120 for adults, £60 for OAPs, £30 for under-18s and £20 for under-12s.
Kennedy added: "The construction of the new West Stand has given us the opportunity to create better facilities for our fans with the creation of a new family area, which we hope will persuade parents to come and watch games along with their children and enjoy a season of affordable entertainment."
Prices for the family area of the West Stand, which will run the full length of the Victoria Park pitch and include two refreshment outlets, have been set at £130 for adults, £70 for OAPs, £40 for under-18s and £25 for under-12s.
"Basically that means two parents and two children – one under-18 and one under-12 – can watch our home league games next season as a family for £18 per game, which is what it would cost one adult to watch a SPL match.
"We're on the verge of another huge season after getting into the First Division and we were determined to look after the fans, who have followed us there all the way from the Third Division. We believe we've done that."
Meanwhile, Inverness Caley Thistle look likely to emerge as the favourites to snap up ex-Victoria Park utility player Roy McBain.
Former Dundee player McBain, 25, was handed a free transfer by County at the end of last season and has had signing talks with Caley Jags manager Steve Paterson and Arbroath boss Dave Baikie. Discussions have been suspended for a week, but McBean last night dropped a strong hint that Inverness will be his favoured destination if he can agree terms with Paterson.
He said: "I've had discussions with Caley Thistle and Arbroath, but the talks are still in the early stages and I won't be talking to either again until I get back from a short holiday.
"At the moment, I don't have a decision to make, but I would obviously prefer to land a full-time deal if I can."
Peter Cormack, who signed for Ross County on a short-term contract last season, has signed for Stenhousemuir.
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Ross County have offered long-term deals to Hamilton Accies out-of-contract players Darren Henderson and Eddie Cunnington. Accies were keen to keep the pair but relegation to the Third Division, caused by the deduction of 15 points for a players' strike, means it looks extremely unlikely.
Cunnington and Henderson travelled to Dingwall on Friday to discuss the move with County manager Neale Cooper and they will give their decisions at the end of the month.
Henderson, who plays on the left hand side of midfield, took his goal tally into double figures despite Accies disappointing season and has been interesting a host of other clubs, including Forfar Athletic.
Cooper is keen to sign Cunnington for the right back slot, after releasing Mark Duthie and Craig Tully. Tully has agreed a two-year deal with Second Division Forfar Athletic.
Assistant manager Gordon Chisholm said: "We have made offers to both players and we expect to get decisions from them when Neale Cooper comes back from holiday. They both came up with their families to have a look around and see the set-up. We are quite hopeful but nothing is certain until they have actually signed.
"Next season we will be running with a slightly smaller squad because most of the money will go towards the new stand.
"We have the nucleus of the squad and if we can add three or four players I'm sure we can make an impression on the First Division."
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Ross County's Scottish Cup hopes were ended by Forfar Athletic last season and captain Brian Irvine is anxious to make sure there is no repeat shock in the CIS Insurance League Cup this time round.
County have been handed a first round home tie against Scotland's worst senior team, Albion Rovers.
Irvine is aware that, as First Division new boys, County will be expected to beat the lowly Third Division side but he admits that he and his teammates will have to guard against complacency.
The former Aberdeen and Dundee defender saw his Scottish Cup dream ended in a penalty shoot-out at Forfar and he admits that result left a cloud over their league form.
Irvine said: "Albion Rovers will improve under John McVeigh because he is a good motivator and he'll have his side up for the game.
"He has a good bunch of youngsters and he'll probably bring in a few experienced players so I'm sure you'll see them improve over the season.
"It is a good draw from our point of view because we are at home against a team from a lower division.
"It could have been a lot worse but, bearing in mind our Scottish Cup defeat at Forfar last season, it is important we don't take anything for granted.
"Good form in the league and cup normally goes hand in hand and after we lost to Forfar I thought our league form dipped and we really seemed to struggle.
"It gives us a chance to get into the second round when the Premier League clubs, who are not playing in Europe, come into the equation.
"We played Dundee United last season and they beat us in extra time but I thought we gave a good account of ourselves.
"There is no reason why we can't do the same again.
"If we can get a run in the League Cup it would be a real bonus. You only have to look at the boost County got a couple of years ago when they got a decent run and eventually lost out to Hearts."
Many will find it hard to believe that four seasons ago the shoe was on the other foot when former Highland League team Ross County were in the Third Division upsetting higher league opposition
Now, because of their rapid progression through the leagues, County are now seen as a big club and are now there to be shot at by the so-called minnows.
Irvine is now looking forward to the challenge of the First Division and trying to emulate their Highland rivals.
"We want to go up to the First Division and consolidate our position like Inverness Caley Thistle did last season," he added.
"If we can establish ourselves we can then look to build and get our ground up to the Scottish Premier League requirements."
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Franck Escalon's Ross County future hinges on whether he can convince manager Neale Cooper that he has fully recovered from the virus which destroyed his season.
French midfielder Escalon, who joined County from Berwick Rangers three years ago, has been given a short-term contract by Cooper.
The 26-year-old played a pivotal role in County's Third Division championship side two seasons ago and during that period he was targeted by Premier League sides Kilmarnock and Dundee United.
County assistant manager Gordon Chisholm said: "We have asked Franck to come back up for pre-season training so we can assess his fitness.
"He was struggling last season because of the virus, but hopefully he'll be over it and can get back to the form we know he can produce.
"If he proves his fitness there is no doubt he has a long-term future at Ross County."
County have already made moves to strengthen their squad for the new season, in which they will be playing in the First Division, by offering contracts to Hamilton Accies pair Darren Henderson and Eddie Cunnington.
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First Division new boys Ross County are on the trail of Stirling Albion winger John McQuade.
County manager Neale Cooper has been a long time admirer of the 29-year-old and is keen to bring him to Victoria Park as he looks to strengthen his squad for their First Division debut.
The Stirling side cannot afford to keep its star asset after its failure to follow County out of the Second Division, which means it must cut the full-time crippling wage bill.
The Dingwall boss has already plundered the ranks of Albion to great effect when he took midfielder Craig Taggart from the struggling Second Division side at the end of last season.
Taggart, who signed a short-term deal until the end of the season, has been rewarded with a long-term contract after helping County to promotion.
Cooper is keen to add the former Hamilton and Raith Rovers winger to his ranks after he released Kevin Finlayson and Roy McBain in the summer, a move which leaves him lacking in depth in the wide areas.
The majority of County's finances this season are to be channelled into ground improvements and the building of a new main stand. This means that money will be tight for Cooper as he aims to emulate Highland rivals, Inverness Caley Thistle, who made a big hit in the First Division last season.
Cooper has already made moves to sign Hamilton Accies' Darren Henderson and Eddie Cunnington, both of whom are out of contract.
He is hoping to add another couple of new faces before the start of the season but nothing will be finalised until he returns from holiday.
Meanwhile, County have become the first Scottish senior football club to achieve the Investors in People status.
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As sun-tanned Ross County manager Neale Cooper cast an eye over construction work on Victoria Park's new £750,000 West Stand yesterday, in typical fashion, he joked: "I'll be getting as close a look as anyone when it's finished when I serve my three-month touchline ban.
"The building work is really is coming on fast and I'm amazed to see the progress that has been made since I went on holiday a fortnight ago.
"The lads come back for pre-season training a week tomorrow and I'm sure they'll also be impressed by what has been achieved in such a short time."
Cooper added: "The players should return in fairly good condition as they had been given warning that they will be given a series of special tests to check their levels of fitness after the close season break."
The County boss revealed that he hopes to add to his squad before the start of the season.
He said: "Prior to my going on holiday, we had spoken to two or three players and, with a bit of luck, we should have some positive news on that front before too long.
"Nicky Walker will make his mind up as to whether he will be back next season after he has had his own holiday and, as always, it will be Nicky's decision alone, but we all hope he will return to help us in the First Division."
Cooper added: "Next season is going to be very exciting but we finished well last term and hope to keep that going into the First Division.
"We're really looking forward to the local derby games against Caley Thistle and it's great for both clubs that we will be able to generate at least four full houses next season."
Meanwhile, County chairman Roy MacGregor is delighted that work is progressing well on the new 1,600-seater stand and other ongoing ground improvements at Victoria Park.
MacGregor said: "Work is on schedule to be finished in the middle of August. It's going to be a new trial in the First Division this year and as always we will keep our feet firmly on the ground, but it is exciting to see the new structure progressing."
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Nicky Walker has given Ross County a massive boost by signing a new short-term deal with the First Division new boys.
There were fears that the former Aberdeen and Scotland goalkeeper might decide to hang up his gloves to concentrate on his family shortbread company, but he has decided to extend his playing career for the time being.
The 37-year-old, who has remained part-time despite County's rapid progress through the ranks, informed manager Neale Cooper of his decision when he returned from holiday this week.
The lure of a return to the First Division means that Walker will try to juggle his work and County commitments for the first few months of the season, before he commits to a longer deal.
A relieved Neale Cooper said: "Nicky Walker has agreed to sign a short-term contract to see how he gets on with his work and football commitments.
"He thought about it over the summer break and he phoned me on his return from holiday on Monday and said he would give it another go.
"It was a bit worrying but at the end of the day it was Nicky's decision.
"It was nothing to do with football it was down to the amount of work he is doing in the family business.
"Nicky has been tremendous with our young keeper, Gary Hamilton, and to the other youngsters at the club and it is good we've got him back on board."
The County boss was also pleased with the look of his new recruits in their midweek victory over Deveronvale and he admits he wants more in tonight's match with Inverness Clach.
"The match was a good workout with Eddie Cunnington and Darren Henderson getting much needed match fitness, while striker Alex Bone also scored a hat-trick," he added.
"The general fitness of the players is great. It is more their match fitness which has to be worked at."
County will be without striker Derek Holmes, who is out with a hamstring problem, while Craig Taggart and John Fraser are doubts, with groin and knee injuries respectively.
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Former Scotland and Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson is set to leave Ross County.
County are ready to part with the player, who still has a year left on his contract.
County manager Neale Cooper said: "Derek is unsettled at the moment, especially as he is in Dingwall and his three children are back home in the Hamilton area, so it would be fair to allow him to move back south.
"Partick Thistle are interested but Clydebank have emerged as favourites for his signature. Wherever he goes, we wish him well with his future career."
Cooper added: "Franck Escalon, John Fraser and Craig Taggart have all done well in pre-season and I don't intend moving into the transfer market for a midfielder at this stage."
Ross County midfielder John McGlashan has asked to be placed on the transfer list.
The former Dundee man moved to Victoria Park in December, 1998, and had been a regular until a troublesome knee injury forced him out of contention last term.
Forfar and Arbroath are believed to be interested in signing McGlashan.
County will field former Dumbarton striker Paddy Flannery in today's friendly against Rothes at Mackessack Park (2pm).
The big striker is available under Bosman and will be on trial with the Dingwall club next week.
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