Kettlewell Keeps Ross County Job After 3-2 Relegation Loss — Scottish Football Today
Stuart Kettlewell will stay on at Ross County after their drop into Scottish League 1, a decision that follows the club’s second successive relegation and a 3-2 defeat at Raith Rovers on Friday. In scottish football today, Ross County have moved straight into rebuild mode, and the manager who returned in December now gets the job of leading it.
Roy MacGregor backs Kettlewell
Chairman Roy MacGregor said the club believes Kettlewell has the right “skill set, traits and affinity with the club and the Highlands to take us forward.” He also said: “We have full faith that Stuart is the best person to lead the club and to instil a desire and culture in the squad that the supporters can get behind on a Saturday afternoon.”
MacGregor’s backing came after a painful run that ended with Ross County bottom of the Scottish Championship. The club’s relegation at Raith Rovers completed a second straight drop, leaving Kettlewell to oversee a reset around the 2025-26 season.
Frail stays, Robertson leaves
Stephen Frail will continue as Kettlewell’s assistant. John Robertson has left the club, clearing another change in the coaching group as Ross County begin sorting the structure around the manager.
Kettlewell’s own path back to Dingwall has already been a stop-start one. He returned in December after Tony Docherty’s dismissal, having started the season at Kilmarnock before being sacked after nine defeats in 23 games. His previous spell in charge at Ross County began in 2018, first in partnership with Steven Ferguson, before he was placed in sole charge in June 2020 and then relieved of his duties in December 2020.
Ross County departures list
The squad turnover is already taking shape. Ross Laidlaw, Alex Iacovitti, Jordan White, Jay Henderson, Declan Gallagher and Uche Ikpeazu will all leave, while five out-of-contract players have been offered new deals. Eight players on loan, including goalkeeper Trevor Carson, will also depart.
MacGregor called the second relegation in two seasons “a devastating blow,” and said it came “just four years after being one place away from qualifying for Europe.” That leaves Kettlewell with a smaller group and a clear task: build a squad capable of handling Scottish League 1 from the ground up.
