Stuart Kettlewell has challenged Ross County to provide further evidence that they are a club on the mend by defying the odds to reach the semi-final of the Premier Sports Cup.
The Staggies have dropped to League One after suffering back-to-back relegations from the William Hill Premiership and Championship over the previous two seasons.
But they are currently second in the third tier after winning four of their opening five matches and have progressed to the last eight of the League Cup, where they host top-flight side Hibernian in a rematch of the 2015 final.
“It would be massive for the football club in so many different ways, whether it be financially, it would also be huge in terms of pushing the boundaries and going against the odds,” manager Kettlewell said of the prospect of making it to Hampden.
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“It would be huge in where we are as a football club. We’ve been hammered, we’ve been beaten over the head quite a bit – rightfully so, a lot of people would say, and we’ve taken that.
“But I think it would show early signs of progress and it would show early signs of a rebuild and healing from what undoubtedly have been a couple of really tough years for this football club.”
Hibs head to Dingwall under pressure from their supporters after losing three of their last four matches, but Kettlewell is adamant it will require a monumental effort from his players to pull off a victory against David Gray’s embattled team.
“I can’t remember another situation where a League One club has progressed to the next stage of this competition,” said Kettlewell. “We’re going to have to be at our absolute best to try and get a result against Hibs.
“I watched them again at the weekend, I’ve seen them several times this season. I know that by the nature of Scottish football there’s a bit of negativity surrounding their last couple of results, but before that I think they’ve had some really good performances and results and I think they’re a really good side with a lot of good players.
“We’re going to have to be pitch perfect to get anything from them at all.”
