| Date | Friday, 14 July 2000 |
|---|---|
| Competition | FRIENDLY |
| Fixture/Score | Inverness Clachnacuddin 0:2 Ross County |
| Venue | Grant Street Park |
| Attendance | |
| Referee | |
| Comments | Match Report Report from the Press & Journal. Clachnacuddin 0 Ross County 2 Promoted Ross County, who beat Clach 2-0 in a friendly last night, have clinched a lucrative tie-up with a global investment firm as they prepare to make their debut in the First Division. Aberdeen Asset Management--the company which backs the Granite City's Open golf champion Paul Lawrie and Inverurie's world No. 1 squash player Peter Nicol--will pump a "significant sum" into the Dingwall club as part of a two-year shirt and sponsorship deal. Club directors and company's management refused to disclose the amount involved but it is understood the deal is unprecedented in the North. The Aberdeen-based fund managers are worth an estimated £22billion and employ 500 people in bases all over the world, including 300 in their Aberdeen HQ. There is an option to extend the deal beyond the initial two years. Delighted Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor refused to say if the deal would enable team manager Neale Cooper to buy players. But he said: "We see this as a two-way partnership with benefits for both club and sponsor. It is a privilege to be involved with a world-class company of such magnitude and one which is already involved at the highest level of sport with Paul Lawrie and Peter Nicol. "I think it is fair to say that this deal will take us a few notches up the ladder at an important time in our development as a business and football club." The firm's marketing manager Douglas Connon said it had already backed County for two years with sponsorship of an executive by the club's rapid ascent. He added: "I don't think there is anything to be gained by either club or sponsor by talking about the figure involved but it is a significant sum. "Negotiations opened back in January and were finalised at the end of the season as County clinched promotion to the First Division. "Ross County is a superbly well run football club and offers us wider exposure in the Highland area as part of our overall strategy to strengthen our brand through-out the UK." County's new West stand development is due for completion on August 18. It will take seating capacity close to the 3,000 mark while Bringing total investment in redevelopment at Victoria Park to £3.2million. Ross join neighbours Caley Thistle in the First Division as the North team get ready for what should be an interesting season. |
| Ross County | |
| Manager | Neale Cooper |
| Starting 11 | |
| Bench | |
| Inverness Clachnacuddin | |
| Manager | |
| Starting 11 | |
| Bench | |