Ross County fans have reacted angrily to the news Malky Mackay is the club’s new boss.
The Staggies have moved quickly to replace John Hughes after his exit was confirmed on Monday.
Mackay hasn’t had a job in club management for more than half a decade. His reputation was severely damaged after a string of racist, anti-Semitic, sexist and homophobic messages sent during his time at Cardiff City were made public.
However, County chairman Roy MacGregor has decided the former Scotland international, most recently the SFA’s performance director, is the man to lead the club forward following a season in which they survived a Premiership relegation battle.
It’s safe to say the decision has been met with a tsunami of negativity on social media. We’ve compiled some of the (publishable) messages from County fans in response to Mackay’s appointment.
‘Despite knowing the concerns of fans, you continued with the appointment anyway’
Many Staggies supporters had spoken out against Mackay’s potential appointment when he was linked to the post yesterday and it is understood the supporter liaison officer (SLO) at County put some of their views to the club’s hierarchy.
Following this afternoon’s confirmation Mackay is the new gaffer at the Global Energy Stadium, Niall Sinclair said it shows the club is “out of touch” with its fans:
What a joke. Community club finding there values by appointing a racist homophobic man. Club are very out off touch with fans these days https://t.co/StmX40RUIt
— niall sinclair (@sinclair6574) May 26, 2021
Seething. https://t.co/6PX80ozjmw
— Ramsay Banks 🦌 (@Ramsay_SV) May 26, 2021
Other Twitter users expressed the same opinion – that their views had been ignored:
Backwards and disappointing appointment. Despite knowing the concerns of the fans , you continued with the appointment anyway. Speaks volumes.
— Jack (@JackConnorMunr1) May 26, 2021
Meanwhile, some pointed to chairman MacGregor’s interview with club TV is recent days where he spoke about the Staggies rediscovering their identity and questioned whether the new manager – and his past conduct – fits the bill:
This isn’t our identity. https://t.co/h3MxFKaiuu pic.twitter.com/MnopDyldFy
— Robert Scott (@robertscott__) May 26, 2021
Look at these last two tweets. Malky Mackay does not “represent our fans”and he is also not a “well respected figure.”
Disappointed @RossCounty. pic.twitter.com/gOyhnEN3Pv
— Staggies View (@staggiesview) May 26, 2021
Following a year battling the repercussions of the Covid pandemic and at a time where clubs are trying to sell season tickets for the new campaign, other supporters said they intend to not spend cash on the club – or expect many to withhold their cash – in protest at the decision:
I wonder if @RossCounty could update us on how many Staggies Army Memberships have been cancelled so far. I want to hear from Roy on this abomination first before cancelling mine, but I know others who have done so already.
— OvertheBridge.info (@OTB_info) May 26, 2021
Outrageous. I'm not putting a penny towards the club while he's manager.
— Genki Sussudio (@Aqueously) May 26, 2021
I won’t be giving a single penny to the club while he is manager. Thanks for making our club the laughing stock of Scottish football!
— Ryan Campbell (@RyanC1929) May 26, 2021
Save yourselves the cost of a stamp and don't send me the season ticket renewal letter. I won't be back until Malky Mackay is gone.
— James Coulter (@CrazyCoulter) May 26, 2021
Some are simply embarrassed by the move:
Every County fan right now including me 😩 #embarrassing why do you never listen to the fans!!!! pic.twitter.com/rpKpuuUKKU
— Nicola Mitchell (@nicx1402) May 26, 2021
Other users felt County’s statement announcing the appointment should have at least addressed Mackay’s past:
Amazing that the statement doesn't even address the reason for his termination at Cardiff. One thing to appoint him, another thing to completely sidestep his past
— Andrew Fotheringham🧀🏁🏴🇵🇸 (@Fothers1314) May 26, 2021
‘Everybody deserves a second chance’
However, there have been some followers of Ross County, who have taken the opposite view on Mackay’s appointment, with these two users examples of those who think Mackay should get a second chance in management:
Forgot everyone's not allowed a second chance, short memories out the people. pic.twitter.com/BwrDEln9dJ
— David Anderson (@templarios1314) May 26, 2021
welcome aboard Malky. Everybody deserves a second chance.
— Blair O (@Blairo87) May 26, 2021