Malky Mackay is thrilled to repay the loyalty of Ross County chairman Roy MacGregor by keeping the Staggies in the Premiership.
The Staggies secured their top-flight status for a fifth successive season, by staging a remarkable turnaround to defeat Partick Thistle on penalties.
County had gone three goals down in the tie before netting three goals in the final 20 minutes to pull it level.
After a goalless extra-time period the Staggies ran out 5-4 winners in the shoot-out, with Josh Sims netting the decisive spot-kick.
It caps a brilliant turnaround to secure safety, with County having been four points adrift at the foot of the table prior to the split.
Mackay insists he could not have faulted MacGregor if he had opted to part ways with him in the wake of the 6-1 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle, but is thrilled he was given the chance to spearhead County’s great escape.
He said: “As a manager it’s a huge achievement, because we’re a tiny club in the Premiership.
“I’ve read a lot of stuff, and there have been a lot of questions about how brilliant Partick have been – it’s quite clear that it would have been lovely for them to go into the Premiership and teams not to have to travel on the A9.
“I get that, but this is a great place. When players come up they realise what a great place it is and how good the people are running it.
“My commitment to Roy is as much as his commitment is to me. He could quite easily have decided after the Hearts game that enough was enough, but we had a conversation about how I felt about the run in, and I told him I had the shoulders to carry it.
“I believed that this group of players could stay in the Premiership, and we’ve done well.
“We were unfortunate against Motherwell and St Johnstone, but that put us into this position against Thistle.”
Mackay is thrilled for MacGregor’s sake that top-flight football will remain in Dingwall for a fifth successive season.
He added: “Roy is just so happy at the moment for the football club.
“He has had 25 years at this football club, his heart and soul is here, so to stay in this division again really means something.
“He feels as if he’s got a responsibility to the Highlands, and his football club is something that the Highlands get behind.
“I’ve got a lot to thank him and the chief executive Steven Ferguson for.”
Despite County being in a precarious position in the tie, Mackay insists his belief in his players never wavered.
Mackay added: “Honestly, I never thought we wouldn’t win.
“Even at half time I thought we could score three goals.
“Simon Murray has a chance in the last minute to score four and win the game.
“I looked at it at full time and Partick were lying on the ground whereas we were standing, so I thought we could kick on again.
“I thought extra time would be tough, and it was, and then penalties are a lottery.
“I had a conversation with my goalkeepers yesterday about what they don’t enjoy in a penalty shoot-out – and it’s confidence, and power.
“I said to the lads to go and do those two things, and we would be fine.”
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