Simon Murray stands just a goal away from joining the six previous Ross County players to hit the 20-goal mark in a season since they entered the Scottish leagues.
Forward Murray has enjoyed an excellent campaign – netting his 19th goal of the campaign in last weekend’s 2-1 victory over Hibernian.
Of those strikes, 12 have come in the Premiership, with the 32-year-old having previously netted seven times in the League Cup.
Murray now has three matches – at home to Motherwell, away to St Johnstone and at home to Aberdeen – in which he could become the first Staggies player since Billy Mckay in 2019 to rack up 20 goals in a single season.
The feat has been achieved on eight occasions since County joined the Scottish Football League in 1994, as Derek Adams and Liam Boyce accomplished it twice.
Boyce, who followed up a 20-goal haul in 2015-16 with a haul of 24 the following season, is the only County player to have hit that mark during a top-flight campaign, doing it back-to-back seasons.
Andy Barrowman holds the record for the most goals scored by a County player during the last 30 years, having finished with a tally of 29 strikes in their Second Division winning campaign in 2007-08.
Ross County players to have netted 20 or more goals in a season since 1994
1996-97 – Derek Adams (23) – Third Division
1997-98 – Derek Adams (20) – Third Division
1998-99 – Neil Tarrant (24) – Third Division
2007-08 – Andy Barrowman (29) – Second Division
2011-12 – Colin McMenamin (20) – First Division
2015-16 – Liam Boyce (20) – Premiership
2016-17 – Liam Boyce (24) – Premiership
2018-19 – Billy Mckay (20) – Championship
Cowie thrilled with Murray return
Murray has endeared himself to the Staggies’ supporters, due to his relentless work-rate and eye for goal.
Interim boss Don Cowie is thrilled with the way Murray has maintained his goalscoring rate throughout the campaign.
Cowie said: “Simon has had a lot of headlines because he is the one who has been scoring a lot of goals and he’s been extremely consistent throughout the season.
“He’s been a real pest to the opposition and it is about him maintaining that and doing it in the last three games.”
Murray well aided by Staggies strike partners
Fellow attacker Jordan White, who came off the bench to net the winner on Saturday, has posted a return of seven goals, while Eamonn Brophy is on four for the campaign.
Cowie was quick to highlight the pair’s contribution in helping Murray reach his current tally.
He added: “He never got the goal or headlines, but on Saturday I thought Eamonn Brophy worked extremely hard alongside Simon, which allows Simon to do what he does.
“I would fully understand Jordan being frustrated at not starting, but what you can do as a response is come on the park (and make an impact). He doesn’t have to score, but as long as he comes on and makes an impact. That’s what you want to do as a substitute, and that’s what we need as a group.
“I was delighted for him to come on and get the goal.
“I think I have made it very clear from day one since I have come in that it’s never about the individual, it’s about the group.
“It’s about preparing us for the opposition we are playing, that group trying to execute the gameplan, but the subs coming on and playing their part as well. It is about the collective.
“Everyone can see we have players playing at their top level right now.”
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