I don't want Highlands to go low

Cowie desperate to stay up after seeing rivals ICT plummet into League One

- SCOTT BURNS

DON COWIE is hell-bent on keeping Ross County in the top flight to stop the Highlands becoming the lowlands of Scottish football this summer.

Duncan Ferguson's Inverness exited the Championship with last weekend's play-off defeat and now the struggling Staggies have two games against Raith Rovers - to save their Premiership status.

Cowie is determined to make sure it doesn't become a double dunt for the region and that the Dingwall outfit do enough to survive these end-of-season showdowns for a second year running.

The 41-year-old, who is boss on an interim basis, said: "It is not about me.

"This is about the football club and doing what's best for it. When you see what's happened at Inverness in terms of falling out of the top league, the impact that can have on the Highlands is big.

“We want to be in the Premiership. We work extremely hard to be here and we have been here for 11 of the last 12 years.

“It is a real challenge but one we embrace every year. We’re going to do everything we can to make sure that stays the same.”

Cowie has had spells at both Highland clubs.