A difficult season saw County narrowly avoid relegation.
Inexperienced manager Kettlewell got the season off to a good start with two consecutive wins. But poor defensive play saw them struggle for consistency. A 10-game spell without a win saw Kettlewell depart following a 2-0 defeat to relegation rivals Hamilton.
Replacement John Hughes organized the team well, helping to cut out defensive errors. Arrival of Naismith helped massively. Iacovitti was another bright spot in a physically strong defence.
Attack was weak throughout the season. Stewart’s departure to Sunderland in January was a huge blow. But White helped with link up play on arrival. Shaw was top scorer with 6 goals, and McKay failed to hit a run of form
Midfield was the strongest area. Lakin, Paton and Tillson all contributed well. White offered a strong, physical presence up front, helping with link up play.
Cups were a mixed bag. County ran to the League Cup semis after a shock win away at Celtic but defeat in the Scottish Cup 3rd Round to local rivals Inverness CT was a huge blow.
The campaign ended on a high, despite a few wobbles. County eventually finished nine points clear of bottom club Hamilton and 3 points clear of Kilmarnock after three straight wins.
Hughes departed at the campaign’s end. With strong teams promoted to the top flight, his successor will have a tough time keeping them up again.
