Ross County host their first home game of season 2013/14 when Partick Thistle visit the Global Energy Stadium and whilst this will be the first ever top flight game between the sides midfielder Stuart Kettlewell has been in opposition to the Glasgow side on many occasions.
Kettlewell said: “It is certainly not the first time I have faced Partick Thistle as I played against them for County and also when I was at Queen’s Park and Clyde. My record against them could be classed as a mixed bag as we had a fairly poor run of results with County however we did really well against them in the season we won the League.”
“With Queen’s Park I played against them in a Cup tie and a few friendlies and when I was at Clyde the games always had a bit of an edge as it was classed as a Derby by both sets of fans.”
County of course started their Premiership campaign by taking the lead against Celtic before going down 2-1 thanks to a late Anthony Stokes goal and they will look to move over Partick in the embryonic table with a win.
“Our preparations for the new season have been really good but they were also tough,” said Kettlewell before adding, “I have been here for 5 years now and really settled but despite that I know that pre-season will be tough. As well as the fitness work we went over to Holland and played some really tough friendlies. They were all designed to get us ready for the opener at Celtic Park and they did.”
“Celtic away is the toughest fixture in the League and we competed really well in it before losing a late goal to go down 2-1.”
This season is Kettlewell’s second season in the top flight and the player who began his career at Hampden holds the fairly unique honour of featuring in all four of Scotland’s Four Divisions. He played Division Three and then Two football with the amateurs, then Division One in Bully Wee colours before spending 3 seasons in Division One with the Dingwall men.
The 29-year-old was a key member of manager Derek Adams’ squad that headed to the SPL last summer for the first time and Kettlewell said “I have worked my way up. When I scored in the SPL last season it got some attention that I had played and indeed scored in all four Leagues. There will be few players that have done it and I am proud to say that I am one of them.”
Anyone who has witnessed Kettlewell’s determination on the park will not be surprised to learn that he was asked if he had been sent off in all four divisions and he laughed saying: “Only the three and hopefully I can keep it like that.”
Kettlewell first came to the notice of football followers in season 2006/07 when he was the youthful captain of Billy Stark’s Queen’s Park side that knocked Aberdeen out of the League Cup on penalties and then secured promotion via the Play-Off system against Arbroath and then East Fife.
Back then Kettlewell was waiting for a chance of full time football saying: “In 2007 I knew I wanted to be a full time footballer but I had to wait before it happened. I stayed at Queen’s for the next season before I signed for Clyde in a move that never really worked for me and a number of players who went there.”
“However I finally got my chance aged 23 at Ross County and I had to give up a career in the Clydesdale Bank to take up the opportunity. I remain glad I did."
Partick Thistle’s promotion winning captain Paul Paton was a team-mate of Kettlewell under the tutelage of Stark and he too now has the same distinction of playing in all four Divisions after his debut last week when the Jags met Dundee United at Firhill.
It was however United’s colours that the former Spider played in after his summer switch and Kettlewell will not come across his former team-mate in the Highlands tomorrow.
There is only a slight disappointment in Kettlewell’s voice as he says: “Paul did really well at Partick, initially as a full back, and then as a sitting midfielder. Dundee United Manager Jackie McNamara will know well the qualities that he has and he will do well for them.”
“I am disappointed not to be seeing him this weekend but I am sure I will see him soon enough. We are the best of friends away from football but coming against him in midfield will be interesting. Neither of us will hold anything back that is for sure.”
Whilst Kettlewell has remained a fixture at County their squad has quietly evolved since they were promoted to the top flight in the spring of 2012. This years group of players has more of a continental feel to it with the recruitment of Dutchmen Marc Klok, Melvin De Leeuw, Darren Maatsen and Kevin Luckassen.
Kettlewell advised that County are adapting to their influence and that they are adapting to County’s hard working ethic as he explained: “The Dutch boys have added something to us and when you consider 3 out of the 4 of them are attackers we should have something different when we go at teams. But of course we had a good system and way of working in recent seasons and they are working hard on fitting into that.”
“They have settled in well and hopefully we will form a right good blend with those of us who have been here for a number of years and them.”
There is still more than a touch of tartan in the Dingwall ranks with Kettlewell advising, “As well as the overseas players the manager has brought in he has added experienced Premiership players in Graham Carey, Brian McLean and Steven Saunders so we are in good shape.”
Saunders is another former Hampden colleague with Kettlewell saying: “Steven was a kid when I was with Queen’s Park and he was getting introduced to the reserves and training alongside the first team before Motherwell snapped him up.”
“He did so well there that he got involved with the Scotland set up and hopefully he can get back to that same standard up here.”
After winning the First Division last season Thistle’s players and managers have frequently been asked ‘if they could do a Ross County and not only stay up but flourish in the top flight.’
Kettlewell has no doubts saying: “Of course they can bridge the gap between the two divisions. We did it and actually the gap is not as big as you may think as there are a lot of decent sides in the Championship. Thistle played well against Dundee United last Friday so we are in for a really tough game and know that we have to play well if we are to pick up our first 3 points.”
County perhaps do not have the edge they had last season from being tagged as new boy underdogs and Kettlewell finished by saying: “That is a bit different as for most of last season we were seen as underdogs and we surprised a lot of people. We are probably slight favourites for this game and we have to handle that but we will not be taking anyone lightly.”
“Thistle are a good side and will be very respected opponents.”
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