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DEREK Adams feared Ross County were digging a hole for themselves as the earth-movers began ripping out parts of Victoria Park almost two weeks before title glory was secured.
The Staggies’ boss admits the sight of soil and terracing being torn away cranked up the pressure in the days leading up to realisation of County’s long-held SPL dream.
The historic feat of winning the First Division was complete on Tuesday evening when Queen of the South’s Chris Higgins gained an unlikely place in Ross County folklore.
Higgins’ late leveller at Dundee put the championship beyond the Dark Blues and sparked wild celebrations in Ross-shire and far beyond that were still in full ecstatic flow at Ayr’s Somerset Park on Wednesday.
For more than a day "Ross County" was even trending in the UK on social network Twitter.
For many Staggies, the achievement will barely have started to sink in.
An 83-year-old Highland League club, penniless and amateur in the 1980s, has completed an 18-year rise through the Scottish League ranks and is heading for the Premier League.
For Adams, the remarkable season of success provided confirmation he ranks as one of the game’s most promising young managers.
All within five years, the 36-year-old has won the Second and First Divisions, while steering County through a Hampden Park semi-final against Celtic to reach the Scottish Cup final.
Strangely, Tuesday’s moment of magic for Staggies fell on April 10 – the anniversary of both the Celtic victory and the club’s Challenge Cup triumph.
Adams’ stewardship is characterised by ice cool analysis and attention to detail, coupled with a passionate demeanour and occasional flashes of fiery temperament.
He has built a balanced, highly-motivated, superbly-fit and able squad of players who, this season, have simply swept the opposition aside.
Adams, though, was refreshingly candid about his own pre-title concerns late on Wednesday night after joining the joyous scenes of celebration between players, management and fans at Somerset Park.
With a touch of humour in his voice, the former Aberdeen and Motherwell midfielder said: "The diggers are already in at Victoria Park.
"They started a couple of weeks ago and that was a concern. I was a wee bit annoyed at that, but you can’t do anything. We knew we had to try and keep our focus.
"I felt the pressure was on then! I wasn’t enjoying it. They were taking away the stadium, kind of!
"We had to walk past it every morning towards the training ground and I’m thinking ‘dearie me’.
"That gives you extra pressure that the likes of Dundee and Falkirk didn’t have that.
"You see the mounds of soil getting taken away and the markings going down on the ground and you think: ‘You’ve got a wee bit of pressure on now, Adams. You’d better get this sorted out’.
"We’ve done that and I’m happy!"
Far from being a strange anticlimax, Tuesday night’s dramatic confirmation as champions was sweet and jubilant for Adams.
He said: "It wasn’t a strange experience winning it like that – I was delighted! It was an easy night for me watching at Dundee and it was great to see Chris Higgins score the all-important equaliser."
Asked if the achievement had sunk in yet, Adams replied: "The Scottish Cup final hasn’t sunk in yet! It might be years before this sinks in.
"I’m only 36 and I’ll probably be 50 before it really sinks in and I look back on history. When you’re younger, you let things go past you, but I’ll enjoy the next four games, undoubtedly."
The prospect of SPL football and the restoration of the Highland derby in the heady territory of the top flight is alluring enough.
Adams said: "The Highland derbies are great for the whole of the Highlands. Getting those full houses back, as well as taking the likes of Celtic and Rangers to Victoria Park four times a year, will be magnificent.
"It is a monumental achievement and it will be a wonderful experience and mean such a lot to the club and fans."
At full-time at Ayr, Adams sent his players to celebrate with the huge County following.
There were joyous scenes as the players and fans – and even the manager – danced, capered and sang in unison. The chant "sit down for the champions!" will surely become a Staggies’ staple for the rest of the season..
