Branislav Micic a big deal for Ross County

By ALASDAIR FRASER
Published on 01/02/2013 01:17

ROSS County last night completed their January dealings with the capture of FC Sion defender Branislav Micic.

The Swiss centre-back became the Highland club’s fifth signing of the transfer window.

And as 22-year-old Micic arrived, County off-loaded former Motherwell midfielder Marc Fitzpatrick and ex-Inverness stalwart Ross Tokely. Manager Derek Adams took the 6ft 1in defender in on trial but also had him watched in his native Switzerland.

Adams said: “We had Branislav over for a few weeks and he has impressed us. His main position is left centre-half, but he can also play left-back as well. He gives us good options in that area. He comes from a good club in FC Sion and he is a player we have high hopes for. Branislav comes in until the end of the season but with an option for another year.”

Fitzpatrick joined the Dingwall club under Willie McStay’s brief managerial reign in January 2011. The 26-year-old is still fondly remembered at Fir Park for a League Cup semi-final winner against Hearts in 2005.

Tokely, still a Caley Thistle record holder with 589 club appearances, moved across the Highland divide last summer after contract talks with Terry Butcher broke down. The uncompromising 33-year-old defender made 19 County appearances. Adams said: “I gave them the option to move on as they weren’t really going to feature now until the end of the season.

“It was really just to allow them to get some game time somewhere else and get fixed up with a new club.

“They have been two good servants as all the players who have left over the transfer window period have been.”

Micic joins a cosmopolitan group of new signings in Dingwall.

Adams has also enlisted German striker Steffen Wohlfarth, ex-Hibs winger Ivan Sproule, Canadian international defender Andre Hainault and Greek left-back Evangelos Oikonomou.