| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | (1991-11-11)11 November 1991 (age 34) | ||
| Place of birth | Inverness, Scotland | ||
| Position | Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Sacramento Republic | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2008–2010 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2010–2015 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 149 | (11) |
| 2015–2017 | Dundee | 56 | (1) |
| 2018 | Sepsi OSK | 5 | (0) |
| 2018 | Brora Rangers | 3 | (1) |
| 2019–2021 | El Paso Locomotive | 69 | (6) |
| 2022– | Sacramento Republic | 112 | (7) |
| International career | |||
| 2010 | Scotland U21 | 1 | (1) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 21:58, 30 October 2025 (UTC) | |||
Nicholas Ross (born 11 November 1991) is a Scottish professionalfootballer who plays as anattacking midfielder forSacramento Republic in theUSL Championship. Ross has previously played forInverness Caledonian Thistle,Dundee,Brora Rangers,El Paso Locomotive and theScotland under-21 team.
Ross came through the youth ranks atInverness Caledonian Thistle and ahead of the2009–10 season, managerTerry Butcher stated Ross was among several youngsters selected for the first team squad.[1] He made his debut for Inverness Caledonian Thistle in a match againstMontrose, as Inverness won 5–3 on penalties, following a 1–1 draw in the first round of theChallenge Cup.[2][3] His league debut came in a 0–0 draw againstAyr United on 15 August 2009.[4] Ross then scored his first goal for the club againstGreenock Morton, in a match Inverness won 1–0.[5] Partly as a result of scoring his first goal, Ross's anticipated move to a club on loan was deferred.[6] Days after scoring his first goal, he helped the club win theInverness Cup after beatingClachnacuddin.[7] Despite making only six appearances, he played a part in Inverness achieving promotion back to theScottish Premier League.
He started more games for Inverness throughout the following season, putting in some good performances and becoming a first team regular. Ross was offered a new deal by the club and he signed a two-year contract.[8][9] On 4 May 2011, Ross provided the 'assist' for the winning goal, fromShane Sutherland, in a 3–2 victory overCeltic.[10] A week later, he scored his first SPL goal, a 20-yard volley in a match againstHibernian.[11] He made thirty-four appearances, despite being sidelined twice through injury.[12][13]
Ross found himself more on the bench in the2011–12 season. Despite this, he scored his second SPL goal in a 3–1 loss againstDundee United in September 2011.[14] Unfortunately, in late October, Ross was sidelined, when he sustained a groin injury.[15] However, later in the campaign, on 17 February 2012, he scored his second goal of the season, in a 1–1 draw againstDunfermline Athletic.[16]
Ross scored in the opening game of the2012–13 season, a 1–1 draw againstSt Mirren.[17] He suffered a serious injury during a match against Celtic, dislocating his shoulder[18] and eventually had to undergo an operation.[19] Manager Butcher announced that Ross would be out for three months, which he described as a "massive blow".[20] Whilst on the sidelines, Ross signed a new two-year contract with the club.[21] He made his return, on 29 December 2012, when he came on as a late substitute forBilly McKay, in a 0–0 draw againstSt Johnstone.[22] Despite his successful return, Ross stated that he was working hard to improve his strength and fitness.[23] Later in the season, he scored two goals in two games, netting againstCeltic on 9 February 2013[24] and also againstKilmarnock, four days later.[25] In April, Ross 'called' for the club to push on, and seal aEuropa League place for the first time ever, but ultimately, Inverness narrowly missed out on that target.[26]
Ross started his2013–14 season with an 'assist' forAaron Doran, in a 2–2 draw against Celtic on 24 August 2013.[27] Following the departure of Terry Butcher, Ross scored his first goal of the season, in a 2–0 win overHibernian on 9 November 2013.[28] In thefourth round of Scottish Cup, Ross scored another, in a 4–0 win overGreenock Morton.[29]
Then, in the semi-final ofScottish League Cup againstHearts, Ross came on as a substitute in the last few minutes and scored a dramatic equaliser, sending the match into extra-time. He then converted the fourth penalty in the subsequent penalty shoot-out, helping Inverness to win and reach the final.[30]
A few weeks later, on 18 February 2014, Ross scored in a 2–0 win overStranraer to send Inverness through to the next round of theScottish Cup.[31] He played in thefinal of the Scottish League Cup, when he came on as a substitute forMarley Watkins in the 80th minute. Ross then converted the fourth penalty in the penalty shoot-out, as Inverness CT lost 4–2 on penalties, afterextra-time, againstAberdeen.[32]
Ross was predominantly used as a substitute by new managerJohn Hughes. Despite this, he stated his desire to sign a new contract with the club and fight to regain his place in the team.[33] Ross continued to be mainly used as a substitute in the 2014/15 season.[34] One of those substitute appearances was in the2015 Scottish Cup Final, in which Ross replacedMarley Watkins during time added on at the end of the match.[35] At the end of the season, he left Inverness under freedom of contract.[34]
Ross signed a two-year contract withDundee in June 2015.[34] Ross scored his first goal for the club in a 2–1 victory against rivalsDundee United on 2 January 2016.[36] He left Dundee after the 2016–17 season, at the end of his contract.
After he left Dundee, Ross trained with Inverness Caledonian Thistle to maintain his fitness.[37] He played as a trialist in a charity game against local rivals,Ross County, on 8 November 2017. In February 2018, he signed a short-term contract with Romanian clubSepsi OSK.[37][38]
After a somewhat unsuccessful time in Romania, Ross returned to the Highlands with Highland League side,Brora Rangers in October 2018 with the hope of securing a full-time contract in the coming weeks.
After a brief stint with Brora Rangers, Ross signed for American sideEl Paso Locomotive on a one-year deal with the option of a further year. On 18 December 2021, Ross and El Paso mutually agreed to part ways.[39]
On 5 January 2022, Ross signed withUSL Championship clubSacramento Republic.[40]
Ross was selected by theScotland national under-21 football team in November 2010. He scored a goal on his debut in a win overNorthern Ireland, but did not feature in the squad again.[41]
| Club | Season | Division | League | National Cup | League Cup | Other | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 2009–10 | Scottish First Division | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 |
| 2010–11 | Scottish Premier League | 34 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | 29 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 3 | ||
| 2013–14 | Scottish Premiership | 33 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 4 | |
| 2014–15 | 26 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 3 | ||
| Inverness Total | 149 | 11 | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 174 | 14 | ||
| Dundee | 2015–16 | Scottish Premiership | 37 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 1 |
| 2016–17 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 0 | ||
| Dundee Total | 56 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 63 | 1 | ||
| Sepsi OSK Sfântu Gheorghe | 2017–18 | Liga I | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2018–19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Brora Rangers | 2018–19 | Highland League | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| El Paso Locomotive | 2019 | USL Championship | 29 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 2 |
| Career total | 241 | 14 | 19 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 275 | 16 | ||
