BILLY MCKAY is confident Ross County already have one hand on the Championship silverware – just like him.
The 20-goal striker yesterday collected the Ladbrokes Championship player of the month award after the bittersweet experience of finishing February with a hat-trick and a broken arm.
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Mckay’s exploits – including that match-winning treble against rivals Ayr United – have been huge in County’s surge towards title success, but he won’t kick another ball for the Staggies this season.
That means the former Wigan Athletic and Caley Thistle frontman will also miss this month’s Irn-Bru Cup final against Welsh club Connah’s Quay Nomads.
But the 30-year-old Northern Ireland cap is confident County can finish the job and secure a quickfire Premiership return after last year’s relegation disaster.
Mckay, receiving his second award of the season, admitted: “It is a strange one for me in the circumstances, but obviously I’m delighted to get player of the month.
“Knowing my season is finished is absolutely gutting, but it is a good way to end I reckon. At the start of the season, it probably didn’t go the way I wanted it to, but I managed to get myself in the team and I scored a hat-trick against Dundee United.
“I kicked on from there and I’ve been chipping away all season. The last game brought me to my 20th goal and, for any striker, to get 20 in a season is satisfying.
“I’m just really disappointed I’m not going to be there to help the boys and get a few more. It is good to get recognition, but when it comes down to it we’re all at the football club for one target – and that will come at the end of the season, hopefully.
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“I’ve every faith in the lads – we’ve got a great squad here. At the turn of the year, we had a couple of not great results and people might were questioning us. Since then, we’ve been brilliant.
“I’m sure the lads can take it one game at a time and make sure we finish where we want to be, which is back in the Premier League.”
Mckay’s freak injury on February 28 came as he launched himself at the ball for a 75th minute winner against Ian McCall’s side in Dingwall.
It was the first break of his career.
He added: “The way I threw myself at the ball was a split-second reaction. My arm’s ended up behind my back with nowhere to go.
“I’ve never had a break – it’s the first time and hopefully the last.
“I haven’t done much cardio yet, but starting this week I can get back on the bikes and get the legs moving again.
“I’ve a good three or four months until pre-season, so I’ve got a good bit of time to make sure I’m back fit and ready for next season.”
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