IT doesn’t take long for Ross County fans to drink the town of Dingwall dry.

With just five pubs crammed into the main street it was all hands to the pumps last night as the locals celebrated their arrival into the SPL.

The baker’s shop had specially made County cakes on display and the bunting was out in force to mark the success of Derek Adams’ side.

Sipping a pint in a corner of the Caledonian Bar was a bleary-eyed James King who had made the trek to Somerset Park to watch his side beat Ayr United the previous night.

The pensioner was having a private toast to a title win he believes will change his town forever.

He said: “I got home from the Ayr United game at half past two in the morning but I was determined to be there to see the team on the night they ran out as champions.

“It’s been a fantastic season and one we will never forget, but being in the SPL will have a dramatic effect on Dingwall.

“It’s fair to say the place will never be the same again as we prepare to host the likes of Celtic and Rangers – to be honest it’s going to be a huge learning curve for us.

“We have a population of just over 5000 and it’s going to be chaos on a Saturday just trying to cope with the parking – and we don’t have enough pubs to accommodate all the fans who will arrive looking for drink.

“But those problems can wait for another day as it’s about enjoying the moment now and appreciating what Derek and his side have done for us.

“It’s a fairytale for a club as small as ours to reach the top league. You only need to look around to understand we are a town which is able to cope with what the First Division brings but the SPL could be a totally different story.”

There is little doubt Dingwall will be creaking at the seams when it finally gets the chance to host the likes of the Old Firm in the SPL but they are already at action stations.

Andy Henderson doubles as the secretary and treasurer of the British Legion in Dingwall and is adamant his club can cope with whatever the demands of being in the SPL throw at it.

He said: “As a region we have approached all the supporters clubs in the SPL with a view to touching base and offering the facilities we have.

“We have plenty of parking facilities and a large hall which can accommodate 200 people so we are throwing down the welcome mat.

“We haven’t been caught on the hop as we have been looking forward to this for a long time.

“There is going to be a huge upsurge in interest and we are ready to face it head on.”

But don’t for a minute buy the idea that Dingwall is a town of antiquated tastes and old-fashioned values.

Charity shops, hairdressers and a bookmakers are all out in force on a High Street which is as typical as any in the country.

But what sets this town apart is a story of growing from a minnow in non-league football into a club able to take its place among the biggest of them all.