PFA Scotland Premiership Player of the Year nominee Regan Charles-Cook insists he will not allow speculation about his future to distract him from trying to cap a dream season by firing “family” club Ross County into Europe in the coming weeks.
The 25-year-old winger from Grenada is one of four players in the running for the prestigious individual accolade alongside Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon and Celtic pair Callum McGregor and Tom Rogic.
Charles-Cook’s stunning campaign – in which he has scored 13 goals to help County into the top six of the cinch Premiership – has seen him linked with other clubs as his deal in Dingwall expires this summer, but he is adamant he is putting all talk about his next move on the back-burner.
“I’m literally just concentrating on Ross County,” he said, speaking at PFA Scotland’s media event in Glasgow on Wednesday.
“The season isn’t done for us yet. This is the second part. Ross County have never been in Europe so that’s the target for me and the club.
“Right now I’m just focusing on trying to get the club into Europe. There are discussions going on but right now I don’t even want to think about the future apart from speaking about Ross County’s next four games.”
Charles-Cook struggled in his first season at County after joining from Gillingham in 2020 as the effect of Covid-19 lockdowns took a toll.
However, he has since become a talisman under manager Malky Mackay this term.
He is thrilled to see his form recognised with a nomination from his fellow professionals.
“It’s been a very good year for me personally and the club has done very well so I’m happy,” he said.
“Malky has had a massive part to play in that. He’s implemented his own style and when I tell you how detailed he is, you wouldn’t believe on and off the pitch.
“He’s helped me so much in terms of becoming a man and knowing my duties and responsibilities. He’s been a joy.
“Ross County is my family. I don’t even see them as a football club because they’ve seen me at my lowest and my highest and have been there for me every step of the way.
“When it wasn’t going so well for me last year, the people at the club were always there for me so I see the club as a massive family.
“The dream is to play at the highest level but I have to understand that Ross County have given me this platform to showcase myself. I’m really, really grateful.”
Charles-Cook will vie for the award with in-form veteran Hearts and Scotland goalkeeper Gordon as well as Celtic midfielders McGregor and Rogic, who have been crucial to their team going unbeaten in the league since September and pulling six points clear at the top of the table.
The four nominees for PFA Scotland’s Premiership Young Player of the Year award are Liel Abada (Celtic), Connor Barron (Aberdeen), Josh Doig (Hibernian) and Calvin Ramsay (Aberdeen).
For the first time in the history of PFA Scotland, the Women’s Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards will be crowned at Sunday’s gala dinner in Glasgow.
The quartet in the running for player of the year are Lizzie Arnot (Rangers), Priscila Chinchilla (Glasgow City), Jacynta Galabadaarachchi (Celtic) and Charlie Wellings (Celtic).
Chinchilla and Galabadaarachchi are also shortlisted for the young player award, along with Aberdeen’s Bayley Hutchison and Maria McAneny, on loan at Hearts from Celtic.
PFA Scotland chief Fraser Wishart is delighted to incorporate the women’s game into the union’s end-of-season awards system.
“It’s a huge thing for the union and for the female players,” he said.
“We now have female members and I think an award like this being the first one that’s voted for by the players is a huge event, and I’m really delighted to be able to facilitate that.”
