JIM McIntyre today revealed the role the late Celtic great Tommy Burns played in Ross County's historic League Cup triumph.

McIntyre masterminded County's stunning 2-1 win over Hibs at Hampden on Sunday - a result which meant the Dingwall club lifted the first major trophy in their 87 year history.

The 43-year-old former Dunfermline and Queen of the South boss admitted it was the greatest achievement of his managerial career.

And he paid an emotional tribute to Burns, who he worked under during his time as a player at Reading, for inspiring him to move into coaching.

“I think if Tommy was looking down at us winning this cup he would have a smile on his face without any shadow of a doubt,” he said.

“He would probably think: ‘Ooof! I never saw him being a manager!’ Seriously, though, I only worked with Tommy at Reading for 18 months or so. But he made such a big impression.

“It wasn’t a great time in my career. He signed me for good money and I kept picking up injuries. I didn’t do great for him at all. But I learned a hell of a lot. In fact, my biggest coaching influence was Tommy Burns. I hadn’t done any coaching badges until I worked with Tommy at Reading.

“Tommy just had that knack of knowing how to make people better. I don’t just mean as a footballer, but as a person as well. And he did it without preaching. He was a fantastic human being and I was really privileged to work with him. It was a pleasure to get to know him and the way he worked.”

McIntyre added: “Listen, he was a firebrand as well. If you didn’t do your job right he would rip you to shreds. But it was passion. The next day he would pick you back up and you would go again.

“In terms of coaching and getting the ball down and play with width and get people wanting the ball. His message was not to be scared of the ball. Get on it and go and make things happen. Go and make it happen.

“Whatever your role was within the team he wanted you to go and make things happen. He was annoyed if people were shirking their responsibility.

“If you were a wide player he wanted you to take a man on. He was fantastic. He had so many human qualities in abundance. In abundance. He was always very, very humble.

“Alex Smith was also instrumental in encouraging me to do my coaching badges when I expressed an interest. Alex was another fantastic football man who I still speak to regularly.”

Meanwhile, McIntyre has revealed he is undeterred by the prospect of taking on Rangers, who look certain to win the Championship and promotion in the coming weeks, in the Premiership next season.

County and their near neighbours Inverness Caledonian Thistle, who won the Scottish Cup last season, are two of the clubs which have benefitted the most from the absence of the Glasgow club from the top flight.

But McIntyre said: “I want the big clubs back. I want to play against Hibs and against Rangers. That’s the clubs you want to test yourself against as a player. We should not see them coming back as a threat. We have to see that as a driving force.

“What we have to do is continually make our club stronger. We cannot just rest on, ‘right, we’ve won a cup.’ We have to continually grow."