Neale Cooper has resigned from his position as Ross County manager.

The move follows speculation that Cooper faced the sack after this weekend's 2-0 derby defeat at the hands of Inverness Caledonian Thistle.

Cooper told his club's website: "This recent bad spell has really got to me and it has been having an effect on my general health."

County currently lie seventh in the First Division after only one win in their last 11 games.

My gut feeling is that the time is right to go Neale Cooper

"Having spent the weekend mulling things over, I feel I owe it to myself and Ross County to do the right thing and, on this occasion, I feel I need to resign my position," continued Cooper.

"This decision was not taken lightly, but my gut feeling is that the time is right to go.

"I will take stock of my situation over the next few weeks, but I am as passionate and ambitious in football as I was when I joined Ross County.

"As football is my life, I will obviously look to get back into the game at the earliest possible opportunity."

Cooper was one of the longest-serving managers in Scotland and had insisted on Saturday that he would not quit despite the defeat by Caley Thistle.

But the former Aberdeen, Aston Villa, Dunfermline Athletic and Rangers midfielder brought his eight-year tenure to an end on Monday afternoon.

Cooper had guided Ross County from the Third Division to the First Division after their election to the Scottish Football League from the Highland League.

Neale will be back in management somewhere else but needs a breather County chair Roy MacGregor

Chairman Roy MacGregor told BBC Scotland: "This is a sad day for Ross County, but Neale has done a courageous thing.

"He felt that he had taken the club as far as it could go.

"He wanted to be remembered for six and a half good years instead of one bad season.

"Neale will be back in management somewhere else but feels he needs a breather."

MacGregor did not wish to comment about any possible successors.

The new manager will inherit a club on the way to establishing, along with their Inverness neighbours, one of the few football academies in Scotland.