Believe the Hype...Killie are Back!

Much has been said about Steve Clarke recently in the press and on social media. All extremely positive things about his progress at our club. I personally think this season although it hasn’t concluded yet has been my favourite of my lifetime. We had some good times under Jeffries and a great season under Mixu. A cup win against all odds with Shiels. What Steve Clarke has done for the club after a few years of disillusion is nothing short of remarkable.

I have to be totally honest I said to my dad at the start of season I’d take tenth place I really thought we would be fighting relegation once again. That Ayr United game at Somerset in the pissing rain where we were totally out battled and ran by them was a real low point. Followed up by no wins in 8 games under McCulloch really tested a lot of fans patience. Goals becoming hard to find and players not looking particularly interested.

Jig eventually emptied left a week or two of uncertainty a lot of people suggesting Falkirk job was a better opportunity than killie at that moment. We were propping up the bottom of the table and really looking perilous. Under Paul McDonald at Partick Thistle away started the revival. He brought in Broadfoot/Power and Boyd with Jones playing the ten role. A big following and the presence of incoming Clarke gave us that bit of encouragement we needed. Boyd scored his first goal in 10 games with a rather awkward celebration and then young Frizzell produced a wonder strike to give us the first three points. Clarke came in and by all accounts simplified things.

We would go to Rangers and be sitting 1-0 down with a rangers penalty in 92nd minute to bury us. MacDonald saves, roles the ball out down left worked into Power and out to SOD who beats his man and finds Burke at back post with a 93rd minute equaliser GOALLLL sending the Killie supporters into absolute bedlam. That was the turning point for me in this incredible season. I was unfortunately working and watched second half on a stream from Facebook in my living room when I got in. I haven’t celebrated a goal like that in a while, phone thrown to fuck and going mental in my living room as girlfriend watched on disgusted.

That buzz would inspire me to make my first trip to Parkhead on the Saturday glowing from the midweek equaliser. 26£ a head Killie took a good support up. Leigh Griffiths would latch onto a long ball from Kouassi to put Celtic ahead just before the break. McCulloch having lost 5-0 at Parkhead the month earlier thankfully punted. Clarke had Jones in the ten position again. Jones picked up some pace and ran and shot from twenty yards off the post. O’Donnell collected. Jones screaming for it plays one two with Rory and slips it past Gordon it’s 1-1. Bedlam again my jeans ripped down the knee as I fall into row behind celebrating. That week would be defining on our season.

A humbling from Aberdeen would follow at home and a 3-0 loss to Hibs despite hitting post about 4 times. Wins started to come quick a win at St Johnstone a pumping of Partick then Motherwell then a come back again against the huns. Through with last minute penalty against county in the cup. Hibs away a draw. Winter break to regroup and player and manager of month which would follow again in month to come. Celtic come to town and Mulumbu runs riot. Brora sent packing and then another win against County. Motherwell away SOD screamer. Dundee down to ten men and win 3-2 with Iain Wilson becoming Lionel Messi. Come back from 2-0 down against Hibs to draw and should have won. Draw away at Aberdeen and Hearts. Beating St Johnstone midweek a master class from JJ.

Leads us to Ibrox on Saturday. A confident Killie side go up do a job on The Rangers. The fans delirious and players and Alex Dyer giving it laldy. The transformation of our clubs. Belief, organisation, resilience, confidence and most importantly togetherness. The board in Bowie has chosen the dearer option after cheap Clarke, Jig and Locke. Clarke without saying anything much has got all fans buzzing for games and backing the club. The 7,500 who turned out to watch us fall just short on Tuesday last week shows the change. Incredible how we are secured top six. Standards are raised for everyone involved with club now. Let’s go after Hibs and see if we can make this season even more memorable with a European place. 8 games remain let’s make them count.

Forever and Ever

Sir Steve Clarke

Born 29th August 1963 in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire

Beith – St Mirren

Beith Juniors’ Bellsdale Park was the venue for his introduction to football. St Mirren turned up a week early for their friendly match against the physical Ayrshire-men in the summer of 1979 and the locals, unprepared and outnumbered, scrambled to field a team. Then an oversized jersey was thrown in the direction of a 15-year-old Sir Steve and his impressive performance sufficiently
tickled the professionals from Paisley to offer him an S-form on the spot.

An 18-month stint sweeping the Love Street terraces as an apprentice was followed by a season-long character building exercise at Beith and upon returning to Paisley in 1982, he made his debut as an 18-year-old against Ayr United.

For a teenager who had turned up at
Beith Juniors by chance, the roller-coaster ride proved riotous. His emergence was rewarded with inclusion in the Scotland under-19 squad for the World Youth Cup in Mexico and Clarke’s impact was integral to Scotland’s surge to the quarter finals.

Indeed, his winner against the hosts in the group stage almost sparked a pitch invasion as 100,000 natives expressed their disgust with a shower of bottles and hail of abuse.

Clarke would make 200 appearances for the Buddies from 1982-1987. A versatile player but predominantly a right back he mustered up 7 goals in his time at Love street.

In February 1987 John Hollins Chelsea Manager had bid of £422,000 accepted for a 24 year old Clarke by the buddies and he never looked back. St Mirren would go on to win the cup three months after his departure.

Chelsea

The young Ayrshire man quickly made the right back position his own at Stamford Bridge. Quickly becoming a fans favourite with the Blues faithful. He would receive his first of six Scotland caps months after joining the London club, playing in a 2-0 win over Hungary. Steve would go on to make 421 appearances with Chelsea in an 11 year stay at the club. It wouldn’t be till 1997 nearly ten years after joining he would win his first honour as a player. Winning the 1997 FA Cup At Wembley in a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough. The following season he would win another medal in the league cup this time with another 2-0 win over Middlesbrough again.

Clarke would only feature last 15 minutes in a team that had Zola running riot. The same season they reached final of UEFA Cup winners cup in Stockholm their opponents would be VfB Stuttgart. Chelsea would run out 1-0 winners as your man Clarke captained his club on what would be his final ever appearance in football and the age of 35 to win the cup. He bowed out having won the double that season and retired at 35. 2004/2005 The once naive Ayrshire lad would be voted in Chelsea’s centenary year their greatest ever right back. An outstanding accomplishment in a fantastic career. He is currently sitting 8th in Chelsea’s all time appearance list. Names above him include Lampard, Terry, Hollins, Ron Harris.


Coaching

Newcastle Utd

After retiring he joined up with ex Chelsea boss Ruud Guillt at the Magpies as assistant coach. Newcastle managed to get to Fa Cup final that season unfortunately falling to a 2-0 defeat to a excellent Manchester United side.

Chelsea
The return of the Clark

After a couple of years coaching in the youth teams at Chelsea he was promoted to assistant manager to the Special one. Mourinho has a great relationship with him. Steve was part of a Chelsea revolution that won two league titles, two league cups and an FA cup in three seasons. Abramovich has created an exceptional team with many stars. During this time he completed his Pro Licence to allow him to become a manager. Clarke would resign the following season after being kept on to serve under Avram Grant. Chelsea assured him of his status at club and thanked him for his services.

West Ham
Joining up with Ex teammate Zola at the hammers he helped them finish 9th in the league which was a great achievement at the time. New contracts for both of them would see Clarke have highest assistant manager salary in the Premiership. Next season a turn for the worst as West Ham narrowly escaped the drop. Leaving by mutual consent after sacking of Zola.

Liverpool
Brief spell at Liverpool with Kenny Dalglish started off brightly but ended in drama as manager was sacked and Clarke’s resignation wasn’t accepted but eventually after appointing Brendan Rodgers they sacked him so he says.

  
West Brom
A magnificent first job as a manager, great opportunity saw the Baggies finish 8th in the Premier league. Highlight of season being a 5-5 draw in Sir Alex Ferguson’s last match as united manager. Now United’s 90 million pound player Lukaku getting four.
Steve was unfortunate to be sacked the following season after being put in gardening leave before Christmas.

Reading
Got reading to there first FA cup semi final in 88 years and was offered Fulham job before being sacked a few weeks later.

Aston Villa
Joining up with yet another ex teammate Di Matteo at Villa Park. A largely average spell as assistant came to an end as he wasn’t retained after Bruce replaced Di Matteo in late 2016.

Killie
He came he saw he conquered. A revelation. He transformed a club who were on their knees. What a man. He personally has given me a burning desire to go to as many games as possible. His clear instructions and tactical abilities are sublime. His dismissal of approaches from the Rangers and Scotland are glorious. He is the highest pedigree manager in our history and a total legend. Leader. Viva Steve Clarke. Cannot wait to see him lift a trophy in. One of our own.

Forever and Ever

2017-18 Diary Week 34

Loads of matches squeezed into a short space of time to allow for a winter break…then no matches for numpty international fixtures that no one bothers their back sides with!

Killie were well represented in the Under 21’s but surprisingly Scotland’s form team had no one called up to the seniors…surely Stephen O’Donnell deserved a chance?

Tommy Adams and I went to the Excelsior Stadium to see the U20’s in their Scottish Cup quarter final against Motherwell on Friday afternoon.

It was all a bit David and Goliath as we have a lot of small players, but they have big hearts and battled constantly to get a deserved win and a place in the semi-final against Aberdeen.

Stand outs were Cameron, McLevy and Samizadeh, who scored two and harried them all game.

If he would pass the ball now and then he could be worth keeping on.

Paterson netted the free kick that put Killie through and Motherwell finished with nine men and their coach sent to the stand.

Discipline…we had bags of it, they had none…well done to Andy Millen and his boys who did us proud.

2017-18 Diary Week 33

We can’t win them all, but we are not far off it!

Aberdeen knocked us out of the Scottish in the replay last week but it took 210 minutes and the lottery of penalties for the second best team in the country to get past us…we are nobody’s mugs.

Someone should have told the bookies that as the Killie army bashed them, and Glasgow’s newest team, at the weekend.

Unfortunately I had to miss this one out as I had something else on, but I did manage to find a bar in Philadelphia frequented by exiled Bears to watch the match.

I was welcomed with open arms at 10am for a few sherbets, come the end of the game though I don’t think I was as popular and made a hasty exit.

Swings and roundabouts…being Killie in Philly on St Patrick’s Day, I didn’t have to buy a drink in any of the many Irish pubs all day!

Scottish football has now deemed us unworthy of such a good manager and will henceforth campaign to get him appointed anywhere but at Killie to try and restore the ‘natural order’.

Get it up the lot of them!

2017-18 Dairy Week 32

Another two games, another six points, another midweek game this week that I’m not saying a dicky bird about…seems to have worked so far.

It’s a strange sensation going to games now and actually expecting a good result every time no matter the opposition.

The players now have belief installed in them by Clarke and Dyer and the fans are only too willing to get caught up in the positivity.

Jordan Jones was virtually unplayable at times in the St Johnstone match and was involved in almost everything, yet we managed a comfortable win on Saturday without him.

It seems like every player brought in is fighting for each other and fighting to stay in the team.

We totally cruised it against County but had a stark warning of what can happen if we slacken off thinking the job is done.

I am more than sure that Steve Clark had a few words to say in private about that; in public though, as ever, he backed his players because as he always says…together we are stronger.

The ladies weekend preview

Here’s what you can expect for Kilmarnock Ladies this weekend:

After a successful first game together on Tuesday, the u11s will face Cumnock tomorrow at 10am.

The u13 Whites have an Ayrshire Derby against Ayr United at the Grange with a 9:30am kick off

The Blues will have an early start as they travel to face Queen of the South. The game will kick off at 11am at the David Keswick Athletic Centre.

Our u15s kick off their league campaign at home to Celtic tomorrow afternoon. The game will be played at St Joseph’s with a 12:45 kick off.

The seniors are also back in league action as they welcome Aberdeen on Sunday. Kick off is 4pm at Rugby Park.

Why not go along and support the girls? Let us know if you’re making it along to a game.

Good luck to all teams. #WeAreKillie

2017-18 Diary Week 31

I am going to stop mentioning midweek matches and deadlines, because we seem to have one every week recently!

The Wolf pounced early doors at Tynecastle to the delight of a large travelling contingent.

The match was a bit huff and puff and we could have lost it in the end was it not for some heroics and a penalty save by Jamie Mac.

You know what I think about any point away from home...sorted.

Come Saturday yet another massive regiment of Steve Clarke’s blue and white army traversed the frozen northern wastelands seeking Scottish Cup glory.

We suffered an early set back against the Dons but J2 was sent crashing in the box in the second half and BOOM, Boydie rattled in his 124th for the mighty from the spot.

There is a lot of talk about getting bums on seats for the replay a week on Tuesday, but first things first.

Let’s fill Rugby Park on Saturday, our away support is phenomenal, the team deserve the same at home.