Interview: Angelo Alessio

After reading the xenophobic diatribe by Parks in one of the tabloids (online of course, I wouldn’t buy that rag) I thought it was time to look out the old micro recorder and have a chat with the new manager myself; instead of reading the ravings of a frustrated ex-player who clearly thinks his ill-informed opinion is far more important than anyone else does. The word went out and we collated many questions and chopped them down and amalgamated them into something more deliverable and wouldn’t take all day as the grass won’t cut itself, sadly. Angelo Alessio didn’t need much persuading as he is keen to talk to fans so a day later we sat down in the Champion's Lounge with Scott McClymont and after a few introductions we got straight to it…

What would you say were the key factors that attracted you to the job here at Kilmarnock?
"The chance to restart my career as a manager at a great club like Kilmarnock. I watched the game last season against Rangers on TV and was impressed with the passion of the fans and the mentality of the team."
 
Did you have an in-depth look at the Club and at Scottish football before taking the job?
"I know Scottish football and I believe it is improving year by year again."

Has anything surprised you since you have arrived?
"No, not really, I think in Scotland now there are a lot of good players and this is good for the league, the quality of the Premiership is good and getting better."

Can you tell us about your preferred style of play for the team or will you adapt the formation to the players we already have?
"I have a lot of players at Kilmarnock who were here last season, and my preferred style depends on the players I have in the squad. In this case we have a good base and for this reason I continue to do, not quite the same work as Steve Clarke, I will change some things, but I don’t want to change the style too much. You will have seen in the previous game that ten of the eleven players were from last season, only Makrini was new. In the defence we had three international team players and Broadfoot. In the midfield we had Dicker, Power, Burkey and Rory with Brophy up front, only Makrini was different. It would be stupid to completely change style when the main body of players have been playing the same style for the last few years."

What do you think were the main factors in the team’s defeat against Connah’s Quay in the Europa League? What have you learned as a coach from this result?
"I believe that if we had scored a goal in the first half this would have changed the game. We had four or five opportunities to score a goal in the first half, but at the end of the game lost 2-0 and that result was bad. This is football though and we have to accept the result, but over the two games I think we deserved something more. I watched the games back and analysed them…in the first game we conceded one opportunity and Connah’s Quay scored a goal, but we dominated the game. At home we again dominated but conceded three opportunities and two goals. We made mistakes, but overall I feel our team played better, if we’d scored a goal in the first half everything would have been different. At the same time we have to accept the result, but I would like to say that not everything is bad, there were positives to build on."

What do you generally look to focus on in your training sessions and would you consider an open training session for fans to come along and watch?
"I like to focus on players training together, not alone, that is important. My focus right now is to find the same compactness that we had last year. The players work hard every day but of course at this moment in time, after the bad result, we have to work on them having the right mentality, the right attitude and the right focus to prepare them for the next match. We hope to arrange a session for fans to come along and see our preparation work."

What is your target for the new season, have you set any bench marks for us?
"It is important to start the league in the right way and then to do as well as possible this year and be the best we can. Every player will have to give 100% to reach our best position in the table. We will work to stay in the top six, but it is a new year and a new challenge for all of us. The players are working hard every day to maintain the standards they set last year and won’t let them slip. Coming third means there are high expectations, it was a great achievement but we have lost eight players who came in on loan and currently only have two so we have to focus on bringing more quality players in."

Do you treat cup competitions with the same importance as the league or do you see them as a bonus?
"Going into a new season, every game is equally important. We want to do our best in every competition."

In terms of transfers, are there any players close to joining and can you tell us how many players you hope to add to the squad?
"At the moment we are talking to a few players and I hope to sign them soon. It has not been easy, for many reasons, but now, with a week to ten days until the start of the Premiership, we are nearly there. Hopefully we will have some good news at the start of next week."

Have you identified any areas which you think you need to strengthen?
"We definitely need strikers, midfielders and one centre back. We are casting the net wide and we are looking at any player that has the potential to improve the team, but they have to be the right fit for Kilmarnock."

What is most important to you when assessing potential signings, mental, physical or technical attributes?
"I’m looking for players who have the motivation to come to this club, and the right mentality to fit in with this team…players with skill and experience."

Have you had an opportunity to assess the youth players and do you feel there are any showing enough potential to be considered for the first team?
"A couple of the younger players are training with the first team already and they are performing very well. I hope that they can improve in the next few months or so enough to be given the chance like every other player. For me age is not a problem, they are good enough they will go into the line-up."

Have you taken any positives from the start to the season and going into the new league campaign?
"It has been good to see the way the players train every day. They have the right attitude and the right focus and they also show motivation and determination and that is very important for me. These players give me confidence that we can get good results in the future."

The manager then turns the tables on me…

Fan perception is very important to me. What do you think about the start of the season?
"There are a lot of Kilmarnock fans feeling pessimistic at the moment as they are still hurting after the Europa league exit. It was a long time to wait just to go out that soon and I think it’s a long way back to try and recover the situation at all. As it stands at the moment there is a lot of silence and not much happening because there are no friendly matches lined up, and that’s why we are doing this today, to get something out there. When there is a vacuum like this people tend to create their own stories and it is much better for the fans to hear directly from the Club and yourself rather than read the fiction they put out as news copied straight off social media. Hopefully when things start moving in terms of transfers and results we can gather some momentum and the whole place will get a lift…the sooner the better of course."

With that and the shake of a hand the new manager is ushered away to discuss a potential friendly match. He’s seems a nice enough guy and pretty relaxed and not out of his depth whatsoever. His English is probably not as good as I initially thought (mine is not that great either) but when it comes to talking football it is noticeably better and I don’t really see there being a problem getting instructions across to players. Despite all the rumours no one is demanding a transfer, but a few are signing extensions and hopefully we see the benefit of the quality over quantity approach that is being taken. There is a lot of panic in the ranks but the season is almost upon us and we just have to get behind the manager and do what fans do…support the team and hope for the best because, together we are still stronger.

2018-19 Diary Week 43

It's a bittersweet symphony this life.

We finish third, we qualify for Europe, we get ditched at the altar by the best thing that’s happened to us in years!

Let’s start with the game.

A well-deserved hard fought win over the new team from Glasgow.

We’ve taken ten points off them this year so the SFA forced Steve Clarke to sit in the stand to give them a better chance.

Then they offered him the Scotland job so he can’t torment them next year.

Our directors decision to restore home advantage resulted in the biggest crowd at Rugby Park in years, hopefully many of them will return next season.

The atmosphere was fantastic, and the fans were outstanding, to which the players responded and delivered the three points we needed.

There are too many people who deserve praise for the season as a whole to name, but I am going to mention the foot soldiers of the blue and white army…this one was for you.

We loved Steve Clarke like a brother but we have to wish him all the best and move on, he was a massive part of our renaissance but we are Killie…and Killie are back!

2018-19 Diary Week 38

The latest date added to the sesquicentennial calendar is Saturday 7th September which will see the #Killie150 Legends (working title!) night take place in the Grand Hall.

The Trust and SLO are currently working on the details but it made sense to get the date out there.

It’s an international weekend with no Killie fixture, and Scotland are at home on the Friday and Monday so nobody should miss out.

The event will be informal, it’s not a black tie event, more a blue scarf event…although we’re drawing the line at jeans or trackies!

There will be entertainment of various sorts, but in the main it will be a dance and the live band will cover music from several decades…with top chef Alasdair Hood doing a finger buffet for each table.

Jimmy McGuire will host and we are inviting dozens of Killie legends to come and enjoy the night as well.

Ticket details will be released soon, and we will be making an effort to ensure that as many fans as possible get the chance to attend.

The big news of the week appears to be the fact that we are only allocating Glasgow’s new boys the Chadwick Stand, the same stand we give to every other away team, for the last game of the season.

The inevitable reaction was calls for a boycott and only to take one stand again next season, which is a bit presumptuous as they better wait and see what is on offer.

Clearly they think this is all about them, when in truth of course it is not.

This is a brave decision by the Kilmarnock Board to put people before profit and giving the fans what we have been asking for…home advantage at Rugby Park.

We will probably not fill the three remaining stands, why would anyone think we would, but at least we are going to give it a go and hopefully a less intimidating atmosphere will bring more people to the match.

Our job now is to back the Club’s decision and get as many bums on seats as possible, and that goes for the other two home games as well, not just the final one!

Money

How good is it to be a Killie fan right now? That answer to that is simple, it is fantastic! Now pass me that jug of cold water for a bit of a reality check. Matters on the pitch seem otherworldly at the moment and the new additions to the Club Board off the pitch have certainly livened things up as well, but how sustainable is this Killie resurgence and what can we do to keep it going as long as possible? Therein lies the big money question…and the answer is ironically, big money.

Football clubs generally have peaks and troughs and the trick is to push the boundaries when you are on the up so that the inevitable crash is less significant and the ‘rebuild’ easier to bring about. Successful (and unsuccessful) managers tend to move on quickly and as much as we definitely are all enjoying the wonder that is Steve Clarke while he is here, we are all secretly dreading the day that he has to be replaced. Apologies for even mentioning that, but nothing lasts forever, apart from Ayr United’s trophy-less run.

We can’t hold on to the big man indefinitely, but we can benefit from his time here and we can use that wisely and plan for the future with his guidance. The last thing we want is to have a couple of glory years and then leave his legacy to chance. As good as it is going toe-to-toe with the so-called ‘big’ teams and having no fear at the prospect, I would urge some thought be given to what lies ahead and how we can maintain our current high and do it in a sustainable fashion that will not leave us in debt again or even worse, in the grubber.

Many fans are expecting the club to lift the artificial pitch and replace it next season when we get a new training facility, which is fine apart from the fact we can’t afford a new training facility. The current surface is nearing the end of its shelf life and it would cost an absolute fortune to rip it up and put in a proper grass, never mind a hybrid, pitch. The truth of the matter is that we will be stretched even paying a couple of hundred grand for a direct replacement. There are going to be a lot of disappointed fans out there when they realise that idealism comes with a hefty price tag.

Then there’s the SFA and our inclusion in Project Brave. Lots of unnecessary wages and a training complex that includes a three quarter sized indoor synthetic pitch, a full sized outdoor synthetic pitch and at least one full size grass pitch. We have been ‘lucky’ enough to be selected as one of the clubs that will spearhead this nationwide initiative and save the future of Scottish Football. Sorry for the language, but balls to that, despite the fact we are allegedly only one contract away from meeting the criteria…one too many if you ask me.

Project Brave is a complete non-starter in my opinion, and in the opinion of most football clubs in Scotland. This Utopian master plan is just too expensive for most clubs to afford and the SFA will end up having to scrap it or completely change the current guidelines. Forget it, it is a waste of time and we should not even be considering it, we are probably only playing along safe in the knowledge that the goalposts will at some stage be moved, and there is no harm in staying involved up to that point as there might be something in it for us later.

That does not take away from the fact that we still need proper training facilities if we want to keep our players on top form and fighting at the right end of the table. The players deserve the best we can afford and Steve Clarke deserves no less. The problem is, despite the current resurgence in interest and the on-field heroics, we just do not have the funds available to build what is required and it would be grossly unfair to assume our current directors, whom have already splashed a lot of their own cash, should stump up the millions we are going to need. How can we expect our current manager, or any who follow him, to get the best for our club if we can’t even provide them with up-to-date coaching facilities?

Sadly there are no easy answers. Attracting big money investors is an obvious option but we have been there before and that well is all but dry. Selling all our best players wouldn’t bring in enough, and kind of defeats the purpose. The Board have an unenviable and near impossible task of not only trying to raise enough money to provide the necessary facilities, but to manage the expectations of a fan base on an unprecedented high. No one wants to think about practicalities when we are sitting in a lofty league position and don’t look like we have even got out of second gear yet.

This is not an attempt to depress you with pragmatism, this is a wakeup call that we have to strike while the iron is hot and do something now, not later. The proverbial lottery win is out of our hands, but that is not to say we should just accept what is deemed to be our lot and not aim high. Steve Clarke’s mantra has been “together we are stronger” and as per usual the big man has got it right. The only way we can secure the future of our football club is to start chipping in ourselves and looking for ways to raise the funds which are needed.

The majority of Killie fans are already contributing in some way, and the obvious thing to do is to encourage more people to support their local team and spread the load. More ticket money, more strip sales, more sponsorship, more hospitality…with more fans all that becomes achievable and certainly helps us on our way…but it is not quite enough. The Foundation of Hearts have just announced they’ve reached £8m worth of donations, which is enviable to say the least and understandable as they are a big city club; but that’s not to say we couldn’t emulate that, albeit it might take a bit longer and we might need a few generous cash injections along the way.

Last year the Trust in Killie initiative raised in excess of £100k with only 250 fans contributing on a regular basis. With 4,000 fans we could have raised £1.6m which is not too shabby when you think about it, but obviously still well short of the mark. Does that mean to say we shouldn’t go for it anyway? Of course not, it’s money in the bank for the club for free and to make more money you need money to start with. If you think this is a sales pitch for TIK you’d be partly right, to be fair though its more of a sales pitch for everything Killie related as it is all going in the same pot and all counts toward our goals.

The new £10 TIK entry level has been launched already at your request and the Trust will soon be giving it a big push. The bottom line here is that we need our fans to buy into this as much as they are buying into attending games again. It’s fantastic that we are on the cusp of selling out three away matches on the bounce…but how much money does Kilmarnock FC make out of that? It’s brilliant, but it’s not profitable, we need to sell out Rugby Park, and I mean with our fans, not old firm fans…would that even be possible? I don’t see why not, not in the long term at least, and a few short term hits in the meantime would not go amiss.

I sincerely hope that the Steve Clarke revolution continues for many years to come, but ultimately what he can achieve will be down to how much the club and the fans can back him, financially and otherwise. The ‘otherwise’ is not a problem, away from home at least, we need to sort out the home attendances and seriously consider what it is going to cost to deliver a fit-for-purpose training facility and a transfer/wage budget that will ensure our club flourishes on the big stage and continues to beat as the heart of our community. It’s not all bad news, that’s the water jug empty, the good news is that the situation is manageable and that our future rests in our own hands, not in the hands of others. Ask not what your club can do for you…

Barry Richmond
(KillieFC.com)

Killie Masters Invitational 2018

Join a host of Killie footballing legends at the inaugural Killie Masters Invitational to be held at Ballochmyle Golf Club on Wednesday, 23rd May, 2018.

Your three-man team will be joined and captained by one of the following ex-players who wore the famous blue and white stripes and served our Club with both distinction and pride...

Alan Robertson, Stuart McLean, Derrick McDicken, Paul Clarke, Jim Clark, Robert Reilly, Robert Connor, Blair Millar, Sam McGivern, Tom Black, Gary Holt, Ian Durrant, Garry Hay or James Fowler…with many others still to be confirmed!

The cost of entry for a team is £200 which will include green fees, brunch prior to competition, two course meal at the conclusion, entry into additional course competitions (chipping and putting etc.) and the raffle. Following the evening meal, there will be a short prize-giving ceremony and auction.

Depending on availability, you may also enter as an individual at the cost of £65 and be allocated a team.

This is not a corporate event, this is a golf day for the fans and ex-players to have a bit of a laugh with a competitive edge (you never lose it apparently). We have worked with Ballochmyle and our sponsors to keep costs to a minimum while still putting something into the Trust In Killie kitty. If you are also interested in some sponsorship then please indicate that on your email to us and we can let you know what is available.

ENTRY SCHEDULE

12th - 25th April: Exclusive entry for ‘Trust in Killie’ Subscribers

26th April - 2nd May: Entry open to ‘Killie Trust’ Members (depending on availability)

3rd May Onwards: Open Entry (depending on availability)


Entry forms can be obtained by emailing KillieFC.com@gmail.com or calling Trust Chairman Jim Thomson on 07748 252455.

Happy Trailer

The football club have kindly donated the use of their advertising trailer to us to give the Trust In Killie initiative a boost.

A huge shout out also to See Saw Creative and Centurion Signs UK who put this together for us "because we're Killie" in no time at all.

We should get a good few months out of it and then we will transfer it back to the club for next term’s season ticket campaign, and then we can swap over again.

Meanwhile we have to try and make the best of the time we have the trailer for, so we are looking to our membership for someone who would be able to take control of the project and get it out and about.

This would involve being old enough to have a driving license with the correct category, for this you would have to have passed your test before 1st January 1997.

You would have to hook it up and take it back and find suitable places to leave it for several hours, and get permission from the relevant land owners - or organise some volunteers that are equally qualified to help you with it!

There will of course be a lot to sort out in terms of vehicles with tow bars, petrol costs, insurance etc. but those are things that we can sort out prior to going on the move, no one will end up out of pocket of course.

If you are interested in helping out, even as one of said volunteers, then please contact KillieFC.com@gmail.com and we will get back in touch with you.

And if you see our person out there…give them a wave!

First Box TIcKed!

Trust in Killie Secures initial £100k Target - But we still need your Support!

The Kilmarnock Supporters Society Ltd (The Killie Trust) is delighted to confirm that it has secured the initial £100k investment necessary to achieve a place for a Supporter Director on the board of Kilmarnock Football Club.

The target has been achieved with the support of our regular monthly donors, premium donors, individual donations and a front funder (who wishes to remain anonymous) who approached the Killie Trust a few weeks ago wishing to assist us to make up the balance required. An agreement was reached to enter into an interest free loan and this has been formalised in line with the rules and regulations of the Kilmarnock Supporters Society Ltd.

Chairman Jim Thomson said, "This is a fantastic achievement by the supporters. To raise £100k within 9 months is a testament to their support of this great club. The front funding agreement is money that must be repaid and therefore it is essential that fans maintain their subscriptions or sign up to Trust in Killie. Trust in Killie is not a one-off campaign to achieve a Supporter Director but is to be an ongoing revenue stream for the Club for years to come. This is really just the beginning and, moving forward, Trust in Killie NEEDS as many subscribers and donors as possible."

Jim added, "We have informed the Directors of Kilmarnock Football Club that we have reached the initial target. We are now looking forward to working with the Football Club over the next few weeks and playing our part in many of the very positive changes that have been taking place recently. We would also like to place on record our thanks to the front funder who came forward. Without their support and the ongoing contributions of our regular and one off donors a Supporter Director would not have been achievable at this point."

The Trust will provide further updates as matters progress.

To sign up to Trust in Killie, please visit www.TrustInKillie.com

TIK Silent Auction

Premium Package member Brendan Maguire has once again stumped up a couple of tickets to a major sporting event to help fund TIK and this time it’s rugby and the chance to see Scotland take on the mighty All Blacks on Saturday 18th November at Murrayfield (happy hunting ground!). The tickets are for premium seats and face value is £80 each so we are going down the silent auction route to try and maximise what we can get for them and give everyone a chance to bid. It’s a difficult one for us as Killie are away to Dundee that day and we don’t want to discourage anyone from watching Ayrshire’s finest...but we are sure that everyone knows a rugby fan who would love to see this, so let them know, or be their mate for life and make a bid for them!

The All Blacks are current world champions, the number one ranked team in the world and are following up the summer’s dramatic drawn series with the British & Irish Lions with some brilliant performances in the Rugby Championship. Despite a few close encounters over the years, Scotland have never beaten New Zealand in Test rugby.  However, earlier this year the Scotland 7s famously became the first Scottish team to beat New Zealand (on their way to way winning the London 7s, the final leg of the HSBC World Sevens Series at Twickenham, for the second consecutive year). New head coach Gregor Townsend has already led Scotland to a win over Australia (in the Summer Tour) – can he pick up where the 7s team left off and guide Scotland to victory over New Zealand at BT Murrayfield? It’s a 5.15pm kick-off, and they are encouraging everyone to get to their seats early to be ready for the spectacular LIGHTS OUT show!

This game is sold out.

To make a bid please email KillieFC.com@gmail.com with how much you would like to bid in total for the pair of tickets and the winner will be declared on Thursday 16th November at 5pm.

Killie Trust AGM 2017

 A Community Benefit Society registered with the Financial Conduct Authority Register Number 2620RS

 

Notice of Annual General Meeting

Notice is hereby given the Annual General Meeting of the Kilmarnock Supporters’ Society Limited will be held in the The Portmann Hotel 42 Portland Road, Kilmarnock KA1 2DL on Monday 4th December 2017 at 7pm for 7:30pm.

Agenda

1)  Introduction and Annual Report.

2)  Treasurer’s Report and Financial Statement.

3)  Resolution to change audit rules.

4)  Reappointment of Independent examiners to the Society.

5)  Announcement of the results of the elections to the Board.

6)  Discussion about Trust in Killie initiative.

7)  Any Other Business.

By order of the Board

Andrew Millar (Secretary)
Kilmarnock Supporters’ Society Ltd
Registered Office: Duncan McLean & Co,
81 John Finnie Street,
Kilmarnock
KA1 1BG

Notes

A member entitled to attend and vote at the Annual General Meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in their place. Such a proxy need not be a member of the Society. The appointment of a proxy should be in writing to the Secretary, and in order to be valid, the form of proxy must be received by the secretary not less than 48 hours before the time fixed for the holding of the meeting or any adjourned meeting. Valid forms of proxy arriving at the Trust address by close of business 2 days prior to the meeting will be deemed to satisfy the above criteria.

A copy of the standard proxy form may be obtained from the Secretary or downloaded from the Trust web site HERE Completed forms should be returned to The Secretary at Duncan McLean & Co, 81 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock, KA1 1BG.

No person other than the Chair of the meeting can act as proxy for more than 3 members.

Admissions to the Annual General Meeting of any shareholder or proxy entitled to attend will be on production of this notice.

 
Copyright © 2017 The Killie Trust, All rights reserved.

Sandy Ferguson RIP

Sandy Ferguson…son, husband, father, grandfather…policeman, photographer, golfer…we could go on but over and above everything else, to us at KillieFC.com and the fans organisations we represent, he was a great friend and supporter. There are no words to convey how sad we all feel at this time, and that is down to a sense of loss rather than a lack of eloquence, although Sandy in his inimitable style would not be long in telling us the latter.

Sandy had sarcasm down to a fine art but he was quick and funny with it and it would not have been the same not to hear “Whit dae you want noo?” any time he answered the phone. That said of course, he never once let us down and always went that wee bit extra to make sure he had something special for us to publish, and special it was, as was the man himself.

For years Sandy would literally get on his ‘bike’ and travel the length and breadth of the country in rain, hail or shine, to capture the exploits of his and our beloved Kilmarnock Football Club in times good and bad. He had an eye for the right shot that could convey a match in one image and his work for the Kilmarnock Standard and the official and unofficial websites won him the respect of not only the Killie fans but of his professional peers as well, such was his reputation.

It is difficult to sum up a man and his worth in a few short paragraphs, but we are sure that everyone who knew Sandy will appreciate how he loved, and was loved, by his family and his many friends. Our heartfelt condolences go to his nearest and dearest and we sincerely hope that it will be some consolation to appreciate what he meant to so many people and to know that he will never be forgotten in our hearts.

Liam's Mad Fer Tick!

We are delighted to unveil details of the next reward we have secured for our Standard and +Plus+ Package Trust in Killie subscribers.

On December 4th 2017, Liam Gallagher will be performing at the SSE Hydro, all Standard and +Plus+ Package subscribers who sign up by the end of September will be entered into a draw to win hospitality for two as guests of Trust in Killie.

The evening includes a three course meal for two in the SSE Hydro, drinks in the Capital FM Starsuite and tickets for this show, which is officially sold out.

The draw will be made once the October subscriptions have been collected.

In light of experiences with previously issued rewards, please note that all sign-ups are entering into a minimum 6 month contract.

Failure to make a minimum of 6 (six) payments without prior consent will result in action being taken to recover the shortfall. (Sadly a few people saw fit to sign up to TIK, were then able to secure tickets for the Ayr game through the Trust, and just cancelled their subscriptions after that match.)

The Boy Done Good

 

We don't normally cover players signing Pro-Youth contracts (maybe we should?) but in this case the lad is the son of one of our own so we are making an exception.

Callum Penman signs from Galston Youth Football Club, who also supplied us with Greg Kiltie, clearly an indication of the quality of coaching available in the Irvine Valley.

A real team player, Penman has been utilised all over the park for Galston, mostly as an attacking midfielder or forward, but Killie have taken his impressive goals and assist record into account and will probably play him up front.

His father Tony, a Killie die-hard, said: "What a week it's been. I've been bursting with the news but wanted to wait until he actually signed. He played as a trialist against St Mirren last weekend and made a really positive impact".

Paul MacDonald and his coaches must agree and are delighted to add Callum to the pro-youth roster at the club. One to watch out for we say!

ACS Cheque Presentation

Ayrshire Cancer Support benefited from the generosity of Kilmarnock FC supporters following the success of the fan's event at the Grand Hall recently to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Killie's 1997 Scottish Cup victory.

The dinner dance organised by the Kilmarnock FC Supporters Association, the Killie Trust and the junior supporters club, Young Kilmarnock, was attended by the vast majority of the 1997 playing squad and management team. It featured special video messages from Marie Osmond, rock giants Biffy Clyro and of course some cup winning heroes who were unable to attend, and was sold out well in advance.

Jim Thomson of the Killie Supporters Trust said "Although not a fundraising event, such was the success of the evening that we are delighted to be able divide the proceeds between Ayrshire Cancer Support and the three supporter's organisations. Our allocation will help boost the Trust In Killie initiative, which has been set up to purchase 100,000 shares in our Club to secure a fans voice on the KFC Board".


Club photographer Sandy Ferguson was on hand to snap representatives of the organisations with the obliatory comedy sized cheque. Featured are Jim Thomson (Chairman, Killie Trust), Iain Sherry (Supporters Association), Jackie Stanley, Anne Clark (Ayrshire Cancer Support) and Tracey Grant (Young Kilmarnock).

KFCSA & Trust Statement

The Committee of KFCSA and the Board of the Killie Trust were surprised to learn of the resignation of former Club Chairman Michael Johnston as both the Company Secretary and a Director of the Club.

Whilst many supporters did not agree with some of his actions and statements it is appropriate to acknowledge Mr Johnston's many years of service to the football club.

Having secured our top-flight status for the 25th consecutive season it is to be hoped that all supporters and the Club Board can now pull together to assist in backing the team and the Club.

There are plenty of ways to show support for the Club and the team – particularly buying season tickets, player sponsorship, advertising etc.

The Trust in Killie initiative is now more important than ever as it will guarantee a supporter representative at full board level who can convey the fans’ viewpoints to the Directors and be part of the decision-making process.

You can sign up to Trust in Killie HERE

With everyone working together and the imminent appointment of a new manager it is time for OUR club to move forward once again.

Trust in Killie Launch This Friday!

Killie supporters can help make history next week by backing a campaign to have a fan-elected Director join the board of Kilmarnock FC.

‘Trust in Killie’ will be launched at the club’s Good Friday (14/4/17) match against Hearts. Organised by the Kilmarnock Supporters Society (also known as The Killie Trust), the campaign aims to raise £100,000 to purchase unallocated shares in the club.

It follows an agreement made last year with Kilmarnock FC’s board which would see a Supporters Society representative take a seat on the club’s Board of Directors. As well as giving fans a real voice in the operational running of the club, the elected Supporter Director will ensure there is a meaningful link between the board and fans, whilst providing a stepping stone towards greater community ownership. Now, with due diligence completed and with the full support of the club, the Trust in Killie campaign will be launched at Rugby Park next Friday.

Jim Thomson, Chairman of the Killie Trust and John Kiltie, Director of Kilmarnock FC, will be joined by ex-players at the Sports Bar to get the 'Trust in Killie' campaign officially underway.

Fans will be able to sign up for Standard (£15 per month), Plus (£25 per month) or Premium (one off contribution, limited to 20 contributors) packages, with benefits ranging from their name on the Trust in Killie history board, to entry into prize draws for ‘money can’t buy’ memorabilia. Once the £100,000 is raised, the cash will be invested into the club through the purchase of unallocated shares, and the Killie Trust will take a seat on the Board. This will be filled by a Supporter Director elected by members of the society.

Jim Thomson said: “After many years hard work, much negotiation and considerable due diligence, the Kilmarnock Supporters Society is delighted to finally be launching our fundraising campaign for a seat on the Board of Directors. This is an historic opportunity to affect meaningful change in the club we all love and care passionately about, to re-energise the supporter community, and to safeguard the future of the oldest professional club in Scotland. We’ll also be unveiling details of our Trust in Killie History Board which will carry the names of the first fans to sign up for the campaign.”

A spokesman of Kilmarnock FC, added: “The Board of Kilmarnock Football Club have been working with The Killie Trust to help shape 'Trust in Killie' and are delighted to support this initiative. The inclusion of a Supporter Director on the football club board is an exciting prospect for us, the supporters and community.”

Date: Friday 14th April 2016
Time: 6:30pm
Place: Sports Bar, Rugby Park

The launch will be attended by:

• Jim Thomson - Chairman, Killie Trust
• Andrew Millar - Secretary, Killie Trust
• Peter Telfer - Board Member, Killie Trust
• Garry Hay - Ex-Player
• Gary Holt - Ex-Player
• John Bourke - Ex-Player
• John Kiltie - Director, Kilmarnock Football Club
• Billy Bowie - Director, Kilmarnock Football Club

Brownings Say Aye tae KillieFC.com!

Brownings the Bakers have announced a partnership with KillieFC.com which will see them as the main sponsor for the online portal which incorporates the The Kilmarnock Supporters' Society (Killie Trust), The Kilmarnock Football Club Supporters' Association, FC Kilmarnock Ladies, Young Kilmarnock and the website and forums itself.

Brownings were a major sponsor and supplier of Kilmarnock Football Club until April 2016 when the two businesses parted ways.

John Gall, Managing Director of Brownings the Bakers said: "As a lifelong Killie fan and local businessman I have always relished the fact that I have been able to contribute to the club. Times have changed and we are no longer directly involved with the club, but now we have the opportunity to support Kilmarnock and the supporters in another way. When we were asked to sponsor the KillieFC.com website it was a very easy decision to make".

The partnership kicks off from today and will see Browning’s branding across KillieFC.com.

Jim Thomson, Killie Trust Chairman said: "The Killie Trust are delighted that Browning's the Bakers, such a prestigious local family company, have agreed to sponsor the KillieFC.com community for the foreseeable future. This financial security will allow the online portal to expand its vision to be the best football supporter’s website in the country and we're proud to work in partnership with Brownings towards this goal."

James Morrison, KFCSA Chairman added: "The website has come on leaps and bounds since all the fans organisations joined together online. It is great to see an award-winning business like Brownings financially supporting a community project such as this."

Kilmarnock Fan Organisations Support Football v Homophobia

This month is the international month of ‘Football v Homophobia’ (FvH) and the fan organisations of Kilmarnock FC are proud to lend our support to the campaign. FvH is a campaign uniting fans, players, communities, grassroots teams, professional clubs and the Football Authorities in opposing homophobia and prejudice against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in all aspects of football.

The FA, Premier League and Football League back their work and year round, FvH enables people to take action against prejudice and discrimination based on sexuality or gender identity in the sport, and to celebrate and welcome diversity in the game. This culminates in an international show of support in February to raise awareness of the issue and to showcase new and existing work.

Killie Trust Chairman Jim Thomson said:

"Equality and inclusion are important in every aspect of life, not least at football matches where people come together to enjoy the catharsis (or lack of) of watching their team play football. Encouraging diversity is especially important in these uncertain political times and we are delighted to support the work of Football v. Homophobia in whatever way we can."

Homophobia and LGBT discrimination has long been an issue in football. In 1990 the first professional football player in the UK to come out as gay, Justin Fashanu, had an intense struggle with his sexuality and how it was received in the game. More recently we have seen Robbie Rogers come out. Robbie retired briefly when he made the announcement about his sexuality. But now, following massive support from players and fans alike, he has returned to the game to play for LA Galaxy. Former Premier League player Thomas Hitzlsperger has also recently come out as gay. Both of these players have talked about the challenge of being gay and professional footballers, and the impact that anti-gay jokes and language can have on confidence and self-esteem.

The comments of SFA Performance Director Malky Mackay, the head of the English FA and the alarming findings of a BBC survey that around 8% of football fans would stop supporting their team if they signed a gay player, it shows that the world of football still has a long way to go to embrace diversity. With that in mind, we are proud to support FvH and the work that they do in our game.

Eric Murray RIP

Symington-born Eric Murray, who has died aged 74, was right-half and the only ever-present in Kilmarnock’s League Championship winning side of 1964-65.

Although only 5’ 9” and dead-on 11st dripping wet, Eric started his career as a centre-forward with Saxone Amateurs before joining Killie in the close season in 1960. He spent some time farmed out to Dreghorn Juniors before making his debut as a number nine in a League Cup tie against Hearts in August 1961.

But with Bertie Black and Andy Kerr vying for the chief striker’s role, first team chances to play up front were few and far between. Manager Willie Waddell decided to convert him into midfield and it was with a number four on his back that Eric played in the first eleven towards the end of 1961-62.

That position was normally filled by the accomplished Ian Davidson, but when Davidson was transferred to Preston North End it provided an opening in the team which was fought over between Murray and Pat O’Connor over the next season.

Murray started out as first choice right-half in 1963-64 but injury to Bertie Black saw Waddell move him back up front and it was as a central striker he played most of that season, scoring 14 times in 29 league appearances.

It wasn’t until the emergence of striker Ronnie Hamilton towards the end of that term which saw Murray finally move back into the right-sided midfield role for which most of those old enough and privileged enough to have seen him play remember him.

It’s surprising to recall that Eric, who became one of the mainstays of the title-winning team the following season, had hitherto made fewer than two dozen league appearances in that role.

Yet he went on to become the only ever-present in that legendary team. And by ever-present I mean every minute of every match, this being before substitutes were permitted. Eric wasn’t flash or showy. He was a solid, dependable player, capable of fulfilling either of the two positions he was picked for with unflappability.

He continued to play with distinction for Killie over the course of the next three seasons, notably scoring the opener against Lokomotiv Leipzig in the Fairs Cup quarter-finals in 1967, levelling the tie on aggregate, before Killie went on to claim a famous victory.

His last match for Killie was the final league game of 1967-68, away to Hibs, and it says a lot about the regard in which he was held by Killie fans that his successor struggled for a long time to win them over. When you consider that his replacement was the equally legendary John Gilmour that tells you just how highly Eric was rated.

Eric moved on to St Mirren where he spent three seasons before winding down his career with Cumnock Juniors.

In those days it was a common enough sight to see first team players in the street and while I can’t say that I ever noticed Eric walking down King Street, I can recall my father coming home from the pub one Saturday night to breathlessly exclaim that he had just had a pint with Eric Murray in the “tap shoap” in Dundonald. Such was the proximity between supporters and their idols half a century ago.

All told, Eric made 205 appearances for Killie, scoring 32 goals.

League - 145A - 26G
Scottish Cup - 16A - 2G
League Cup - 32A - 2G
Europe - 12A - 2G

Eric McIntyre Murray 12/12/41 - 7/11/16 RIP

By David Ross (@RossFootball)

Be The Boss - Jim Thomson

Our second "Boss" of the season is Killie Trust Chairman Jim Thomson. Another long-time supporter, Jim is a retired policeman who is kept busy with his wife's cafe Corner 26 at the top of John Finnie Street and his extensive family...when he's got time for any of that after the golf of course. Sorry Jim! The genial giant works tirelessly for the club's fans organisations and as well as pulling the strings at the Trust he is on the committees of both the KFCSA and Young Kilmarnock, a definite believer in the joined up approach and trying his hardest to get the club more involved with its community.

Thanks to KillieFC.com for the honour and lifelong dream of "Being the Boss" this week. Let’s face it, I’ve nothing to lose as Davie Sneddon crashed and burned last week! For the second week in a row we face opposition from Lanarkshire with a visit to New Douglas Park. Hopefully, a similarly committed performance to last week from the boys will see us overcome Hamilton Accies, who will, no doubt, be smarting from their exit from the Betfred Cup in midweek to Morton. We know that pain! Usually very tight and dour affairs, it’s time to bring some spark to the team to help us secure our first three points of the season. The spine of the team picks itself...



GOALKEEPER
Jamie MacDonald - Everyone’s Player of the Year last season and an automatic choice in my team. Great shot stopper and provides real confidence for the back four.

DEFENDERS
Josh Webb - Time for a natural right back in the side. Josh comes highly rated and it’s time for him to step up to the plate and command a regular first team place.
Miles Addison - An absolute powerhouse in the centre of defence and will cope with the aerial threat that Accies will provide. Looks cumbersome at times when the ball is on the deck but reads the game well and can cause havoc in the opposition box at corner kicks.
William Boyle - A very committed performance from the young man last week sees him retain his place. Got caught out a couple of times but regular first team football under the watchful tutelage of Addison and Smith will help develop a sound defensive partnership.
Steven Smith - Our Captain did well last week and his experience and reading of the game showed on a couple of occasions covering for the inexperience of others. Although he did reasonably well at right back last week, I felt we lost momentum going forward at times while getting the ball onto his favoured left foot. We need his dead ball delivery to be more effective this week.

MIDFIELDERS
Jordan Jones - Has the ability to give defenders water on the brain with his dribbling ability and will provide the ammunition for the strikers. He’s the type of player to get fans up on the edge of their seat and defenders on their backsides!
Rory MacKenzie - Getting used recently in an unfamiliar midfield role, Rory puts in a real shift doing the unglamorous side of the game, harassing opposition players on the ball while always looking to drive forward when he gets the opportunity. Always capable of scoring.
Gary Dicker - Always eager to make himself available for passes from the ‘back four’, he has proved equally effective breaking up play in midfield and switching play to either side to start attacking moves. Another guaranteed starter
Flo Bojaj - With Greg Kiltie likely to sit this one out through injury, Flo comes into the team to provide that bit of flair that has been missing recently. He is very comfortable on the ball and a regular run in the first team will improve his confidence and help him develop an understanding with our frontmen.

STRIKERS
Kris Boyd - If Jones and and Bojaj can put the ball in the right areas, Boydie will score. Simples! He made a big difference when he came on last week. As well as scoring, he has the ability to hold up the ball and bring in others.
Soulemane Coulibaly - A tricky player with the ball at his feet, he could prove the perfect foil for Boyd if they get a run of games together. He’s not the best in the air and has suffered from a lack of a striking partner but he has goals in him and will benefit from Boyd’s knock downs.

Dutch Courage

Our old friend from the Dutch Killie Supporters Club, Peter Nederlof, is going to Peru to walk the Inca trail all the way to Machu Picchu to raise funds on behalf of the Ajax Foundation, who we would like to tell you more about but to be honest our Dutch is not all it should be!

Peter, who has been coming to see Killie for years and is now a well known face around the Theatre of (as yet unknown quality) Pies, has already reached his target of €1000 on his Just Giving page but it would be great if a few more of our fans could chip in with a shekel or two.

Be The Boss - Peter Nederlof