Ticket Frenzy

The hottest tickets in town at the moment now that the UEFA cup final is over are the ones for the Celtic v Killie match on the final day of the season. Before we go any further we would like to offer our apologies to Josie and the rest of the ladies in the club shop who have been getting a bit of an ear bashing from fans after our article last week. In hindsight it was probably badly worded (please remember that we are only rank amateurs!) and it looked like we were blaming the shop for the ticket fiasco, but that wasn't the point we were trying to make.

The club could only do so much to ensure that match tickets, which have now sold out, went to the right fans. But it was inevitable that Celtic fans

would get their hands on briefs one way or another and it's the numbers that have slipped through the net that concerns us. No matter what scenario is played out on the day, the potential for trouble inside and outside the ground is plain to see. Reiterating what we said last week, the police and the stewards must make sure that as few Celtic fans as possible are allowed into the home sections.

Association chairman Colin Hargreaves has already approached the police to see what preventative action is being taken, he told us: "Chief Superintendent Johnston, who will be the match day commander, says that he knows fine well Celtic fans will still get tickets somehow. On this basis, he has ordered more police and stewards into the ground for this match because the potential for trouble is there. He reckons that there is no real history of violence between the two supports and he hopes that if anything, it will be minimal to say the least."

Johnston also said: "For your own peace of mind, if a Celtic fan is found in the East or West stands wearing colours, shouting etc, they will be removed to the sterile areas of each stand (North of the West stand and bottom left of the East stand). When, or indeed if, the sterile areas are full, then the away fans will be removed from the ground, as the ticket clearly states no admittance to away fans into the home end." It's gratifying to know that at least all the relevant authorities are now aware of the situation and are taking steps to increase safety for the Killie support.

That said, the Killie fans can play their part by following the correct procedures if faced with trouble and not just diving in there when provoked, as if we would! If you have an issue regarding the stadium rules, then contact a Rock Steady steward who should be equipped to deal with your problem. If the matter is of law, i.e. fighting, throwing objects, drinking etc, then approach a police officer instead. If you would like to ask David Heath anything in person then he will be at the Supporters' Association meeting in the Park Suite tonight (Thursday) at 7.00pm.

The club introduced a secondary hospitality package last week that would no doubt have been snapped up by opposition fans despite the £100 price tag. How much would we have made had we given them just one stand and sold the rest of the seats they now have through the hospitality route? We could have kept them all together in designated areas and fleeced them rotten at the same time…hindsight is a great thing as they say, but better late than never. It's just a shame that we couldn't get that vital last goal at East End Park to give the match some real edge for us as well.

A Date to Remember

The plans for the killiefc.com Challenge Cup and end of season player of the year bash have now been finalised and we are looking forward to it immensely. The match kicks off this Saturday at 1.30pm on the grass pitch beside Loudoun Super 7's (just outside Galston) and should be hotly contested. The Bazcelona team is shaping up and this week we added ex-Killie players Jaconelli and Woodison to our player roster. Killie legend Ray Montgomerie also signed up last week and we are currently chasing Dylan Kerr for his services. Come along and watch, there should be goals galore at this rate!

The evening's festivities will get underway around 7.00pm in The Howard Arms, everyone is welcome to come along and have a few refreshments. The presentations of the website and the pubs player of the year awards will probably take place later on because the players will already be booked to go to the Travel Club dance in Hurlford, but JJ has promised that he'll try and get some bodies along at some point. It wont be too late of course as they have a match to play the next day!

Broono Bows Out

B&H were saddened to read last week that one of Killie's 1997 Cup final heroes has decided to end his career. Tom Brown was a huge fan's favourite and his never-say die attitude endeared him to the Killie faithful. Tommy Burns bought in 'Broono' for the princely sum of £5,000 from Glenafton and he must be one of the contenders for 'Sale of the Century'.

After leaving Killie the wee man plied his trade with St Mirren but persistent injuries were damaging his career. After overcoming a serious knee operation he was released by the saints a year ago and signed for Dumbarton but again his season has been interrupted by injuries. Tom has decided enough is enough and is going to concentrate on a career outside of football. We interviewed Broono over a year ago for the Killie Hippo and Killie still held a special place in his heart.

Here's a few snippets. Tom said: "Some Killie fans might remember I played against Killie as a trialist with Clydebank at Kilbowie one night. It was unusual to play a trialist right away in the first team but both Craig Flanagan and myself did well that night and we beat Killie 2-0 (I think). I was unemployed at the time and was delighted when Clydebank offered me a part time contract however Tommy Burns made contact and asked me down for a week's trial at Rugby Park. I did reasonably well during the trial period but I still hadn't been offered a contract. I spoke to Tommy Burns about this and basically it came down to money - if Killie got promoted I was getting a deal but if they stayed in the 1st division the money wasn't there. Thankfully Killie went up and I was offered a one-year deal, which I grabbed."

He went on: "All my memories are good memories at Rugby Park. We had a great mix of experience and youth, the oldies made sure they ruled the roost. Soon after I arrived we went on a pre-season tour to Ireland. After a couple of games I felt I had played fairly well and had managed to score in the process. We were sitting in the hotel after the second game having lunch when Tommy Burns shouted me to say the Kilmarnock Standard were on the phone wanting a word with me. The phone was in the room and everyone heard as I answered questions like "are you happy to replace has-beens like Williamson, McCluskey and Crainie". The guy on the other end kept slagging off these guys and I was trying to be as diplomatic as possible, telling him they were all still top players with a job to do for Killie. His final question was "how are you enjoying your roast chicken" at which point all the lads burst out laughing and clapping. Messrs Williamson, Burns, McCluskey and Crainie had officially welcomed me to Killie."

"The first game of the season holds very special memories as we beat Dundee 1-0 at Rugby Park and I was lucky enough to score the goal. I was high as a kite and the next morning I stuck all the empty lemonade bottles in a bag and headed off to buy all the newspapers. I thought nothing of taking the bottles as I had always done it when I was unemployed. As I got to the shop a friend's booming voice came from across the street 'haw Broon, you get into team of the day but you're still using the ginger bottles!'"

"The training was enjoyable as well and it was a privilege to train and play with guys like George McCluskey whose amazing ability had to be seen to be believed. Another game I remember well was Killie's famous 2-1 win at Ibrox. I was involved in the build up to Bobby Williamson's injury time winner and I can remember walking home along the road from Ibrox after the game feeling a million dollars. People have asked if I was disappointed not to start in the cup final and I was. However I saw the guys like Jim Lauchlan and Colin Meldrum who didn't even make the bench and realised it could have been a lot worse."

I'm sure we speak on behalf of all Killie fans when we wish Broono all the very best in his new career. We promise to try and get him down to the Howard Arms next season for one of the fan's party nights.

Brownings Sign For Killie

B&H are delighted to hear that local company Brownings the Bakers have signed a two-year contract to operate the tea bars at Rugby Park. John and David Gall are both Killie daft and have followed Killie home and away since they were kids. John is delighted to get the contract and has promised to provide a quality service at the Theatre of Pies. The company has always been fiercely proud of its Killie roots and has supported the club for many years via advertising and hospitality packages. More recently John and David have backed the proposed Youth Academy and are on the sub-committee that hopes to deliver a top class facility to both KFC and the town as a whole. Good luck lads but your staff may have to work excess hours in order to keep The Howard fatties happy!!

Season Ticket Update

Ticket sales are going very well and the seats are vanishing at an impressive rate. We have now exceeded this season's total and we still have nearly three months before the start of the new season. The Share Centre is still busy and if there are any non-season ticket holders out there looking for a half price voucher then get in touch as soon as possible. Call Sandy on 0771 774 8754.

Read the B&H column in the Kilmarnock Standard every week