The Killie Roar Returns

LAST Saturday was a throw back to the days when Killie were in the lower divisions and we used to carry the biggest away support out with the top league. A large and noisy crowd of around 2,000 traveled to the kingdom of Fife and more than played their part in helping the team reach the last sixteen in the Scottish Cup.

An article in B&H last week asked for everyone to pull in the same direction and the Killie fans didn't disappoint. The struggling first division club appeared to be taken by surprise, as there were very few turnstiles open - will clubs never learn? A rozzer outside the ground told us the club was only expecting around 500 away fans, well we reckon that just about covers those who traveled with the Killie Club!

The official crowd given was 3,610 though we have to say it looked like a lot more than that from where we were sitting. Mind you, it has been know for cash strapped clubs to be 'economical' with the true figures when they get a decent draw in the cup, we've been there and done that for sure.

We'd like to give a special mention to our old mate Gary Doyle who faithfully travels down from Aberdeen to watch his beloved Killie. Midway through the first half Gary was a little peckish and, being a decent spud, he offered to treat his fat friends. Needless to say he left when it was goalless and Killie had bagged three by the time he fought his way through the pie hut queue. To rub salt into the wound the guy in front of him got the last two pies! Not to worry mate, we can assure you they were the best three goals ever scored in the history of the club, honest.

Let's try and make sure the good atmosphere at Starks Park can be transferred to the Theatre of Pies this week. It's time we all started to enjoy our home games again and we'd urge the fans to play their part again by giving the "Killie Roar" for 90 minutes against the Pars. It was good to have a break with the cup last week but we really need to start putting some league points on the board over the next few weeks if our season is going to amount to anything.

John Finnie Street - The True Story

THE biggest moan around the town this week has been the closure of John Finnie Street due to the road being resurfaced. We were hoping the curry shops would be doing half price vindaloos to attract business but we've been disappointed. The local council have assured everyone the road was in a poor state and needed urgent repairs but B&H can exclusively reveal the real reason for the upheaval. Word on the street (sic) is that Killie are planning another Scottish Cup victory and the surface simply couldn't stand another celebration parade - well it's nice to dream.

Hippo 31

THERE'S no time for a holiday at Hippo towers and issue 31 will be on sale at Rugby Park for the forthcoming two home games. It's three years since we started the fanzine and the support from Killie fans has been fantastic. This issue includes a brutally honest (anonymous) article on the state of Scottish football and Kilmarnock Football Club in particular - not to be missed. You can also enter the free competition to win £25 gift vouchers for the Killie Shop where you can take advantage of the New Year sale.

Cashing In

AFTER securing our place in the next round of the Scottish we then had the excitement of the next round draw to look forward to…well we didn't have to wait long. Not only was the draw less than half an hour after the games finished but Killie (team no. 2) were the first team drawn, followed directly by the cup holders Rangers, no worries there then.

Whether you think it is a good draw or not is entirely down to the way you view it. Some think that Rangers are going through a sticky patch and we couldn't be meeting them at a better time, other are of the opinion that they don't have much left to play for and they will be right up for the match. One thing is for certain, we're not going to be any pushovers, and well they know it. Having to face Killie at Rugby Park was not one of their preferred options, despite our current lack of form. Remember we were nearly relegated the last time we lifted the trophy!

A Scottish Cup tie against the champions at Rugby Park is sure to bring a few fans out of the woodwork, from both teams, and what we have to make sure of (apart from progressing, that goes without saying) is that we milk it for all it's worth. A healthy payday from this match could make a lot of difference in balancing the books at the end of the season, so we have to make the most of this opportunity to fleece one half of the great unwashed.

It won't be popular with the Killie die hards but if needs be we should section off some of the West Stand and let them have that rather than have it lying empty. Let's be honest, we'll be outnumbered anyway so why not do it legitimately which should help with the segregation problems as well. The club learned valuable lessons from the Celtic game at the end of last season and as much as we don't want them in the West Stand either, we'd rather see them cordoned off out the road than in among us giving the home punters grief.

To make that bitter pill just a tad easier to swallow we should make sure that any tickets sold for the West Stand to Rangers fans are part of a 'hospitality' package. Fire them all into the big hall in the hotel and give them a can of Kestrel and a Tuc biscuit (the sandwich ones, we're not that stingy), about fifty quid sounds reasonable, no? Then after we fleece them we knock them out of the cup and send them home with their tails between their legs, we can think of worse ways of spending a Sunday afternoon.

That's another bone of contention. It looks like we are going to have to switch the match to Sunday, not for TV but because the huns are apparently playing the hibees in the League Cup on the Thursday night. Hopefully this will not end up costing us walk up cash and TV revenue, as no doubt either satellite or terrestrial TV would have picked it up. Scottish Cup games should be played on a Saturday and should take precedence over League Cup games, we've never rated that Mickey Mouse competition anyway! What's wrong with them playing their other tie on the Wednesday?

It would be fantastic if we could guarantee that we would fill the whole of the West and the East Stands with Killie fans (hell, the Moffat Stand too for that matter) but we are not quite at that stage yet. We have a meeting with the club and representatives from other Killie organizations on Friday about next year's season ticket deal and hopefully someone can come up with a package that will not only retain the current numbers but increase them as well. It's a very tall order when you're going through a rough spell on the park, but a grandstand season end like 1997 might just do the trick. Over to you JJ!

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