Killie Not So Baaad!

WE slaughtered the management and the players last week after their performance at Tannadice and we are not going to take that back. However, if we reserve the right to criticise the team when they are playing like puddin’s then equally we must make an effort to give credit when it’s due…and due it is. What a turnaround from last Saturday, it was like watching a different team at times. We’d like to think that the player’s were responding to our digs in the column last week but of course they don’t know us from Adam so we can only assume that it was the management team who psyched them up.

Verging on broken record territory here but what a difference it made having wee Ruby Murray back in the starting line up. Okay, so he’s not the quickest (despite his legs appearing to go ten to the dozen), but at least when he plays the team looks to have some kind of

shape to it, and what he lacks in height he certainly makes up for in effort. He also links up well with Hooky and although they don’t pull something off every time, more often than not the majority of our attacking plays generate from down that left flank.

The goalie and the defence looked a lot more solid than last week but despite that we still managed to concede a goal that would not have looked out of place in a schoolboy game. To be fair though it came from a cross that should never have been made had a certain midfielder put a decent challenge in, but let’s not dwell on any negatives, we did enough of that last week! David Lilley has proved to be a more than capable replacement for Greg Shields, on hindsight the transfer window moves now seem to make a lot more sense.

Skora controlled the midfield well and seems to relish that central role supplying the front two. He strikes those free kicks with deadly accuracy and you can sense the anticipation in the crowd when we get a set piece in or around the box. Youngster Rhian Dodds also coped well with deputizing for Gary Locke who has one of our more solid performers of late. We can only hope that a win like Saturday’s will restore some of Jamie Fowler’s confidence and he can regain the form we know he’s capable of. We seem to be slightly lacking in that area of the park since Canero’s departure and now is the time for Fow to prove he can do the job required…time to get stuck in Jamie.

It was a bit worrying that Danny Invincibile was crocked in training, having scored in each of our last three outings, but the return of Craig Dargo proved to be a fruitful one in less than sixty seconds. He should have had the decency to wait until everyone had sat down! It was looking at one point as if Dargs would never recover but the club kept faith in him and the likes of Durrant and Di Giacomo kept him going through the bad times. Hopefully now that he’s back he will pay that back in spades…forget spades, goals will do us. When was the last time JJ was spoiled for choice when it came to forwards? A big up as well to Kris Boyd for reaching double figures again, and it looks as if there are a lot more to come from him.

So what was the cause of the sudden change in fortunes? One thing is for sure, it wasn’t just down to the manager. Beating a below par Aberdeen does not make you a tactical genius, just like getting gubbed from an on-form Dundee United does not make you a dunderheid. The Killie support seem to be split down the middle when it comes to JJ which we can accept as everyone is entitled to their opinion about their own team. What we can’t accept are those who claim that they are staying away from Rugby Park until JJ is gone. What is the point of that?

We are Kilmarnock supporters and we support the team, not whoever is the manager at the time. It was plain to see on Saturday that the players benefited from the better backing they got from a decent crowd and those staying away to prove a point are only going to suffer themselves in the long run. The fans will still be there long after the board, the management and the players are long gone, that’s just the nature of the beast. Get yourself along to the rest of the home games and hopefully we’ll be rewarded with a few more performances like Saturdays, you know you want to.

Killie Fans In England

MANY Killie fans have been keenly following the progress of ex-Killie star Peter Canero after his move to Premiership side Leicester. Like many others this season Peter has been hit by a number of injuries and a damaged shoulder has prevented him getting a start for his new club. Thankfully Pedro is back to full fitness and has made a couple of substitute appearances in the last fortnight. Killie Hippo subscriber Ray Palmer lives in Derbyshire and made the trek to Leicester last Sunday in the hope that he'd see Pedro start his first Premiership game against Liverpool but sadly it wasn't to be. Here's the wee letter Ray sent us:

“Dear B + H, I went along to the Leicester v Liverpool match today, thinking I could send you an update on Canero - how he was performing, fans reaction etc. Thought this might be useful for the Hippo/Killiefc.com/Standard. He's on the cover of the match programme, but was only a sub and didn't play. Only glimpse of him was warming up on the line now and again. The game was crap, one of the poorest I've seen for a long time; made even worse by the fact it was a Premiership match. Even the Derby County games I've seen this season have been better. Probably even worse than some of Killie's displays this season (but not yesterday's?). Canero could have made a difference, but Micky Adams probably thought he didn't want to get him involved in such a load of mediocrity. Can't say I'll get to any/many other Leicester games, so probably won't see him play even if does get a game! Cheers, Ray Palmer.”

Sorry you never got to see his full debut Ray and with Leicester in grave danger of relegation you may have to wait for Gary Holt next season. Killie favourite Holty is having another fine season with table topping Norwich who are odds on to jump into the big league. How good would it be to see Gary (and his Killie tattoo) on Match of the Day?

Killie Fans In Germany

Sadly we won't be venturing into Europe with Killie next season, unless of course the rest of the league goes into administration and super Killie sail into the Champions League. Our lowly league position doesn't prevent some dedicated Killie fans boosting the EasyJet profits and heading for foreign lands just the same. Step forward eight Killie troops from the Auld Hoose who fortuitously missed the match at Tannadice to head for Kaiserslautern (we'll call it K-town for easy typing purposes). Of all Killie's trips to Europe in recent years the jaunt to Germany will long be remembered by fans from both clubs for all the right reasons. The mutual hospitality was legendary and some lifelong friendships were made once the Germans had fluked a 5-0 aggregate win!

The Auld Hoose troops like their beer so I suppose Germany's as good a place as any to make new chums. The visits have been regular since that Euro tie and our heroes set off with a bagful of euros and Killie memorabilia. They need not have taken too much loot as their K-town hosts did them proud and showered them with lager all weekend. The Killie lads and lassies got a glowing mention in the K-town match day programme and at half time, live on German telly, two Killie lads were invited on to the pitch. The half time entertainment included our lads trying to hit the crossbar from the edge of the 18 yard box with some well struck shots. Much like the Killie 11 who faced Djorkaeff and co. the Killie lads were well off target and we don't accept the excuse that they were given a "trick" ball. Of course we'd never name and shame the two wayward strikers but their initials are Hughie Parker and Rab McCluskie!

Killie Fans In Agony

Another week passes and the weight continues to fall from the waistlines of the "Fat Boys Slim" gang - although it's getting harder as time drags on. Here's a wee rundown on this week's Klin Homes weigh-in:

Baz lost 2lbs, Oboab lost 1lb, Hippo lost 7lbs (god bless the late Mr Atkins) and Bluehand actually put on 2lbs even though he was a good lad and went to the gym four times - not to worry mate you get weeks like that. All this good living is having a serious impact on the takings at the Howard Arms, don't worry Annie we'll make up for the lost lager in three weeks time.

Huge thanks yet again to the fans who hand over the fivers, tenners etc at Rugby Park and keep our morale at a high. We're hoping to boost the funds in a few weeks and will give you more details next week. Finally our sincere thanks to the local companies who are doing their bit to get the kids into Rugby Park for free - main sponsor Klin Homes, Brownings the Bakers, Kilmarnock UPVC Ltd, Millennium Vacations International, J.R.D. Partnership (Accountants), Fortress Security, Goldsmiths, Millennium Beauty, The Cut Above, Duncan McLean Solicitors, Ritchie (UK) Ltd. & Fitness First.

Check out the pictures of FBS on tour - Here

Attention Season Ticket Holders

You may remember earlier in the season we told season ticket holders to take along their tickets to East End Park to get discounted entrance - then Dunfermline forgot to bother about the offer. Well we're assured the offer will be in place this week and you can save yourself 4 quid by producing your ticket. They better not forget this time or we'll get lynched.

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