1997 Club - Alive & Kicking

SINCE we started writing the B&H column well over a year ago it's been a pleasure to meet a large number of Killie fans from all walks of life. Everyone has their own views and opinions but the one thing we all share is a deep rooted love of our local football team. We attended the Killie Trust meeting at the Park Hotel last week and it was another opportunity to chew the fat with other Killie fans. John Simpson and Ian Mortimer are two Killie fanatics who follow their club with a passion and are part of the "1997 club". The "1997 club" sees Killie fans pay a bit extra on top of their season ticket and the members have their own suite in the hotel to share some food and drink before and after every home game. There are only a small number of members, however, some great friendships have been struck and John tells me all the characters ensure it's a hotbed of discussion at every Killie home game.

The main man is Bill McNaught who travels down from Dunblane with wife Evelyn and son Ross to see his beloved Killie. Quiet and demure are not terms used to describe Bill and he makes sure there is never a dull moment - along with John and Ian we'd like to send best wishes to Evelyn who has been a little poorly of late. Big Grant is another larger than life character in the club and everyone got together at the last home game for the Player of the Year award. Freddy Dindeleux was the popular winner and received a magnificent piece of Edinburgh crystal. We're assured that all the lads and lassies will be there again next season so if you're interested in joining up give Colin Fraser a call at Rugby Park and he'll get you signed up.

Master Class Killie

IT may well be the close season but fear not all you footie lovers out there, there's always somewhere you can grab your fix of the beautiful game. The English season winds up this weekend with the three play off finals, traditionally very entertaining affairs and in two weeks Euro 2004 gets under way in Portugal. It will take a good team to stop the French we reckon but as long as it’s not England we don’t care. However, the big tourney of the summer takes place at the Braehead Arena, Glasgow on June 26th (3.00pm) when Killie line up alongside Rangers, Celtic and Motherwell for the Masters tournament.

The event is televised by Sky and gives the over 35's a chance to pull a hamstring before they head off on their summer hols. We don’t have any confirmation of the Killie squad but the organisers asked Killiefc,com members would like to see turn out and they came up with the following: Alan McCulloch, Bobby Geddes (well done on the cup win!), Gus McPherson, Monty, Tommy Burns, Ian Durrant, Tommy Tait, Ian Bryson, Tom Brown, Willie Watters - we're sure you could draw up a massive list! Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk so why not head along and give your support to some famous faces from the past. Wullie Watters, Wullie Wattters…na-na-na-na-na-na!

Fans Forums

WE have now halted the facility to register to the killiefc.com forums. This is mainly due to spammers and people registering pornographic websites and the easiest way to control this is to screen every new member personally. If you need to re-register for any reason or know someone who wants to register then please get them to contact baz@kiliefc.com or webmaster@killiefc.com and we will set up the new account. The date of our POTY bash has been decided and it will be the same day as Killie take on the Yahoos in the West Sound Trophy...so keep your diary clear for the 24th July.

Sponsor Wanted

WELL done to young FC Killie hotshot Naomi Johnstone has won herself a scholarship to Darton College in America. Striker Naomi has been banging the goals in for the Killie girls team for a few seasons but now has the chance to further her career and her education in the good old US of A. She will be doing the first two years of her Health and Physical education degree at Darton and then possibly moving to another college, meanwhile she is looking for a sponsor to help her out with a few quid for books and stuff that are essential for the tuition.

If there are any local companies out there who are willing to stump up some cash that could really make a difference and give Naomi a wee help up life’s ladder then why not contact us and we’ll put you in touch. We reckon she still needs around $750 and if we can find that in the next couple of months then all well and good…every little will help so let’s hear from all the generous benefactors we know frequent Rugby Park!

Rumour Mill Roundup

WITH not too much going down of late we thought we’d have a quick spy at the Rumour Mill and see what the word on the street is regards who will be transferring to the Theatre of Pies next season. There have been a dearth of goalie rumours since it was announced that Douby Doo and Melly were leaving in the summer and the favourite so far seems to be Alan Combe, who is meant to have signed a pre-contract agreement with us already. That’s not to say he has of course as according to our other sources we are also tracking American international Marcus Hahnemann who is with Reading, ex-Jambo Roddy Mackenzie and some geezer from Portugal.

Surprisingly enough we have not been linked with many defenders so far. Fabulous Freddy opted to stay at Killie despite interest from elsewhere, but the manager has already indicated that we have problems at the back that need looking at and at least one new defender is a certainty. Paul Ritchie, despite his recent nightmare for Scotland has always been a pretty solid centre half and the former Jefferies protégé is out of contract at Walsall, but wages could be a problem. Unfortunately the 28 year old left footer is also attracting the attention of Leicester, West Ham and Birmingham so we can’t see it happening.

The midfield will be lacking the silky touches of a certain Frenchman next season and we seem to be devoid of any invention down the right wing, but again the names being bandied about seem to be a little out for our reach: Paul Keegan, an Irish central midfielder dropping a division with Leeds; Nicky Summerbee, the veteran right winger surplus to requirements at Bradford; Watford’s Neil Ardley, another thirty-something winger in the Nationwide League. Not exactly names that are going to strike the fear into the hearts of other SPL teams but to be honest we don’t see any of them being interested in a move north.

Young Falkirk striker Andy Rodgers has been mentioned in dispatches but we don’t think that JJ will need much strengthening up front given the new two year deal for Danny, Dargs on the mend, Nish finding form and Boydie being under contract until 2006. There have been too many names mentioned to go through them all but it’s safe to say that our money is probably spent better in other departments at the moment so we can forget signing Rivaldo.

Other players that were being heavily touted but look to have slipped through the net were Lee Makel (Portsmouth), Lee Bullen (Sheff Wed), Lee Cooper (nah, we just made that up) and Neil Wood of Man Utd. We’ll try and keep you up to date with the comings and goings as we hear them but you couldn’t follow JJ with radar at the moment so you may well know more than us. The Rivaldo boy would be bonus though!

Killie Trust News

THE "Kilmarnock Supporters Society Ltd" or The Killie Trust, as it is more widely known is a registered football supporters’ trust. Our aim is to give the ordinary fans a stronger voice in the running of the club, help the club financially and also promote football in general within the community through support of youth football activities in particular.

The Trust is a registered Industrial and Provident Society and as such all our activities are subject to the scrutiny of the Financial Services Authority. Since our launch in August 2003 we have worked hard to build foundations for the Trust which we hope will provide it with a secure position in the longer term. Although most of the Trust ventures are currently relatively small it is hoped that by establishing a Trust profile through such activities we can attract more members including those with the know-how and the contacts to take us to a higher level.

As part of the drive to increase the impact of the Trust we are looking for ways to promote corporate membership of the Trust. Corporate membership allows local businesses to join the Trust and contribute to the support of Kilmarnock FC and the community. Corporate membership is available at a rate of £50 per annum. Anyone, corporate or otherwise, interested in membership of the Trust who would like further information or indeed to take up membership can contact us via the web site at www.killietrust.org or at PO Box 26103 Kilmarnock KA1 1YN.

The Fifty for the future initiative got off to a good start at the Livingston game a few weeks ago. Our goal is to collect enough money to sponsor the Kilmarnock FC under-sixteen team next season. Members of the Trust took collection buckets to the each of the turnstiles around Rugby Park and managed to accumulate almost one thousand pounds. At the Aberdeen game collection buckets were situated at tea bars around Rugby Park and the Trust also hosted the Halftime Crossbar Challenge. The Crossbar Challenge gave fans the opportunity to grace the hallowed turf and attempt to hit the crossbar with a shot from the centre circle, in exchange for a donation to the Fifty for the Future initiative. As you may have guessed nobody actually managed it, but all participants had good fun trying. A big thank you to all those who have generously donated to the Fifty for the Future initiative so far…Susan Miller (The Killie Trust).

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