We
attended the launch of Davie Ross's new 'Killie Greats' Book at
Rugby Park today and quite a few of the greats were there in person. The
book features ten of the most famous players to have worn the
blue-and-white since the club’s foundation in 1869 and is well
researched and a thoroughly good read. Get it on your Xmas list folks,
great value at only £9.99.
Star
players from every era of Kilmarnock’s history appear in the book and
Davie ran through them for the press, who to be honest hadn't a clue who
he was talking about for the most part. He waxed lyrical about what
these legends have done in football during and after their playing
career and made the point that though not deliberate, seven of the ten
hailed from Ayrshire. Featuring in the book are...
James ‘Bummer’ Campbell – Killie’s 19th century superstar was
born and bred in Kilmarnock. He played the full 90 minutes of a benefit
match 20 years after he retired in aid of the unemployed after World War
I.
Jamie Mitchell – Gatehead's finest was the first player to
make over 400 appearances for the club despite 'dropping out' for two
years.
Mattha’ Smith – Grandfather of former player and media
pundit Gordon Smith, he is the only player to win the Scottish Cup twice
while with Kilmarnock, an incredible feat when you consider that no
player out with the old firm did that in a 50 year period. Also scored
Killie's first top flight goal against the yahoos at Scummerset!
Freddie Milloy – the ‘iron man’ defender of the 1930s.
Bob Thyne – post-war hero who later became a club
director.
Frank Beattie
– who captained Killie to the league championship in 1965.
Eddie
Morrison – the club’s record post-war goalscorer.
Alan
Robertson – record appearance holder and still at Rugby Park
today, bringing through tomorrow’s stars.
Ray
Montgomerie – skipper of the 1997 Scottish Cup winners.
Kris Boyd
– youngest player ever to score 50 SPL goals.
Davie emphasised that everyone would have their own thoughts on who they
would have included in their top ten and he hopes that the book
stimulates many a debate. We took that a stage further and asked the
Killie legends at the press conference one player they thought that they
would have included in the book...
Monty opted for Davie Sneddon, who was a great help with the book in
light of big Frank Beattie's ill health. Both Davie Sneddon and Frank,
who made an all too rare appearance, said that they'd have included
Brien McIlroy. Andy King nominated Jackie McInally and Eric Murray went
for the late great Andy Kerr. Tommy McLean was favoured by Eddie Eddie
Morrison and Gordon Smith, who was there with both his father and his
uncle to represent grandfather Mattha.
We never got the chance to ask Alan Robertson, who to his credit was
more interested in getting back to the job in hand rather than receiving
plaudits, but we did get the chance to ask the author himself whom he'd
had given the nod if there'd been one space left...and Jackie McGrory
was the unlucky player just to miss the cut.
We've got a copy signed by the author and all the above mentioned former
players (who are still alive!) to give away to killiefc.com readers, and
unlike the signed stuff you get these days you can actually read who
signed it! All you have to do is send you answer to the following
question to us and all correct entries will put in a hat to be drawn
next Friday (10th November).
What was the name of David Ross's last book?
Send your entry -
Here
Only one entry each please. Please include your name and
a contact number if possible. The draw will done at random
by an independent body and no correspondence will be entered into. Our
decision is final.
