Killie
History Seasons 1950-51 to 1959-60
"Glory Beckons"
1950-51 Killie
in May of 1950 appoint Malky McDonald (right) to replace Alex Hastings as
a manager. Killie finish 12th in Division "B" winning only 8 of 30 games,
in the 18 team Second Division.
Killie won only three home fixtures. In a stormy AGM, Andrew McCulloch
resigned as chairman, not because of the toilets, but branding the annual
report 'fatuous, futile and inept'. The report showed the Club had lost
£4,000 for the season Killie were languishing
as a poor Scottish team, going nowhere fast!
Do You Remember Malky McDonald
Here
1951-52 Under McDonald's guidance Killie improve by 10 points (2
points for a win!) and finish a respectable 5th.
In the hugely successful Bob
Thyne testimonial, 16,000 fans turned out to see Killie lose 2-1 to a
strong Celtic side. At this year's AGM, the board recommended going back
to nine members instead of five.
1952-53 League Cup Final
1952-53
This season will long be
remembered by Killie fans from that era. On October 4th 1952, with Killie
sitting bottom of the
Division "B" division,
we defeated the mighty Glasgow Rangers 1-0 in the League Cup semi final at
Hampden Park, to send the Ibrox bear back to Govan with its tail firmly
between its legs. Bob Thyne and Jimmy Middlemas were apparently
outstanding. This result, not unexpectedly, inspired Jimmy and his mates.
Killie lost the Final 0-1 to Dundee. The Club
however moved up the table with only
inconsistency denying the side a promotion spot. The team however, was
improving. Eventual champions Stirling Albion
were thumped 6-0 as the Club finished fourth. Sadly during the season,
legendary winger Matha Smith died aged 55.
At
the AGM, apart from the poor condition of the toilets (trend developing
here), the question of floodlighting was raised. Killie though, despite
making a profit this season, decided it was too expensive. Malky
McDonald though, was all in favour. He thought it was too good an
opportunity to miss, with benefits like evening training and midweek
matches. He argued that increased attendances would outweigh the costs
involved. Jimmy Middlemas would welcome to training an eighteen year old
apprentice in the name of Bertie Black. (left)
Surely
promotion back to the big-time can't be too far off!
Jimmy Brown in Action Vs Rangers (Cup Feb 54)
1953-54
Promotion at Last!
1953-54, was an eventful and
dramatic season. The Club finished
second and finally won promotion back to the 1st Division after an
absence of seven years. With the season only two months old, Hugh
Spence, (pictured left with Chairman Andrew
McCulloch after the
1929 Cup Final)
architect of two Scottish Cup winning sides, died. Goalkeeper
Jimmy Brown joined
Killie from Hearts in Aug of 1953, to start a fantastic 8 year stay at
Rugby Park. With one
legend passing away, another young lad arrived who would, arguably, go on to
become the Club's most influential player to date, the legendary
Frank Beattie. In
this same month of October 1953, Matt Watson arrived at Rugby Park and
Malky McDonald
finally got his way when floodlighting was installed at Rugby Park. In a
specially arranged match, to be played under the new floodlights, Killie
played Manchester United. A full strength United took the field.
Significantly, this included Duncan Edwards, the most famous Busby Babe,
who was playing his first full ninety minutes. It wasn't the first time
he'd played at Rugby Park,
a few seasons earlier he'd played in a youth international.
On April 1954, 12,000 fans saw
Jimmy Middlemas captain the side to a 2-0
victory against Queen’s Park to confirm their new status with promotion
to the 1st or "A" Division.
1953-54
Promotion Winning Killie
Middlemas also captained Killie in its first
game against European opposition, that season, as Killie took on
Austrian side Admira Wien in a friendly. Killie thumped them 5-0 under
the new floodlights, in front of 12,000 fans. Jimmy captained the side
in another record breaking fixture this season. Killie, after gaining a
creditable draw in an epic Scottish Cup tie at Ibrox, played the Glasgow
side in the replay in front of a huge crowd of 33,545, a new record
attendance for Rugby Park.
This meant 800 more fans watched this tie than the previous best of
1933, again against the same opposition. Killie lost the tie 3-1.
1954-55 Killie struggled on its return to the topflight. After 12
games Killie had just four points as the Club slumped to second bottom.
Malky McDonald
realised that some of the players, who had served the club.jpg)
so well in the Club's struggle to reach the top, had now reached the
veteran stage and needed replacing. Bob Thyne and Jimmy Middlemas,
outstanding in the lower league, were dropped after the 4-0 home defeat
to Aberdeen on the 4th December. It was the last time either player
would play in the first team. Alastair MacKay was promoted from the
reserves and £4,000 was spent to secure the transfer of Hearts centre
half Bobby Dougan.
Frank Beattie was not yet old enough to hold a first team place,
despite scoring on his debut in a league cup tie at Paisley. Killie do
manage to regroup and finish 10th, to maintain their top flight status.
1955 Rugby Park
1956 Brown Saves the Day Against Hearts
1955-56 Killie further consolidate their
Division "A" status, with an 8 place finish, and an 8 point improvement
over the prior season. Also in 1956 Walter McCrae
(left) joins club as trainer.
1956-57
Scottish Cup Final
1956-57
Scottish Cup Final Ends In
Disappointment
1956-57 Favoured
Killie lose the
1957
Scottish Cup Final to Falkirk (after a
replay). Malky
McDonald leaves his managers post right after the Cup Final to accept the managers position with Brentford,
where he had no success.
Not to worry Killie will
gain
revenge in 1997 for this Cup Final loss.
1956-57 Kilmarnock FC
1957-58
Willie Waddell is then appointed manager in July, 1957. He was one of
the greatest wingers of all time, playing for Rangers and Scotland,
Willie would go on to lead Killie to their greatest-ever triumph, the
1964-65 League Championship.
Killie finish 5th with 14 wins, 9 draws from 34
matches.
1958-59 On 1958 October 18th.
1958,
Allan Auld
(Killiefc Webmaster) is born and Killie
beat Queen of the South 5-0. As Waddell starts to reshape his squad
Killie slip down the table to 8th with 13 wins, 8 draws from 34 matches.
1959-60 Scottish Cup Final
1959-60 This was to
be Kilmarnock FC's most successful season ever (thus far!). The
seasonwas to end in agony for
Killie as they finish "double runners-up". Killie lose 2-0 to Rangers in
the Scottish Cup Final, and finish as Scottish Division 1 runners up.
The decade was one that started in the bottom half, of Division "B",
that finished with Killie becoming one of the top sides in Scotland, and
even greater things were around the corner as
the 60's loomed!
