1990-91 A.T. Mays become team sponsors again, and Matchwinner are the official kit suppliers. Family enclosure opens, season tickets become transferable. Bobby Williamson is bought from Rotherham Utd for 100,000 pounds, he would go on to become Killie's top scorer that year with 14 goals. Gus McPherson also joins the team. Killie this season also record their biggest win (in the modern era) away from Rugby Park, an 8-1 demolition of Meadowbank Thistle.
Killie finish a very respectable 5th with 15 wins and 13 draws in 39 matches.

1991-92 Squad

1991-92 Killie's personnel changes were rampant with the arrival of (amongst others) Ally Mitchell & Mark Reilly, and departure of Billy Stark., these on-going changes led to mixed results, and the departure of Jim Fleeting (and Jim McSherry) as manager, in Jan of 1992. Tommy Burns took over as care taker manager for the remainder of the season. He was later to be confirmed as manager, and Billy Stark was brought back for the following season to become Burn's assistant. Killie finished 4th winning 4 of their last 5 matches to give them 21 wins and 12 draws from 44 matches. That year Walter McCrae steps down as club secretary, ending an association with the club that first started in 1956. Walter also earns an OBE !!

1992-93 With only 3 points taken from 5 matches in March Killie looked certain to finish 3rd ! However a shock win by bottom club Cowdenbeith over Dunfermline, with 3 games to play gave Killie renewed hope of going up ! After wins over Dumbarton & Cowdenbeith, Killie would go into the final day of the season needing only a draw over Hamilton Accies. At this time Killie were now given new nicknames of; "Ayrshire Celtic" & "Dads Army" with arrival of players like George McCluskey, who went on to become Killie's top scorer with 11 goals.
Killie go on to  draw 0-0 with Hamilton in a tense game, and the scenes after the game were tremendous as jubilant fans in the crowd of 12,380 invaded Rugby Park, to celebrate Killie's promotion back to the Premier League for the first time since 1983.

Killie are promoted back to the SPL Killie finished with a record of 21 wins & 12 draws from 44 matches.  Players of the season were Tommy Burns & goalkeeper Bobby Geddes. (above) Also that season Kilmarnock FC's new club crest was introduced.

1993-94 Prior to the start of the season it was announced that the Premier League would be reduced from 12 to 10 teams, resulting in relegation for the bottom 3 clubs. Survival was not going to be easy !! Killie revert to an all white top. Many fans think this could be a major mistake ! After 1 win in their opening 3 matches Killie go to Ibrox to play Champions Rangers who have not lost at home in seventeen months. Killie win 2-1, when Bobby Williamson scores against one of his old clubs in the 94th minute of the game. This after teenager & YTS Mark Roberts had given Killie a shock lead (above). When asked after the match what Tommy Burns had said to Roberts ............. "son...... get the hampers oan the bus !!".
During this time there was much and back and forth about the planning permission for Killie's new proposed stadium. After several plans & options fell through, the board decided that the best plan was to upgrade Killie's existing facility.... Rugby Park. To commit to such as expensive task, with their Premier League status in question, was one of Kilmarnock F C's boldest decisions!! Relegation now could mean the possible extinction of the club !! A great 3-1 win at Dundee Utd was followed by an unlucky loss 1-0 at Motherwell, leaving Killie in the 3rd bottom spot, 1 point behind 3 teams. Killie were set to play Rangers at home and Hibernian away to finish the season. Rangers had help put Killie in such a perilous position by exhausting them over a two match Scottish Cup Semi-Final, that with a little luck, could/should have put Killie in the Final for the first time since 1957. Rangers "winner" was a hotly disputed goal ..... That to this day many Killie fans believe Hately's header never crossed the line !!  (see above).  The last match at the "Old" Rugby Park duly arrived on May 7th 1994, with the bulldozers waiting outside the ground, Killie pulled off a shock result against the Champions with a 1-0 win, thanks to a Tom Black long range effort.

May 7th 1994 the last Game at Old Rugby Park

Other results now meant Killie would now have to go to Easter Road needing at least a point to guarantee their Premier League survival. Killie got their precious point from Hibernian, in a 0-0 draw, with over 7,000 Killie fans travelling to Edinburgh to follow their Killie.

Again astonishing scenes, at the final whistle as players and supporters celebrated "as one" ...... Killie's Premier League survival !!! (And Tommy saying his good-bye's) Killie finished in 8th position with 12 wins & 16 draws from 44 matches. Bobby Williamson was top scorer with 7 goals. During Manchester United's press conference after they had won the English premier League, that same day, Alex Ferguson asked the press............. "Before I answer any of your questions ..... can anyone tell me how Kilmarnock got on today?"

1994-95 Killie return to a form of Blue & white stripes & play and in front of 3 new stands being constructed at Rugby Park. Tommy Burns is lured away to become manager of Celtic. Killie are awarded compensation, after the SFA gets involved. Alex Totten (right) is picked to replace Burns. Totten starts to "freshen-up" Killie's aging ranks with the arrival of : Dragoje Lekovic (keeper), John Henry, & Paul Wright, who cost 330,000 pounds (still a club record fee!) from St Johnstone ... Totten's former club.

Killie play 36 games, winning 11 & draw 10 en route to a 7th place spot. . Bill Costley joins the Killie board, and Ronnie Hamilton becomes Chairman. Jim Moffat remains is one of the last survivors of the Fleeting consortium which helped resurrect the Killie.
Bobby Williamson retires as a player, and joins Alex Totten's backroom staff. Colin McKee (left) is our top scorer with 6 goals.

1995-96  Rugby Park's renovations to becoming an 18,000 all seater, all covered stadium is completed. It is now the best stadium in the country outside of Glasgow. Rugby Park is officially "re-opened" with a friendly with Blackburn Rovers. Totten's Killie side finish 7th with 11wins and 8 draws from 36 matches. This after Killie lose their 1st 5 SPL matches of the season. Killie finish a full 11 points ahead of Partick Thistle, and 17 points ahead of Falkirk. Most Killie fans get the chance to grow some season ending finger nails for a change !! "The Killie pie" is awarded the top fitba pie in the UK ! Killie's kit supplier is now Le Cock Sportif. Paul Wright leads all Killie scorers with 13 goals

1996-97 With 3 wins from their 1st 12 outings Killie faced then bottom-of-the-table Raith Rovers on Nov 30th. If Raith defeat Kilmarnock they would no longer be bottom. Kilmarnock would the occupy that position. Kilmarnock presented Raith with a numerical advantage in the 36th minute as Jim McIntyre was sent off..... Killie went on to lose 1-0. Alex Totten (right) is fired days later.........first team coach Bobby Williamson appointed manager on an interim basis. Killie win only 1 league game in Jan & Feb, due to a variety of flu and injuries. Williamson has no option but , to "blood" a couple of his youngsters .... David Bagan & Alex Burke.   Bottom club Raith  remained just a win away.

During this same time Killie were quietly finding themselves in the middle of a good cup run having dispatched ; E Stirling 2-0 (right)  Clyde 1-0. & Morton 5-2, to reach the cup semi's against Dundee Utd. This cup run revitalized Killie, who would go on an win 4 straight matches in March ; Celtic 2-0, Motherwell 1-0, Rangers 2-1 (at Ibrox), and Hearts 2-1. Relegation could be staved off !! Killie then dispatched Dundee Utd 1-0 in the cup semi final replay, thanks to a Jim McIntyre 83rd minute goal, to play either .... Tommy Burns Celtic or Alex Totten's Falkirk.... as most of us know Falkirk beat Celtic ..... and Burns resigned as Celtic manager !! Killie need a point from their last match of the season against Aberdeen to ensure their Premier League survival, and thanks to a 73rd minute Gary Holt equaliser, Killie draw 1-1, and finish 7th. Killie's record was 11 wins, and 6 draws from 36 matches. Bobby Williamson is installed as manager on a full time basis the week of the Cup Final to ensure the Boards complete backing of him !! Paul Wright again leads all Killie scorers with 15 goals.

Kilmarnock FC 1997 Scottish Cup Winners

1997 April 24th, Kilmarnock defeat Falkirk 1-0, to win the Scottish Cup for the third time, at Ibrox in front of 50,000 fans. Paul Wright scores the games only goal, and Killie qualify to play in the European Cup Winners Cup. This would mark the end of a 27 year absence from European football for Killie

1997-98 Bobby Williamson's first full year in charge see's a marked improvement in League play, but the loss of the famous blue & white stripes, as Killie opt for an all white shirt. (The fans are furious about this) Killie are now sponsored by a local business.... Sports Division (A deal worked out prior to the Cup Final saw Killie players parading the Cup around Ibrox with Sports Division Tee Shirts) Frenchman Jerome Veraille is brought in from Mullhouse, France, and Pat Nevin is also signed. Killie get by Irish Cup Winners Shelbourne 3-2 on aggregate, and lose in the next round to Nice 4-2 in the European Cup Winners Cup. These were Killie's first European ties since 1970!. Lekovic, leaves Killie in Jan 1998, after being the SPL's player of the month for Dec 1997. Gordon Marshall is signed as his replacement from Celtic. Killie lose 2-0 to Ayr in the Cup, but Killie regroup to finish 4th and earn a UEFA Cup spot, having beaten defending Champions Rangers 1-0 at Ibrox the second last game of the season, with Killie Legend Ally Mitchell getting the vital goal to sink Rangers "10 in a row" ambitions.  Jim McIntyre is sold to Tommy Burns who has become manager at Reading for 440,000 pounds. Killie's record was 13 wins and 11 draws in 36 matches. Bill Costley takes over from Ronnie Hamilton as Chairman. Killie do get some cup revenge by beating Ayr 4-2 in the last ever Ayrshire Cup, at Rugby Park  (above).

1998-99 Killie kit sponsors are now PUMA. Ian Durrant is signed on a free transfer from Rangers, and Alan Mahood is signed from Morton. A couple of weeks into the season Ally McCoist is also signed ! Killie knock out Zeljezicar from Bosnia 2-1 on aggregate in the UEFA Cup before losing 4-0 to Sigma Olomouc from the Czech Republic.

Bobby Williamson & Co get excellent press for their humanitarian spirits during their European travels, in particular when travelling to Bosnia. After 8 games Killie are tied with Rangers for FIRST place in the SPL, after Ally McCoist hits a "Hat-Trick" against Hearts, and a fine 2-0 home win over Celtic is also recorded.

Both McCoist & Durrant are named to the Scotland squad, and both play representing Kilmarnock. Pat Nevin leaves Killie to join Motherwell. Killie finish the winter break 4 points behind Rangers with a 2-1 away win at Motherwell, but the layoff kills their momentum, and subsequently any real league challenge. Killie also suffer at the hands of Ayr in the Scottish Cup. Killie finish 4th in the SPL with 14 wins & 14 draws from 36 games. Kilmarnock win the Scottish "Fair Play" award, and also have the best defensive record in the SPL ! Killie this season recorded their largest win in the SPL a 6-0 defeat of the Pars at Dunfermline

During this time Killie Director Ian Welsh is voted into office in the new Scottish parliament, and Killie spend half a million pounds to upgrade their Rugby Park playing surface. It is also announced that Captain Ray Montgomerie's contract will not be renewed for the following season. In June Killie fans found out their 1999-2000 UEFA Cup fate, as Killie qualified through their "Fair Play" standing !  Complete 1998-99 Season Diary - Here

1999-2000 Frederic Dindeleux a left sided full back is signed on a "free" from Lille in France. After a slow settling-in period "Freddie" goes on to play 6 seasons for the club, and pretty much "legend" status is duly earned. JJB takeover the Sports Division sponsorship (having bought them out!). Killie pick up only 4 points from their 1st 5 SPL outings, and after that is was uphill all season for Killie. Killie struggle to get by KR Reykjavik UEFA Cup! (Killie in Europe HERE) Thursday Aug the 26th 1999, arrives and the KR 2nd leg match represents the 100 year anniversary of Rugby Park and Killie play against 10 men for about 50 mins, before a last min Paul Wright penalty, puts the tie into extra time! David Bagan curls a beauty into the top corner, 2 mins into extra time and Killie win the tie. A glamour tie for Killie now awaited, against Germans ...Kaiserslautern.  Killie lose the tie 0-5 on agg, however the Killie fans did their club & country proud on their travels. To this day the Killie & Kaiserslautern fans still remain "in Freundschaft"

In mid Sept Christophe Cocard (right) a 31 year old former French internationalist is signed, but breaks his nose in his first training session !! He is reported to be Killie's highest ever wage earner at about six grand per week! John Henry is sold to Falkirk and he scores 2 goals for them on his debut !! This is just of Killie's season was fairing! Coisty then breaks his leg, and superstar Andy Smith is signed (after a loan period) from the Pars.

Killie start the new millennium with a 1-1 home to Celtic, where Killie were very unlucky only to get a point. "Mavis" Reilly scored with a deflected shot. In Feb Killie had cup's on their minds, losing 0-1 to Celtic in the CIS Semi's, then falling flat on their faces to Alloa (in a replay) in the Scottish Cup.

Killie finish March with a 6 match un-beaten run with an away draw at St Johnstone 0-0, and get a 1-0 home win over Hibs with Jerome notching the vital winner. This is Killie's first home SPL win since Aug !!! This improved form coincided with the return of Gordon Marshall in goal, who did not make his debut till March!

Manager Williamson who had been in hot-water with some sections of the fans, even suggested that if they wanted entertainment, ... "they should go to the pictures"

Killie then in April face a huge SPL survival test ...and get two 1-0 home wins over Dundee Utd and more importantly the Dons (who were botton of the SPL), with Paul Wright getting the winner. It is then learned at this point that Falkirk will finish top of the Scottish League Division 1, which ensures that there will no relegation from the SPL for this season.

Bobby Williamson tells the media that the fans can expect quite a few personnel changes before the start of the 2000-2001 season. Abou & Dylan Kerr are both released. Killie finish in 9th place with 37 points from 36 matches. Complete 1999-2000 Season Diary - Here

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