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John M Clark

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Everything posted by John M Clark

  1. Many thanks for your kind response.
  2. Many thanks for responding the McNeil family finally resided in Scot Crescent as that is where we used to pay them regular visits ,as you say they were indeed a lovely family.
  3. Started hitching my star to Killie as a 12year old with Killie in the early 1950's, with my mother funding my bus fare on an A1 bus from Irvine. However my real fondness for Killie took off with the secondary school team of Irvine Royal Academy of 1953, depicted here in their Killie colours when they won the final of the Scottish Secondary Schools Shield at Hampden Park. However the real Killie significance was the player sitting on the right hand side of the front row, is to my mind a real Killie favourite, Billy Muir, the youngest of this team at fourteen years of age. He was a significant factor of us winning that final, as he scored the two goals that won us that game despite us playing the second half with ten men due a severe eye injury to one of our players. On the left hand side of the front row is myself John Clark, the right winger of the team. In later years whenever I met up with Billy he would greet me with "A the big right winner " However that cup final night at Hampden was always Billy's night, sadly no longer with us, and oh how I miss that greeting he always gave me. The following year 1954 without Billy and a another couple of boys who left school we got to the semi final losing out to a goal by a future Killie player would you believe - non other than Joe McBride. Irvine Royal Academy won the Senior Shield twice 1924 and 1953. They are the only Ayrshire school to ever achieved this and it also places them in the top school winners of Scottish Schools. Another Killie servant I had great affiliation for was Norrie McNeil. Now I know some of the Killie fans have a difficulty with an outstanding centre half from Ayr United being in their midst, but do not forget Norrie originated from Hurlford and also Norrie was a trusted servant of the finest manager of Killie, Willie Waddell. My wife and I as a young married couple became established friends with Lydia and Norrie and their two girls. And when I came back to live in Ayrshire I have endeavoured to find the where abouts of the two McNeil girls , Dorothy and Deborah. But no luck yet, so if any of you Killie fans an help me as to their whereabouts I would greatly appreciate it. My family currently hold four season ticket seats in the FB stand. With what I have told you would I qualify as a Killie fan ?
  4. I am prepared to query penalty's for either side, however the pulling back of Polwarth, who I thought had one of his best games for Killie, was a blatant ordering off for the Rangers player, he knew it was and had a sly grin on his face. Polwarth was incensed by it and hounded the referee all the way at the end of the game.
  5. Would not be surprised if Findlay and Mayo find their names on Steve Clarke's list for Germany.
  6. Perhaps the weather is the poorest for some time, but the sun is currently shining over Rugby Park . Long may this continue.
  7. In Polworth Findlay, Watson and Mayo we have the nucleus of a solid team. Today Vassel our captain and striker, blue the chance to make this a performance to remember.
  8. A Happy New Year to all of the Killie Clan. May you an yours have the very best for this coming year .
  9. Surely it must be "The Willie Waddell " stand. If you look at " A tribute to Willie Waddell " in John Livingston's book " We were champions" , there is no question about it. In the eight seasons he was manager of Kilmarnock we were a real force to contend with. As a life time of being a Killie supporter, and being familiar with these Waddell years ,there is no doubt in my mind it is about time we should recognise the quality of this outstanding manager.
  10. At the game on Saturday and would really question the fitness of Vassell. I would also question if he has ever been fit since his arrival at Rugby Park,' and would question if he will ever be fit. Why not bring back Bobby Wales and put him in with Marley Watkins it is certainly worth a try. By the way saw Kyle Lafferty sitting in the Frank Beatty stand. What is this about ?
  11. I am an auld yin who can recall the halcyon days of The Golden Years of 1959 - 1970. Are we on the road again to experiencing a manager who chopped and changed the team until he found the blend he was seeking ? Once this was achieved the effect was really something special.
  12. I trust now all the moaners and groaners will leave it up to the manager, who has assembled some very useful players and set up his team to remind teams who we are when they come to RP. To my mind one of the truly great performances from a Killie team.
  13. This current rumour regarding James Forest has prompted a memory with me. Recalling the game against Celtic when we were three nil up at half time and NL was on the way out. At half time I turned to my grand son, who was my constant companion, and still is at Killie home games. I pointed at JF and said, "If we don't put the shackles on him we will not get away with this" Well you all know what happened. Give me JF in a Killie strip any day! Remember he is from Prestwick not Ayr !
  14. Now we are really cooking with gas. With Stu. Finlay at the helm he will show others what it takes to play for Killie !
  15. Great to hear that we have secured the services of Liam Polwarth. To me he is a class player and can be a real benefit to the centre of midfield. It is now up to DM to get the very best from him for the coming season.
  16. Some of us appear to be comparing our current situation with Magennis with that we faced when we took on Ian Durant. Durant to my mind was quite exceptional with Killie. However I caught up with a program recently on TV that featured Ian Durant who was being interviewed on his career. The interviewer stated to him that he was not going to embarrass him, by asking him to take his trousers down, but he had seen his damaged knee and it was truly unbelievable. He then asked Durant if he had ever regretted coming back to play for Kilmarnock, to which he said yes because I let people down. He intimated that he should never have played in that Killie cup final with Celtic, as his knee was really starting to bother him. I was at that game, and up until Durant had to leave the field, just prior to half time, we were giving Celtic a run for their money .When Ian Durant left the field of play that day our true talent had also gone. I have said that Ian Durant was quite exceptional with Killie, but also his presence in the team improved other players we had in the team.at that time. I cannot claim to have special knowledge on the young lad Magennis but there is no doubt we are taking a chance. Others involved with making a decision on his position with us obviously have greater information and I wish them well in their decision.
  17. Whilst we are on the talk of recruitment may I put a thought to you, Dario Del Fabro ? Now if you remember he came to us on loan from Juventus in Alessios time. He was a steady performer at centre back and I had thoughts that we might have made an effort to secure him. He is still only 28, stands over 6ft tall and in his time with us always played for the jersey. His contract comes to an end with the current Italian team Cittadella in Serie B. Has had a series of loan spells after Juventus with other Italian teams including Pisa managed by Gattuso. He also had a spell with Leeds when they were in their Italian spell of management. Has also played in Belgium and Holland. A regular player with us and remember him scoring an 92nd minute equaliser against Hibs. I think he would be worth a look.
  18. I have been a Killie supporter for more years than I care to count. Tonight I reckon was one of the worst performances I have ever witnessed from a Killie team. DM and BB have to accept the wrath of the support ,as they haven't provided what we expected from them in the Premier division. What we were seeking was simply keeping our place in that league and build for the future next season.. I hope I am wrong ,but our position would appear to be extremely perilous.
  19. Polwarth has always been a true player. This auld man used to argue his case with my colleagues in the Frank Beattie stand, but it was always an " aw naw" with them.". Age has got the better of me recently and I have missed a few games, cannot wait to get back to get in to these doubters about Polwarth. Player of the year ?
  20. No ifs or buts with me, this young lad Chambers personified utter class. Little chance of him becoming a permanent fixture with us, but certainly looking forward to his performances for Killie
  21. I have great sympathy for our manager, as from the kick off you could see that the team were working to a specific plan, and that there was the possibility of a real result. However Danny Armstrong's red card, entirely due to him allowing himself to become involved in a fracas with certain individuals of the opposing team, was out of order, and let his manager and colleagues down big time. The manager has had his fair share of criticism from the support. However recent times have indicated that he and his team are starting to get things together. I am sure that some new recruits will be joining us. So lets get together and give Derek and his team every support.
  22. Without doubt Mayo. Had a difficult opponent in Maeda who has exceptional pace. Not convinced with Sam Walker as I reckon he doesn't make a save, he just lets the ball bounce off him. Thought DM had a distinctive plan for the first half and was let down by Sam Walker.
  23. From today's products you cannot say that DM and BB are not endeavouring to produce the goods for us.
  24. Al I will say DM knows what he is doing and will get the best he can afford. Leave him to it he is moving in the right direction.
  25. Regardless of the time they served Rangers, surely the fact that they served that club, paves the way to make an an enquiry. Nothing ventured nothing gained.
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