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Squad Update (SOD’s away)


King

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Following the decision to conclude the 2019/20 Scottish Premiership season, the players, management, staff and Board of Directors at Kilmarnock Football Club would like to thank our fans and sponsors for their tremendous support throughout the campaign.

It feels extremely strange for the season to end without any of the traditional rituals we’ve previously taken for granted, including our annual show of appreciation between the squad and our supporters.

While the Coronavirus pandemic continues to impact all of our lives, the safety and wellbeing of our fans and our colleagues remains our top priority. As the uncertainty over a date for the safe resumption of football continues, we’re working alongside fellow SPFL clubs to plan for a series of eventualities for season 2020/2021.

On what would have been the start of the close season, we can now issue the following squad update:

Contracted players for 2020/21:Kirk Broadfoot, Eamonn Brophy, Innes Cameron, Gary Dicker, Mohamed El Makrini, Stuart Findlay, Nicke Kabamba, Curtis Lyle, Alan Power, Dom Thomas and Calum Waters.

The club remain in talks with the following players: Chris Burke, Greg Kiltie, Jamie MacDonald, Rory McKenzie and Ross Millen.

The following players will depart the club upon the end of their contract or loan period: Laurentiu Branescu, Harry Bunn, Dario Del Fabro, Adam Frizzell, Niko Hamalainen, Stephen Hendrie, Connor Johnson, Jan Koprivec, Devlin Mackay, Stephen O’Donnell, Harvey St Clair, Iain Wilson.

While the club made every effort to keep him, including the offer of a new contract, Stephen O’Donnell has made the decision to leave Kilmarnock when his deal expires at the end of the month.

Since signing in the summer of 2017, Stephen has played a crucial part in a side which twice broke the club’s record points tally and the right back has written his name in our history, equalling Joe Nibloe’s record of gaining 11 Scotland caps while representing Kilmarnock FC.

Alex Dyer said: “It is never easy to see players depart the club, especially in these circumstances where the guys have not had the chance to say goodbye to the crowd and the fans have not had the opportunity to thank the players for their contribution.

“In Stephen O’Donnell’s case, we tried our very best to keep him and spoke on numerous occasions both in person and on the phone but he wants to explore his options as he’s entitled to do as a free agent.

“Stephen has been a fantastic player for this football club and a good person to have around the place and as is the case with all the players, we thank them for their efforts and wish them all the very best for the future.

“To our supporters, I hope you are all keeping safe and well and we’ll continue to keep you up-to-date with any more news as soon as possible.”

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SOD was always going , probably to dons or arabs.

Sorry to see Ian Wilson leave, there's player in him somewhere.

Its a plus at the moment to be light on bodies but the manager situation needs sorted ASAP so we're not in the same mess we were 12 months ago.

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Huge onus now on Fowler and Dyer to get it right this summer with the recruitment process...and build up that small squad with quality additions , pity to see SOD away as he has been an important part of our recent success and our options in defence now look very limited ....
 

Just have to hope too that we can keep Findlay and fend off expected interest 

Does seem by Dyer’s comments it has already been agreed he will be Manager next season 

Edited by Scouser2
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5 minutes ago, red_dug said:

SOD was always going , probably to dons or arabs.

Sorry to see Ian Wilson leave, there's player in him somewhere.

Its a plus at the moment to be light on bodies but the manager situation needs sorted ASAP so we're not in the same mess we were 12 months ago.

If he goes to a newly promoted club that is deeply in debt (Dundee Utd) I would be deeply disappointed and question his ambition. Can see us having to sell Brophy or Findlay before we can afford to bring players in. Massive rebuilding job required. 

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SOD’s attitude over the past 12 months has been a disgrace. Sad, as his had been that a great Killie career up until that point after he was picked up from the scrap heap. 

Of those who have left,  probably saddest about DDF and Wilson. Not much we can do about DDF but wouldn’t be surprised to see Wilson’s departure biting us on the backside 

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11 minutes ago, BR1869 said:

The ‘contracted players’ section worries me more than the players leaving!

Not a bad position to be in given most clubs are still trying to survive. Hopefully the club us in a decent position to bring in players when covid 19 clears up. Can't see the league restarting here without a drug to prevent it. 

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9 minutes ago, aldo said:

sod owes us nothing, got him for free, leaves for free, played well for the most part in between. good luck to him wherever he goes, except against us

Totally agree , and more so when you look at some of the other players leaving who took a wage from our club for little effect ...
...the bizarre stories of likes of St Clair , Hendrie and Bunn time at our club for example 

Edited by Scouser2
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6 minutes ago, kfc_superteam said:

Not a bad position to be in given most clubs are still trying to survive. Hopefully the club us in a decent position to bring in players when covid 19 clears up. Can't see the league restarting here without a drug to prevent it. 

That’s what I was thinking. If we can get those we are in talks with over the line as well then that’s a solid starting point considering the situation. 

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Disappointed to see SOD go, thought the current climate may have played to our advantages and he’d have taken the security of a new contract. Leads me to think he must have something lined up. If he still wants to stay in the central belt can only think Hibs or D.United would offer him more financially.

Big rebuild job needing to happen. Can’t see anything happening signing wise for a while until the new season is confirmed and we know what finances we have available. Even then I can see a few youngsters like Connell, Taylor, Cameron etc having more of a prominent role this season due to a tighter budget 

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All this SOD owes us nothing. If it hadn't been for Kilmarnock SOD would be in the scrap heap!

 

This is worse than Jones etc. Jones went to rangers to attempt to further his career. SOD will be moving sideways for more money.

Edited by Ngonge88
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10 minutes ago, aldo said:

sod owes us nothing, got him for free, leaves for free, played well for the most part in between. good luck to him wherever he goes, except against us

Exactly. He has gone from being released by Luton Town to being Scotland’s first choice right back. 

He would be unusual if he didn't try to cash in on his new status. 

If we can’t offer him the terms he wants, you can only part company on good terms and try to get as good a replacement in.

 

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I'm quite surprised by how many are staying actually. That sky money must be giving the board more certainty than I thought. 

? Broadfoot Findlay Waters

? Power Dicker? 

Kabamba Brophy 

That's not bad at all as a start. 

Wilson a surprise for me too. 

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