Tommy Wright: Kilmarnock appoint Northern Irishman as Alex Dyer's successor
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Tommy Wright will succeed Alex Dyer as Kilmarnock manager
Tommy Wright has been named the new manager of Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock.
The former St Johnstone boss signed a contract until summer 2023 with the Ayrshire club on Monday.
Wright, 57, left McDiarmid Park in May 2020 following seven years in charge, where he won the Scottish Cup in 2014 and reached Europe twice.
"It's a great opportunity for me," Wright told the Kilmarnock website, external.
"I had nine years in total at St Johnstone and the time was right from me to leave there but it is the perfect time for me to come back to management."
Kilmarnock are 10th in the Scottish top flight, four points clear of bottom club Hamilton Academical.
Wright, whose first game in charge will be on Wednesday at home to Motherwell, replaces Alex Dyer, who left by "mutual consent" following just two wins in 11 matches.
Northern Irishman Wright took over St Johnstone in 2013 after earlier spells at Limavady United, Ballymena United and Lisburn Distillery, the latter of which he won an Irish League Cup with.
He led St Johnstone to sixth in his first season, followed by three consecutive fourth place finishes.
In his final campaign in charge - 2019-20 - the Perth side were seventh when the season was called early, but finished in sixth due to having a better points-per-game record than Hibernian.
Wright's first task will be to secure Kilmarnock's top-flight status after a run of only two wins in their last 13 matches.
Eight defeats in that run saw the Ayrshire club part with Dyer and place James Fowler in interim charge.
Former Scotland defender Steven Pressley was interviewed for the post
Wright will be assisted by Paul Stephenson, while Billy Thomson will remain as goalkeeping coach. Andy Millen has departed the club having served as both assistant manager and previously reserve team manager.
"We are thrilled to announce Tommy as our new manager" said owner Billy Bowie.
"We received a number of excellent applications but we believe Tommy is the right candidate to lead us up the Premiership table in the season's remaining games while sharing our vision for the club's future."
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