Kilmarnock

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Is the Scottish Premiership in need of a shake-up? If so, how do you go about it?

News emerged on Tuesday that the SPFL is considering changing Scotland's top flight to a 10, 14 or 16-team division in an attempt to help reduce fixture congestion.

In its current 12-team form, the clubs split into a top and bottom six after 33 rounds of matches, with 38 rounds played altogether.

That format has been in place since 2000-01 and retaining that model is also an option, but reports have also suggested the split could be scrapped.

For any fresh structure to pass, it needs the backing of 11 of the 12 Premiership clubs, and eight out of 10 from the Championship plus 75% of League One and League Two combined.

And judging by the fan reaction to the mere thought of reducing the league to a 10-team division, you would have to assume that idea is already unlikely.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, former Premiership players Cammy Bell and Cillian Sheridan provided their views on a potential restructure.

Expansion is the only option for former Rangers and Kilmarnock goalkeeper Bell, while ex-Celtic striker Sheridan would like to see the split retained.

"I think we need a little bit of freshness about our game," Bell said. "So, if we can expand that league, then absolutely do it. We've got big enough clubs now that can generate good crowds.

"We're at a time just now where we've got the potential of trying to change it and certainly for me it's got to be expansion."

"The split works now," Sheridan added. "When I first came over and saw the whole split thing, I just never really got it. But in the past few years it has been quite interesting.

"If the league is wrapped up, if relegation is wrapped up, it does add a little bit of excitement to things in terms of teams getting into the top six and having to get European football."

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

The league table doesn't lie so it's time for everyone of a Killie persuasion to knuckle down for another proper relegation battle.

We have seven games to go and the manager is nowhere near knowing his best team, formation or tactics, so it's no surprise we are in big trouble.

Our performance at Paisley was abysmal from the first whistle, with several players looking devoid of confidence probably because of getting moved about and fed ever-changing messages.

Steve Clarke used to stress football is a simple game so put players in their positions and give them straightforward instructions. Derek McInnes seems to relish doing the polar opposite of that.

The biggest worry for me on Saturday was the players didn't appear to be running themselves into the ground for the manager.

We have too many players whose contracts are running out, so how worried are they about where Killie finish?

The best-case scenario is to wish McInnes well for the future and bring in a fresh face for the closing games who may give us that new manager effect.

Motherwell visit the Theatre of Pies on Saturday and we've run out of endless excuses - three points are needed.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

Watch all the highlights as St Mirren cruised to a 5-1 victory at home to Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.

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Derek McInnes apologised to Kilmarnock fans after his side's humbling 5-1 defeat to St Mirren in Paisley.

A win would have kept some slight top six chances alive but instead, Kilmarnock are left looking over their shoulders with just six points separating them from bottom spot.

"It was such a disappointing afternoon, we never got out at the start," McInnes admitted.

"I can only apologise to the supporters – they deserve better than that. The conditions were horrendous, more so for my players into the wind but it's not an excuse."

After the European adventures at the start of the season, the campaign has gone from disappointing to dangerous as Kilmarnock start to slide towards the bottom.

However, they were helped out by Rangers' late escapades against Dundee that ensured the league's 11th-placed side wouldn't gain any ground on Killie.

"I think we will [stay up], I think we're better than some teams in the league. I feel we've got bigger and better performances in us.

"Obviously, we're going to be in the bottom six, the only team that we play that won't be in and around us will be Celtic."

Kilmarnock fans, we asked for your views on the humiliating 5-1 loss to St Mirren in Paisley. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

James: I'm sorry, but this is the same team as last year and the manager still doesn't know his best XI. Tactically all over the place and outfought, not just today but the vast majority of the season. Time for Derek McInnes to go.

Neil: Disappointed with the performance and the result obviously, but even more so with the manager's comments afterwards. If he thinks we were "alright" then we've got major problems and we'll find even the elusive 11th place out of our reach.

Alan: I said before the game that five of the players in the starting XI were untrustworthy. Sorry to be critical of players but Robby McCrorie, Lewis Mayo, Liam Polworth, Liam Donnelly and Marley Watkins are not good enough. The midfield two continually get dropped then tried again, dropped again. The one criticism I have with the manager is he has never sorted the midfield since he came in and it is hitting us now.

Jay: What more can we say at this point? Today was embarrassing. McInnes is clueless. No idea what he's doing on the training pitch. Somehow week on week he dodges criticism from the media and gets away with abysmal performances and decisions. It's his team, his signings, his game management, his fault. The teams rotten - because of McInnes. Time's up. Off you go, Del.

Colin: It's been a while since I've hated watching Kilmarnock as much as I do right now. Sick and tired. Also, the manager blaming the weather conditions? What a joke. I forgot St Mirren had magic powers that meant the condition's wouldn't affect them in the game as well. Clueless. You know where the door is. At least with a new gaffer we could maybe relegated with some dignity.

Kev: The away form we've had with McInnes was bad enough but the fact we're not winning at home now, and that our performances are becoming increasingly embarrassing, is just too far. McInnes and his team are nothing short of a disgrace. Congratulations to all involved in running the club for helping us long serving, paying fans to return to being embarrassed to wear the blue and white stripes again. Thanks.

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• St. Mirren have scored in their last five games in the Premiership, their longest scoring streak this season, scoring 12 in that run.

• Stephen Robinson's side have beaten Kilmarnock for the first time in the Premiership since 6 February 2021, a run of 10 games without a win.

• The Paisley club have conceded 13 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, only Ross County (17) and Hibernian (16) have conceded more in the Premiership this season.

• St. Mirren have conceded nine penalties in the Premiership this season, more than any other team.

• They also scored five goals in a game for the first time since 27 January 2021 against Dundee United (W 5-1).

• Bruce Anderson has scored nine goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Kilmarnock player. He has now scored six goals in 16 appearances in the Premiership against St. Mirren.

• Rory McKenzie made his 300th appearance in the Premiership.

• Kilmarnock have failed to score a first-half goal in 23 of their 31 games, no team has failed to do so more often in the Premiership this season.

• The Ayrshire side have now failed to win any of their last 12 matches when conceding first in the Premiership, since a victory over Hearts on 30 October 2024.

A Caolan Boyd-Munce double helped St Mirren blow Kilmarnock away and keep alive their hopes of a top-six finish.

Were you at the game in Paisley or following along from elsewhere?

Give us your thoughts on the game here.

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes: "To be honest, I thought the conditions in the early part of the game we didn't deal with it, two mistakes for the goal, the initial two goals from St Mirren.

"I think we've got to be putting more pressure on the ball but I think we should be saving that first shot and then the second goal was just a mistake.

"Lewis [Mayo] probably dives in and gives the referee a decision to make, so we find ourselves 2-0 down, I think, nine, ten minutes into the game. We needed to play forward more, I thought we kept putting ourselves in a wee bit of bother.

"But in terms of actually responding to going 2-0 down, I actually thought we were alright in the first half and we spoke half-time about trying to... It's a different type of game with the wind and it's more going to come across the pitch.

"And I thought we actually started the second half alright, I thought we were good in the game, you see the difference [of] St Mirren, where in the second half they just played forward, the goalkeeper kicked everything, played percentages and in Scottish football sometimes in those sort of conditions that's what you've got to do. And I don't think we'd quite done that well enough in the first half so we had a mountain to climb but I still felt if we could get the next goal there was an opportunity to get something to the game.

"Just at that stage, at 3-0, you're starting to think, do we just try and make sure we don't lose any more [goals] because obviously goal difference can be pivotal and we lose another one which was again a mistake.

"So a really disappointing afternoon, I apologise to the supporters for that, it's not good enough, they should expect better from the team. We expect better.

"There shouldn't have been that difference and for that we can only apologise, we have to own that and there is a tinge of embarrassment and humiliation about it but in the big scheme of things we've got to double down now and just make sure that we're better next week because there's another opportunity next week to get three points."

Calum Macdonald
BBC Sport Scotland

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It was a dismal day for Kilmarnock and their sizeable travelling support, they struggled with St Mirren from the start and created little in the game.

A late penalty given for a foul on Joe Wright and converted by Anderson was little comfort for Derek McInnes's side who have won only two games away from home in the league this season.

With little time left between now and the end of the season, they still aren't completely clear of the relegation battle with six points separating them and bottom placed St Johnstone.

The challenge ahead for McInnes is to lift his players for the remaining games of the season.

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St Mirren striker Toyosi Olusanya is suspended while Mikael Mandron has returned to training but the game is likely to come too soon.

Killian Phillips is struggling with a back spasm, while Elvis Bwomono, Conor McMenamin (both calf), Alex Iacovitti (hamstring/back) and Evan Mooney (ankle) are still out.

Stuart Findlay is set to return to the Kilmarnock squad following ankle surgery. Skipper Kyle Vassell is still working his way back from an ankle problem while Kyle Magennis (knee) remains sidelined.

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Lewis Mayo has urged Kilmarnock to deliver a strong end to the season despite leaving it "too late" for a top-six finish.

Derek McInnes' 10th-place side visit St Mirren on Saturday looking to build on the dramatic draw they rescued against Hibs before the international break.

"We need to use it, " defender Mayo said of Fraser Murray's leveller that halted a run of three straight defeats.

He added: "It was huge. Psychologically it was almost like a win for us.

"That period of games was disappointing for us but in a game that we didn't do enough to win, that we were probably the second best team overall, once again it was our character and effort that gets us through and gets us a point.

"The next few games coming up is a chance for us to try to put some more points on the table and build on it.

"Where we are at now, we've almost left it too late for it [top-six finish] to be in our own hands.

"While it is still possible, you need to accept that for the time being it is about getting back to basics and putting points on the board and see where that leaves us.

"It is almost like a mini reset for us after that last period and we are just looking forward again."

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

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Dundee's recent win over Dundee United has made life a bit more uncomfortable for Kilmarnock in 10th.

Derek McInnes' side are a point above the Dens Park side, with St Johnstone five points below the Dark Blues.

Guiding Killie clear of the bottom two places will be a test of McInnes' vast experience and results at this stage of the season are all that matters.

A trip to top six-chasing St Mirren is the next assignment and this is a fixture that McInnes generally enjoys.

The 53-year-old is unbeaten against the Buddies as Kilmarnock manager with five wins and four draws.

Guiding the Rugby Park side to another three points in Paisley would go a long way to securing a berth in next season's Premiership.

Read all the weekend Premiership picks

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Derek McInnes has hailed the returning Stuart Findlay as one of Kilmarnock's most crucial players, saying: "The evidence is there, when he's in the team, we're better."

The 29-year-old central defender is in contention to make the squad for Saturday's game at St Mirren after five months out with an ankle injury, during which time he has been kept busy at the club, often featuring on their in-house commentary team.

"Obviously my eagerness to get him back involved is clear, but I need to be fair to him, but [it is] magic to have him out the commentary team, he has been doing a bit for Killie TV on match days so it's better he's helping us rather than them," manager McInnes said.

"But I don't want to pre-empt any of that. I don't want to put too much pressure on him in that sense until I have another conversation with him tomorrow.

"He's got the advantage of, the evidence is there, when he's in the team, we're better.

"It's been a long road for him. When he picked up the injury at Dens, we knew it was significant. It was such a nasty incident, so great to have him back.

"There's no doubt we missed his leadership qualities and experience, his know-how. He was a huge part of what we did right last season in conceding so few goals."

Striker Kyle Vassell has also been out injured since the turn of the year, leaving McInnes without two of the most experienced members of his team. Vassell is "not quite there yet" in terms of a return to full training.

McInnes added: "Both Stuart and Kyle will be massive for us in terms of getting those two back.

"Not just for what they give on the pitch but their leadership qualities. Both of them have been pivotal for us in the past."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes has been speaking to the media before his side's trip to St Mirren this weekend.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• McInnes says defender Stuart Findlay is "thankfully" back after a lengthy lay-off with a "nasty" ankle injury, adding there is "no doubt" Killie have missed his leadership and experience.

• "All being well" Findlay will be included in the squad this weekend with McInnes saying it's better to have him in the side than doing club commentary, as he has been during his time out injured.

• Having Kyle Vassell back from injury, coupled with Findlay, would be "massive" given what they contribute both on and off the park.

• A top-six finish is a "possibility but the reality is it's probably not going to happen," McInnes admits as he targets "reining in the teams above" Killie between now and the end of the campaign.

• McInnes reckons it's getting "harder and harder" to finish in the top half given the levels of investment at Hibs, Hearts and Aberdeen, adding that clubs like Kilmarnock have to be "pitch perfect" to make it.

• On St Mirren, he says he expects no surprises from Stephen Robinson's side and it's important Killie try to have the "better performers on the day" and build on their strong record in this fixture.

• He quips that he "can't remember" his sole managerial loss in over 30 games against St Mirren, also joking that hailing from Paisley may explain it but there is "no rhyme or reason" to put his strong record down to.

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• St Mirren are winless in their past 10 league meetings with Kilmarnock (D5 L5) since a 2-0 victory in February 2021 under Jim Goodwin.

• Kilmarnock are unbeaten in their past five away league games at St Mirren (W3 D2), keeping a clean sheet four times in this period.

• St Mirren have lost four of their past five home league games (D1), having only lost three of their first 10 such matches in 2024-25 beforehand (W5 D2 L3). It's the Buddies' longest winless run at home in the Scottish Premiership since December 2021 (6).

• Kilmarnock have won none and lost seven of their past nine away league games (D2), picking up fewer points on the road (9) than any other Scottish Premiership side this season.

• Having only scored two goals in his first 35 Scottish Premiership appearances, Killian Phillips has since scored in both of his past two. Should he find the net against Kilmarnock, he will be the first player aged under 23 to score in three successive Scottish Premiership appearances for St Mirren since Kenny McLean in September 2014.

Nick McPheat
BBC Sport Scotland

What if the Scottish Premiership was decided on overperforming your expected goals (xG) rating?

You're rolling your eyes, aren't you? Fair enough, but the above graphic still paints an interesting picture.

In the second column you will see each team's current xG tally after 30 games, but the table is sorted based on the third column, which shows how much each side has overperformed or underperformed by.

For example, the chances leaders Celtic have created throughout the season suggests they should have scored around 77 goals, but Brendan Rodgers' side have surpassed that tally with an overperformance of almost 12 goals.

Remarkably, Dundee have overperformed their xG total of 34 by 11 goals. If Tony Docherty's side could sort out their defensive issues, it's safe to assume they wouldn't be fighting for survival.

It's the opposite for Kilmarnock, with their underperformance of 5.5 showing they have struggled to take their chances. Addressing that is key if Derek McInnes wants to pull his side away from the bottom.

Other underperformers include Hibernian, Dundee United and Ross County, while the remainder of the teams in the division appear to be fairly steady.

Sandy Armour
Fan writer

The bottom six are are still relatively tightly grouped as we prepare for the final eight games of the season.

In most seasons there is one team detached from the rest, which provides a bit of breathing space for the others fighting relegation.

St Johnstone are the team occupying the basement spot, but they haven't been in terrible form and still harbour hopes of escaping the drop even if they do have three tough fixtures before the split.

For Kilmarnock, they just need to find a bit of form and grab two or three wins that hopefully make us safe in what has been a very disappointing season so far.

Our away record is the worst in the league, but one place we normally do well in is Paisley.

The Buddies are not out of the woods either, so they will also be fighting for their lives in a proverbial six-pointer.

Stuart Findlay may well be back in contention and perhaps the influential defender may provide the spark that will see us claim a vital three points.

Sandy Armour is editor of The Killie Hippo fanzine

No Kilmarnock fan needs telling Lewis Mayo enjoys defending.

Handy, yes, given his role in Derek McInnes' side but the 25-year-old has excelled at the back this season, again.

No player in the Scottish Premiership has pulled off more clearances in the league than the former Scotland youth international with a colossal 218.

Joe Wright is the closest Killie team-mate with 179.

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Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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Kilmarnock striker Bruce Anderson is leading the Scottish Premiership for goals per 90 minutes played this season.

Anderson is averaging 0.75 goals for every 90 minutes of top-flight football, making him the league leader ahead of former Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi in second with 0.68 and Rangers forward Cyriel Dessers in third with 0.66.

Despite struggling for a consistent run of starts in Derek McInnes' side, Anderson has bagged eight goals in 23 appearances, made up of 14 starts and nine substitute outings.

The 26-year-old striker signed for Kilmarnock as a free agent following his departure from Livingston but is often rotated by his manager, with Kyle Vassell, Marley Watkins, Bobby Wales and Matty Kennedy also deployed in central positions.

Anderson, however, is comfortably the club's most prolific scorer in the league. His eight-goal haul is double that of Watkins and Kennedy, albeit four have come from the penalty spot.

With Kilmarnock continuing to toil in the league and perched precariously just one point above Dundee in the relegation play-off spot, Anderson's eye for goal and clinical touch may be an important asset for the side as they look to preserve their top-flight status.

We asked for your Kilmarnock player of the year - and the biggest disappointment.

Here's what some of you said:

Amy: Player of the year is probably Joe Wright. A tough start but the sign of a good player is being able to get through that and he's been fantastic for months now. As for disappointment, a fellow defender in Robbie Deas. Was superb last season but has been a shadow of that this term. Constantly making mistakes, looks unfit and at fault for many goals.

Frank: Fraser Murray has been outstanding this season and should be player of the year. Biggest disappointment has been Marley Watkins, nowhere near where he was last season.

Callum: Player of the year has to be Murray, only one willing to give 100% no matter what. Biggest letdown has to be Watkins.

Scott: Matty Kennedy was our best player until his injury, while Bobby Wales has made a huge impact and should have played more. Special mention to Wright, who has been excellent recently after a tough start to the season and lots of criticism. Biggest letdown is Watkins sadly. Top scorer last season and he always works hard, but he hasn't looked fit this year. It's just not happening for him.

James: Player of the year Murray. Biggest flop Watkins, followed closely by Liam Donnelly.

Crawford: Best player and biggest surprise by a mile is Murray. Danny Armstrong had a real form slump and has yet to regain performance levels of last season.

Kevin: It's a hard watch this season. Poor stuff a lot of the time and some strange team selections. Bruce Anderson a positive but both keepers not good enough at the top level based on their performances this season.

Robert: Best player Murray, biggest disappointment Derek McInnes' team tinkering.

With just eight Premiership games left, we're down to the business end of the season.

Player reputations have been enhanced - or sullied - with their performances throughout the campaign.

As thoughts begin to turn to end-of-term awards, we want to know your Kilmarnock player of the season so far - and the biggest flop.

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