Kilmarnock

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Kilmarnock suffered a 3-2 Ayrshire derby defeat in their pre-season friendly at Somerset Park in Robby McCrorie's first game since the goalkeeper was signed from Rangers.

Centre-back George Stanger gave Ayr United the lead after 25 minutes, with Marco Rus, the midfield summer arrival from Coventry City, extending the hosts' advantage nine minutes later.

Midfielder Brad Lyons pulled one back just before the break, but Ayr restored the two-goal cushion from the penalty spot through Anton Dowds, who moved from Partick Thistle this summer, after a challenge on fellow forward George Oakley.

Central defender Robbie Deas replied for Kilmarnock after 72 minutes, but Ayr prevailed to add to their impressive pre-season after drawing 1-1 with Celtic on Friday.

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After a season of success at Kilmarnock, is there a growing concern manager Derek McInnes could follow the same path as the last man to guide them into Europe?

It's certainly a fear for fan podcaster Paul Montgomery, who feels he is potentially watching a "re-run" of Steve Clarke's exit.

Having guided the Rugby Park side to a third-placed finish, Clarke left Ayrshire to take the Scotland job.

The former Kilmarnock boss remains in post at Hampden despite a disappointing Euro 2024 campaign, and Montgomery hopes that means at least "another couple of seasons" of McInnes.

"McInnes is still ambitious," he told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast. "He's a brilliant manager, especially at this level, and I'm sure he'll have already had offers.

"My concern about McInnes in terms of staying with Killie would probably be the Scotland job. It feels like it's a kind of re-run of the Clarke stuff.

"He seems settled, but I'm not naive enough to think he's going to be here for another 10 years. If we get another couple of seasons of stability, then he can go to Scotland or Real Madrid or something like that."

Former Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell added: "I'm pretty sure he is an ambitious guy and I'm pretty sure he will have one eye on the Scotland job at some point in his managerial career.

"Whether that's within the next two, three, five, 10 years, I don't know. But I don't really see him going to any other club in Scotland."

Ex-Kilmarnock goalkeeper Cammy Bell is backing his former side to progress to the group stage of European football this season.

Click here to listen to more on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

Killie fans, after last season's fourth-place Premiership finish, what do you think would constitute a successful season this time around?

More of the same from Derek McInnes' side, or do you want to see progress in the cups and perhaps a run in Europe?

Have your say here, external.

How do Kilmarnock follow a tremendous top flight campaign?

With the new season almost upon us, the BBC Scottish Football Podcast examines what is in store at Rugby Park as Iona Ballantyne is joined by former goalkeeper Cammy Bell and Paul Montgomery from the Killie Forever and Ever podcast.

Listen here.

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Robby McCrorie says he needed no convincing to join Kilmarnock, and stressed how excited he is to work with manager Derek McInnes.

The goalkeeper made the permanent switch from Rangers, and says the prospect of European football was another "big selling point".

"Everyone I've spoken to only has good things to say [about McInnes]," McCrorie told Sky Sports.

"He's one of the best man managers from what I've heard and even from conversations I've had with him but I didn't need someone to convince me to come here.

"This club sells itself, what the squad did last season to get themselves in a position to play in Europe is a big selling point for any player."

Kilmarnock have knocked back two bids from Bolton Wanderers for Danny Armstrong. (Daily Mail)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland senior reporter

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Kilmarnock are close to signing Rangers goalkeeper Robby McCrorie on a permanent deal.

The 26-year-old has played just five times for the Ibrox side, spending time out on loan at Livingston, Queen of the South, Greenock Morton and Berwick Rangers over the past seven years.

A move to Rugby Park for the former Scotland Under-21 international would open the door to more game time.

Because he has managed a full pre-season with Kilmarnock, Stuart Findlay feels like a permanent player at Rugby Park despite the 28-year-old centre-half being on a second loan spell from Oxford United. (The Herald), external

Read Saturday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

We asked who you're backing to be Kilmarnock's breakout star in the season ahead.

Fair to say you're all in agreement...

Stephen: It would be great to see Bobby Wales get more of a chance this season. He's done really well out on loan, playing for Scotland at the younger levels and could be the next big youth player to come through at Rugby Park.

Hopefully we see David Watson as one of the first names on the team sheet this season as well.

Charlie: Out of the youngsters coming through at Kilmarnock possibly the most likely is Bobby Wales. He's had a season out on loan and that may put him ahead of the others.

John: Hope this is the year to find out if Bobby Wales can make it in the top league. Had a wonderful spell at Alloa on loan, so the onus is on him!

Blair: Bobby Wales had a great loan spell at Alloa last season which was well-needed first-team football for him, and got rave reviews. He'll definitely be in McInnes' thoughts this year.

Ben Brannan joined the team in Marbella for pre-season, who is highly regarded at full-back and could be an option this year instead of looking into the loan market.

Who do you think will be Kilmarnock's breakout star in the coming season?

Is there one particular youngster you are backing to impress or perhaps a fringe player who will come to the fore?

Have your say here, external.

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New signing Bruce Anderson netted a hat-trick as Kilmarnock defeated Welsh champions The New Saints 5-0 in a closed-door friendly at Rugby Park.

Striker Anderson, who joined from Livingston on a two-year deal this summer, had Killie cruising with Innes Cameron also on target before the break.

Brad Lyons' glancing header completed the rout 12 minutes from time.

Next up for Derek McInnes' side is another closed-door friendly, away to Queen's Park on Sunday.

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Derek McInnes says "there's a deal to be done" to bring Corrie Ndaba back to Kilmarnock.

The 24-year-old left-back impressed on loan from Ipswich Town last season, making 37 appearances for McInnes' side.

"We would like Corrie, I said that to him at the end of the season, I said it to him last season," the Killie manager told club media, external.

"I've spoken to him a few times throughout the summer, I spoke to him again last week. He's probably got to get himself sorted out at Ipswich but we feel there's a deal to be done.

"We'll wait and see but we've got to be mindful we're a couple of defenders short, we'd like to try and make a couple of signings if we can.

"We've got a very important game and a very important season coming up so if we have to move on we will. We would like Corrie but ultimately Corrie might have other options."

McInnes is less optimistic about agreeing a new contract with talisman Danny Armstrong, whose current deal expires next summer.

"We've been trying for the last six or seven months to get an agreement where Danny can sign a bit longer. The reality is that's going to be difficult to do," he added.

"Danny's going into his last year, which is not a situation anybody at the club wants."

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Kilmarnock's request to increase the away allocation for their Europa League qualifying tie in Belgium against Cercle Bruges has been approved.

The initial allocation of 1,470 for the Europa League clash has been increased to 2,500.

Derek McInnes' side travel to the Jan Breydel Stadium on Thursday, 1 August for the second leg of the second round qualifier.

It will be the first competitive match Killie have played outside the UK since 2001.

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Marley Watkins has given Kilmarnock a "huge lift" by committing his future to the club with a new two-year deal.

The 33-year-old forward - Killie's top scorer with 13 goals last term - was out of contract after an impressive first year at Rugby Park in which he made 43 appearances and was pivotal in the club's fourth-place finish.

Manager Derek McInnes said: "Everyone connected with the club is delighted to have the opportunity to work with Marley longer.

"I think in his season with us last year he showed show much of his best qualities.

"Being able to bring him back to the squad is a huge lift for us, hopefully he can be as important for us this season, I have no doubts that’ll be the case."

Meanwhile, Killie began their pre-season friendlies with a 2-0 defeat to Paraguayan top-flight side Cerro Porteno in Spain.

McInnes, whose squad have spent the week at a Spanish training camp, added: "It's probably a bit early in the build-up for us to be playing a team of that level, but it was a really good test for us.

"There's so many positives to take from the week and the game."

We asked for your views on where Kilmarnock will be 10 games into the new Premiership season after the fixtures were announced.

Here’s what some of you said:

John: Hope we get a good start but we have a difficult list of fixtures, so will be happy to be in top six after the first 10 games, maybe third.

Anon: Thank goodness it’s just Cercle Bruges three days before we play Celtic! It might have been a tricky first couple of games if we were playing European giants Connah's Quay again.

Goldie: We’ll get six from first nine and we’ll bump Brgues - it’s the Killie way.

Michael: That opening weekend trip to Celtic, three days after our travels to Belgium to face Cercle Bruges, could be brutal. After that, home games against St Johnstone, Hibs and Dundee United could allow Killie to continue on their brilliant home form from last term. Juggling Europe and domestic action will be tough and we might have to grit our teeth through a ropey start before we see the standard we now expect under Derek McInnes.

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Kilmarnock are hoping to secure a further 1000 away tickets for the club's trip to Cercle Bruges in the Europa League second qualifying round.

The Rugby Park side have currently been allocated 1470 tickets for the second leg in Belgium on Thursday, 1 August.

While Kilmarnock wait to hear whether their request has been successful, the club will hold a ballot of season ticket holders for spots in the away end.

The match at Jan Breydel Stadium in Bruges will mark the first competitive game Kilmarnock have played outside of the UK since 2001, when they lost 2-0 to Norwegian side Viking in the UEFA Cup.

Now the fixtures are out, how are you feeling about your side's start to the season?

Where do you think Kilmarnock will be after the first 10 games? Will their European exploits get in the way of a strong start to the campaign?

Give us your thoughts. , external

Kilmarnock fans are getting themselves booked up for Belgium, but there's still the small matter of league business to look forward to after the fixtures were released.

Opening weekend tests don't get much tougher than a trip to the champions.

Beyond that, Killie's first five games include home fixtures with St Johnstone and Hibs, as well as visits to Aberdeen and St Mirren.

Over the festive season, Aberdeen head to Rugby Park on Boxing Day, before the customary new year's meeting with St Mirren - this time at home - on Thursday, 2 January.

It's another tough ask on the final day before the split as Killie again travel to Celtic on the weekend of Saturday, 12 April.

Fixtures for the 2024-25 Scottish Premiership season have been released.

The campaign will kick off with Hearts hosting Rangers at Tynecastle, a repeat of the sides' final league game of last season which ended in a 3-3 draw.

Newly-promoted Dundee United entertain derby rivals Dundee, while Celtic begin their title defence with the visit of Kilmarnock.

Jimmy Thelin's first Premiership game as Aberdeen boss is a trip to Perth to face St Johnstone.

David Gray starts his reign as permanent Hibs head coach away to St Mirren, while Motherwell are to home to Ross County.

The opening round of fixtures will be played from 3-5 August.

Kilmarnock begin their 2024/25 Scottish Premiership campaign with a trip to champions Celtic on the opening day.

The match will take place on Sunday, 4 August at 16:30 BST.

You can find all of Kilmarnock's fixtures here

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The 2024-25 SPFL schedule will be unveiled at 09:00 BST on Thursday, and we've got all the information you need before the return of domestic football.

The action in all four leagues kicks off on the weekend of 3 August.

Eight months later, the Premiership split happens on the weekend of 12 and 13 April and the top-flight season concludes on the weekend of 17 and 18 May.

And while it might be too painful to be thinking about the national team, there are international periods in September, October, November and March to bear in mind.

There will not, however, be a winter break this season.

The expansion of Uefa's club competitions - with the new league phase of the Champions League and Europa League running until the end of January - is the reason for that.

The SPFL said the format change "exerts additional pressure on the domestic calendar" and means no mid-season trips to the sunshine for Premiership clubs.