Kilmarnock FC: Destination Europe

A feature-length look at how we secured fourth place in the Scottish Premiership, and in turn a spot in the Europa League qualifying rounds.

[Music] [Applause] so we’ve met the demand that was on as this season we’ve kept the team up but the demand shifts again next season and we’ve got to be ready for that [Music] [Music] you the first of the Season yes when you today set the [Music] tone and when I first came in I thought it was good players it’s probably been my favorite long and uh I’ve enjoyed every been [Music] over when I’ve seen the quality player I’ve seen vas the and stuff like that Matty Kennedy joining he’s the one of the best players that aine Corey like top and then yeah when I seen I was like Hang on we’re going to go [Music] a um come hang B with Danny please please please come I knew actually in holiday in Portugal and he said to me oh you’re careful phing me like I might sign he’s getting the big one I might not sign might not sign have no Dan since he was a b boy you probably remember before probably more your BS but um no no D for years and um like you said we on holiday together um and probably was a b part of me coming hereand [Music] manager the squad is far more bunked up with good players good Pros but better set for the the campaign I had over last year clearly you know the the team was unrecognizable when we play in Bast against lynfield and against U Lorin we were a shadow of the team that started against [Music] Rangers have you said to us about a month before when we got beat by L good tourn in preseason I don’t think I don’t think many of us would be saying that we’re going to go and beat Rangers in Celtic the first couple of games of the season but I guess that shows like the the hard work we put in in pre-season and the the boys of gaffer brought in to strengthen us up as well um it’s big credit to us all as a a whole [Music] group good evening welcome to a new season of Premiership football and what a way to start the campaign with Derek mckinness is karner playing host to Michael P’s Rangers here at the bpsp stadium at rugby park [Music] [Applause] [Music] n [Music] that was some moment um few people back home weren’t too happy but no even just uh I think my mom and dad were in the stands as well just behind the goal and to get on the end of it and get our season up and running like that was a really special moment and um to actually lead the boys out that time I wasn’t wearing the captain arm B at the time cuz vas came on but yeah it was it was a crazy moment and I guess that’s why you play football for moments like that [Music] success in the opening there from G mckinness against Michael GS Rangers it’s been a special season for me as well even for me the first game after I joined here with play Rangers we beat them at home celebrating with the fans that was nice last season we got the job done and there was a lot of pressure on us and um I feel like the boys that are here from this season last season uh were better off from that and I think that’s shown the results and that sort of mentality we’ve [Applause] got to be honest at times during the championship season the last season didn’t even think I was going to be here personally and I was getting frustrated with the lack of game time and stuff but hard work pays off and thankfully for I’m myself we play plenty of games and uh help the club get to Europe so it’s a it’s a nice uh proud moment for us [Applause] [Music] w oh [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] the game should be a draw we score a very good goal and inexplicably it’s it’s chopped off [Music] [Applause] [Music] Armstrong calls at new P glancing here the t r the hips were probably the best glancing header you’ll see um of the season [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] w [Music] [Music] [Applause] z um no I wish I could say it was determin but it’s just things in the football pitch you don’t really think about it you just well I know what I do I just go for things that maybe aren’t even mine but yeah I don’t know how I got connection on it but I’ll take any goals it comes if I’m Bing over the line or if it’s a it’s a great strike and stuff they all they all count the same but um that was a a great feeling and obviously we got a a good point out of that that game as well so it’s it’s nice moments that when you score goals and they they actually mean something as well you get points out the game [Music] the team the championship or the boys we still like there’s no like we groups everyone was together uh and the ch keep getting better and better every year last year was BR as Z this year all the boys that came in like we’re all stay we’re all stay back later spend time each other having a good time having a laugh and I think that’s probably what’s helped helped everyone the most to try and get in this position and you’ve been here before you know how this compare to like your other SP just say four times no it’s get the red it’s been special I mean obviously I was I was lucky enough to be involved in another really successful era the club had when we finished F and stuff but I think there’s something about this team this season it’s been a really special bond like the boys in the change room C back me up here it’s been a everybody’s so close we’ll spend a lot of time we trer in and out of the club and I think it means a lot to the club to finish what we did this year and no it’s I’ve been really proud to be a part of [Music] it come on who’s the biggest character in the h a few I think you’re looking at one right here you know yourself with social media and stuff like that like Fraz is right up there there’s Danny Armstrong but like there’s everyone’s got their moments like Cory and daa the way he’s came into the CH the season the way Greg sh speaks and stuff that you could go through them all Joe loves pranking people so yeah everyone everyone’s got something about them Brad it’s a great CH very very good CH room everyone has a bet each other it’s a good group that is a good group of lads uh it’s been that’s been a big factor in the the unity on the pitch I’ve always got about like every just slaughtering each other you know what I mean when your P you just like slag each other and you know I mean you just take it it’s funny if somebody say something to me that was no my P I would be like you know I mean in the woo [Applause] [Music] [Music] a [Music] there a gold day for we got a great doctor so he uh he looks after me on Match days um he gets me through the games but with with this man he kind of lets me offload and do things that I can do and he care to rest and it’s it’s been a pleasure playing with him he’s made my season very enjoyable and very easy [Music] [Applause] [Music] chance from Marley Watkins two no [Applause] killing Great playing with him um leader occupies Defenders with his physical presence and it’s just been yeah it’s been great and we should have had more goals to be honest but we still got Europe with our goals yeah and we’re team players as well you see how we’re tracking and yeah we’re class J [Music] there’s a chance that’s the go this is Cam [Applause] [Music] [Music] that was an only go we will we were decent in that game I know we got a we bit of criticism in that game but we never I thought the game was I thought we were all right against a team like hearts who had a good side um I didn’t think there was any between us and actually didn’t think there was too much between us in all the games we played against Hearts to be honest I mean we started off with Victory against Rangers and then we did hit a bit of a slump at some point but then I think when the winter came we started to pick up a we bit December’s always a month where when the games come thick and fast a lot of times you play seven eight in games seven eight games in that period and the team with a real f a real Focus really test your professionalism December with Christmas and all the rest and the games coming Thinking Fast and I thought our approach in the was first class [Music] oh it was a big moment in the season I think it was was it n n away Aline it was Mei was through on goal a big Ginger gazelle came sprinting back great slide tackle that nobody remembers friend [Music] [Applause] [Music] I think it was just an off the course thing I didn’t really I’ve never worked on it like that it’s just as it happens in the game I just took my touch and I’ve managed to find the back in [Music] it after that I think we built up a good bit of momentum and I think had just set a standard for a way days that W even if we were going away we w’t losing we always dra winning I think it was pivotal um that we get that away victory at aine and what a brilliant finish it was it was a brilliant moment for dve it was a brilliant moment for us um and uh you know it was a start of as you say a strong run of form right to the end of the season to be [Music] honest might put one into me the first the first 20 OD minutes and I’ve missed it you hit the barall I hit the bar and they went and scored after that it’s kind of he’s probably thinking fling hell bu that and i’ myself a bit frustrated thinking I should have scored that [Music] [Music] we get back in it and I say it came with the 10 minutes to go and the best part of that goal was just if M as we flick just to me is on the ways as if you take that and set me up after it I took the ball and I drove my run and I intelligent players going to make the Run he made [Music] he finished it brilliantly it’s just a it was a special feeling just knowing that we’ beat them and it wasn’t just it wasn’t a lucky win like we fully deserved it and yeah it was for me it was the best part of the whole entire season it was I think it was a moment where thought we can go do something here and no more fitting than me set my P if we could have wrote it before at the start of the season if we could have wrote an exact goal it would have been that and it happened so it’s it’s h yeah it was special we’ve done well in the season up until then and I think that that point in that game kind of just strives R A we bit more cuz we were probably in among the kind of the rest um after old F and I think it just kind of gave us a we a we flick to probably SP us on for the rest of the season the crowd played their part in these types of games as well CU obviously every gets used to expecting us to lose and a lot of teams in Scotland expect to lose against these sort of teams and uh but we uh I thought we changed the kind of mindset with that and I thought nothing pleased me more than how we were second half against Celtic because it actually was how I needed the te to be the the the personality the mindset and just setting about the task and to get the reward for it and it was no more deserved on the day enough the best he’s the best of the best my manager um he understands players he he understands people um and he he he knows how to get the best out of different personalities that’s the thing I work with managers who are brilliant managers and really good man managers but they can they can’t work with certain types of people he can work with every type of player uh um and he understands every type of player so me and Mary are completely different people but he knows how to work with both of us um we get the best out of both of us so yeah couldn’t couldn’t couldn’t talk about high enough yeah I really like the mind I think all the boys get on with them um good feel around a club he he’s well respected and I think everyone just wants to do well for him the G came in it was it was a more Feelgood fight than I thought thought like the minute we got up it was you always once he came down like we kind of had to get up like amand has kind of caliber def we didn’t get up it would be a disappointment we kind of believed in ourselves and we got up there and we had the same kind of squad and it was it was a difficult season but it was more difficult because of like an away form a home form was exceptional as every kind of knows and it just about getting the away ons and can do them with the same kind of the squad and we man it was about survival and we kept quietly between ourselves this year needed to be better we brought better players in the building no disrespect to people they here but we brought players that kind of knew what it meant players like M players like else marle Marley all the players that g has worked with before that he clearly knows well and the players that done well last season continued that as well and the competition this season’s been been crazy and the best part about it is everyone’s kind of stuck together and it’s never been there’s not been any kind of bad eggs and that’s the that’s the kind of key to like a successful season and it’s it’s been an absolute pleasure we walk sing every single person this season it’s been it’s been it’s amazing good it’s been good season [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] the way he’s taken his chance um you know last season and into this year it’s been it’s been unbelievable goals to his game he’s he’s scored important goals and he’s contributed massively to the team and then I think in your first season to pick up the awards that that David’s picked up it’s been it’s been uh you know it’s been phenomenal start to care [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] both been great he’s hard had a safety make whole season so it’s been a good season for him no been fantastic I think especially I’ve done it before coming in on loan um but that’s the challenge as well coming in a new environment new club and um yeah settled in immediately and um think well just look at the CL had this SE speak for itself [Music] [Applause] little I have to do the better and I think these Lads um obviously including Mayo himself has helped my games would be a lot easier than I would have thought of at the start of the season but um now they’ve been excellent and like Mar said the clean sheets are shown for that with the with the group of lads [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Lord is a club Legend uh he’s been amazing for the club a club servant and and just playing against him and training even his team it’s it’s amazing to do [Music] so first coming into the first team kind of environment h l always set the standards he was always working hard even quietly when I started training like this even the start of preseason my first preseason I always hated playing against Ro cuz it was so difficult to play against and but it was it was amazing [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] since December I think the gaffer said it today as well that I think since I can’t remember what it was since but since sometime in December after we get beat by Hearts I think it was we’ve went the full season after that without being beat by any else other than old FMS so I think that’s a massive achievement for us to do [Music] I don’t know how it didn’t make it into the goal go in the world nominees but uh SC by way no was a [Music] it was good for me to get off the mark though cuz um the manager had been on me for a while and um a lot of the time I’m not even up for Corners so it’s uh opportunities are [Music] scarce I had the best view I think of the the whole ground I was going wild um I know he’s capable of it we see it in training we works his left and right for all the time and it’s about time to B is up [Music] here’s Kennedy on the right foot and towards the back post GRE head it back across and KN to the back of the de by Marley Watkins I think everyone’s enjoyed been a part of but obviously to finish fourth in the League’s massive you know but just to get to play with a player like Stu Finley one of my personal Idols you know great influence on the team we sort of built it around him and he’s done brilliant for the club so he’s the the main fight in my personal opinion yeah personally I think he’s done brilliant [Music] no we’re as a team we’re defensive team I say I’m the best defensive striker in the league facts unbelievable dropping in um no we have to work hard so sometimes we’re either tired or we’re just not in a right positions CU we have to do so much work defensively but that’s got us where we’ve got to so Buzz him I do I do it every day of the week to get to Europe and finish fourth we SA theice team and it’s non-negotiable you know if I like you seen Celtic away I had to follow McGregor all game I don’t want to do it but I have to do it for the team so stuff like that and fast do the same and we got into Europe and that’s what it’s about being a success as a team [Music] [Applause] oh I loved that hi uh I enjoyed that [Music] one good I know TR just but yeah I don’t mean to interrupt like we we see this every every day in training like like just because mat and Danny plays every game who are have been unbelievable this season like for us trust me is just as good [Music] [Applause] head C obviously scool one seon go on it probably should have been lot more you know a lot of chances missed but obviously to get that goal it’s probably a it’s it’s a great feeling you know and hopefully more come [Music] the fans they’ve taken to you obviously giving you a nice song that they I’m very locable guy you know so I understand it I do understand it you know of n it’s just unreal you know obviously the love for the fans it gives you that extra bit of confidence and it’s just always good here on [Applause] [Music] unfortunately I picked up a an injury due to my friend to my left decided to break my cheekbone he’s got brittle bones as you can tell by his nose as well this guy BR my cheek bone and then put them out for four or five weeks ch [Music] m [Music] [Music] you think the mask improved you as I some might say some might say looks wise no uh the mask I didn’t enjoy wearing but some might say I turned into a goal scoring machine goal [Applause] he missed the chance originally they Dro back to it no what happened was you you able to bring the ball down with your head yeah cuz you tried it tried to and then I just see that bottom corner was open I slotted it in the bottom corner so what what where were you you missed the ball so everyone everyone marked me and then the others three and I’m a go I turned into a goal scoring machine I probably should stick it back [Applause] on you get Dragon R Jo you get more goals yeah talk us through those goal scoring for this season I’ll be honest he wasn’t goal scoring form um there’s only three so that’s disappointing for me Dey would be delighted um dundy was equally as good as Dey W against no no no I come on I better respect this the same goal no there there’s an empty net you you Ked I’ve slaughtered it past the goalkeeper okay okay oh [Music] [Music] oh [Music] [Music] there’s a lovely goall forward FS on to it again on his right fo oh SC it’s 14 it’s a double for the skipper [Music] still GID War get a win from boies brilliant and standing threr ball from David wson [Music] the way in which he was able just to come in and you know make an impact in the first team at such a young age is is that I’ve never I’ve never seen it it’s something I I tried to do what then wasn’t able to do um to to to dav’s level and I think he’s got all the he’s got all the attributes he works hard um but along with that he can he can finish and he’s um you know he’s a good boy as well so I’m going to try and not sell him too much cuz we want him here next year um but he’s going to he’s got a he’s got a a wonderful future you know I’ve never seen a season like it from a from a young player here [Music] [Music] [Music] bro again a tight game a game that we we could have won um but um equally if it doesn’t we don’t come up with that big moment we could we could have lost it and you know it was a it was a brilliant goal um I thought we were good particularly second half in the game and it was no more than we deserved you know afterwards um there was no kind of hooping and hollering it we’ got top six gen and there should have been to think about I don’t know why there wasn’t there um I think there was a feeling the addition room that we should have won the game and there was a quiet um feeling of satisfaction that we’ um managed to get the result um that secured that with a few games to spare which was brilliant um but a brilliant goal goal um totally fitting of a significant [Music] goal obviously for myself it’s the second season so um to come from where we were last season to to what we’ve achieved this year it’s just a ma massive credit to everyone involved staff players yourselves as well um I think you’ve done a brilliant job with the the the was it K one no they not no theyve not they’ve done they’ve done a terrible I do actually enjoy the choice of songs times no yeah the choice of songs are good but some of the some of the clips on Twitter but I think yeah do a great job apart from that Dy cam was Dreadful why you jealous that was bad give us a joke go um why can’t ants Catch Co why uh because they got little antibodies laugh [Music] drops to Vil edge of the Box tries a strike and fires it in and the captain finds the goal [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] how many have play together five no no you didn’t come with me on the champ no I think Four Seasons together Four Seasons yeah up each other no never TW D and TW D ah he gets to he does all the the hard stuff and I just do what people like to see it very much [Music] [Music] [Music] it’s been tough but well deserved there y deserved it B turn offs around he occupies them and I did rest I’m the donkey he get tappin [Applause] [Music] [Applause] totally impro to and I wasn’t even thinking about celebrating obviously the fans were in fine fet and and gave us a brilliant back that day and it was a glorious day and everything just seemed to be fitting perfectly for us it was just that type of day it felt like a combination of so much hard work and so much that we all wanted um and I was trying to get the players to go and acknowledge the fans as we as we’d want to do in these sort of inst and I just saw Cory doing airplane and don’t know why I tried it as well but his was much better than mine and you’ll no be seen that [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] again European qualification obviously from the start um we sat out to get top six and as soon as we got that we just pushed on as as far as we could and uh fourth spot was what we aimed for in the end and we got he’s R cheers Lads M come on lat come on done to finish fourth you don’t I was thinking when the Highlight was up like you can’t quite believe it it’s incredible I remember sitting here and we just won the championship was an amazing time it was one of the best times i’ ever had but then you don’t knows how good it is until you finish a fourth place finish and you’re going to a European place it’s everyone involved since I’ve been here as well especially it’s been top job and it’s it’s good to have the conversation with people who’ve been down the champ to then now it’s good to kind of throw back and think of their their [Applause] times it’s not really some K yet I think it more it will more leading up to those to those games and um um and andless I’ll be be a real be in a different frame of mind i’ be genuinely trying to win all those games thing is we’ve got say to go away at 4 to which is brilliant so I here can’t [Applause] wait it felt like that was a job done you know we still had two more fixtures to fulfill but um and ideally you would have the last game of the season at home in front of your fans and get that ackn mement um that felt like that type of day for us even though we were in Paisley [Music] [Music] the fans way we going to support the the team at the end is growing acknowledgement I’m glad so many waited behind to to do that players deserve that support the support deserve that team and hopefully as I say there’s good days ahead for us again [Music] the boys have done BR this year and I can’t really complain and say oh I should have been this I should have been that cuz like I shouldn’t if the boys are got forth that’s unbelievable and uh it’s just about like me coming in and just being the best like teamate I can be to all the boys and try and push them on they’re going the Saturday and uh ultimately we’ll try to get fourth with our [Music] Squad the whole Squad pushed the starting 11 yes there wasn’t many changes in the in the team and stuff in the starting 11 but it was the boys behind in the background pushing it with FR like being so good and training so well Danny and Matty wouldn’t have been as good in the pitch because if they knew if they made a mistake he was straight in and just like GMS and the other side [Music] [Applause] you imagine you get to Europe in your first season uh as well I’ve said it a few times but I’ve spoke to the presid and stuff like yeah the gaffer comes across on that well that that was the Target and um yeah I mean it’s hard to say that I knew this was going to happen but as The Season’s went on we’ve gotten better and better and then everything he spoke to me about last season to get me to signs more or less happen so it’s I’m delighted that I made the decision to come here I’ve had a good second half the season last year un loan but um for me personally this was a big step and i’ I’ve really enjoyed it everyone’s been so welcoming to me and uh I’ve enjoyed every [Music] game it’s been a pleasure to be here I mean I came here this year after probably not my the best couple of years for myself playing wise and do they find the sort of confidence they find the form and have such a successful year IE a lot to this club it does it means a lot I’ve obviously not played as much as I like but it’s been a it’s been a it’s been an amazing season the way the way the club’s evolved in the last last two years from being in the championship to you know a side competing now for Europe um and hopefully making a a better go of the European campaign we did the last time so it’s uh it’s going to be an exciting break and we’re all looking forward to coming back in [Music] there I hope there’s somebody sitting in a room and I ax asking the manager that you could potentially get kallok is one of the options um I don’t think that’ll be the case but uh just to be talking about it is great can we still get ax can we still get ax yeah why not play Fancy Robie park I think it’s important we try and enjoy the excitement of the draw once the draw comes out hopefully it’s not some Far place that someday we can um that we can go and enjoy having our wrest way and see where it takes us but just to be in that company I would have hated to watch another team for Scotland be in our position and I’m absolutely thrilled that we’re we’re in the mix for [Music] him for too long European football and kumal is synonymous be his key and we need to try and change it and hopefully we can do that this season [Music]