Hippo - Covid 4a

KILLIE HIPPO AN UNOFFICIAL KILLIE FANZINE COVID SPECIAL 4

TOP PRE-SEASON SCORER! • TAKING STOCK, LOOKING FORWARD • KRIS DOOLAN INTERVIEW • WIN A NEW KILLIE TOP

HUGE THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS RAINBOW INK CO. MODWAY SCOTLAND URQUHART OPTICIANS TONY BONE LEGAL COLIN MCDONALD HOME MAINTENANCE BILLY BOWIE SPECIAL PROJECTS LTD I LOVE GIFTS BACK ONSIDE – MENTAL HEALTH CHARITY PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS WHENEVER POSSIBLE CONTACT E-MAIL : Killiehippo@aol.com NO ARTICLES TO BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION BACK ISSUES 2–204 INCLUSIVE AVAILABLE GET IN TOUCH FOR DETAILS All views expressed are those of the contributors

SHOOTING FROM THE HIPPO Hello once again chums and I’m writing 24 hours after we lost the season opener at Easter Road. Thanks to Hibs disgusting behaviour very few Killie fans got to see the game and had to make do with radio commentary and TV highlights. The general view was that we deserved something from the game but that all seems a bit like too many games last season. It’s time for us to turn performances into points, something that we were not good at just before Covid took control.

Let me digress for one minute and refer you to the “missing dog” on the second back page of this issue. If the content of this issue is even more mince than normal it’s because I’m incredibly tired these days as I’ve been sitting out til 4am sometimes trying to spot wee Dave the missing dachshund. If you happy to see the wee guy stoating about Killie please give me a shout and let me and my fellow searchers get a decent night’s kip for a change.

Anyway back to the beautiful game and our habit of starting slowly each season appears to have continued. It won’t get any easier this weekend against the one half of the arse cheek that wins trophies. I still think we lack that wee bit of creativity that can unlock a defence. We appeared to have a lot of possession against Hibs but didn’t create many chances, that sounds worryingly like last season for my liking.

I’m not going to get too pessimistic at this stage however as I always like to get the first round of games out the way before trying to assess how the season may pan out. As far as Alex dyer goes it’s fair to say that all Killie fans are willing him to succeed but results must improve. My one wee criticism of his team selection at Easter road was why select a goalie who had been only there a couple of days ahead of Rogers who had played as part of the defence in the pre-season friendlies. I’ve no doubt Eastwood will establish himself as our number one this season but maybe another week’s training would have been better rather than just throwing him in straight away……hey ho onwards and upwards.

The squad has built up fairly well and it was noticeable that neither of the two new full backs featured at Hibs. We have good competition in most places but there is a definite need for another centre back. If funds allow we could maybe do with a creative midfielder or another striker….or both lol. Competition is healthy and necessary so let’s hope that we push on for a top six challenge rather than a bottom six nail biter.

Thanks to our wonderful sponsors we are running a competition where you can win a new Killie top in each issue this season. We have run competitions in the past and in all honesty we don’t get huge numbers so get your answers sent in and give yourself a chance of winning….for what it’s worth I reckon both tops look fantastic this season.

Sandy

HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION You’ll know we were involved in starting the Killie Trust way back in 2003…..Cathy Jamieson was a speaker at the Supporters Direct conference and explained it would be worthwhile for Killie fans to come and have a look at what it was all about. It’s amazing how thigs can turn a full circle and after many years of very hard work from many fans we now have Cathy as a vital part of the club board.

All over the country fan trusts are playing an increased role, in various degrees, to the running of clubs as everyone realizes that the best way to have long term stability is to have folk at the heart of the club who have the club at heart (see what I did there!!). The Killie Trust will continue to grow and will be an integral part of the club as it works in partnership with businesses, executives, fans etc to ensure we are on a firm footing and don’t go down the same route as Sevco and the like.

Here’s an online article from “The TwoPointOne” website that updates us on how the Trust movement continues to grow throughout Scotland:

The list of supporter-ran clubs in Scotland will soon get a little bit longer. Last night, Greenock Morton became the latest SPFL club to announce their intention to move to a fan ownership model after agreeing a deal with Morton Come Together (MCT), a supporters’ group, to take a majority stake in the club by summer 2021.

They are not the only club with similar ambitions. Their rivals over in Paisley, St Mirren, are hoping to complete a similar move by next year in partnership with Kibble, Ann Budge plans on transferring her majority shareholding over to the Foundation of Hearts, while Partick Thistle are also moving in the same direction after the late Colin Weir gifted his controlling stake to supporters of the Firhill club.

Throughout the Scottish football pyramid, there are no shortage of examples of well-run, fan-owned clubs that Morton can be looking to emulate once the share transfer is completed. Motherwell are probably the most obvious example currently, given their title as best of the rest in terms of league standings, and the fact that the Fir Park youth academy continuously churns out promising young players doesn’t harm this reputation.

Hearts are another who are clearly benefiting from the change in ownership; events may well have been an unmitigated disaster on the park but off it, they continue to go from strength to strength as the club’s infrastructure is improved. Now, this is clearly in part due to the relatively large fanbase the Foundation of Hearts can draw on for funding – as of last month, supporters had raised over £10 million – and while the Gorgie club are perhaps in a similar boat to Morton, St Mirren and Thistle insofar as they have yet to gain a controlling stake in the club, the capital side look to be in far better shape now than they were prior to the introduction of Budge.

Dundee United, Dunfermline, Clyde and Stirling Albion are a few other clubs to have made the move to fan ownership in recent years while outside of the SPFL pyramid altogether the likes of Clydebank and Gretna 2008 have been salvaged by supporters after their expulsion from the professional football pyramid.

There is a common theme running through most of these clubs: an alltoo-recent brush with extinction. The vast majority have entered administration at one point or another due to various forms of financial mismanagement over the last few decades, and these are the clubs that learned their lesson.

Gretna fans will never be hoodwinked by a millionaire investor again.

Hearts supporters are unlikely to fall for another businessman promising to deliver the Champions League to Tynecastle.

After staring insolvency in the face during the 90s, few Partick Thistle supporters want to see anything other than a sensible, cautious approach to the team’s financing.

There is a cause and effect relationship at play here. Fans experience one extreme – entering administration or even liquidation – and then propose to do everything within their collective power to stop history repeating itself. And, so far at least, it tends to work. By gaining a majority shareholding, clubs finally gain custodians that truly have its viability and longevity as a top priority: the supporters.

Morton Club Together @TonClubTogether Historic Announcement Tonight, MCT are pleased to announce that we have reached an agreement in principle with Golden Casket that will see @Morton_FC become a community owned club in summer 2021.

We are

seeing fan ownership becoming more and more prevalent in Scotland for a number of reasons. Sometimes, like the cases of Hearts, Dunfermline or Clydebank, it is borne out of necessity. For others – like St Mirren or Motherwell – it is an opportunity that has presented itself that has been too good to turn down. The likes of Partick Thistle and Morton are perhaps special cases in this regard; Thistle, of course, benefitted from an act of generosity from Weir but Morton fans should also be thanking current owner Crawford Rae for agreeing to MCT’s terms despite having an offer on the table from a third party that would have proven more profitable.

I’m strongly of the belief that fan ownership makes for more responsible owners and this is something that has been in short supply in Scotland on far too many occasions. Unrealistic ambition has driven too many clubs into the ground in our country and becoming a fanowned club, in my view, is the most effective way of a team protecting itself from this threat. Lest we forget, history tells us that this is one of the greatest dangers facing Scottish football clubs.

Morton might be the latest club to get on an increasingly busy bandwagon, but let’s hope they’re not the last. Scottish football needs more fan-run clubs and with each one that follows suit and thrives, they show just how valuable such a structure can be. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It’s fantastic to see fans all over are finally grasping the importance of Trusts and I’m sure you will have read in the past year or two that the Killie Trust have been helping out the club in so many ways like paying for safe standing and currently just handing over cash every month to help financially during these tough times. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

KILLIE HISTORIES If you haven’t already done so get listening to the fantastic work done by Killie Histories, bringing some great old memories flooding back. They are @KillieHistories on Twitter or listen to killiehistories.podbean.com

Hippo Headquarters wanted to bring you a bit more information about our chosen charity partner, Back Onside. To do just that, we interviewed one of their patrons, Kris Doolan: -

Before we talk about the charity and why you became involved, most of the Killie fans will know you as Partick Thistle’s all-time top scorer of league goals, your six months in oblivion at Scumerset and now currently at Greenock Morton – but what they won’t know is your links with Killie and Ayrshire’s second biggest team: Auchinleck Talbot. Tell us about those days As a youngster I was lucky enough to have been part of Killie’s impressive youth setup, where I learned many qualities that would stand me in good stead for a career in the game. As a 15 year old youth player, I joined Kello Rovers, who were a 3rd division junior team and a couple of years later, moved to my home-town team, Auchinleck Talbot.

During that time, I worked for Killie under Paul McDonald as a Community Coach, which involved coaching children from 3-18 years old.

We ran many football centres throughout Ayrshire and I also managed a Night League Programme designed around tackling antisocial behaviour.

Whilst I was working for Killie, I joined Partick Thistle on a full-time basis and went on to spend over 10 years at the club, scoring 121 goals and being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Figure 1: Kris made a habit of scoring against us Tell us about Back Onside and why you became involved in this charity?

I had my testimonial at Partick Thistle last year and one of the volunteers on my committee is involved with the charity. The more I got to know Graham as a person and as a friend, the more I realised the great work the charity do.

When they approached me to help out at a few events; chatting to local teams and players as well as attending some schools, I was only too happy to oblige.

The more help that is made available to people the better.

In a football setting, speaking up has been seen previously as a sign of weakness. Whereas now it is most definitely a sign of strength and should be commended. I wanted to make sure players within my team all knew there was help available should anyone feel they need someone to turn to.

Do you have any other Killie links?

I live in Kilmarnock and have done for many years now. I have a lot of family and friends who follow the club and much to their annoyance, I’ve managed to score a few goals against Killie

How important is it to discuss mental health?

You can’t underestimate how important it is. I think for too long the pressures of football can cause some mental problems for players. I think it’s really important that Back Onside can offer that support to players – or anyone for that matter – who just need someone to open up to.

How did you find talking about mental health in the dressing room?

I think in football there is this “bravado” and it is maybe not as easy for people to speak about their troubles and worries.

How do you think the coronavirus lockdown has impacted people’s mental health?

It has obviously had a huge impact on people’s mental health. The charity have been extremely busy during the past few months and it was even harder due to the fact the charity had to cancel some events which would have raised funds to ensure anyone needing help had the Counsellors available. However, it has been humbling to see how many sports clubs, individuals and schools have helped with fundraising events during lockdown to ensure the charity can continue to provide the essential support people need.

I think the environment didn’t lend itself to talking about any issues, however, it’s becoming more and more common and people are more willing to stand up and speak up. I honestly think that’s mainly to do with having charities like Back Onside out there in the public domain to highlight that mental health is not something which has to be hidden and reminding people that help is there.

Looking out for the tell-tale signs and knowing when to help is also key. Even if that’s just being able to direct people to the help which is available.

Figure 2: Kris with Kilbride Thistle delivering a Changing Room Chat for Back Onside

Can anyone get involved in charity events for Back Onside?

Yes – absolutely! Anyone with ideas for fundraisers should contact the charity or myself.

Does the charity only support footballers?

Not at all - this is a charity which can help anyone who is struggling with their mental health. Another one of our patrons struggled with alcoholism for years and tried to hide it from his family and friends He was close to suicide, however, he reached out to Back Onside for help and has never looked back. He now tells his story to others to prove there is help out there.

Back Onside has also created self-care packages, which people can buy from their website. Each box contains a mixture of selfcare items, from skin care to snacks and everything in between.

You then elect someone to send it to and it will be delivered, along with a personalised note. At least £5 of every box sold will help Back Onside fund services (such as counselling, drop-in sessions and crisis call outs) for people struggling with their mental health.

Figure 3: Back Onside Self-Care Packages

We’ve seen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram that you’ve setup the Kris Doolan Football Academy, with lots of kids from the Killie area getting involved. Tell us more….

I think professional players have a lot to offer younger players. I thought, how can I use everything I’ve learned in football and all the contacts I have in the game to try and raise the profile of teams and players?

We set up so we can help younger players by using good professionals with a lot of experience at the top level of Scottish football, because sometimes they need that guidance from someone who has been in their shoes.

We noticed you had a few familiar faces involved in the Academy too….

I am fortunate enough to have good connections within the game and recently Kilmarnock star Chris Burke and his son Cole joined me for a session.

Chris is a top professional and role model to younger players. He is exactly the type of person I want the young players to learn from and pick up tips from.

All coaches involved with my Academy are of the highest standard in terms of coaching qualifications and I want to ensure the players receive top quality information from them to boost their learning.

Figure 4: Young Killie Supporters receiving training from Kris

We offer one-to-one, small group and team sessions. We also offer specialised positional sessions. These sessions are carried out with clubs at grassroots level all the way up to professional level.

I don’t like to see players fall out the game completely because they have been released by a club. These players should know that my Academy is there to help in any way we can to keep them in the game at some level. Football is a game of opinions. Resilience will be key for any player as they will always face different challenges at all levels.

Figure 5: Kris with Chris Burke and his son, Cole

We enjoyed the “Pros at Home” videos which were posted on your social media showing how other professional footballers were coping with a training regime during lockdown. Which one was your favourite?

They were all so different. Chris Burke is such a pro. He sent me hours of footage and we struggled to get it down to just a few minutes!

But Tomas Cerny (Aberdeen goalie) was hilarious. He even had the dogs involved. I hope it showed young footballers out there that training can be fun, no matter the circumstances.

And for me, this all links back to the reason I became involved with Back Onside. Young player’s mental health is just as important as their physical health.

We want to wish Kris all the best with his Football Academy and we are delighted to have Back Onside as our chosen charity partner for this season.

We will provide even more information on the charity in future editions.

For more information on the charity, Back Onside, (including details of how to order a Self-Care Package, please check out their website at www.backonside.co.uk or: Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/backonside/

Twitter

https://twitter.com/backonside/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/backonside/

For more information on the Kris Doolan Football Academy, please go to their website www.krisdoolanfootballacademy.co.uk or: Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/krisdoolanfootballacademy

Twitter

https://twitter.com/krisdoolanfootballacademy

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/krisdoolanfootballacademy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

ANGRY AULD BURD Once again the Hippo moles have grabbed a scoop as we catch Anne Budge storming out Hampden after hearing the Jambos appeal was chucked oot….that’s 12 points we’ll need to find from somewhere else this season.

JUST MY LUCK, I DIDN’T HAVE A PINT OF BEER FOR FOUR MONTHS. I TAKE MY PLACE IN THE BEER GARDEN, TAKE A SNAP OF MY PINT AND GARY HARKINS DECIDES TO PHOTO BOMB!!

GROWING THE KILLIE FAMILY If you have bought the fanzine over the last couple of years you may know that we did a wee initiative in each summer whereby kind hearted Killie fans bought a family season ticket and we found some worthy recipients who for whatever reason would not have been able to attend RP this season. It started with one exiled Hippo subscriber and snowballed so that we were able to give away 10 tickets meaning an extra 40 fans at home games this season.

I should point out that the Killie Trust joined us with the initiative and I’ll be chatting to chairman Jim Thompson soon to discuss what we are doing this time around. I need to stress this is not a competition, we ask for people/families to be nominated who due to financial, personal or whatever reason cannot attend. Whenever we do a wee campaign we like to give it a name so from hereon it is called “Growing the Killie Family”.

It will be slightly different this year as we are asking fans to buy a ticket for someone you know who isn’t able to get one this time around. We are very much aware that many folk simply cannot afford a season ticket during these horrendous times. Please don’t indulge in any judgment of fellow fans or start making any “uber fan” type comments. This is a simple idea for us to all work together and help each other wherever possible.

If you are wanting to donate a ticket but do not have someone to buy for then we will facilitate this and find a fan who will be very grateful. We already have someone pledging around £500 to go towards tickets and we will help you wherever we can. Contact us at killiehippo@aol.com or message me on Facebook or Twitter if that is an option.

It goes without saying that the fanzine has already bought a ticket for a worthy recipient and we hope that fans who are in a position to do so will do the same. I’m sure you’ll agree we can all play a wee part in helping during these very difficult times to support the club and to get as many a ticket as possible.

The manager will tell you that increasing the home crowd has a really positive effect on the players (once we are allowed in) so this is where we can help…..though not while we are just watching on telly!!. Please ensure you pass the details on to all your friends and family as we are trying to get as many folk sorted as possible.

I’m not setting any definite targets but I’ve no doubt that we will be able to beat last season’s number. When sending the e-mail please put on all your contact details although some folk want to remain anonymous. Also let us know if you want to purchase a family ticket, concession etc. I should also stress that the recipients will be kept anonymous at all times although I will tell each donor who is benefitting from their generosity. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

WELCOME One big benefit of doing an online fanzine is that I’m not restricted to 32 or 36 pages, I can basically do as many as I want. That may sound like the singularly least important thing on the planet but to a stressed out fanzine editor it’s like the greatest thing since the invention of the Nan Bread kebab.

In simple terms if we get a big load of articles one month then we will stick them all in rather than stick them away and hope they are still relevant in a month’s time. We will probably aim for around 34-36 pages each issue so please keep emailing (killiehippo@aol.com) with all your thoughts on anything Killie related or Scottish football in general.

We do have a couple of extra sponsors on board, something we wouldn’t have done with the hard copy fanzine. The support from all our sponsors allows us to get more money to the club and we make no apologies for harping on about this. This is a hugely important time for all clubs and if you are in a position to have some disposable income then head to RP and help where you can. It’s looking like we won’t be getting into games any time soon so with no income via cash punters the club will welcome every penny the fans can spare.

Killie in Lockdown - Taking Stock and Looking Forward... (writes Claire M) I hope this finds Killie fans all over the world safe and well. There is no doubt that these last few months have been some of the most bizarre, uncertain and downright surreal times that we will ever experience. It feels like living in a movie and I frequently find myself questioning if this is real and if I’m dreaming! I’ve followed the mighty Killie since the age of 5 and never in all my time did I think it would take a global pandemic to stop Scottish football in its tracks.

It’s hard to believe it’s been almost 5 months since our last pre-lockdown match at Hamilton. That game didn’t end well with Findlay giving away that last minute penalty which resulted in us leaving empty handed, but it goes without saying that this pandemic has made me long for a wet and windy Saturday afternoon at Accies, standing in the huge queue in the pouring rain for a pie...Covid-19 really has made us appreciate the beautiful game and how much we all miss it. Since the English Premier League has re-started, I’ve caught the odd match on TV and I must say I’m pretty impressed by the realistic false crowd noise.

It’s good to have football in some form back on the telly but it just isn’t the same as watching Killie in the flesh. I miss the small things – pulling on my strip, the walk to the ground, the smell of the famous Killie pie, the anticipation as you climb up the steps, catching up with the folk around you who you’ve sat with from the very beginning, and Gav’s belt of “WE ARE KILLIE!!” I even miss shouting at the refs and creating singing car pool ‘Killie-Oake’ videos with my Dad on the way back from away game victories (yes we are those singing nutters you’ve seen on Twitter belting out Don’t Stop Believin!)

I’m writing this article one year on since our match in Rhyl last July and it’s hard to imagine just how much has changed in the past year. I don’t want to dwell on the past but one year ago we’d just finished the season on cloud nine and really thought we’d be on our way to Serbia to commence our long awaited return to Europe, until that fateful night at Rugby Park against that wee Welsh team who must not be named. I still have not got over the shock of that night under our short-lived Italian manager and I know many other Killie fans feel the same – the sense of stunned silence and disbelief around the Theatre of Pies that night will never leave me.

This epic loss resulted in around 500 of us who had already booked Belgrade in sheer optimism to go anyway for the sun and city break, despite our team not being there. We made the best of a bad situation and had a great time seeing the sights and sampling the local cuisine, with some of the thickest skinned troops even venturing to Partisan’s ground to see the match itself, watching on from our very own section designated for Killie fans (never in my life have I seen a football ground cordon off an area for fans of a club who aren’t even there to play!)

Who would have thought that one year on the whole world would be in the midst of a global pandemic, resulting in the entire realm of Scottish football grinding to a total halt with the prospect of fans in stadiums being a complete unknown.

Despite lockdown, Killie fans all over the world have done a wonderful job of staying connected and sharing our love of Killie at times we need it most.

A huge shout out has to be given to the Trust who’ve worked tirelessly with the club throughout lockdown to give us supporters many events and initiatives to engage with via social media and we are so lucky to be in this day and age where we have the technology to do this – can you imagine if lockdown had happened in the 90s?! The ‘Killie Kit Day’ on 24th April to mark the 55th anniversary of our famous League win in 1965 was a particular highlight for me and it was just amazing to see all those photos trending of Killie fans everywhere donning their favourite strips.

There was the ‘Killie Kit Design Competition’ for our younger fans which resulted in lots of brilliant entries and the full online weekend on 24th May to mark the 23rd anniversary of our 1997 Scottish Cup win. This started with the ‘Big Killie Kwiz’ on the Friday night and progressing to the first Killie Histories podcast with Monty and culminating in the ‘Lift the Cup’ event on the Sunday, complete with numerous special photos and video messages from the 1997 cup heroes themselves.

Killie fans have outdone themselves throughout lockdown by contributing every month to the ‘Trust in Killie’ campaign which has raised almost £80,000 and counting which has gone straight to the club to help them through these uncertain times without any match day income. All of this would not be possible without the valiant work of the Trust and the backing of the fans and it goes to show just what can be achieved when club, fans and community work together.

It has been so pleasing to see more and more Killie fans joining the Trust and subscribing to ‘Trust in Killie’ with every passing week of lockdown – the mantra of ‘Together We Are Stronger’ really does ring true here as the more fans that join up, the more we can do to support the club so please get involved if you can. Trust membership is only £10 per year and gives you a say on how Trust in Killie money is spent as well as future projects and initiatives, so ultimately giving you a voice in the running of our great club.

At the time of writing we have made 3 summer signings in Aaron McGowan, Mitch Pinnock and Zeno Rossi with several more hopefully in the pipeline. We are all hoping that the upcoming conclusion of the English leagues will mean that we will see a return of Dan Bachmann between the sticks – I’m keeping everything crossed for a Batman encore! Big Larry had some great saves last season but he was pretty inconsistent and often preferred to spectate free kicks instead of commanding his box - I lost count of the amount of times I screamed “MOVE!” So a decent goalie is very much needed this year!

Whilst we have lost a few key players in Hamalainen, Del Fabro and O’Donnell (still waiting to hear about your apparent ‘big offer’ SOD), the nucleus of the squad remains and I was absolutely delighted to see Burkie signing on for another year. The guy is just unreal and is a complete credit to himself and the club both on and off the park – he is a real inspiration and role model to every young player in the game. It’ll be interesting to see how he links up with Mitch as going by some of the clips of him, he has some pace!

We also can’t forget wee Rory committing his future to the club by signing a new 2 year deal. He sure does get some amount of stick (some of the moaners around me in the East Stand shout him some awful one liners, the classic one of “you dae something” taking the biscuit), but no-one can question his dedication and loyalty to his local club. Not many players are on track to be awarded a testimonial at the grand old age of 28 – take a bow Rory!

I know many fans were hoping for a fresh start in terms of management for the new season i.e. someone with a proven track record and experience coming in to allow Alex Dyer the chance to step back into his assistant role in which he has excelled. I have to admit that pre-lockdown I too, was hoping for a new manager to come in and steady the ship. However given everything that has been going on and with the sheer uncertainty that comes with a global pandemic, I am happy that Alex has been given the reins.

It will give him the chance to shape his squad and backroom team and gives the club a sense of consistency and reliability in a time that we need it most.

There’s no doubt that last season was a bit of a roller coaster which we couldn’t seem to tame but I believe that Alex deserves his chance to prove himself and the opportunity to put his stamp on the team.

Our first game of the new season at Easter Road is now only 2 weeks away and despite opening day looking drastically different this year compared to anything we’ve ever known, we’ll be there cheering the lads on from a distance in a virtual sense. As I write this we have just beaten Motherwell 32 at Fir Park in a pre-season friendly which is very encouraging for the season ahead and gives the lads some vital minutes under their belts. The match featured several trialists including a goal from JJ Hooper so it’ll be interesting to see who we end up signing in the next week or so.

We have also just broken through the 2000 season ticket milestone for the new season and this will hopefully continue to increase in the run up to opening day. I know everyone’s financial circumstances are different with job losses and furlough being all too prominent right now but please back the lads and buy a season pass if you can. Season ticket income is absolutely vital for provincial clubs like ours and means we can invest in the squad which ultimately results in an improved product on the park.

It has been just lovely to see several fans and local businesses donating season tickets for those less fortunate who otherwise might not be able to make it to Rugby Park and if you are in a position to do the same then please get in touch with Sandy Armour from the Hippo or drop the Trust guys an email at thekillietrust@gmail.com. I have been in the fortunate position to have been working throughout the pandemic and I intend to donate a family season pass in the next week to enable a family to enjoy watching and supporting the finest team in Ayrshire!

Who knows what this season will bring – it will be something we have never experienced before and as always with following Killie it will no doubt be full of ups and downs but that’s part of the joy of supporting your local team.

So much doubt remains about when fans will be able to get back into Rugby Park and I’m keeping everything crossed that the speculation about October being a possible starting point for fan access is true. It will take some working out in terms of logistics about how fans will enter/exit the ground, socially distance, access toilets, the prospect of a second wave etc but I’m sure a robust plan will be put in place to enable us to back our boys in blue and white in person once more.

The Trust are in the midst of funding various stadium hygiene measures such as sanitising stations for when we return so it’s good that the wheels are already in motion. So whatever happens this season, please stay safe, keep well and back the lads through thick and thin.

And never forget the two most important mantras of all – “TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER” and “YOU’LL NEVER TAKE THE KILLIE!”

CLUB UPDATE FROM CATHY If you are a Trust in Killie subscriber you will recognise this regular update from Cathy. I’m sure Cathy will be fine with us putting it out there for all to see…..failing that if you are a top notch solicitor please get in touch as I’ll need help for the court case!!!

Dear 'Trust In Killie' subscriber, As we are gradually seeing lockdown easing, I hope that you are all able to be meeting with your family and friends once again.

It will be a strange feeling for the Killie family as we approach the new season without being in the stadium to cheer the team on. But your virtual support makes a big difference to the players so hopefully we can encourage them via social media...until we can be back together in Rugby Park.

Return to football

After a frustrating few weeks, when it felt like football was a long way off, it has been good to see players back in the stadium and a return to contact training. Adjustments have been made around the stadium to ensure safety as far as possible for players and staff, and to facilitate the Covid testing that is required. Good news on that front is that the testing requirements will reduce from twice-weekly to once-weekly.

Staff have been utilising the 1869 suite, Legends Lounge and Media Centre as temporary office bases, to ensure social distancing can be put in place.

Calls have continued on a regular basis with the Football Authorities to plan for the start of the new season, and now that the fixtures have been published it feels like the actual return to matches is underway, albeit these will be behind closed doors to begin with.

At this stage we do not know how long the closed doors arrangements will continue but - on the basis of comments from the Scottish Government’s National Clinical Director - it looks unlikely that there will be any change before October. Nonetheless, we are already looking at how limited numbers of fans could be accommodated if and when we are allowed to, taking account what the current two-metre social distancing measures would allow, and also if this was reduced to one metre.

Additional hygiene measures would also be required, including hand sanitisers and waste disposal bins, and the Club is grateful to the Trust for constructive discussions on funding these. Directors are also grateful to for the continued ‘Trust In Killie’ monthly donation of £7,000, in addition to project funding, and once again Billy Bowie and Phyllis McLeish have asked me to thank everyone who has contributed.

SPFL

There is little to add to my report from last month on restructuring, other than to say that we continued to maintain our position that it should not be done for expediency and that the proper way to proceed on any restructuring is to look at a range options, using expertise external to SPFL, and to have meaningful dialogue with supporters. As fans will know, the Court action initiated by Hearts and Partick Thistle has resulted in the matter being put back to the SFA Tribunal process for arbitration, and we await the outcome of those deliberations.

A further proposal has been brought forward by SPFL which would give the SPFL Board additional powers to take action if required as a consequence of further implications of Covid-19 affecting the season ahead, without reference back to Clubs. Our view is that on matters such as this, it is right that all Clubs can have a say and participate in decisions and therefore we do not support the proposal.

Finance and Commercial

The last few weeks have seen Directors complete the review of costs across the Club, and set budgets based on what income is likely to be in the season ahead. In order to best protect the football and player budget, we have taken some difficult decision to reduce costs in some areas. This has included reorganising the way that the Club’s Finance function is set up. In future this will be undertaken by our Accountants Wm Duncan & Co, rather than in-house. This has sadly led to several posts being made redundant.

The Commercial Department, including Hospitality, has also been reviewed and again, we have had to take some tough decisions to make a small number of posts redundant and have others on reduced working hours as, without events, hospitality and fans in the stadium, and no sign of those being imminent, there is not work for people to do.

These decisions were not taken lightly, and we thank the staff for their cooperation during the consultation process and for the service they have given the Club.

For fans who sponsored players last season, it hasn’t been possible to organise the usual lunch and handover of strips. However, arrangements will be made to get the strips to you and information on sponsoring players for this season will shortly be communicated now that staff are returning from furlough.

Retail

A significant amount of work was required in preparation for the reopening of Club shop.

New stock control and till systems have been installed and a new website with an online ordering facility was created. With social distancing requirements still in place, the initial retailing operation will be online only, with fans able to have items posted out.

Unfortunately, there was a technical problem when the site went live on 8th July. For the first hour there was a glitch on the payment system which it appears the developers (MTC) had failed to spot. This resulted in a number of fans being over charged at the checkout. The problem was quickly identified and resolved with the assistance of MTC, and no funds were taken from the accounts of anyone affected The Head of Marketing and Commercial Operations has spoken to a number of those affected and an apology was issued by email. A number of fans have also complained in very straightforward terms, about the look of the site and the range of merchandise on offer. That feedback has been given to the Commercial team. There will be some changes made to the site and I have asked that we look at how we can better engage with fans on the type of merchandise they would like to see in the shop. Phyllis McLeish has agreed to this, and I hope that Trust members will feel able to become involved in that, in order that a range of products can be made available.

It is still planned that the shop will be open for fans to visit in person from 22nd July. Further information on how fans can preorder the Home and Away kits will be released by the Club, with anticipated delivery at end of July. On the positive side, the first day of sales saw the KFC-branded face coverings be a popular item. A percentage of the proceeds of face covering sales will go to the Club’s Partner Charity, Crosshouse Children’s Fund.

Season Passes and Club shares

As I reported last month, we offered refunds to fans on the unused portion of their last season ticket.

We recognise that many fans are in difficult times financially, and are therefore extremely grateful to the fans who felt able to forego the refund. In the end, fewer than 5% of season ticket holders sought a refund, which has been a huge help to Club finances.

Season ticket sales form a significant part of any Club’s budget, particularly for the playing side. In creating the Season Pass for 2020/21, we wanted to balance the need to bring in revenue with a fair deal for supporters. While we were not able to offer an “Early Bird” rate this time, we did freeze adult ticket prices at the rate of last season full price ticket, as well as continuing concessions and the family ticket for the Moffat Stand.

We have also given a commitment on the number of matches that fans will physically get for the Season Pass. We are aware that some fans are disappointed that we did not this time offer free children’s tickets. This decision was taken on basis that for streaming of matches, we would be charged per season pass, including children.

At time of writing, 1750 season passes have been purchased. (Update – now over 2000 – Ed) The offer of shares made to season ticket holders has now amounted to approximately £40,000 in income. I would like to thank fans for their patience whilst share certificates were issued.

Football Department

Following on from my report last month, Alex Dyer has been formally confirmed as Manager, with Andy Millen as Assistant and Billy Thomson as Goalkeeping Coach. Massimo Donati and Marco Garofalo have left the Club, as has Alex McQueen, who was Head of Medical, and we wish them well in their next ventures.

In addition to the players who have re-signed, Aaron McGowan and Mitch Pinnock have been added to the squad, and several players have come in for trials. This has not been as easy to facilitate as normally, given initially the lack of contact training, but discussions are at an advanced stage in relation to potential signings. As fans will appreciate, some players who may be under consideration are playing elsewhere as their leagues have not been completed. Young players Ally Taylor, Kyle Connell and Tomas Brindley have been training with the first team squad.

Pre-season has taken a different shape this time, as the usual training camp abroad and sessions at Largs have not been possible due to the limitations of Covid-19. However, the squad will have intensive sessions at Rugby Park in preparation for the opening matches of the season. A number of behind closed doors friendly matches are under discussion, and the go ahead has been given this morning from SFA and Scottish Government for final arrangements to be made.

I had hoped that I would be able to report more on the shape of Academy Football and when that might restart. Unfortunately, there is no further information at this stage but I will keep members updated when I can.

Media and Communications

A key focus for the Head of Media has been on the arrangements for broadcasting our home matches. A number of discussions are still ongoing, including in relation to how fans will access Pay Per View for away matches.

We await details of the Terms and Conditions covering Pay Per View coming from SPFL. Further information will be communicated as soon as we can, along with detailed information on the streaming of home matches for those with Season Passes.

Some misinformation circulating on social media suggested that Season Passes would not cover our first home match against Celtic, which will be on Sky TV. To clarify, Sky matches will absolutely be part of the offering for Season Pass holders and those with international Killie TV subscriptions.

The Media Assistant has now returned from furlough, and work has continued on Podcasts, content for Killie Nation, and supporting the Manager and players with media work.

One thing which will make the Media team’s work slightly easier is the new video camera which the Trust purchased, giving additional capacity to cover all aspects of the Club.

Head of Media, Scott McClymont, has asked me to convey this message of thanks to Trust members: “ The funding from the Killie Trust is hugely appreciated and really strengthens the partnership which we’ve built up over the past few years with the Club and our joint effort on Killie Kit Day (April 24) was a definite lockdown highlight.

During pre-season we’ll aim to keep the supporters connected to the team through our regular Killie Nation Digital show as well as our short and longform video features before the real action starts next month on Killie TV.”

Kilmarnock Community Sports Trust

The Club was successful in applying for the funds made available through James Anderson’s newly established charitable trust, designed to assist clubs deal with the impact of Covid and benefit their communities.

We took the decision to transfer the £50,000 to KCST to use in community work. Final details are being developed, but the focus will be on working with children and young people in our local communities.

Thanks also to Trust members who donated to my #Walkdownthelockdown virtual Kiltwalk to benefit KCST.

‘On Board In Person’

I am delighted that Alex Dyer has agreed to participate in a virtual ‘On Board in Person’ event later this month. We are in the process of finalising a date and more details will be issued by the Trust on how questions can be submitted.

In the meantime, if you have any questions please send them in and I will do my best to answer!

I can be contacted in the usual ways: Email: cathyjamieson@kilmarnockfc.co.uk Facebook: Cathy Jamieson Twitter: @cathyjamieson

YOUR CLUB NEEDS YOU We had this in the last issue but will leave it here as it’s hugely important that whenever possible we help the club during these hard times. I know the season ticket numbers have been constantly nudging up and we’ll try and get a final figure for you in the next issue.

We fully understand that many Killie fans have been badly affected and are unable to help, we sincerely hope your luck changes in the months ahead. If you are in the fortunate position of still having some disposable income then why not buy a season ticket for a less fortunate pal. We are happy to help facilitate and we have just received a £500 donation to fo towards a family ticket.

Here is a wee list of what else both us and you can do to help: 1. Every month we will do a wee competition to win a Killie (home or away) top. In reality we will just give you a £50 Killie Shop voucher to buy the top but the main thing is the club benefits.

2. As stated elsewhere we will buy a season ticket for another Killie fan….just done it!!

3. We are doubling our monthly Trust in Killie contribution and would ask all Killie fans who can afford it to sign up to this fantastic initiative….EVERY PENNY GOES TO THE CLUB. 4. We will be looking at doing a big Xmas competition…..if any business would like to sponsor this please get in touch killiehippo@aol.com 5. I’ll be buying three Killie tops (only one for me) and again where possible we’d ask you to do the same. I like both tops this year but in particular the away one is a belter.

WIN THE NEW KILLIE TOP!

During these tough times we were humbled by the support we received from all our sponsors…..once again we would urge all Killie fans to use the businesses who advertise in the Hippo.

We are delighted to say that thanks to their amazing generosity we will be running a competition in each issue for you to win a brand new Killie top (home or away.

To have a chance of winning simply answer this question, the answer will be within this issue: WHO WON OUR “DICK OF THE DAY” AWARD? Email answer to killiehippo@aol.com no later than 31 August, winner will be announced in the next issue.

IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT PLEASE MAKE A DONATION AND ALL MONIES WILL GO TO TRUST IN KILLIE. THE NORMAL COST IS £2 BUT FEEL FREE TO DONATE WHATEVER YOU CAN. BANK DETAILS ARE: SORT CODE – 074456 ACCOUNT - 46480868