Killie unveil their new 2001-02 "tops" (above), and their new sponsor McLelland cheese's "Seriously Strong" cheese brand. Killie draw Glenavon in the UEFA Cup. Rugby Park as a possible Euro 2008 venue is knocked back.  Bosman signing Michel Ngonge scores on his debut as Killie twice take the lead at Easter Rd in a 2-2 draw at Hibs.

Aug  2001

Glenavon Gets Invaded

Killie then give the champions a spirited game at home and lose 0-1 to Celtic at home.

UEFA Cup action was next as 1,800 of the Killie faithful headed over to Lurgan to see an 93rd min Chris Innes goal save Killie's blushes against Glenavon. Then a 10 men (Ngonge off)  Killie fell to an last min equaliser at Motherwell in a 2-2 draw. 
Killie have now only taken 2 points from their 1st 3 SPL matches and are 2nd bottom ! 

Killie then finish up Aug with 3 wins on the trot ; St Johnstone (H) 2-1, Glenavon (H) 1-0, & Dundee Utd (A), with Paul di Giacomo netting the opener in both of the SPL wins!

Sept  2001

Dargo Celebrates His Viking Goal

Sept saw a real mixed bag ; an away loss to the Dons, followed by a home win over Hearts thanks to Craig Dargo who also nets in a 1-1 draw with Viking FK of Norway in the next round of the UEFA Cup. Two poor performances see Killie lose at home to Dundee who had one shot on goal in the match, & then worse a 0-2 loss in Norway. Killie do bounce back with a fine 2-0 win at Dunfermline with Dargo (again) & McLaren getting the goals.

Oct  2001

Kevin McGowne At Parkhead

(No it's NOT Belfast Killie)

Oct starts a horrid time for Killie as they score only one free-kick goal (Calderon @ Ibrox) in 6 matches, and lose all four matches on the trot ; A*r (A) in the CIS Cup (on pen's), Rangers (A) 1-3, Livingston (H) 1-5 (in a personal nightmare for Sean Hessey) & 91st min goal by Celtic to lose 0-1 at Parkhead. Oct 25th killiefc.com "host" club's first ever live fans "chat" with CEO David Heath & manager Bobby Williamson "on-line" with the fans !

Nov  2001

Jerome Against the Saints

Things don't get better  as we lose twice in 3 weeks to bottom of the table St Johnstone 0-1 on both occasions. Also in Nov we took a point off of Hibs 1-1, and beat Motherwell 2-0 both at home. Some fans are now asking for Bobby's head !

Dec  2001

Freddie Celebrates Vs the Dons

Killie finished 2001 with their best form of the year winning 4 of 6 matches, while only losing once at Hearts 0-2. They picked up home wins over Dundee Utd 2-0 & Aberdeen 3-1, and avenged 2 earlier home losses with away wins at Dundee 2-1 & Livingston 1-0.
In Dec Bobby Williamson decided to "blood" teenager Stevie Murray, and his sparkling play on he left wing earned him SPL "Young Player of the Month" honours for Dec (see pic right).
Killie finish the year in 5th position. Jerome Varielle is again dropped after 4 outings in 18 months.

Killie then sign "free-agent" Tommy Johnson through the end of the season.

 

Jan  2002

TJ & Co Celebrate their Point Vs Rangers

Killie open the New year with their first match of the year being postponed Vs Rangers. The game is made up at the end of the month and Killie take their only point of the year off of the Old Firm with a spirited performance, coming back from 2-0 down (with 8 min's remaining), to effectively kill any remaining Rangers title aspirations. Boyd (sub) & TJ from the spot in the final min did the damage! Also in Jan a fine 3-0 Cup win over Airdrie is recorded, along with two 0-2 losses to Celtic at home in Sat PM SKY matches, one in the SPL (where Killie outplayed Celtic for long periods), and the second in the Scottish cup. Our other two Jan results were Hibs (A) where we picked up a last min equalizer from a McGowne header, and a very disapointing loss at Motherwell 0-2 in a drab mid-week match. Paul di Giacomo was lost for the season in the Hibs match with knee damage. David Merdy is released from his contract. Boyd, Hessey, Fowler & Murray all get new/extended contracts.

Feb  2002

Williamson Departs

Killie get 2 fine away results to open Feb at Dundee Utd 2-0 & Aberdeen 1-1, before the vital Hearts home clash. This match, as we look back became manager Bobby Williamson's last match in charge of Killie! Leading 3-1 with only 6 min's remaining Hearts pull 2 back to leave Rugby park with a share of the points, and this result come the SPL "split" ended up meaning Killie would not make the "top 6" . Chris Innes said it all .... "We blew it !!" Jerome Veraille is released so he can join Airdrie, where Mark "Mavis" Reilly is already on loan.

On Feb 22nd Frank Sauzee is fired as Hibs manager after only 69 days in charge, and within 24 hours have approached Williamson (with Sir John Orr's blessing) to become the next manager. Williamson resigns to take the Hibs post, and Jim Clark & Gerry McCabe also leave for Hibs also.  Do you remember Bobby Williamson HERE ?

Jefferies Arrives

Killie then within 4 days appoint Jim Jefferies to replace Bobby Williamson. Tommy Burns was rumoured to have been a potential candidate, but turned out to be a non-starter as he was not interested in interviewing with Killie. Baz is interviewed on BBC Scotland's "Off the Ball"..... and states ...."the Killie fans WILL get behind who ever our board appoints as manager" Also in Feb Christophe Cocard is "free'ed" from his contract. Billy Brown is also named to become Jefferies No2, and Ian Durrant is also welcomed as a Killie coach.

Mar  2002

Dargo & Bully Celebrate Vs Livingston

A new era dawns with Jim Jefferies taking the reigns at Killie, and in his first match he pulls off a real "coup", in bringing on Andy Mclaren as a sub against Dundee, and he goes on to score two 2nd half sub goals, as Killie get a last gasp 3-2 home win! This would be Killie's last win prior to the "split" and their challenge fades as we only took 1 out of a possible 9 points, a loss a Dunfermline 0-2, a home draw 1-1 to Livingston , and 0-5 thrashing at Ibrox. Killie finish the "regular" season tied with Hearts for 6th, but Hearts pip us on goal differential, so it's 7th place at best now for Killie!

Apr  2002

Bobby Returns in April

The SPL "split sees Killie playing in the "bottom 6", and get wins over Hibernian (H) 1-0, & St Johstone (A) 3-0, and suffer losses to Dundee (A) 0-2, & a spirited (just into liquidation) Motherwell side at home 1-4. Greg Shields is brought in on loan till the end of the season from Charlton Ath. The Hibs match was clearly the most noteworthy of all the post "split" games as former manager Bobby Williamson returned to Rugby Park, and received a warm welcome from the greater majority of the Killie faithful. he left with more than a little "egg on his face" as his former signing Michel Ngonge, scored the games only goal for Killie. Alan Mahood  (pictured left with Allan) is the killiefc.com 'Player of the Year", and attends the "Day Oot" function at the Howard Arms in Kilmarnock. Mikel Pizzo is "free'ed" so he can return to France.

May  2002

Durrant Bows Out

Mark "Mavis" Reilly quits Killie after his loan expires with Airdrie. Kevin Collins decides to vacate his Club Sec post. After the SPL break for the Scottish Cup Final, Killie finish up their season with a 2-2 draw to Dundee Utd at home. Ian Durrant makes a cameo last 5 min appearance as he retires as a player ! He will continue as part of the Killie coaching staff. Ian is seen above wearing the new 2002-03 season "top", with Ally McCoist & Sir John Orr (right). Barry McLaughlin is signed from St Mirren to a 2 year contract. Out of contract players Ngonge & Baker are informed they are free to find new clubs. Killie are reported to be keen on signing up Greg Shields & Tommy Johnson, but will have to wait and see how the SPL TV discussions get on, before spending money the club does not have. Jim McSherry leaves the club. Killie finish 7th in the SPL with 49 points from 38 games.

2001 - 2002	Pld	W	D	L	For	Agst	Pts
Pre Split	33	11	9	13	37	46	42
Post Split	5	2	1	2	7	8	7
Season Totals	38	13	10	15	44	54	49

2001-02: Final LeagueTable - Match Results -  Goal Videos

Season Diary :    2005-06  2004-05  2003-04 2002-03 2000-01 1999-00 1998-99

Killie History : 1869-1949 1950-59 1960-69 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99