Take a look back from Willie Waddell in the 50"s, who brought the Scottish League title to Rugby Park... to ... Bobby Williamson, who led Killie back into Europe, and a Scottish Cup win...... And of course our present manager ...Jim Jefferies..

Hugh Spence Promoted to team manager in the early 1920's from club secretary. A selection committee had previously picked the team in those days. Hugh previously had been an assistant manager with Glasgow Rangers. He led Killie to the 1928-29 Scottish Cup. Was fired in Dec 1937 after a string of bad results.

Jimmy McGrory 1937-40 A former Celtic great who scored 410 goals in 408 appearances. Jimmy was Killie's manager from 1937-1940 (World War II shutdown). Led Killie to the 1937-38 Scottish Cup Final. Went on to manage Celtic from 1945-65. Jimmy passed away in 1982.

Tommy Smith 1945-47  Managed Killie from 1945-47, and resigned due to ill-health, and the pressure of building a team from scratch after WW II.

Tom Mather 1947-48 Previously secretary with Bolton Wanderers & manager of both  Newcastle & Leicester, prior to managing Killie from 1947-48. Made little impact with Killie. Tom's claim to fame was introducing Stanley Matthews, with his first club Stoke City.

Alex Hastings 1948-50  A former Scottish international that had won the English League while with Sunderland as a player. Alex became the 3rd straight "dud" and lasted only 2 years between 1948-50.

Malky McDonald 1950-57  The only manager to have been the manager twice. Appointed in May 1950, led Killie to the Scottish League Cup Final as a Division "B" team. in 1953 Led Killie to promotion at the end of the 1953-54 season. Then led Killie to the 1957 Scottish Cup Final, where favoured Killie lost to Falkirk (after a replay). Left after the Cup Final to accept the managers position with Brentford, where Malky had no success.
Do You Remember Malky McDonald Here

Willie Waddell 1957-65  Willie was appointed manager in July, 1957. He was one of the greatest wingers of all time, playing for Rangers and Scotland, and he led Killie to their greatest-ever triumph, the 1964-65 League Championship.

It was Waddell who introduced full-time football to Rugby Park, and the 60s were great years for the club, as the famous blue and white stripes were known throughout Europe and the USA.The championship victory in 1965 was all the sweeter as the club had been runners-up four times in the league, twice in the League Cup and once in the Scottish Cup final.

Willie Waddell had a strong personality and announced he was leaving the club at the end of the season in October, 1964 after a 5-2 victory over Celtic at Rugby Park, to pursue a career in journalism. He returned to football as manager of Rangers in 1969 and later became a director of the Ibrox club.

Malky McDonald 1965-68  Took over for a second time, from Waddell in 1965 and was boss until March 1968 leaving the Board of Directors to appoint trainer Walter McCrae as the new manager.  Led the club to the European Fairs Cities Cup Semi Finals in 1968 (Vs Leeds Utd).

Do You Remember Malky McDonald Here

Walter McRae 1968-73  Walter joined Killie as trainer in 1956 and was also the Scottish International team trainer for many years. Walter's training duties were filled by Hugh Allen (pictured left) who still helps in this role as of season 2001-02.A strict disciplinarian he formed a fine partnership with Willie Waddell and Killie were always reckoned to be the fittest side in Scotland. Walter was unfortunate during his time as manager, the club due to financial pressures decided to go from full time to part time. Walter left the club in 1973 and returned in 1980 as Secretary, before retiring in November 1991. Walter was awarded an OBE in 1992. Walter passed away in Sept 2006, aged 77 years old.

Do You Remember Walter McRae Here

Willie Fernie 1973-77 Replaced Walter McRae as manager. Willie who had enjoyed a fine career as a player at Celtic, St Mirren and Middlesboro and also played twelve times for Scotland. Willie was coaching at Celtic at the time of his appointment, and he was a great advocate of open attacking football just like he played himself. During the promotion winning season of 1973-74 Fernie's Killie scored 96 goals. Fernie was known as one of the finest dribblers ever, sadly this is an art we seldom see in the modern game. Willie was first manager to take the club into the Premier League but the attacking gun' ho style of play did not work and the side were on the receiving end of many defeats. Willie was manager at Killie four years leaving in October 1977, Willie turned his back on football and for many years worked as a taxi driver in Glasgow. Willie Fernie was replaced as Killie boss by Davie Sneddon who had been his assistant for four years.

Davie Sneddon 1977-81 Davie had been a great player with the club, scoring with a header on that great day at Tynecastle when the league title was brought to Rugby Park in 1965.  (Here)

A quiet, unassuming type of manager, Davie took the club back to the Premier League, and one of his greatest triumphs was winning, against all odds, the Tennent's Caledonian Cup pre-season tournament at Ibrox, fighting back from two goals down with minutes left and eventually winning on penalties. Davie left the club in January 1981, and was later manager of Stranraer for a good number of years, before returning to Rugby Park where he now works on match days in the club's hospitality suite.

Do You Remember Davie Sneddon Here

Jim Clunie 1981-84 Former Aberdeen and St Mirren centre-half Jim Clunie was appointed his successor in 1981. He had previously been coach at Southampton, and a very successful manager at Love Street. Jim was on of the first Killie managers to have a no 2, working with him. Davie Wilson (left). Jim was unable to halt the slide, and the team was relegated only for him to lead them back to the Premier League the following season with players like Brian Gallagher, John Bourke and Alistair McLeod among the leading goalscorers. The next season proved a bad one for Killie, and back in Division One in September 1984, Jim Clunie left the club to work in the local fire station where he was for many years before retiring in 1998.  Jim sadly passed away in May of 2003.

Eddie Morrison 1984-88 Appointed Killie Manager in October 1984 to replace Jim Clunie. Eddie Morrison was a braveheart as a player - the kind of guy you always wanted in your team and the old but true saying "Playing for the Jersey" certainly applied to him. As a Manager he felt passionately about the Club. He just failed to gain promotion and then just escaped relegation on the last day of the following season. Eddie rated defeat at Inverness as a real low point in his life. He left Killie with a sad heart in November 1988 and later became Assistant Manager at Morton. Eddie Morrison was and will always be one of the great Killie Legends.

Do You Remember Eddie Morrison Here

Jim Fleeting 1988-92 Kilmarnock Football Club was at a every low ebb with gates as low as 1,800 when new boss, Jim Fleeting, was appointed. Jim had been a player with Norwich City, Ayr, Morton, Clyde, a brief spell in the States with Tampa Bay Rowdies and, of course, Knockentiber. He came to Rugby Park after serving a short apprenticeship in management with Stirling Albion which proved to be very successful. Fleets swept into Rugby Park with great enthusiasm and although the Club were fighting relegation early on in the season, it was a bitter blow to lose out on the last day of the season. How many of you can remember winning 6-0 at Queen of the South in the last game of the season and sill going down? The team bounced back the following season with that never to be forgotten last game of the season when Davie MacKinnon's penalty against Cowdenbeath took Killie back to Division One. The Club never looked back from that day. Full time football was back and the inspired signings of Tommy Burns, who played magnificently for the cause, and a centre forward - one Robert Williamson from Rotherham who exhibited the same commitment as Eddie Mo', were to prove a major part in the revival of Kilmarnock Football Club. Killie did not gain promotion to the Premier League! Jim Fleeting left the Club in April 1992 to be replaced by Tommy Burns and another great chapter in Killie Managers began.

Tommy Burns 1992-94 Tommy was appointed manager in April 1992 by Jim Fleeting who pulled a masterstroke by signing him while Killie were still in the Second Division (don't I just love Jim Fleeting?) Tommy proved to be a brilliant signing for the club, playing a major role in our revival. He continued to play and brought former player Billy Stark back to Rugby Park as his assistant. Promotion to the Premier League was achieved in season 1992-93 with a 0-0 draw against Hamilton at Rugby Park before a crowd of almost 13,000.The following season the club retained their Premier status on the last day of the season with another 0-0 result. Tommy Burns  Killie sides were based on hard work, with one Bobby Williamson at times being a one-man forward line. Tommy's contribution to the Killie cause should never be underestimated. He joined the club in the Second Division as a player and left the club as manager of a team in the Premier League. It was very sad that Tommy left the club in the circumstances he did. When he left to join Celtic in the summer of '94, the very experienced Alex Totten took over the reins.
After Burns took the Celtic manager's job in 1994.he went on to only lose once in the 1995-96 league campaign, but still couldn't live with Rangers. Unsuccessful at Reading, Tommy became Scotland's assistant manager, under Berti Vogts, and worked in the Celtic youth set-up.
Thursday May 15th 2008, will sadly be remembered as the day that Tommy lost his battle against skin cancer. To a generation of Killie fans he will be remembered as one of the best players they ever saw don the stripes...RIP TB. Please find David Ross's tribute to "TB" - Here

Do You Remember Tommy Burns Here

Alex Totten  (right) 1994-96 Alex had been manager of St Johnstone, assistant at Rangers, Dumbarton and East Fife. He first met with the Killie squad at the ground of Galway United on a pre-season Irish tour. He made various notable signings  including Paul Wright to add to the existing squad, and during his spell with the club, Rugby Park was transformed into the amazing new stadium you see today. Alex retained Premier League status for Killie during his first season, but was fired  in December 1996 after Killie went to the bottom of the SPL. Alex went on to join Falkirk whom he had managed previously. It was an amazing coincidence that Totten was to lead Falkirk to the 1997 Scottish Cup Final  the very same season, to be met by a Killie side led by Bobby Williamson. Some of the memories of that great day will be the sight of Alex in his kilt leading out his Falkirk players, and how their supporters made it a real family final.

Bobby Williamson 1997-2002 Bobby was appointed boss after a brief spell as caretaker. This was a popular decision with the supporters, and after only a short spell at the helm, the Scottish Cup returned to Rugby Park, European football was back Bobby went on to take Killie into Europe 4 out 5 seasons and a second major Cup Final appearance, the CIS in 2000-01. Kilmarnock also had several Scottish Internationalists during Bobby's reign: Ian Durrant, Ally McCoist, Gary Holt & Andy McLaren. By Feb 2002 Bobby was  the SPL's longest serving manager, and despite having signed a contract extension months earlier, he resigned that month to take the vacated Hibernian job. ..."Everybody has been saying that we have all got a shelf life in the game. Sometimes it is better moving on your own terms and I felt it was time to move on. Maybe the fans were getting fed up of my big fat face. It might be good to have someone new in. "... Bobby Williamson Feb 25th 2002.

Bobby subsequently left Hibs in Apr 2004 for Plymouth. Bobby was then fired after a few weeks of the 05-06 season, by Argyle.

Do you remember Bobby leaving & JJ arriving? - Here

Do you Remember Bobby Williamson Here  

Jim Jefferies 2002-2010 Jim was appointed along with Billy Brown on Feb 28th 2002.  "We've all got the same aim, we're not all on different wave-lengths, we're all sharing the same cause and that's to get Kilmarnock up there challenging, making them a big club."

His first decision was to ask Ian Durrant to join his coaching team. His first match was a 3-2  come from behind win over Dundee, with Jim putting on super-sub Andy McLaren. to score two super goals ! In 2002-03 Jim led Killie to 4th place SPL finish & a record number of points...57.

Dec 2002 SPL Manager of the Month

Jim had previously brought an end to years of trophy-less disappointment at Tynecastle when he shrewdly-assembled Hearts won the 1998 Scottish Cup.
That secured him a job with Premiership Bradford, but he has been most impressive when working within limited budgets. Prior clubs managed Berwick, & Falkirk.
In Aug of 2004 Jim was awarded a 3 year contract extention taking him through 2007, he then rewarded Jim Moffat's faith with a 1-0 win Hibs on the opening day of the 04-05 season. 

In Jan of 2006 both Jim & Billy Brown (left) signed new contracts keeping them in charge, at Rugby Park through 2009. The management team that year (2005-06) guided Killie to a "top 6" SPL finish, and did not lose to a team below them all year in the league!

Jim celebrated his 2,000th day in charge of the Killie on Aug 21st 2007, with Killie tied for 2nd in the SPL after 3 matches of the 07-08 season - More

Jim Jefferies won the Clydesdale Bank Premier League manager of the month for August 2008, after an unbeaten (& un-scored upon) start to the 08-09 season!

Sunday 21 Sep 2008 Update:  Kilmarnock manager Jim Jefferies has agreed a contract extension which ties him to the Rugby Park club until 2012.

Killie Chairman Michael Johnston said of JJ....  "It's been a great start to the season and hopefully this is more good news for the supporters, I'm a great believer in stability. I have never had any doubt about Jim and (assistant) Billy's (Brown) abilities to get the best out of the squad. They have shown that over the years since they came here in 2002. We had a bit of a blip last year but that was principally down to a succession of injuries, keeping out key players at important times. We strengthened the squad and we have had a good start, so everything is back on track."

Monday 11th Jan 2010 Update: Kilmarnock FC released a press statement confirming the termination of both Jim Jefferies & Billy Brown's contracts by mutual consent. This came after a run of 9 SPL matches that saw Killie only win 1 match (including a home loss to bottom of the table Falkirk), and saw Killie slump to 11th position in the SPL. There also was the issue of club capt Kevin Kyle telling the press that he had been approached by Killie Chairman Michael Johnston to discuss team tactics (behind JJ's back) adding fuel to the fire.

Jimmy Calderwood 2010 - Present Jimmy accepted the Killie manager job on Jan 14th 2010, on an iterim basis through the end of the 2009-10 season.

 

The final word of this feature is left to former manager Bobby Williamson, who said: ...."Every manager has played his part in the revival of this club in some way or another. So have the players, directors and, most importantly, the supporters." This is what makes Kilmarnock Football Club so special."