1987–88 Kilmarnock F.C. season

The 1987–88 season was Kilmarnock's 86th in Scottish League Competitions. After a troublesome season exacerbated by their lack of scoring,[2] the club staved off relegation, finishing in 10th place, one point ahead East Fife and Dumbarton who were relegated.[3]

Kilmarnock
1987-88 season
ManagerEddie Morrison
Scottish First Division10th
Scottish Cup3R
Scottish League Cup2R
Top goalscorerLeague: Colin Harkness 15
All: Colin Harkness 16
Highest home attendance3,230 (v Queen of the South, 2 January)
Lowest home attendance1,235 (v Forfar Athletic, 22 August)
Average home league attendance1,846[1] (down 1,000)

By early March 1988, the team had only ten wins and 41 goals in 34 games and were rated as being in "dire straits" in terms of potential relegation to the Second Division. The team's poor performance was blamed on a "lack of punch up front."[2]

With one game remaining in the season, the club faced relegation if they did not win the final game.[4] Kilmarnock keeper Alan McCulloch returned from a suspected broken hand for the final game.[5] Kilmarnock defeated Partick Thistle 1-0 in the final game to avoid relegation.

Manager Eddie Morrison, interviewed by The Kilmarnock Standard, described the season as "probably one of the most disappointing the club has ever experienced" and added, "The team's performances were, to say the least, erratic, frustrating and at times very disappointing."[6]

Players

The 1987–88 squad for Kilmarnock was as follows:[7]

  • Archie Bell
  • Ian Bryson
  • Robert Clark
  • Jim Cockburn
  • Derek Cook
  • Scott Cuthbertson
  • Frazer Davidson
  • Colin Harkness
  • Barry Holland
  • Hugh Houston
  • Lex Lindsay
  • Lenny Lowe
  • Stephen Marshall
  • Paul Martin
  • Graham Millar
  • Bobby McConville
  • Alan McCulloch
  • Jim McGuire
  • Ian McInnes
  • Stuart McLean
  • John McVeigh
  • Joe Reid
  • Alan Robertson

Competitions

Scottish First Division
Main article: 1987–88 Scottish First Division

Tables
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
8 Partick Thistle 44 16 9 19 60 64 −4 41
9 Clyde 44 16 6 22 73 75 −2 38
10 Kilmarnock 44 13 11 20 55 60 −5 37
11 East Fife (R) 44 13 10 21 61 76 −15 36 Relegation to Second Division
12 Dumbarton (R) 44 12 12 20 51 70 −19 36
Source: RSSSF and statto[8]
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(R) Relegated

Results
Match Day Date Opponent H/A Score Kilmarnock Scorer(s) Attendance
1 8 August Hamilton Academical H 0-2 2,178
2 12 August East Fife A 1-2 Reid(24) 657
3 15 August Dumbarton A 3-1 Harkness(46), McInnes(63), Cuthbertson(81) 824
4 22 August Forfar Athletic H 2-2 Harkness(6), Reid(87) 1,235
5 29 August Queen of the South H 0-2 1,836
6 5 September Meadowbank Thistle A 1-2 Cook(45) 698
7 12 September Raith Rovers H 3-4 Cuthbertson(7), Harkness(12), McInnes(?) 1,436
8 15 September Clydebank A 0-2 857
9 19 September Airdrieonians A 2-3[9] Bryson(9), Lawrie o.g.(70) 1,513
10 26 September Clyde H 2-0 Harkness(16), Bryson(43) 1,732
11 29 September Partick Thistle H 1-1 Harkness(39) 2,030
12 3 October Hamilton Academical A 1-1 Harkness(35) 1,218
13 6 October East Fife H 2-0 Harkness(37,89) 1,441
14 10 October Forfar Athletic A 0-2 896
15 17 October Raith Rovers A 2-0 Gilmour(31pen), Harkness(47) 2,187
16 20 October Clydebank H 1-3 McGuire(79) 1,733
17 24 October Dumbarton H 1-0 Gilmour(89) 1,571
18 31 October Meadowbank Thistle H 2-4 Harkness(22,88) 1,442
19 3 November Partick Thistle A 0-1 1,407
20 7 November Queen of the South A 4-1 Bryson(71), McInnes(74), Reid(89,90) 1,479
21 14 November Airdrieonians H 1-0[10] Reid(14) 1,978
22 21 November Clyde A 0-2 1,145
23 28 November Hamilton Academical H 1-0 Harkness(55) 1,922
24 5 December East Fife A 1-2 Bryson(38) 571
25 12 December Raith Rovers H 1-1 Reid(73) 1,654
26 19 December Clydebank A 0-1 1,015
27 26 December Meadowbank Thistle A 3-1 McFarlane(?), Harkness(78,? ) 751
28 2 January Queen of the South H 0-0[11] 3,230
29 9 January Airdrieonians A 3-3 Gilmour(29 pen), McFarlane(67,70) 1,588
30 16 January Clyde H 3-1 Harkness(21), Bryson(44), Cuthbertson(64) 1,752
31 23 January Dumbarton A 0-1[12] 1,048
32 6 February Forfar Athletic H 0-2 1,281
33 13 February Partick Thistle H 0-1 2,432
34 27 February Hamilton Academical A 0-1 2,048
35 5 March Raith Rovers A 2-2 Harkness(80), Cuthbertson(87) 1,462
36 12 March Clydebank H 2-2 Martin(23), Bourke(46) 1,549
37 19 March Meadowbank Thistle H 0-0 1,662
38 26 March Queen of the South A 0-1[13] 1,650
39 2 April Forfar Athletic A 1-1 Gilmour(85 pen) 713
40 9 April Dumbarton H 3-1[14] Gilmour(49), McGuire(55), Bryson(63) 2,205
41 16 April Clyde A 0-0 1,120
42 23 April Airdrieonians H 4-1 Bourke(10), McGuire(51,80), Gilmour(56 pen) 1,953
43 30 April East Fife H 1-3 Gilmour(?) 2,488
44 7 May Partick Thistle A 1-0 Gilmour(66) 3,103

Scottish League Cup
Main article: 1987-88 Scottish League Cup

Second Round
Round Date Opponent H/A Score Kilmarnock Scorer(s) Attendance
R2 19 August Heart of Midlothian A 1-6 Bryson(62pen) 9,500

Scottish Cup
Main article: 1987–88 Scottish Cup
Round Date Opponent H/A Score Kilmarnock Scorer(s) Attendance
R3 30 January Motherwell A 0-0[15] 6,488
R3R 3 February Motherwell H 1-3 Harkness(49) 7,591

See also

References
  1. "Average Home League Game Attendances". www.fitbastats.com. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
  2. Alex Milligan (4 March 1988). "In dire straits". Kilmarnock Standard. p. 72. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  3. "Scottish Division One 1987-1988 : Table". statto.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. Alex Milligan (6 May 1988). "D Day". Kilmarnock Standard. p. 80 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  5. "Killie's lucky break". Daily Record. 7 May 1988. p. 43 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  6. "Kilmarnock Football Club Set For Exciting Season". The Kilmarnock Standard. 1 August 1988. p. 71 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  7. "Tough at the top/1987-88 Squad". The Kilmarnock Standard. 7 August 1987. p. 62 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  8. "Scottish Division One 1987-1988 Season Summary". statto.com. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 10 April 2012.
  9. "Flood goal makes it an afternoon to remember". The Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser. 25 September 1987. p. 55. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  10. Alex Dowdalls (20 November 1987). "Diamonds kicked into touch at Rugby Park". The Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser. p. 54. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  11. Alex Milligan (8 January 1988). "Little action for Ne'erday crowd". Kilmarnock Standard. p. 56. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  12. "Effort to no avail". Kilmarnock Standard. 29 January 1988. p. 80. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  13. "Killie miss goal chances". Kilmarnock Standard. 1 April 1988. p. 80. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  14. "Three Quick Goals Rock Dumbarton". The Kilmarnock Standard. 15 April 1988. p. 72 – via Newspapers.com.open access
  15. "Well-earned draw". Kilmarnock Standard. 5 February 1988. p. 72. Retrieved 10 April 2023 – via Newspapers.com.open access

Offline sources
  • Ross, David (2001). Everygame-The New Official History of Kilmarnock Football Club.
  • Cairns, Richard (2011). Killie ‘Til I Die-The Players of Kilmarnock Football Club.
  • Rollin, Jack (1988). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1988-89.
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