Kilmarnock F.C.

Kilmarnock
Full nameKilmarnock Football Club
Nickname(s)Killie
The Pride of Ayrshire[1]
Founded5 January 1869; 155 years ago (1869-01-05)
GroundRugby Park
Capacity15,003[2]
OwnerThe Kilmarnock Football Club Ltd.
ChairmanBilly Bowie
(Majority shareholder)[3][4]
ManagerDerek McInnes
LeagueScottish Premiership
2023–24Scottish Premiership, 4th of 12
Websitehttps://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk
Current season

Kilmarnock Football Club, commonly known as Killie, is a Scottish professional football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire. The team is currently managed by Derek McInnes, who was appointed in January 2022. The club has achieved several honours since its formation in 1869,[5] most recently the 2011–12 Scottish League Cup after a 1–0 win over Celtic at Hampden Park[6] and the Scottish Championship title in 2022. The club nickname, Killie, is the Scottish term for the town of Kilmarnock.

The club have qualified for European competitions on nine occasions, their best performance coming in the 1966–67 Fairs Cup when they progressed to the semi-finals, eventually being eliminated by Leeds United. The club is also one of only a few Scottish clubs to have played in three European competitions (European Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Cup).[7] Additionally, the club have played in the International Soccer League four times – 1960, 1961, 1963 and 1965, as well as competing in the 1995 Korea Cup.[8] Their most recent appearance in European competition football was during the 2024–25 UEFA Europa League and 2024–25 UEFA Conference League.[9][10]

Kilmarnock Football Club is currently the oldest football club in the Scottish Premiership, and also the second-oldest professional club in Scotland.[11] Home matches are played at Rugby Park, a 15,003 capacity all-seater stadium situated in the town itself. Kilmarnock took part in the first-ever official match in the Scottish Cup against the now-defunct Renton in 1873. With a long-standing football rivalry with fellow Ayrshire side Ayr United, both teams play frequently in the Ayrshire derby, first meeting in September 1910.

  1. ^ "JOIN THE NEXT CHAPTER OF OUR KILLIE 150 JOURNEY". Kilmarnock FC. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Kilmarnock Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Archived from the original on 3 May 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Kilmarnock FC owner Billy Bowie to create 30-plus jobs after bank deal". Scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  4. ^ "Kilmarnock owner Billy Bowie details positive transfer talks with Alex Dyer". Nottheoldfirm.com. 20 January 2021. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Official Website of Kilmarnock FC". Kilmarnockfc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 17 February 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  6. ^ "Celtic 0–1 Kilmarnock". BBC Sport. 18 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 January 2016. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
  7. ^ "Killie in Europe!!". Killiefc.com. Archived from the original on 21 November 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  8. ^ Cairns, Livingston, Richard, John (2019). Kilmarnock Football Club: 150 Years In the Making. Kilmarnock Football Club Ltd. p. 140.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "The official website for European football". UEFA.com. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  10. ^ "The official website for European football". UEFA.com. Retrieved 30 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Who are Scotland's oldest professional football clubs". Scotsman.com. Archived from the original on 1 June 2017. Retrieved 21 May 2017.