Killie 150 - The Twilight Zone - Killie Reach Rock Bottom 1983-1989

These years saw Kilmarnock hit the lowest point in their long history. No longer challenging for a place in the top flight, instead they struggled to avoid the bottom tier. A battle that ended in defeat at the end of this period. The situation was so desperate that the club approached Robert Maxwell to take over and when that proved unsuccessful turned their attention towards David Murray. In retrospect two dodged bullets. An old legend - Eddie Morrison - returned and departed. A new folk hero - Ray Montgomerie - arrived just as the nadir was reached. He couldn't possibly have believed that less than a decade later - and after the publication of this book - that he would lead the club to their greatest triumph in more than 30 years. The saying that it's always darkest before the dawn isn't literally true but in Killie's case it was metaphorically accurate.

The arrival of fanzine culture ended the days when supporters gripes about the way their clubs were ran consisted of terracing grumbles and the odd demo but ultimately acceptance that fans were impotent when it came to creating change. ‘Killie Ken,’ set up in September 1988 by Richard Cairns – later to become long-serving match programme editor – galvanised the support into action behind Bobby Fleeting’s takeover bid. Despite the much easier – and faster – means of supporter involvement provided by new technology by way of social media and fans’ forums, the fanzine still flourishes at Rugby Park in the form of the long-running ‘Killie Hippo’ ran by Sandy Armour and Barry Richmond

Next Back To The Future - Kilmarnock Redivivus Part One 1989-1992

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