| Club: | Kilmarnock |
| Season: | 1983–84 |
| Chairman: | Tom Lauchlan[1] |
| Manager: | Jim Clunie |
| League: | Scottish First Division |
| League Result: | 6th |
| Cup1: | Scottish Cup |
| Cup1 Result: | 3R |
| Cup2: | Scottish League Cup |
| Cup2 Result: | 3R |
| League Topscorer: | Brian Gallagher 11, Robert Clark 11 |
| Season Topscorer: | Brian Gallagher 16 |
| Prevseason: | 1982–83 |
| Nextseason: | 1984–85 |
| Highest Attendance: | 3,111 (v Partick Thistle, 31 December) |
| Lowest Attendance: | 460 (v Alloa Athletic, 28 April) |
| Average Attendance: | 1,359[2] (down 2,103) |
The 1983–84 season was Kilmarnock's 82nd in Scottish League Competitions.
After being relegated the previous season, the club's board of directors announced a plan in July to return to full time football for the first time since 1971. To raise the finance, the club proposed a covenant scheme which would involve 7,000 supporters pledging £30 per annum over a three or four year period.[3]
The plan was ditched in September due to the lack of response from supporters which was hardly surprising given that the average attendance the previous season was less than half of the required number.[4]
The support dwindled further during the season with 4 home league games recording an attendance of less than 1,000. The average attendance of 1,359 was the lowest recorded in the 20th century.[5]
On the field, Killie finished in mid table despite a promising start of 7 wins in their first 9 games. However, a run of 10 games without a win in the new year put the club near the relegation zone. Three wins from the final 5 games sealed their place in the league for another season.
See main article: 1983–84 Scottish First Division.
| Match Day | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Kilmarnock Scorer(s) | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 August | Ayr United | A | 2–0[6] | 3,129 | ||
| 2 | 3 September | Partick Thistle | A | 0–2[7] | 2,252 | ||
| 3 | 10 September | Falkirk | H | 2–1 | R.Clark(72pen,89pen) | 1,485 | |
| 4 | 12 September | Meadowbank Thistle | H | 3–1 | McGivern(45), MacLeod(52), Gallacher(56) | 1,028 | |
| 5 | 17 September | Hamilton Academical | A | 1–0 | R.Clark(21) | 1,407 | |
| 6 | 24 September | Alloa Athletic | H | 2–0[8] | 1,415 | ||
| 7 | 28 September | Clydebank | A | 0–4 | 855 | ||
| 8 | 1 October | Clyde | A | 1–0 | R.Clark(26) | 791 | |
| 9 | 8 October | Brechin City | H | 4–1[9] | 1,420 | ||
| 10 | 15 October | Airdrieonians | A | 0–1[10] | 1,317 | ||
| 11 | 22 October | Dumbarton | H | 2–2[11] | 1,747 | ||
| 12 | 29 October | Raith Rovers | H | 2–1[12] | 1,397 | ||
| 13 | 5 November | Greenock Morton | A | 2–2[13] | McKinna(30,77) | 1,902 | |
| 14 | 12 November | Meadowbank Thistle | A | 1–2[14] | Bryson(30) | 836 | |
| 15 | 19 November | Hamilton Academical | H | 2–1[15] | Bryson(35), Gallacher(81) | 1,257 | |
| 16 | 26 November | Brechin City | A | 2–3 | Gallacher(71), McKinna(85) | 799 | |
| 17 | 3 December | Clyde | H | 0–1[16] | 1,377 | ||
| 18 | 10 December | Alloa Athletic | A | 4–0[17] | McDicken(4), McGivern(25,80), McKinna(36) | 547 | |
| 19 | 17 December | Clydebank | H | 0–1[18] | 1,149 | ||
| 20 | 26 December | Falkirk | A | 3–1[19] | 3,198 | ||
| 21 | 31 December | Partick Thistle | H | 1–2[20] | R.Clark(40pen) | 3,111 | |
| 22 | 3 January | Ayr United | H | 1–0[21] | Cuthbertson(89) | 2,890 | |
| 23 | 7 January | Dumbarton | A | 3–4[22] | 907 | ||
| 24 | 14 January | Airdrieonians | H | 4–1[23] | 1,310 | ||
| 25 | 4 February | Greenock Morton | H | 0–1[24] | 1,313 | ||
| 26 | 11 February | Brechin City | H | 1–1[25] | R.Clark(50pen) | 910 | |
| 27 | 25 February | Clydebank | A | 0–3[26] | 724 | ||
| 28 | 29 February | Raith Rovers | A | 1–2 | Gallacher(81) | 768 | |
| 29 | 3 March | Hamilton Academical | A | 1–1[27] | McGivern(23) | 874 | |
| 30 | 10 March | Dumbarton | H | 0–0[28] | 1,140 | ||
| 31 | 17 March | Airdrieonians | A | 0–3[29] | 727 | ||
| 32 | 24 March | Raith Rovers | H | 1–2 | Brown(27) | 680 | |
| 33 | 31 March | Falkirk | A | 0–2[30] | 1,203 | ||
| 34 | 7 April | Meadowbank Thistle | H | 1–1 | Gallacher(3) | 539 | |
| 35 | 14 April | Partick Thistle | A | 2–1[31] | Gallacher(39), Murray o.g.(65) | 1,758 | |
| 36 | 21 April | Clyde | A | 1–2[32] | R.Clark(80pen) | 633 | |
| 37 | 28 April | Alloa Athletic | H | 2–0[33] | R.Clark(44), McKinna(57) | 460 | |
| 38 | 5 May | Ayr United | H | 3–0[34] | 1,495 | ||
| 39 | 12 May | Greenock Morton | A | 2–3[35] | 4,547 |
See main article: article and 1983-84 Scottish League Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Kilmarnock Scorer(s) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R2 L1 | 24 August | Queen's Park | A | 2–3 | J.Clark(36,38) | 702 |
| R2 L2 | 27 August | Queen's Park | H | 3–1[36] | 1506 | |
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Kilmarnock Scorer(s) | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G4 | 31 August | Hibernian | A | 0–2 | 2,681 | |
| G4 | 7 September | Airdrieonians | H | 3–0 | Gallacher(5,22,55) | 1,046 |
| G4 | 5 October | Celtic | A | 1–1 | Gallacher(64) | 5,435 |
| G4 | 26 October | Airdrieonians | A | 2–1 | Clarke(47), Robertson(72) | 829 |
| G4 | 9 November | Hibernian | H | 3–1 | 2,001 | |
| G4 | 30 November | Celtic | H | 0–1 | 8,793 | |
| width=30 | P | width=140 | Team | width=30 | Pld | width=30 | W | width=30 | D | width=30 | L | width=30 | GF | width=30 | GA | width=30 | GD | width=30 | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Celtic | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 9 | ||||||||||
| 2 | Kilmarnock | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 7 | ||||||||||
| 3 | Hibernian | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 9 | −2 | 6 | ||||||||||
| 4 | Airdrieonians | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 14 | −11 | 2 |
See main article: 1983–84 Scottish Cup.
| Round | Date | Opponent | H/A | Score | Kilmarnock Scorer(s) | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R3 | 13 February | Aberdeen | A | 1–1[37] | Gallacher(90) | 15,000 | |
| R3 | 15 February | Aberdeen | H | 1–3 | McKinna(64) | 6,106 |
General
Book: Rollin, Jack . Jack Rollin (author). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1984–85. 1984. Queen Anne Press. 0-356-10446-X.
Book: Ross, David . David Ross (author). Everygame-The New Official History of Kilmarnock Football Club. 2001. Kilmarnock Football Club. 0-9541653-0-6.
Specific