2015–16 Kilmarnock F.C. season explained

Club:	Kilmarnock
Season:	2015–16
Manager:	Gary Locke Lee McCulloch Lee Clark
Chairman:	Jim Mann
Stadium:	Rugby Park
League:	Premiership
League Result:	Eleventh Place
Cup1:	Scottish Cup
Cup1 Result:	Fifth Round
Cup2:	League Cup
Cup2 Result:	Third Round
League Topscorer:	Josh Magennis (10)
Season Topscorer:	Josh Magennis (12)
Highest Attendance:	13,179 (vs. Rangers, 16 February 2016)
Lowest Attendance:	1,484 (vs. Berwick Rangers, 25 August 2015)
Average Attendance:	4,344
Prevseason:	2014–15
Nextseason:	2016–17
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The 2015–16 season was Kilmarnock's third season in the Scottish Premiership and their 23rd consecutive appearance in the top flight of Scottish football. Kilmarnock also competed in the League Cup and the Scottish Cup.

Overview

Kilmarnock finished eleventh in the Scottish Premiership with 36 points. They reached the third round of the League Cup, losing to Hearts,^[1] and also reached the fifth round of the Scottish Cup, losing to Rangers.^[2] Kilmarnock rounded off the season with a 4–1 aggregate victory over Falkirk in the Premiership play-off final to secure top flight status for the 2016–17 season.^[3]

Match results

Pre-season

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers
21 July 2015	Barnsley	H	0–1^[4]
25 July 2015	Fleetwood Town	H	3–1^[5]	Boyd 3', 70', Johnston 85'

Scottish Premiership

See main article: 2015–16 Scottish Premiership.

Date	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance	League position
1 August 2015	Dundee	H	0–4^[6]		5,207	12th
9 August 2015	Aberdeen	A	0–2^[7]		11,305	12th
12 August 2015	Celtic	H	2–2^[8]	Magennis 44', Higginbotham 88' (pen.)	6,090	12th
15 August 2015	Partick Thistle	A	2–2^[9]	McKenzie 38', Boyd 85'	3,600	12th
22 August 2015	Ross County	H	0–4^[10]		3,604	12th
29 August 2015	Motherwell	A	0–1^[11]		4,136	12th
12 September 2015	Dundee United	A	2–1^[12]	Higginbotham 44' (pen.), McHattie 88'	8,264	10th
19 September 2015	St Johnstone	H	2–1^[13]	Magennis 40', Easton 60' (o.g.)	3,165	8th
26 September 2015		H	1–2^[14]	Kiltie 34'	3,308	10th
3 October 2015		A	1–1^[15]	Balatoni 79'	16,461	10th
17 October 2015	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	H	2–0^[16]	Kiltie 45', Magennis 66'	3,234	9th
24 October 2015	Dundee	A	2–1^[17]	Magennis 9', Smith 48'	4,970	8th
31 October 2015	Motherwell	H	0–1^[18]		3,931	8th
7 November 2015	St Johnstone	A	1–2^[19]	Smith 2'	3,475	9th
21 November 2015	Celtic	A	0–0^[20]		42,770	9th
28 November 2015	Partick Thistle	H	2–5^[21]	Magennis 23', Connolly 72'	3,860	10th
5 December 2015	Dundee United	H	1–1^[22]	Boyd 4'	2,828	10th
12 December 2015	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	A	1–2^[23]	Connolly 87'	2,775	11th
19 December 2015	Aberdeen	H	0–4^[24]		3,928	11th
26 December 2015	Hamilton Academical	A	0–1^[25]	Obadeyi 69'	2,006	11th
29 December 2015	Ross County	A	2–3^[26]	Obadeyi 33', Magennis 48'	3,518	11th
2 January 2016	Heart of Midlothian	H	2–2^[27]	Balatoni 43', Magennis 80'	5,388	11th
16 January 2016	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	H	2–1^[28]	Kiltie 9', Slater 51'	2,937	11th
23 January 2016	Dundee United	A	1–5^[29]	Magennis 82'	7,729	11th
30 January 2016	Hamilton Academical	H	0–1^[30]		3,076	11th
13 February 2016	Motherwell	A	2–0^[31]	Kiltie 56', Slater 61'	3,764	10th
20 February 2016	Dundee	H	0–0^[32]		3,688	11th
27 February 2016	Heart of Midlothian	A	0–1^[33]		16,354	11th
1 March 2016	Ross County	H	0–2^[34]		2,633	11th
12 March 2016	Aberdeen	A	1–2^[35]	Magennis 47'	13,725	11th
19 March 2016	Celtic	H	0–1^[36]		6,867	11th
2 April 2016	Partick Thistle	A	0–0^[37]		4,359	11th
9 April 2016	St Johnstone	H	3–0^[38]	Boyd 25', 88' (pen.), Higginbotham 65'	3,963	11th
24 April 2016	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	A	1–3^[39]	Higginbotham 44'	2,228	11th
30 April 2016	Hamilton Academical	A	4–0^[40]	Kiltie 11', 32', Boyd 58' (pen.), Magennis 77'	3,595	11th
7 May 2016	Partick Thistle	H	0–2^[41]		5,729	11th
11 May 2016	Dundee	A	1–1^[42]	Balatoni 55'	4,335	11th
14 May 2016	Dundee United	H	2–4^[43]	Higginbotham 27', Obadeyi 34'	2,702	11th

Premiership play-off final

Date	Round	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance
19 May 2016	First leg	Falkirk	A	0–1^[44]		7,636
22 May 2016	Second leg	Falkirk	H	4–0 (4–1 agg.)	Kiltie 3', 62', Addison 8', Boyd 65'	11,013

Scottish Cup

See main article: 2015–16 Scottish Cup.

Date	Round	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance
9 January 2016	Fourth round	St Johnstone	A	1–0^[45]	Slater 6'	3,147
6 February 2016	Fifth round	Rangers	A	0–0^[46]		33,581
16 February 2016	Fifth round reply	Rangers	H	1–2	McKenzie 7'	13,179

Scottish League Cup

See main article: 2015–16 Scottish League Cup.

Date	Round	Opponents	H / A	Result F–A	Scorers	Attendance
25 August 2015	Second round	Berwick Rangers	H	4–1^[47]	Boyd 16' (pen.), McKenzie 70', Slater 77', Higginbotham 90'	1,484
23 September 2015	Third round	Heart of Midlothian	H	2–3	Magennis 13', 80'	3,249

Squad statistics

During the 2015–16 season, Kilmarnock used 31 different players in competitive games. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.

No.	Pos.	Name	League		Scottish Cup		League Cup		Total		Discipline
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	Mark Ridgers	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
2	DF	Ross Barbour	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
3	DF	Steven Smith	22	2	3	0	2	0	27	2	9	0
4	MF	Jamie Hamill	16	0	0	0	2	0	18	0	4	0
4	DF	Miles Addison	8	1	0	0	0	0	8	1	1	0
5	DF	Stuart Findlay	22	0	3	0	2	0	27	0	3	0
6	DF	Mark Connolly	10	2	0	0	0	0	10	2	4	0
7	MF	Rory McKenzie	30	1	3	1	1	1	34	3	5	0
8	MF	Scott Robinson	12	0	0	0	1	0	13	0	0	0
8	MF	Alex Henshall	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
9	FW	Kris Boyd	31	6	0	0	2	1	33	7	2	0
10	FW	Chris Johnston	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
11	MF	Kallum Higginbotham	27	5	2	0	2	1	31	6	5	1
12	DF	Daryl Westlake	8	0	0	0	0	0	8	0	2	0
13	GK	Conor Brennan	3	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0
14	DF	Mark O'Hara	31	0	1	0	2	0	34	0	7	0
15	MF	Lee McCulloch	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
16	MF	Tope Obadeyi	32	3	2	0	2	0	36	2	3	0
17	MF	Aaron Splaine	7	0	0	0	1	0	8	0	2	0
18	DF	Lee Ashcroft	17	0	2	0	2	0	21	0	3	1
19	MF	Craig Slater	28	2	3	1	2	0	33	3	5	0
20	FW	Dale Carrick	11	0	0	0	0	0	11	0	0	0
21	GK	Jamie MacDonald	39	0	3	0	1	0	43	0	0	1
22	DF	Kevin McHattie	20	1	0	0	1	0	21	1	6	0
23	FW	Greg Kiltie	37	8	3	0	2	0	42	8	5	0
24	DF	David Syme	5	0	1	0	0	0	6	0	2	0
26	DF	Conrad Balatoni	30	3	3	0	1	0	34	3	5	0
27	DF	Lee Hodson	15	0	0	0	2	0	17	0	2	0
28	FW	Josh Magennis	35	10	3	0	1	2	39	12	11	0
29	MF	Gary Dicker	14	0	2	0	0	0	16	0	1	0
32	DF	Greg Taylor	2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
33	DF	Dean Hawkshaw	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	0
36	MF	Julien Faubert	9	0	0	0	0	0	9	0	1	0
37	FW	Scott McLean	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0
39	MF	Adam Frizzell	10	0	2	0	0	0	12	0	0	0
42	MF	Lewis Clark	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	0

Source:^{[48] [44]}
Note 1: League appearances and goals include play-off matches against Falkirk.
Note 2: Appearance statistics from Soccerbase.com don't include the match on 19 May against Falkirk.

Club statistics

Competition Overview

Player transfers

See main article: List of Scottish football transfers summer 2015 and List of Scottish football transfers winter 2015–16.

Transfers in

Date	Position	Name	Previous Club	Fee	Ref.
3 June 2015	MF	Scott Robinson	Heart of Midlothian	Free	^[49]
22 June 2015	GK	Jamie MacDonald	Falkirk	Free	^[50]
25 June 2015	MF	Kallum Higginbotham	Partick Thistle	Free	^[51]
29 June 2015	FW	Kris Boyd	Rangers	Free	^[52]
2 July 2015	DF	Steven Smith		Free	^[53]
9 July 2015	DF	Stuart Findlay	Celtic	Loan	^[54]
	FW	Dale Carrick	Heart of Midlothian	Free
11 July 2015	DF	Lee McCulloch	Rangers	Free	^[55]
11 August 2015	GK	Oliver Davies	Swansea City	Loan	^[56]
1 September 2015	DF	Kevin McHattie	Heart of Midlothian	Free	^[57]
12 September 2015	DF	Conrad Balatoni	Partick Thistle	Free	^[58]
22 September 2015	GK	Mark Ridgers	St Mirren	Loan	^[59]
1 February 2016	DF	Lee Hodson	MK Dons	Loan	^[60]
	MF	Gary Dicker	Carlisle United	Free
31 March 2016	DF	Miles Addison	Peterborough United	Free	^[61]
	MF	Alex Henshall	Ipswich Town	Free

Transfers out

Date	Position	Name	Subsequent Club	Fee	Ref
26 May 2015	MF	Sammy Clingan	Linfield	Free	^[62]
	FW	Lee Miller	Falkirk	Free	^[63]
	MF	Paul Cairney	Stranraer	Free	^[64]
	FW	Nathan Eccleston	Békéscsaba 1912 Előre	Free
	DF	Chris Chantler	Macclesfield Town	Free
1 July 2015	FW	Michael Ngoo		Free
3 July 2015	DF	Manuel Pascali	Cittadella	Free	^[65]
6 July 2015	GK	Conor Brennan	Stranraer	Loan	^[66]
22 July 2015	MF	Euan Smith	Brechin City	Free	^[67]
1 August 2015	MF	Alexei Eremenko	FF Jaro	Free	^[68] ^[69]
	MF	Mark Thomson		Free
	FW	Dylan Pooler	Auchinleck Talbot	Free
6 August 2015	GK	Craig Samson	Motherwell	Free	^[70] ^[71]
25 March 2016	DF	Ross Barbour	Kirkintilloch Rob Roy	Free	^[72]
12 April 2016	MF	Jamie Hamill	Queen of the South	Free	^[73]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Kilmarnock 2-3 Heart of Midlothian . BBC . Brian . McLauchlin . 23 September 2015 . 13 May 2020.
2. Web site: Scottish Cup: Kilmarnock 1-2 Rangers . BBC . Chris . McLaughlin . 16 February 2016 . 13 May 2020.
3. Web site: Scottish Premiership play-off final: Kilmarnock 4-0 Falkirk (4-1) . BBC . Tom . English . 22 May 2016 . 13 May 2020.
4. Web site: Kilmarnock 0 Reds 1: Full Time . Barnsley FC . 21 July 2015 . 10 May 2020.
5. Web site: Report: Kilmarnock 3-1 Fleetwood Town . Fleetwood Town FC . 25 July 2015 . 10 May 2020.
6. Web site: Kilmarnock 0-4 Dundee . BBC . Andy . Campbell . 1 August 2015 . 10 May 2020.
7. Web site: Aberdeen 2-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Scott . Davie . 9 August 2015 . 10 May 2020.
8. Web site: Kilmarnock 2-2 Celtic . BBC . Andy . Campbell . 12 August 2015 . 10 May 2020.
9. Web site: Partick Thistle 2-2 Kilmarnock . BBC . John . Barnes . 15 August 2015 . 10 May 2020.
10. Web site: Kilmarnock 0-4 Ross County . BBC . John . Barnes . 22 August 2015 . 10 May 2020.
11. Web site: Motherwell 1-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 29 August 2015 . 10 May 2020.
12. Web site: Dundee United 1-2 Kilmarnock . BBC . Alasdair . Lamont . 12 September 2015 . 10 May 2020.
13. Web site: Kilmarnock 2-1 St Johnstone . BBC . Liam . McLeod . 19 September 2015 . 10 May 2020.
14. Web site: Kilmarnock 1-2 Hamilton Academical . BBC . Richard . Wilson . 26 September 2015 . 13 May 2020.
15. Web site: Heart of Midlothian 1-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Brian . McLauchlin . 3 October 2015 . 13 May 2020.
16. Web site: Kilmarnock 2-0 Inverness Caledonian Thistle . BBC . Brian . McLauchlin . 17 October 2015 . 13 May 2020.
17. Web site: Dundee 1-2 Kilmarnock . BBC . Brian . McLauchlin . 24 October 2015 . 13 May 2020.
18. Web site: Kilmarnock 0-1 Motherwell . BBC . Alasdair . Lamont . 31 October 2015 . 13 May 2020.
19. Web site: St Johnstone 2-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Martin . Dowden . 7 November 2015 . 13 May 2020.
20. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Celtic 0-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Richard . Wilson . 21 November 2015 . 13 May 2020.
21. Web site: Kilmarnock 2-5 Partick Thistle . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 28 November 2015 . 13 May 2020.
22. Web site: Kilmarnock 1-1 Dundee United . BBC . John . Barnes . 5 December 2015 . 13 May 2020.
23. Web site: Inverness CT 2-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Martin . Dowden . 12 December 2015 . 13 May 2020.
24. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Kilmarnock 0-4 Aberdeen . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 19 December 2015 . 13 May 2020.
25. Web site: Hamilton Academical 0-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 26 December 2015 . 13 May 2020.
26. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Ross County 3-2 Kilmarnock . BBC . Martin . Dowden . 29 December 2015 . 13 May 2020.
27. Web site: Kilmarnock 2-2 Heart of Midlothian . BBC . Kenny . Crawford . 2 January 2016 . 13 May 2020.
28. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Kilmarnock 2-1 Inverness CT . BBC . Alasdair . Lamont . 16 January 2016 . 13 May 2020.
29. Web site: Dundee United 5-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Brian . McLaughlin . 23 January 2016 . 13 May 2020.
30. Web site: Kilmarnock 0-1 Hamilton Academical . BBC . Richard . Wilson . 30 January 2016 . 13 May 2020.
31. Web site: Motherwell 0-2 Kilmarnock . BBC . John . Barnes . 13 February 2016 . 13 May 2020.
32. Web site: Kilmarnock 0-0 Dundee . BBC . John . Barnes . 20 February 2016 . 13 May 2020.
33. Web site: Heart of Midlothian 1-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Brian . McLauchlin . 27 February 2016 . 13 May 2020.
34. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Kilmarnock 0-2 Ross County . BBC . Richard . Wilson . 1 March 2016 . 13 May 2020.
35. Web site: Aberdeen 2-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Chick . Young . 12 March 2016 . 13 May 2020.
36. Web site: Kilmarnock 0-1 Celtic . BBC . Chris . McLaughlin . 19 March 2016 . 13 May 2020.
37. Web site: Partick Thistle 0-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Kenny . Crawford . 2 April 2016 . 13 May 2020.
38. Web site: Kilmarnock 3-0 St Johnstone . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 9 April 2016 . 13 May 2020.
39. Web site: Inverness CT 3-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Martin . Dowden . 24 April 2016 . 13 May 2020.
40. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Hamilton Academical 0-4 Kilmarnock . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 30 April 2016 . 13 May 2020.
41. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Kilmarnock 0-2 Partick Thistle . BBC . Chris . McLaughlin . 7 May 2016 . 13 May 2020.
42. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Dundee 1-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Brian . McLauchlin . 11 May 2016 . 13 May 2020.
43. Web site: Scottish Premiership: Kilmarnock 2-4 Dundee United . BBC . Jonathan . Sutherland . 14 May 2016 . 13 May 2020.
44. Web site: Falkirk 1-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Richard . Wilson . 19 May 2016 . 13 May 2020.
45. Web site: St Johnstone 0-1 Kilmarnock . BBC . Martin . Dowden . 9 January 2016 . 13 May 2020.
46. Web site: Scottish Cup: Rangers 0-0 Kilmarnock . BBC . Clive . Lindsay . 6 February 2016 . 13 May 2020.
47. Web site: Kilmarnock 4-1 Berwick Rangers . BBC . 25 August 2015 . 13 May 2020.
48. Web site: Kilmarnock FC Player Appearances . Soccerbase . soccerbase.com . 13 May 2020.
49. Web site: Hearts: Scott Robinson re-united with Gary Locke at Kilmarnock . BBC Sport . 3 June 2015 . 28 July 2015.
50. Web site: Kilmarnock sign Jamie MacDonald as the goalkeeper exits Falkirk . BBC Sport . 22 June 2015 . 28 July 2015.
51. Web site: Kilmarnock: Kallum Higginbotham switches from Partick Thistle . BBC Sport . 25 June 2015 . 28 July 2015.
52. Web site: Kris Boyd: Kilmarnock sign striker for a third spell at club . BBC Sport . 29 June 2015 . 28 July 2015.
53. Web site: Kilmarnock: Stevie Smith signs on after Rangers exit . BBC Sport . 2 July 2015 . 28 July 2015.
54. Web site: Kilmarnock bring in Dale Carrick and Stuart Findlay . BBC Sport . 9 July 2015 . 28 July 2015.
55. Web site: Kilmarnock: Lee McCulloch agrees player-coach role . BBC Sport . 11 July 2015 . 28 July 2015.
56. Web site: Kilmarnock: Swansea goalkeeper Oliver Davies in loan switch . BBC Sport . 11 August 2015 . 12 August 2015.
57. Web site: Kevin McHattie leaves Hearts and joins Kilmarnock . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 1 September 2015 . 2 September 2015.
58. Web site: NEW SIGNING: Conrad Balatoni . Kilmarnock FC . kilmarnockfc.co.uk . 12 September 2015 . 4 October 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160517042449/http://www.kilmarnockfc.co.uk/Article?id=2771 . 17 May 2016 . dead.
59. Web site: Kilmarnock sign St Mirren goalkeeper on emergency loan . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 22 September 2015 . 29 September 2015.
60. Web site: Kilmarnock sign up Gary Dicker & Lee Hodson . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 1 February 2016 . 6 February 2016.
61. Web site: Kilmarnock complete double signing . SPFL . spfl.co.uk . 31 March 2016 . 13 June 2016.
62. Web site: Sammy Clingan among five first-team exits . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 26 May 2015 . 1 August 2015.
63. Web site: Striker Lee Miller returns to Bairns after Botti Biabi sale . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 17 August 2015 . 8 September 2015.
64. Web site: Stranraer sign Premiership pair Paul Cairney and Dale Keenan . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 17 July 2015 . 1 August 2015.
65. Web site: Manuel Pascali in granata . AS Cittadella . ascittadella.it . 3 July 2015 . 1 August 2015 . it.
66. Web site: Stranraer bring in Brennan on loan . SPFL . spfl.co.uk . 6 July 2015 . 1 August 2015.
67. Web site: Former Hibs midfielder Euan Smith signs up for Brechin . The Courier . thecourier.co.uk . 22 July 2015 . 1 August 2015.
68. Web site: Scottish Premiership ins and outs . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 1 August 2015 . 1 August 2015.
69. Web site: FF Jaro signs Alexei Eremenko Jr until rest of the season . Football Finland . 7 August 2015 . 10 August 2015.
70. Web site: Kilmarnock and Craig Samson agree to part ways . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 6 August 2015 . 13 August 2015.
71. Web site: Motherwell sign up goalkeeper Craig Samson . BBC Sport . bbc.co.uk/sport . 15 September 2015 . 10 October 2015.
72. Web site: Rabs Sign ex-Killie player Ross Barbour . Kirkintilloch Rob Roy FC . 25 March 2016 . 19 January 2023.
73. Web site: Jamie Hamill still on trial at Shrewsbury . Shropshire Star . 12 April 2016 . 22 June 2016 . 6 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160506084032/http://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/shrewsbury-town-fc/2016/04/12/jamie-hamill-still-on-trial-at-shrewsbury/ . dead .