Close menu

Kilmarnock: Steve Clarke is named the club's new manager

By John BarnesBBC Scotland

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments48

Steve Clarke
Steve Clarke has overseen more than 100 matches as a manager

Kilmarnock have appointed Steve Clarke as their new manager.

The former West Bromwich Albion and Reading boss replaces Lee McCulloch who left the club earlier this month.

Clarke has been given a three-year contract at the Rugby Park Club and will be assisted by former Charlton Athletic defender Alex Dyer.

"I'm delighted to be back in football and I'm especially delighted to be named Kilmarnock manager," Clarke told the club website.external-link

"In my discussions with the board we spoke about stability and while we need to fix the current situation, I'm looking to provide that stability to this great club.

Steve Clarke
Steve Clarke was manager of West Brom from 2012-2013

"I'm looking forward to working with the board, staff, players and supporters to ensure future success at the club."

A club statement read: "The board of directors are delighted to have secured the services of such a well-respected and talented manager.

"Steve has a proven track record in British and European football and we look forward to welcoming him to Rugby Park."

Clarke has been out of a job since leaving Aston Villa a year ago. There he was assistant to Roberto Di Matteo but was not retained when Steve Bruce took over the Midlands Club.

This will be Clarke's first job back in Scotland since leaving St Mirren to join Chelsea in 1987.

The former Scotland international won the FA Cup, the League Cup and the Cup Winners' Cup with the Stamford Bridge club.

His first job in management came in 1998 as assistant to Ruud Gullit at Newcastle.

Clarke returned to Chelsea in charge of the youth team before being appointed assistant to Jose Mourinho when the Portuguese became manager in 2004.

He also had spells as assistant to Gianfranco Zola at West Ham and to Kenny Dalglish at Liverpool.

Paul McDonald
Paul McDonald will be in charge of the Kilmarnock team for Saturday's match against Partick Thistle

His first management post came at West Brom in 2012 where he led them to eighth place - their best top-flight finish in 32 years.

After a disappointing second season he left West Brom.

In December 2014 he was appointed manager of Reading but was sacked one year later.

Killie's head of academy Paul McDonald will be in charge of the first team against Partick Thistle on Saturday, assisted by striker Kris Boyd and coach Andy Millen.

Comments

Join the conversation

These comments are now closed.

48 comments

  • Comment posted by carlos-el-gato, at 10:48 14 Oct 2017

    Glad to see Steve Clarke back in football.

  • Comment posted by Tranmere4ever, at 11:39 14 Oct 2017

    One of the decent blokes in football, good luck to him am sure he will do well up their.

  • Comment posted by Harry Cross, at 11:49 14 Oct 2017

    Speaking Has a Liverpool supporter I would like to wish Steve all the very best.
    Top coach and an all round nice fella.
    Great appointment for Kilmarnock.

  • Comment posted by Melbourne1872, at 11:25 14 Oct 2017

    Bit of a coup for Killie?

    Can't see Clarke working any miracles with that squad, and I'd wager that they'll still be bottom 6 at the end of this season - but I would expect an upturn over the coming months.

  • Comment posted by 5567456, at 12:26 14 Oct 2017

    biggest signing since the late great tommy burns ! Firhill here I come, mon the killie

  • Comment posted by Socrates, at 12:22 14 Oct 2017

    Bags of experience and got to be a good appointment. Killie need to start getting things right again as they have been in the doldrums far too long. I don't expect it to happen overnight though.

  • Comment posted by home, at 12:03 14 Oct 2017

    Think Killie could start doing well know. He's a good coach

  • Comment posted by User0429916716, at 12:52 14 Oct 2017

    Good Luck to him , will always be hard when you have so many fans all over Scotland jumping on the Rangers and Celtic bandwagon , you know who you are ! Support your home town club and quit glory hunting !

  • Comment posted by morbhoy, at 12:47 14 Oct 2017

    Good appointment, hope it works out well for Killie.

  • Comment posted by digibanger, at 12:11 14 Oct 2017

    a good appointment for killie

    spfl managerial talent on the rise with wright, mcinnes, coyle, lennon, rodgers, levine etc

    just pedro lowing the tone, but worth keeping just for the comedy value and delusional-ness of the press conferences.

  • Comment posted by Mr_Original38, at 10:48 14 Oct 2017

    Absolutely phenomenal!

    A great appointment by the board. Well done BB, I'm hiring a big skip off you tomorrow and throwing 5 years worth of cynicism into it.

    'Mon the Killie!

  • Comment posted by titlebackinparadise67, at 11:17 14 Oct 2017

    Very good appointment for both got plenty of experience good luck

  • Comment posted by jack brown, at 20:40 14 Oct 2017

    Absolutely fantastic appointment by the Killie board
    Clarke is a well respected manager with family ties to Kilmarnock
    This is the best thing to happen to the club since Kenny Shiels was wrongfully sacked.

  • Comment posted by Gravy Train, at 11:28 14 Oct 2017

    Good appointment by the board.. The last two filled the squad with old pals then ran off. Hope Clarke doesn't follow that pattern. Mon the Killie.

  • Comment posted by BlueIsTheColour, at 11:08 14 Oct 2017

    Top bloke, good luck to him

  • Comment posted by Vultureculture, at 19:04 14 Oct 2017

    Very Good Appointment from Killie Board.

  • Comment posted by KevO, at 21:23 14 Oct 2017

    Decent manager. I think his time with us (West Brom) was cut far to soon. I would have liked him to have been given at least another 12 months. I hope he does well for Killie

  • Comment posted by waitedtoolong, at 13:58 14 Oct 2017

    Good luck to Steve Clarke, one of those British Managers who given a bit of time and more backing at some of his clubs could have done better Im sure, getting WBA to 8th no mean feat.

  • Comment posted by TotleyRed, at 15:17 14 Oct 2017

    Since Steve Clarke left Liverpool their defence has been at best below standard and at worst poor. No coincidence. I hope he does a good job.

  • Comment posted by Petros Petros, at 13:35 14 Oct 2017

    Oops the half wits are back on again. Love how Scottishness irks them. Good appointment.