The 2019–20 season was Kilmarnock's seventh season in the Premiership, and their 27th consecutive season in the top flight of Scottish football.

Kilmarnock also competed in UEFA competition for the first time in 18 years after finishing in third the previous season.

Overview Killie began the season managed by Angelo Alessio who joined the club on 16 June 2019 after former manager Steve Clarke was signed by the Scotland national football team. On 28 June 2019, the club travelled to Spain for a pre-season training camp in Marbella as they prepared for their upcoming 2019–20 UEFA Europa League qualifiers.

The draw for the first qualifying round was held on 18 June 2019 with Kilmarnock drawn to face Welsh side Connah's Quay Nomads. The first leg was played in Wales on 11 July 2019 before Kilmarnock hosted the second leg on 18 July 2019. Connah's Quay's home ground, Deeside Stadium did not meet UEFA requirements so the game was instead played at Rhyl's home ground Belle Vue. Attempts had been made to play the game at Wrexham's Racecourse Ground in order to facilitate the expected number of supporters but the pitch works meant that wasn't possible. After a 2–1 comeback win in Wales, Kilmarnock lost 2–0 at Rugby Park and were knocked out by the Welsh part-timers 3–2 on aggregate.

Kilmarnock played Rangers at home in their first league fixture on Sunday 4 August 2019. The fixture was a repeat of the last match of the previous season which Kilmarnock won 2–1.

As a result of their European qualification, Kilmarnock received a bye to the League Cup second round. The draw was made on 28 July 2019 and Kilmarnock were drawn to play Premiership rivals Hamilton Academical on 17 August 2019. They lost to Hibernian on penalties in the following round.

In December 2019, Alex Dyer was made caretaker manager of Kilmarnock after Alessio was sacked. After three games in caretaker charge, Dyer was appointed Kilmarnock manager to the end of the 2019–20 season.

In January 2020, Kilmarnock entered the Scottish Cup in the fourth round where they defeated Queen's Park 6–0. In the fifth round, they lost 4–3 after extra time in a replay against Aberdeen.

On 13 March 2020 – with Kilmarnock eight in the table after a 1–0 loss to Hamilton Academical – all SPFL leagues were indefinitely suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In June 2020, manager Alex Dyer signed a permanent two-year contract with Kilmarnock.

Match results Pre-season and friendlies DateOpponentsVenueResultF–AScorers30 June 2019 Gaz Metan MediașCampo La Quinta0–03 July 2019 Dinamo BucureștiMarbella Football Centre0–3

Premiership

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition4 August 2019RangersH1–2O'Donnell 83'9,1969th10 August 2019Hamilton AcademicalA0–22,76612th24 August 2019AberdeenH0–05,25012th31 August 2019St JohnstoneA1–0O'Donnell 40'3,4276th14 September 2019HibernianH2–0Millar 56', El Makrini 79'5,4586th22 September 2019CelticA1–3Brophy 33'57,1377th28 September 2019Ross CountyH0–04,9067th5 October 2019Heart of MidlothianA1–0Burke 42'16,7116th19 October 2019LivingstonH2–1Dicker 39', McKenzie 55'4,8285th26 October 2019St MirrenH1–0Dicker 78'6,3893rd30 October 2019MotherwellA1–2Thomas 31'4,6765th2 November 2019AberdeenA0–313,1315th9 November 2019Hamilton AcademicalH2–2El Makrini 45+2', Brophy 48'5,0455th23 November 2019Heart of MidlothianH3–0Burke 9', 16' Brophy 14'6,2785th30 November 2019HibernianA2–2Bruce 66' Del Fabro 90+3'16,1805th4 December 2019St JohnstoneH0–04,0835th7 December 2019LivingstonA0–31,5315th14 December 2019Ross CountyA0–13,6885th21 December 2019MotherwellH0–15,6885th26 December 2019RangersA0–149,8856th29 December 2019St MirrenA0–16,3637th22 January 2020CelticH1–3Kabamba 66'8,3077th25 January 2020St JohnstoneA1–2Burke 22' (pen.)2,6097th1 February 2020Ross CountyH3–1Brophy 54', 57' (pen.), Kabamba 82'4,7337th5 February 2020Heart of MidlothianA3–2Findlay 24', Burke 38', Brophy 50'16,2117th12 February 2020RangersH2–1O'Donnell 77', Brophy 89'8,0967th16 February 2020HibernianH1–2Burke 30'5,3707th23 February 2020CelticA1–3Brophy 6' (pen.)58,8837th4 March 2020AberdeenH2–2Brophy 17' (pen.), Kiltie 23'4,2177th7 March 2020Hamilton AcademicalA1–02,1458th14 March 2020St MirrenHCancelled8th21 March 2020MotherwellA4 April 2020LivingstonH

Scottish Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance18 January 2020Fourth roundQueen's ParkH6–0Bruce 9', Findlay 26', 44', Kiltie 62', Kabamba 89', Johnson 90+1'4,1988 February 2020Fifth roundAberdeenA0–09,43019 February 2020Fifth round replayAberdeenH3–4 El Makrini 43', Brophy 98', Kabamba 116'5,658

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance17 August 2019Second roundHamilton AcademicalH1–0 Thomas 113'3,76225 September 2019Quarter-finalHibernianH0–0 4–5p4,780

Europa League

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance11 July 2019First qualifying round 1st leg Connah's Quay NomadsA2–1Brophy 82' (pen.), Findlay 90+2' 1,41018 July 2019First qualifying round 2nd leg Connah's Quay NomadsH0–28,306

Squad statistics No.Pos.NameLeagueScottish CupLeague CupEuropa LeagueTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Jamie MacDonald0000002020002DF Stephen O'Donnell283302020353103DF Greg Taylor2000102050003DF Stephen Hendrie2000000020004DF Alex Bruce161110000172315DF Connor Johnson4031000071106MF Alan Power2803020203501317MF Rory McKenzie271102020321508MF Gary Dicker302302020372909FW Eamonn Brophy28921202134111010MF Greg Kiltie1012110101421011FW Liam Millar2010020002212011MF Harry Bunn30100000400012GK Laurențiu Brănescu2602020003004113GK Devlin MacKay00000000000014DF Niko Hämäläinen2803010003200015MF Mohamed El Makrini2122120202736016FW Simeon Jackson40000000400017DF Stuart Findlay1812220212442118DF Calum Waters00000000000019DF Kirk Broadfoot902010201302020MF Iain Wilson40000000401021MF Adam Frizzell00000000000022DF Ross Millen40200000600023MF Dom Thomas2010021202420024GK Jan Koprivec50100000600025FW Harvey St Clair20001000300026DF Dario Del Fabro2211010002414026FW Osman Sow80001000900027FW Nicke Kabamba923200001240029MF Chris Burke2652020203254031MF Innes Cameron10001010300033MF Ally Taylor10000000100052FW Kyle Connell101000002000 Source:

Club statistics Competition overview

League table

Player transfers

Transfers in DatePositionNamePrevious clubFeeRef.8 July 2019GK Laurențiu Brănescu JuventusLoan9 July 2019MF Mohamed El Makrini Roda JCFree6 August 2019FW Liam Millar LiverpoolLoan20 August 2019DF Niko Hämäläinen Queens Park RangersLoan29 August 2019DF Dario Del Fabro JuventusLoan2 September 2019FW Osman SowDundee UnitedLoan2 September 2019DF Connor Johnson Wolverhampton WanderersLoan2 September 2019FWHarvey St Clair VeneziaLoan6 September 2019DFStephen Hendrie Southend UnitedFree10 September 2019GK Jan KoprivecUnattachedFree17 October 2019FW Simeon JacksonUnattachedFree15 January 2020MF Harry BunnUnattachedFree17 January 2020FW Nicke Kabamba Hartlepool UnitedUndisclosed31 January 2020DFKirk BroadfootSt MirrenUndisclosed

Transfers out DatePositionNameSubsequent ClubFeeRef18 June 2019FWKris BoydRetiredn/a20 June 2019DFScott Boyd1 July 2019MF Jordan JonesRangersFree16 July 2019MFDaniel HigginsCove RangersFree9 August 2019MFCalum WatersSt MirrenLoan2 September 2019DFGreg TaylorCeltic£2,200,0002 September 2019MFGreg KiltieDunfermline AthleticLoan3 September 2019DFKirk BroadfootSt MirrenFree13 September 2019GKJamie MacDonaldAlloa AthleticLoan1 October 2019MFAdam FrizzellDumbartonLoan10 January 2020MFDom ThomasDunfermline AthleticLoan20 January 2020FW Simeon Jackson StevenageFree31 January 2020DF Alex Bruce Free AgentFree

Notes

References