The 2021–22 season is the 143rd season of competitive association football and ninth season in the Scottish Professional Football League played by Kilmarnock Football Club, a professional football club based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. Their 11th-place finish and play-off defeat in 2020–21 meant it was their first season in the Championship and their first in the second tier of Scottish football since 1992–93. The 2020–21 season ran from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.
Tommy Wright made 14 permanent summer signings as he approached his first full season as Kilmarnock manager. In December 2021, Wright was sacked with Kilmarnock fifth in the table, following three consecutive league defeats. He was replaced by former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes in January 2022. Following an upturn in form, Kilmarnock climbed the table and earned promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking after claiming the league title following a 2–1 comeback win against nearest challengers Arbroath in their penultimate match. It was their first second tier title since 1898–99.
In cup competition, Kilmarnock were eliminated in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, in the second round of the League Cup and the semifinals of the Challenge Cup.
In total, 36 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition and there have been 18 different goalscorers. Midfielder Fraser Murray missed only five of the 47 first-team matches over the season. Oli Shaw was the leading scorer with 16 goals, of which 14 came in league competition and two came in the Challenge Cup.
Overview Tommy Wright signed a two-year contract in February 2021 to become the Kilmarnock manager.
In the League Cup, Kilmarnock were drawn in Group G alongside East Kilbride, Clyde, Greenock Morton and Stranraer. The competition is scheduled to start on 10 July 2021.
On 18 December 2021, Tommy Wright was sacked from his position as manager with the club slipping to fourth in the championship table.
On 4 January 2022, former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes was appointed as the club's new manager on an 18-month contract.
Results and fixtures
Pre-season DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorers30 June 2021 LinfieldA1–0Cameron 23'3 July 2021 LarneA2–2Cameron 9' (pen.), F. Murray 20'
Scottish Championship
DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition2 August 2021Ayr UnitedH2–0Polworth 56', Cameron 86' (pen.)3,6921st7 August 2021Queen of the SouthA1–0Naismith 90+1'1,1952nd21 August 2021Hamilton AcademicalA2–0Robinson 60', 70'2,5951st28 August 2021Inverness Caledonian ThistleH0–15,0043rd11 September 2021Greenock MortonH1–0McKenzie 75'4,1892nd18 September 2021Partick ThistleA2–0Holt 52' (o.g.), Shaw 65'4,3152nd24 September 2021ArbroathA0–02,4101st2 October 2021Raith RoversH1–3Hendry 76'4,0082nd16 October 2021Dunfermline AthleticA2–2Hendry 68', Shaw 75'4,0953rd23 October 2021Hamilton AcademicalH2–1Shaw 5', Armstrong 74'3,9692nd26 October 2021Ayr UnitedA1–0Shaw 89' (pen.)6,0521st30 October 2021Queen of the SouthH4–0Shaw 17', 59', Hendry 90', Burke 90+2'3,9921st6 November 2021Partick ThistleH0–14,5601st13 November 2021Greenock MortonA2–0Alston 34', Shaw 43'2,8781st20 November 2021ArbroathH0–14,2421st3 December 2021Inverness Caledonian ThistleA0–12,2963rd11 December 2021Raith RoversA0–12,4264th18 December 2021Dunfermline AthleticHA–AShaw 3' (pen.)5th26 December 2021Hamilton AcademicalA3–2Hendry 8' (pen.), Stokes 35', F. Murray 54'5004th29 December 2021Greenock MortonH1–1McKenzie 27'5003rd8 January 2022Queen of the SouthA2–0Stokes 43', Shaw 71' (pen.)4923rd14 January 2022Partick ThistleA1–1Shaw 59' (pen.)5002nd29 January 2022Inverness Caledonian ThistleH1–0Lafferty 9'4,7902nd4 February 2022ArbroathA0–12,8032nd9 February 2022Ayr UnitedH1–2F. Murray 7'7,5602nd12 February 2022Dunfermline AthleticH2–1Lafferty 67', 83'3,6982nd19 February 2022Raith RoversH3–0McGinn 5', Lafferty 12', 63'4,0802nd26 February 2022Dunfermline AthleticA0–04,0832nd5 March 2022Hamilton AcademicalH2–0F. Murray 44', Alston 55'4,0832nd11 March 2022Ayr UnitedA3–1McKenzie 3', Shaw 12', Sanders 16'6,1361st19 March 2022Queen of the SouthH2–1Taylor 42', Shaw 81'4,0741st26 March 2022Partick ThistleH2–1Lafferty 22', 46'5,0031st1 April 2022Greenock MortonA1–1Shaw 64' (pen.)2,6501st9 April 2022Dunfermline AthleticH2–0Lafferty 26', Shaw 76'5,0131st15 April 2022Inverness Caledonian ThistleA1–2Taylor 60'3,8291st22 April 2022ArbroathH2–1Taylor 78', Alston 90'11,5001st29 April 2022Raith RoversA1–1Shaw 50'3,4171st
Notes
Scottish Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance27 November 2021Third roundQueen's ParkA1–0E. Murray 45+1'1,15322 January 2022Fourth roundDundee UnitedH1–2 McKenzie 20'5,380
Scottish League Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance10 July 2021Group stageEast KilbrideA0–3F. Murray 49', Naismith 62'27017 July 2021Group stageClydeA2–1Alston 1', Cameron 19' (pen.)50020 July 2021Group stageGreenock MortonH1–1 (4–3p)Connell 90+1'2,00024 July 2021Group stageStranraerH2–1F. Murray 38', Burke 66'2,00014 August 2021Second roundHibernianA0–25,990
Notes
Scottish Challenge Cup
DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance4 September 2021Second roundFalkirkH3–1F. Murray 4', 78', Naismith 55'2,4478 October 2021Third roundQueen's ParkH3–1Shaw 14', E. Murray 53', Hendry 61'2,14930 November 2021Quarter-finalHamilton AcademicalA3–2Armstrong 53', Sanders 89', 90+4'8292 March 2022Semi-finalRaith RoversH1–2Shaw 43' (pen.)2,118
Squad statistics
No.Pos.NameChampionshipScottish CupLeague Cup Challenge CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Zach Hemming360102000390012DF Lee Hodson180100020200203DF Brandon Haunstrup170105010240204MF Stephen McGinn331005030411405DF Euan Murray270115031362406DF Chris Stokes192105020282207MF Rory McKenzie273214030364608MF Blair Alston313105130394509FW Oli Shaw291420004235161010FW Scott Robinson1621010202021011MF Daniel Armstrong1511040412423012GK Sam Walker10103040800014DF Jack Sanders1412020222031115MF Fraser Murray3431042324270016FW Callum Hendry1340000211553016MF Declan Glass60000010700017MF Brad Lyons1901050302804018DF Calum Waters1601000301902019MF Liam Polworth1412030102013020FW Innes Cameron610051101221020MF Dean Campbell80000000800021GK Colin Doyle00000000000022DF Jason Naismith1610051212331023FW Rumarn Burrell60100020800024DF Dylan McGowan2001020002204025FW Kyle Connell00003100311027MF Steven Warnock10000030400028FW Kyle Lafferty1481000001582028MF Ross Smith00001000100029MF Chris Burke2812051203721030MF Daniel MacKay1000000101101032MF Thomas Brindley00000010100033MF Charlie McArthur10000030400044MF David Watson 00000010100048MF Dylan Tait70100000801055DF Ash Taylor11310000012320
Club statistics
Competition overview
League table
League Cup table
Transfers
Transfers in DatePositionNamePrevious clubFeeRef.1 June 2021DFEuan MurrayDunfermline AthleticFree2 June 2021MFDaniel ArmstrongRaith RoversFree3 June 2021MFBlair AlstonFalkirkFreeMFScott RobinsonLivingstonFreeDF Jack Sanders Wigan AthleticFree7 June 2021MFStephen McGinnHibernianFree10 June 2021DF Chris Stokes Forest Green RoversFree16 June 2021GK Colin DoyleHeart of MidlothianFree17 June 2021MF Brad Lyons Blackburn RoversFreeMFFraser MurrayHibernianUndisclosedMFJason NaismithRoss CountyFree20 June 2021GK Zach Hemming MiddlesbroughLoan23 June 2021MFLiam PolworthMotherwellFree6 July 2021GK Sam Walker ReadingFree14 July 2021DF Dylan McGowan Western Sydney WanderersFree30 July 2021FW Rumarn Burrell MiddlesbroughLoan31 August 2021FWOli ShawRoss CountyUndisclosed3 September 2021DF Lee Hodson GillinghamFree29 September 2021FWCallum HendrySt JohnstoneLoan13 January 2022MFDaniel MacKayHibernianLoan14 January 2022DF Ash Taylor WalsallFree20 January 2022MFDylan TaitHibernianLoan21 January 2022FW Kyle Lafferty Anorthosis FamagustaFree2 February 2022MFDeclan GlassDundee UnitedLoan3 February 2022MFDean CampbellAberdeenLoan
Transfers out DatePositionNameSubsequent ClubFeeRef25 May 2021MF Diaguely DaboFree AgentFreeMF Gary Dicker Brighton & Hove AlbionFreeDF Clévid Dikamona CaenFreeMF Youssouf Mulumbu Saint-Éloi LupopoFreeFW George Oakley WokingFreeFW Nicke Kabamba Northampton Town FreeGK Danny Rogers Oldham AthleticFreeMFAlly TaylorFree AgentFreeMF Aaron Tshibola GençlerbirliğiFreeFW Danny Whitehall EastleighFree1 June 2021DFRoss Millen Scunthorpe UnitedFree4 June 2021DFKirk BroadfootInverness Caledonian ThistleFreeMFGreg KiltieSt MirrenFreeFW Kyle Lafferty Anorthosis FamagustaFreeFW Mitchell Pinnock Northampton TownFree21 June 2021MF Alan PowerSt MirrenUndisclosed7 July 2021GKCurtis LyleStranraerLoan12 July 2021DF Aaron McGowan Northampton TownFree13 July 2021DFKirk McNightDumbartonLoan7 August 2021FWKyle ConnellEast FifeLoan17 September 2021DF Euan DeveneyClydeLoan30 September 2021FWInnes CameronQueen of the SouthLoan31 January 2022MFTomas BrindleyForfar AthleticLoanFWInnes CameronQueen of the SouthLoanMFSteven WarnockForfar AthleticLoan28 February 2022MFLiam PolworthDunfermline AthleticLoan
References