The 2023–24 season is the 145th season of competitive association football and the 11th season in the Scottish Professional Football League played by Kilmarnock Football Club, a professional football club based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. The club is competing in the top tier of Scottish football for the second consecutive season.

Overview Seven players were released by Kilmarnock following the end of their contracts during the summer including Blair Alston, Lee Hodson, Dylan McGowan, Alan Power, Scott Robinson, Chris Stokes and Calum Waters. Three players – Innes Cameron, Brad Lyons and Fraser Murray – signed new contracts while Ryan Alebiosu, Luke Chambers, Ben Chrisene, Christian Doidge, Jeriel Dorsett, Zach Hemming, Jordan Jones and Lewis Mayo returned to their parent clubs following the completion of their loan deals.

Kilmarnock arranged a pre-season training camp in Belfast, Northern Ireland which included friendlies against Glentoran and Linfield.

The draw for the League Cup was made on 8 June 2023 and Kilmarnock were drawn in Group F with Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic, Annan Athletic and Albion Rovers. They began the campaign on 15 July at home to Annan Athletic and concluded their group stage fixtures on 29 July away to Albion Rovers.

Fixtures for the 2023–24 Premiership were released on 30 June 2023 and the season began on the weekend of 5 August 2023.

Results and fixtures

Pre-season DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorers4 July 2023 GlentoranA0–18 July 2023 LinfieldA0–1

Premiership

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition5 August 2023RangersH1–0Lyons 65'9,2563rd13 August 2023Heart of MidlothianA0–018,4555th26 August 2023MotherwellA1–2Watkins 12'5,7587th2 September 2023Ross CountyH0–15,2589th16 September 2023HibernianH2–2Vassell 61', Wright 79'6,2778th23 September 2023DundeeA2–2Armstrong 30' (pen.), 81'6,1018th30 September 2023St MirrenH1–1Lyons 19'6,1248th7 October 2023CelticA1–3Watson 72'58,2959th21 October 2023LivingstonH3–1Armstrong 16', Vassell 42', 60'4,6795th29 October 2023AberdeenH2–0Vassell 45+4', Watkins 64'5,4804th1 November 2023St JohnstoneA1–2Vassell 47'2,8405th4 November 2023MotherwellH1–0Cameron 49'5,5534th11 November 2023HibernianA0–116,2506th25 November 2023Ross CountyA0–04,0136th2 December 2023Heart of MidlothianH0–15,9157th6 December 2023AberdeenA1–0Watson 90+2'13,6686th10 December 2023CelticH2–1Phillips 75' (o.g.), Kennedy 87'7,7065th16 December 2023LivingstonA0–02,8205th23 December 2023St JohnstoneH2–1Watson 6', Watkins 17'5,0744th27 December 2023St MirrenA1–0Watkins 25'7,5344th30 December 2023DundeeH2–2Wright 85', McKenzie 90+3'5,7804th2 January 2024RangersA1–3Armstrong 58' (pen.)49,2504th27 January 2024HibernianH2–2Vente 25' (o.g.), Kennedy 54'6,5014th3 February 2024MotherwellA1–1Mayo 13'5,4914th7 February 2024LivingstonH1–0Watkins 88'4,3284th17 February 2024CelticA1–1Watson 90+2'58,8874th24 February 2024AberdeenH2–0Ndaba 45+5', Kennedy 58'6,2304th28 February 2024RangersH1–2Armstrong 11' (pen.)9,5764th2 March 2024DundeeA2–2Watkins 35', Deas 90+1'5,5885th16 March 2024St MirrenH5–2Vassell 61', 73', Armstrong 65' (pen.), Watkins 68', Watson 79'8,4604th30 March 2024Heart of MidlothianA1–1Watkins 67'18,7994th6 April 2024Ross CountyH1–0Vassell 64'5,4734th13 April 2024St JohnstoneA2–0Wright 23', Watkins 81'4,0874th27 April 2024Heart of MidlothianH0–06,6774th5 May 2024RangersA1–4Tavernier 12' (o.g.)49,5534th11 May 2024St MirrenA1–0Vassell 37'7,6454th15 May 2024CelticH0–59,5954th18 May 2024DundeeA1–1Mackay-Steven 24'6,6374th

Scottish Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance20 January 2024Fourth roundDundeeH 2–0Vassell 1', Watkins 3'5,42510 February 2024Fifth roundCove RangersH2–0Watkins 45', Armstrong 81'4,4079 March 2024Quarter-finalAberdeenA1–3Armstrong 41'10,879

League Cup

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance15 July 2023Group stageAnnan AthleticH3–0Armstrong 5' (pen.), Murray 16', Cameron 50'3,14222 July 2023Dunfermline AthleticA2–0Murray 4', Vassell 81'2,78426 July 2023Group stageRaith RoversH2–2 (4–5p)Cameron 42', Findlay 80'3,31629 July 2023Group stageAlbion RoversA2–1Findlay 7', Watkins 41'1,09320 August 2023Second roundCelticH1–0Watkins 60'8,00226 September 2023Quarter-finalHeart of MidlothianH1–2Lyons 68'6,014

Squad statistics No.Pos.NamePremiershipScottish CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Will Dennis3602060440103DF Corrie Ndaba2813060371214DF Joe Wright2932010323815DF Lewis Mayo3613050441516DF Robbie Deas29110403411217MF Rory McKenzie2812020321308MF Brad Lyons2220061283609FW Kyle Vassell359313141114010MF Matty Kennedy35320604333011MF Daniel Armstrong386326147910012MF David Watson365306045510014DF Jack Sanders000010100114MF James Balagizi502000700015MF Fraser Murray14020422021016MF Kyle Magennis8000601401017DF Stuart Findlay36030624527018FW Innes Cameron10110421531019DF Tom Davies600000600020GK Kieran O'Hara301000400021FW Andrew Dallas14000101500021FW Greg Stewart8030001101022MF Liam Donnelly26030103008023FW Marley Watkins359324242134029MF Aaron Brown100000100031MF Liam Polworth24030403102039MF Gary Mackay-Steven9110001010099FW Kevin van Veen120100013020 Source:

Club statistics

Competition overview

League table

League Cup table

Transfers

Transfers in DatePositionNamePrevious clubFeeRef.5 June 2023DFRobbie DeasInverness Caledonian ThistleFree21 June 2023MFKyle MagennisHibernianFreeGK Will Dennis BournemouthLoanMF Matty KennedyAberdeenFree22 June 2023DF Corrie Ndaba Ipswich TownLoan11 July 2023GK Kieran O'Hara Colchester UnitedFree14 July 2023DFStuart Findlay Oxford UnitedLoan20 July 2023DFLewis MayoRangersUndisclosed21 July 2023FW Marley WatkinsAberdeenFree26 July 2023DF Tom Davies Cardiff CityLoan1 September 2023FWAndrew Dallas BarnsleyLoan5 December 2023MFGary Mackay-StevenFree agentFree18 January 2024FWGreg Stewart Mumbai CityFree20 January 2024GK Mark BirighittiDundee UnitedEmergency loan24 January 2024MF James Balagizi LiverpoolLoan1 February 2024FW Kevin van Veen GroningenLoan

Transfers out DatePositionNameSubsequent Club FeeRef3 June 2023MFBlair AlstonPartick ThistleFreeDF Lee Hodson EastleighFreeDF Dylan McGowanHamilton AcademicalFreeMF Alan PowerGreenock MortonFreeFWScott RobinsonPartick ThistleFreeDF Chris Stokes MorecambeFreeDFCalum WatersGreenock MortonFreeGK Sam Walker Charlton AthleticFree16 June 2023DF Ash Taylor Bradford CityFree24 June 2023DFJon CraigClydeFree11 July 2023GKAiden GlavinAuchinleck TalbotLoan13 July 2023FWCameron MulvannyClydeFree21 July 2023MFKian LeslieLoan3 August 2023MFKerr McInroyPartick ThistleLoan29 September 2023FWBobby WalesAlloa AthleticLoan26 January 2024DF Jack SandersAyr UnitedLoan1 February 2024GKCorey ArmourMaybole JuniorsLoan13 February 2024MFAaron QuiggAlbion RoversLoan29 February 2024MFAaron BrownAnnan AthleticLoan

References