OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE BLUE
Bobby: I never dreamed Ally’s final bow would be start of something special for Boydy
LOOKING back now, Bobby Williamson can see the fitting imagery as the baton passed from one legendary goalscorer to the next.
Sunday, May 20, 2001 was all about Ally McCoist bidding an emotional farewell to the Kilmarnock crowd as he brought the curtain down on his illustrious playing career in a 1-0 win over Celtic.
But amid the dewy-eyed emotion of one record-breaking era coming to an end it barely registered that Killie boss Williamson had just set the ball rolling for another.
For 17-year-old Kris Boyd his late cameo off the bench, replacing Paul di Giacomo for the last couple of minutes, was a brief first taste of senior football.
But almost 16 years on, Williamson can reflect on that moment as his former pupil celebrates smashing a goalscoring milestone - with the marksman’s sights set on another this weekend against Ross County.
Boyd’s opening goal against Motherwell last Saturday was his 200th in the Premiership and had his late penalty not clipped the post and stayed out, he’d have been become the first modern player to score 100 goals for two top-flight teams.
With 101 goals for Gers in 143 appearances and 99 from 249 games over two spells at Killie, Boyd is ranked fifth in the list of Scotland’s top post-war league scorers.
Only McCoist (top of the pile with 260), Willie Wallace, Joe McBride, and Jimmy Wardhaugh have more.
Williamson, still living in Kenya after leaving his post as national team boss last year, said: “I didn’t realise that Coisty’s last game was Boydy’s first, but looking back it’s appropriate.
“For any player to score a century of goals with two different clubs would be fantastic – I’ll be thrilled for him if and when he does.
“I’m proud to have played some part in it. It’s good to work with players and then watch how they develop and it’s pleasing when they go on to make a good career.
“It gives me satisfaction to see Kris go on and do well for himself. He’s had a fantastic career. I’m pleased for him and his family.”