GLORY HAYS
Former Rugby Park hero Garry wants European trip with Killie in 2019 as he hails Clarke transformation
GARRY HAY doesn’t dare to dream about Kilmarnock winning the title.
But as he savours the resurgence at his former club the ex-Rugby Park hero does believe he can be digging out his passport for a European trip and celebrating a Scottish Cup success at the end of the season.
Hay, like every Killie fan, is loving the rehabilitation of his former club under Steve Clarke.
The Ayrshire side’s incredible transformation over the past 13 months has seen the club go from relegation candidates to championship contenders.
Killie amassed more points (74) in the calendar year than any other top-flight club and it’s enough to have Hay’s workmates discussing the almost unthinkable.
And while the former skipper won’t let himself consider a title tilt just yet he still believes a magical campaign can continue to unfold through the first half of 2019.
Hay said: “Ultimately, when it comes to the league, you think Celtic will push through. They’ll likely make signings and have the firepower to advance.
“But for Killie it’s brilliant just to be in the conversations. We’ve given ourselves a fantastic opportunity of securing a top-six place nice and early.
“That would be the club’s aim. Sustaining the level having made it last year – but I’m certainly dreaming of a wee European trip.
“We’ve not even touched on the cup competitions but you look at our consistency in the league and to win a cup there’s a lot less games.
“You need a bit of luck in the draw but the team have shown they are capable.
“It’s been well spoken about how much impact the manager has had on the players and the club and it has just continued.
“It’s routine now. You are turning up at Rugby Park and thinking you have a good chance of winning.
“Before Stevie, and even when I was playing, you were never totally convinced you were going to win at home.
“Certainly at home now we look really strong and away from home, no matter if it is Tynecastle or Easter Road or anywhere else, we feel as though we can get something.
“We are thrifty with chances given away and tend not to make basic and simple mistakes. Teams normally have to work hard to score against us. You can see in the players there is no panic.
“We see games out and the players and staff are so good at managing games to the end.
“It’s going great and we are doing absolutely brilliantly.
“We’re exceeding what we would expect, even going back to last season, in terms of league position and points.
“We’re not the only ones – look at Aberdeen. People have said they haven’t started so well and had a poor season by their standards yet they are just two points behind us now.
“We’re punching above our weight and it’s a marathon and not a sprint.
“It’s brilliant Killie being top a couple of times and the manager has said the fans should enjoy it but there’s so much work to be done.
“So the players and the staff will know they have to keep going but the players have been on it 99 per cent of the time and hopefully that’ll stay the same. I’m sure it will.”
Killie might not get their hands on any silver this term but the memories and feelings of goodwill they are generating within a community are pure gold and Hay sees and hears it every day.
He said: “I’m always been that sort of pessimistic view of ‘we are doing brilliant but let’s not get carried away’.
“It’s like going back to my playing days, the one game at a time idea because it can slap you in the face.
“But one of my mates in the office is a big Killie fan and keeps saying, ‘Look at our record over the past year. Why are you worried? Why do you care about what Aberdeen are doing or if St Johnstone win? We’re so consistent and we’ll keep picking up points’.
“I’m not talking of winning the league but if you look at third it’s a realistic aim. “I worry about what if we lose our strikers, or there are loads of injuries, or key players go. That’ll be tough but there’s plenty of quality on the bench and it’s brilliant to hear. “My boy Blaike is in Primary 7 and I’ve been taking him to the majority of home games since I finished playing. He’s saying, ‘This is brilliant’. “He was going into school and slagging his Celtic fan pals because Killie were top. He’s in uncharted territory like the rest of us. “These kind of conversations are great as opposed to discussing relegation, doom and gloom, people losing their jobs if we don’t win. There’s so much positivity, long may it continue.”