Fired-up Findlay is aiming to get Killie off to flyer

BY CRAIG SWAN STUART FINDLAY was on the brink of reaching a major finals with Scotland when football went into lockdown.

Four months on and the Kilmarnock defender now reckons his first bounce game back is almost going to feel as joyous as a Euro 2020 showpiece.

Findlay can’t wait for an outing now that Scottish Government chiefs have given the all-clear for friendly games to resume and the Premiership campaign to get going on August 1.

The Rugby Park defender was gearing up for a huge end to the 2019-20 term with both club and country when Covid-19 struck.

Findlay and the entire game was plunged into shutdown, but now there’s light at the end of the tunnel and the 24-yearold is raring to go again.

He said: “It was strange. You go from a game being cancelled to three months of sitting in your house and not doing anything.

“It didn’t come at a great time. Scotland were gearing up for massive games and Kilmarnock had a massive end to the season coming up.

“It did put it into perspective when you saw the problems in the real world but now that we are back it is important we get a good preseason and train well.

“It is weird. You get time to think. I had just worked my way back from my hamstring injury and I had time then to set my sights on what I wanted to do towards the end of the season.

“Then there is another knockback – but I had a lot of time to think and about how much I’ve missed football. You feel like you take it for granted.

“When we eventually get to a game, it will be weird with no crowd and sanctions in place.

“But to get the ball out with referees and the strips on, it will feel like the biggest game I’ve had in a long time because it is a mile away from where we were.”

Findlay is adamant lack of crowds won’t quell the fires within Scotland’s top flight as

STUART FINDLAY

“Apart from that, whether there’s a crowd there or not, there are three points up for grabs and it’s vital you get off to a good start.

“We’ve seen what can happen. You ride the crest of that wave, we’ve done it before at Kilmarnock and finished