Dicker believes that if you’re going to do some talking on

MOBILE phones eh? If you’re not tapping at this then you’re scrolling at that. And if it’s not a prod here then it’s a nudge there. It’s got to the point where it’s actually hard to think of a single human function that you can’t do on these ruddy devices.

Well, apart from that rather childish thing that you do when you attempt to mimic the sound of flatulence by creating a small pocket of air with your hand under your oxter. And there’s probably now an App that you can download for that anyway.

If you fancy getting away from the ubiquitous mobile, then perhaps Rugby Park can provide something of a sanctuary. At 30-years-old, Gary Dicker is hardly of a vintage that is still reluctant to move on from the feather quill but the Irishman remains a fan of more traditional means of communication.

“You sit in the dressing room sometimes or on the bus and people would prefer to sit on their phone,” he said after this 1-1 draw at Hamilton.

“I’m guilty of it as well. Maybe there isn’t enough getting to know each other. That happens in the best teams I’ve been in. Everyone knows who needs an arm and who needs a shouting. It doesn’t happen as much. I feel sorry for that generation because it’s social media and phones now and it’s hard.

“In fairness the manager addressed it at the start of the season and said we aren’t allowed phones in the dressing room. There’s nothing worse than when he walks in the dressing room and everyone has their head down not talking.

“We chat a bit more and get to know each other, that’s the key. You don’t have to be best friends but when you’re on the pitch you do. As soon as we come in you’re not allowed on your phone. The manager is old school as well.”

Given the number of new faces that have appeared at Kilmarnock recently, you wouldn’t have been surprised if Julie Andrews had been drafted in to host a “getting to know you” seminar in the Park Hotel. “I feel it’s helped,” added Dicker, who wasn’t talking about that whimsical, made-up audience with Andrews. “It gets people talking rather than sitting in silence texting someone who isn’t in the room.

“It helps you get to know each other, especially the young lads, and there’s plenty of people to get to know recently. You are allowed a phone on the bus to sort tickets and things but once you get there that’s it banned. And it’s the same at training. You make all your calls outside. But younger lads need to know they can’t play football and not speak.

“That’s an area where we all need to improve. The better players I played with never stopped talking.”

Dicker has been moved from his usual role in the midfield to centre-back