Paul’s delighted to see Killie back on the Euro trail
Paul di Giacomo hopes Kilmarnock’s players will come good for the fans banking on Belgrade.
The Ayrshire club make a return to Europe after an absence of 18 years this week when they face Connah’s Quay Nomads inwales in the Europa League.
Di Giacomo played a key role in securing fourth place for Killie in 2001 with a win over Celtic on the last day of the season, when he set up the only goal of the game for Alan Mahood.
Now the club’s community engagement manager, he knows just how much the recent success under Steve Clarke means to the fans.
They’re so enthusiastic that some have already booked for the trip to Partizan Belgrade in the next round.
He said: “That was Ally Mccoist’s last game in professional football. He always reminds me that I was his last strike partner.
“I was just a teenager, and I’d grown up watching Kilmarnock being in Europe four seasons out of five. None of thought it would be nearly 20 years before it would happen again.”
Back then, Kilmarnock got past Glenavon – winning both legs 1-0 – to set up a clash with Viking Stavanger of Norway.
Di Giacomo went on: “The game in Wales will be very similar to the one we played in Northern Ireland.
“I remember being on the bus, and there were Kilmarnock fans lining the streets. It’s the same this time, with demand for tickets outstripping supply.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s a tight game because they gave Ross County a tough match in the Challenge Cup Final.
“Some fans have already booked travel to Belgrade. The club’s success has made my job a lot busier, and that’s fantastic.
“I’ve seen an increase of 15-20% in interest since Steve Clarke got the team going. “There’s a real pride in the community.” Di Giacomo is sure the Killie players will have their footwear sorted for this campaign.
He said: “I remember when we lost against Viking in Stavanger, it was on a pitch that had been used for athletics and was tricky underfoot.
“The manager, Bobby Williamson, told us to wear screw-in studs if we had any doubts about the surface, but my pal, Garry Hay, said he’d be fine wearing blades.
“He slipped in the first minute and they went up the pitch to score!
“So you can imagine that at half- time, the manager’s chat wasn’t about tactics, but someone wearing the wrong boots!”