Higher this season with his goals

“We last won the Scottish Cup in 1997 and the League Cup six years ago.

“I’d love to bring our support some silverware. They deserve it.

“It would also be great for the manager. He has been just brilliant. We all owe so much to him.”

On the back of his excellent work at Rugby Park, Clarke was linked with several jobs last season. But Boyd knows his boss is happy and not in any rush to leave Ayrshire.

The striker is also satisfied in his current job and would be more than happy if he plays on and eventually hangs up his boots as a Killie player.

That scenario though is, at least, two years away.

Boyd said: “We started back training this weekend and I was raring to go. I enjoyed a nice break but it was time to get back to work and I was itching to get the boots back on.

“We will train at home this week and then head to a training camp in Spain for a week.

“I’ve returned with a mindset of wanting do well again.

“I want to play in as many games as possible, score goals and help the team win games.

“If I’m playing regularly, then I know I can score goals. I know I will find spaces on the pitch and I have the team-mates with the ability to find me with their final ball.

“Personally, I also look to find a rhythm as quickly as possible.

“I’m not the type of player who benefits from playing a game and then sitting it out for two weeks.

“I need to be on the front foot every week.

“After the gaffer took over last season, I think I only didn’t start three or four games.

“We all benefited from that. “But I’m also old enough and wise enough to know that I will need to be on my game to get into the team.

“We have some excellent strikers at the club and they are all hungry to get into the team.

“Collectively, we all know how important it is to for us all to get off to a good start.

“Last season, the League Cup campaign didn’t go well and we lost out to Ayr United.

“We kick off next month against St Mirren in the same competition and we need to be ready.

“We will be.”