‘We’re an even longer shot than Leicester City were for league title win’

KILMARNOCK manager Steve Clarke spoke last night of his belief that his table-topping Kilmarnock side can “stay competitive” in the Ladbrokes Premiership – but insisted the odds of them ‘doing a Leicester’ and winning the title remain more heavily stacked against them than they were against Claudio Ranieri’s side prior to their historic 2015-16 league win.

While Clarke made light of chairman Billy Bowie’s claim yesterday morning that the shock December league leaders can win their first top-flight title since 1965, he praised the mentality of a group of players who will travel to Celtic Park for a top-of-the-table clash today and said they were capable of keeping their good run going.

“I believe this team can stay competitive,” said Clarke. “If I didn’t believe that I would just go home.

“But with all due respect to Leicester, who were fantastic that season, it only happened because the five big guns, if you like, didn’t perform. If you liken that to Scottish football, Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen would all have to completely underperform for a club like Kilmarnock or Hibs or St Johnstone or Motherwell to challenge.

“And the reality is that Leicester’s budget when they won the Premier League was a lot closer to Manchester City’s or Chelsea’s than Kilmarnock’s is to Celtic, Rangers or Aberdeen.”