LOCKE BACK IN THE GAME AS KILLIE ASSISTANT MANAGER

GARY LOCKE yesterday returned to football as Kilmarnock boss Allan Johnston’s assistant manager — just a month after being ruthlessly axed by Hearts. The 39-year-old played for the Rugby Park side between 2002 and 2009 before becoming a coach there. He returned to Tynecastle — where he was a player — as a first-team coach in 2010 before becoming the manager in his own right a year ago. Despite a spirited finale to the season, Locke was unable to prevent Hearts being relegated after a 15-point penalty was imposed for entering administration last summer. Faced with a rebuilding job in the Championship, chairwoman Ann Budge showed Locke the door after relegation, with Craig Levein and Robbie Neilson installed as director of football and head coach respectively. Killmarnock chairman Michael Johnston said: ‘Allan Johnston and Gary have spent many years together as youth and senior players in the past and share a mutual understanding of what’s required to bring success to Rugby Park.’