Dicker says Euro defeat was ‘disgrace’

Kilmarnock captain Gary Dicker has said following up a record-breaking season with the club’s worst performance of all time is a “disgrace”.

Killie went out of the Europa League qualifiers at the first hurdle after letting slip a first-leg lead with a 2-0 home defeat by Welsh part-timers Connah’s Quay Nomads.

Dicker said the result, in the first European game at Rugby Park for 18 years, had to be the worst in the club’s 150-year history.

“It’s got to be,” said the midfielder. “We have got to take the blame. We got the plaudits last year, recordbreakers but we are breaking the wrong records this year. As players it’s embarrassing. The fans have waited that long and we dish up that. I’m gutted for them more than anyone. They have been through enough over the years. It’s embarrassing, a disgrace, whatever you want to call it.”

Steve Clarke led Killie to record points tallies in each of the last two seasons but the Scotland manager’s successor, Italian Angelo Alessio, endured a nightmare Rugby Park debut.

Irishman Dicker added: “We’re getting used to playing a different way but we have still got to manage the game as players. We will take full responsibility for it.”

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