# 2023–24 Kilmarnock F.C. season

The 2023–24 season is the 145th season of competitive association football and the 11th season in the Scottish Professional Football League played by Kilmarnock Football Club, a professional football club based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. The club is competing in the top tier of Scottish football for the second consecutive season.

## Overview

Seven players were released by Kilmarnock following the end of their contracts during the summer including Blair Alston, Lee Hodson, Dylan McGowan, Alan Power, Scott Robinson, Chris Stokes and Calum Waters. Three players – Innes Cameron, Brad Lyons and Fraser Murray – signed new contracts while Ryan Alebiosu, Luke Chambers, Ben Chrisene, Christian Doidge, Jeriel Dorsett, Zach Hemming, Jordan Jones and Lewis Mayo returned to their parent clubs following the completion of their loan deals.
Kilmarnock arranged a pre-season training camp in Belfast, Northern Ireland which included friendlies against Glentoran and Linfield.
The draw for the League Cup was made on 8 June 2023 and Kilmarnock were drawn in Group F with Raith Rovers, Dunfermline Athletic, Annan Athletic and Albion Rovers. They began the campaign on 15 July at home to Annan Athletic and concluded their group stage fixtures on 29 July away to Albion Rovers.
Fixtures for the 2023–24 Premiership were released on 30 June 2023 and the season began on the weekend of 5 August 2023.

## Results and fixtures
### Pre-season

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers |
| 4 July 2023 | Glentoran | A | 0–1 | |
| 8 July 2023 | Linfield | A | 0–1 | |

### Premiership

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | League position |
| 5 August 2023 | Rangers | H | 1–0 | Lyons 65' | 9,256 | 3rd |
| 13 August 2023 | Heart of Midlothian | A | 0–0 | | 18,455 | 5th |
| 26 August 2023 | Motherwell | A | 1–2 | Watkins 12' | 5,758 | 7th |
| 2 September 2023 | Ross County | H | 0–1 | | 5,258 | 9th |
| 16 September 2023 | Hibernian | H | 2–2 | Vassell 61', Wright 79' | 6,277 | 8th |
| 23 September 2023 | Dundee | A | 2–2 | Armstrong 30' (pen.), 81' | 6,101 | 8th |
| 30 September 2023 | St Mirren | H | 1–1 | Lyons 19' | 6,124 | 8th |
| 7 October 2023 | Celtic | A | 1–3 | Watson 72' | 58,295 | 9th |
| 21 October 2023 | Livingston | H | 3–1 | Armstrong 16', Vassell 42', 60' | 4,679 | 5th |
| 29 October 2023 | Aberdeen | H | 2–0 | Vassell 45+4', Watkins 64' | 5,480 | 4th |
| 1 November 2023 | St Johnstone | A | 1–2 | Vassell 47' | 2,840 | 5th |
| 4 November 2023 | Motherwell | H | 1–0 | Cameron 49' | 5,553 | 4th |
| 11 November 2023 | Hibernian | A | 0–1 | | 16,250 | 6th |
| 25 November 2023 | Ross County | A | 0–0 | | 4,013 | 6th |
| 2 December 2023 | Heart of Midlothian | H | 0–1 | | 5,915 | 7th |
| 6 December 2023 | Aberdeen | A | 1–0 | Watson 90+2' | 13,668 | 6th |
| 10 December 2023 | Celtic | H | 2–1 | Phillips 75' (o.g.), Kennedy 87' | 7,706 | 5th |
| 16 December 2023 | Livingston | A | 0–0 | | 2,820 | 5th |
| 23 December 2023 | St Johnstone | H | 2–1 | Watson 6', Watkins 17' | 5,074 | 4th |
| 27 December 2023 | St Mirren | A | 1–0 | Watkins 25' | 7,534 | 4th |
| 30 December 2023 | Dundee | H | 2–2 | Wright 85', McKenzie 90+3' | 5,780 | 4th |
| 2 January 2024 | Rangers | A | 1–3 | Armstrong 58' (pen.) | 49,250 | 4th |
| 27 January 2024 | Hibernian | H | 2–2 | Vente 25' (o.g.), Kennedy 54' | 6,501 | 4th |
| 3 February 2024 | Motherwell | A | 1–1 | Mayo 13' | 5,491 | 4th |
| 7 February 2024 | Livingston | H | 1–0 | Watkins 88' | 4,328 | 4th |
| 17 February 2024 | Celtic | A | 1–1 | Watson 90+2' | 58,887 | 4th |
| 24 February 2024 | Aberdeen | H | 2–0 | Ndaba 45+5', Kennedy 58' | 6,230 | 4th |
| 28 February 2024 | Rangers | H | 1–2 | Armstrong 11' (pen.) | 9,576 | 4th |
| 2 March 2024 | Dundee | A | 2–2 | Watkins 35', Deas 90+1' | 5,588 | 5th |
| 16 March 2024 | St Mirren | H | 5–2 | Vassell 61', 73', Armstrong 65' (pen.), Watkins 68', Watson 79' | 8,460 | 4th |
| 30 March 2024 | Heart of Midlothian | A | 1–1 | Watkins 67' | 18,799 | 4th |
| 6 April 2024 | Ross County | H | 1–0 | Vassell 64' | 5,473 | 4th |
| 13 April 2024 | St Johnstone | A | 2–0 | Wright 23', Watkins 81' | 4,087 | 4th |
| 27 April 2024 | Heart of Midlothian | H | 0–0 | | 6,677 | 4th |
| 5 May 2024 | Rangers | A | 1–4 | Tavernier 12' (o.g.) | 49,553 | 4th |
| 11 May 2024 | St Mirren | A | 1–0 | Vassell 37' | 7,645 | 4th |
| 15 May 2024 | Celtic | H | 0–5 | | 9,595 | 4th |
| 18 May 2024 | Dundee | A | 1–1 | Mackay-Steven 24' | 6,637 | 4th |

### Scottish Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 20 January 2024 | Fourth round | Dundee | H | 2–0 | Vassell 1', Watkins 3' | 5,425 |
| 10 February 2024 | Fifth round | Cove Rangers | H | 2–0 | Watkins 45', Armstrong 81' | 4,407 |
| 9 March 2024 | Quarter-final | Aberdeen | A | 1–3 | Armstrong 41' | 10,879 |

### League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 15 July 2023 | Group stage | Annan Athletic | H | 3–0 | Armstrong 5' (pen.), Murray 16', Cameron 50' | 3,142 |
| 22 July 2023 | Group stage | Dunfermline Athletic | A | 2–0 | Murray 4', Vassell 81' | 2,784 |
| 26 July 2023 | Group stage | Raith Rovers | H | 2–2 (4–5p) | Cameron 42', Findlay 80' | 3,316 |
| 29 July 2023 | Group stage | Albion Rovers | A | 2–1 | Findlay 7', Watkins 41' | 1,093 |
| 20 August 2023 | Second round | Celtic | H | 1–0 | Watkins 60' | 8,002 |
| 26 September 2023 | Quarter-final | Heart of Midlothian | H | 1–2 | Lyons 68' | 6,014 |

## Club statistics
### Competition Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Premiership | 5 August 2023 | 18 May 2024 | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 036.84 |
| Scottish Cup | 20 January 2024 | 9 March 2024 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 066.67 |
| League Cup | 15 July 2023 | 26 September 2023 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 066.67 |
| Total | Total | Total | 47 | 20 | 15 | 12 | 62 | 51 | +11 | 042.55 |
Source: Competitions

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 2 | Rangers | 38 | 27 | 4 | 7 | 87 | 32 | +55 | 85 | Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round |
| 3 | Heart of Midlothian | 38 | 20 | 8 | 10 | 54 | 42 | +12 | 68 | Qualification for the Europa League play-off round |
| 4 | Kilmarnock | 38 | 14 | 14 | 10 | 46 | 44 | +2 | 56 | Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round |
| 5 | St Mirren | 38 | 13 | 8 | 17 | 46 | 52 | −6 | 47 | Qualification for the Conference League second qualifying round |
| 6 | Dundee | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 49 | 68 | −19 | 42 | |
* ↑ Teams play each other three times (33 matches), before the league is split into two groups (the top six and the bottom six).
* ↑ As the winners of the 2023–24 Scottish Cup, Celtic, qualified for the Champions League, the berth reserved for the cup winners (Europa League play-off round) passed to the third-placed team. The berths for the Europa League second qualifying round and the Conference League second qualifying round were passed down to the fourth- and fifth-placed teams.

### League Cup table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | KIL | RAI | DNF | ALB | ANN |
| 1 | Kilmarnock | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 3 | +6 | 10 | Qualification for the second round | — | 2–2p | — | — | 3–0 |
| 2 | Raith Rovers | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | +3 | 9 | Qualification for the second round | — | — | 1–1p | 2–0 | — |
| 3 | Dunfermline Athletic | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | +5 | 8 | | 0–2 | — | — | — | 4–0 |
| 4 | Albion Rovers | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 3 | | 1–2 | — | 0–3 | — | — |
| 5 | Annan Athletic | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 12 | −9 | 0 | | — | 2–3 | — | 1–2 | — |

## Squad statistics

| No. | Pos. | Name | Premiership | Premiership | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Will Dennis | 36 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 44 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Corrie Ndaba | 28 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 37 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | DF | Joe Wright | 29 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 32 | 3 | 8 | 1 |
| 5 | DF | Lewis Mayo | 36 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 44 | 1 | 5 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Robbie Deas | 29 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 1 | 12 | 1 |
| 7 | MF | Rory McKenzie | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Brad Lyons | 22 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 28 | 3 | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Kyle Vassell | 35 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 41 | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Matty Kennedy | 35 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 43 | 3 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Daniel Armstrong | 38 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 47 | 9 | 10 | 0 |
| 12 | MF | David Watson | 36 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 45 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Jack Sanders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 14 | MF | James Balagizi | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | Fraser Murray | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Kyle Magennis | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Stuart Findlay | 36 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 45 | 2 | 7 | 0 |
| 18 | FW | Innes Cameron | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Tom Davies | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | GK | Kieran O'Hara | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Andrew Dallas | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | FW | Greg Stewart | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | Liam Donnelly | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | Marley Watkins | 35 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 42 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | Aaron Brown | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | MF | Liam Polworth | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | Gary Mackay-Steven | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 99 | FW | Kevin van Veen | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Source:

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | Previous Club | Fee |
| 5 June 2023 | DF | Robbie Deas | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Free |
| 21 June 2023 | MF | Kyle Magennis | Hibernian | Free |
| 21 June 2023 | GK | Will Dennis | Bournemouth | Loan |
| 21 June 2023 | MF | Matty Kennedy | Aberdeen | Free |
| 22 June 2023 | DF | Corrie Ndaba | Ipswich Town | Loan |
| 11 July 2023 | GK | Kieran O'Hara | Colchester United | Free |
| 14 July 2023 | DF | Stuart Findlay | Oxford United | Loan |
| 20 July 2023 | DF | Lewis Mayo | Rangers | Undisclosed |
| 21 July 2023 | FW | Marley Watkins | Aberdeen | Free |
| 26 July 2023 | DF | Tom Davies | Cardiff City | Loan |
| 1 September 2023 | FW | Andrew Dallas | Barnsley | Loan |
| 5 December 2023 | MF | Gary Mackay-Steven | Free agent | Free |
| 18 January 2024 | FW | Greg Stewart | Mumbai City | Free |
| 20 January 2024 | GK | Mark Birighitti | Dundee United | Emergency loan |
| 24 January 2024 | MF | James Balagizi | Liverpool | Loan |
| 1 February 2024 | FW | Kevin van Veen | Groningen | Loan |

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | Subsequent Club | Fee |
| 3 June 2023 | MF | Blair Alston | Partick Thistle | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | DF | Lee Hodson | Eastleigh | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | DF | Dylan McGowan | Hamilton Academical | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | MF | Alan Power | Greenock Morton | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | FW | Scott Robinson | Partick Thistle | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | DF | Chris Stokes | Morecambe | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | DF | Calum Waters | Greenock Morton | Free |
| 3 June 2023 | GK | Sam Walker | Charlton Athletic | Free |
| 16 June 2023 | DF | Ash Taylor | Bradford City | Free |
| 24 June 2023 | DF | Jon Craig | Clyde | Free |
| 11 July 2023 | GK | Aiden Glavin | Auchinleck Talbot | Loan |
| 13 July 2023 | FW | Cameron Mulvanny | Clyde | Free |
| 21 July 2023 | MF | Kian Leslie | Clyde | Loan |
| 3 August 2023 | MF | Kerr McInroy | Partick Thistle | Loan |
| 29 September 2023 | FW | Bobby Wales | Alloa Athletic | Loan |
| 26 January 2024 | DF | Jack Sanders | Ayr United | Loan |
| 1 February 2024 | GK | Corey Armour | Maybole Juniors | Loan |
| 13 February 2024 | MF | Aaron Quigg | Albion Rovers | Loan |
| 29 February 2024 | MF | Aaron Brown | Annan Athletic | Loan |