# 2021–22 Kilmarnock F.C. season

The 2021–22 season is the 143th season of competitive association football and ninth season in the Scottish Professional Football League played by Kilmarnock Football Club, a professional football club based in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. Their 11th-place finish and play-off defeat in 2020–21 meant it was their first season in the Championship and their first in the second tier of Scottish football since 1992–93. The 2020–21 season ran from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022.
Tommy Wright made 14 permanent summer signings as he approached his first full season as Kilmarnock manager. In December 2021, Wright was sacked with Kilmarnock fifth in the table, following three consecutive league defeats. He was replaced by former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes in January 2022. Following an upturn in form, Kilmarnock climbed the table and earned promotion back to the Premiership at the first time of asking after claiming the league title following a 2–1 comeback win against nearest challengers Arbroath in their penultimate match. It was their first second tier title since 1898–99.
In cup competition, Kilmarnock were eliminated in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, in the second round of the League Cup and the semifinals of the Challenge Cup.
In total, 36 players made at least one appearance in nationally organised first-team competition and there have been 18 different goalscorers. Midfielder Fraser Murray missed only five of the 47 first-team matches over the season. Oli Shaw was the leading scorer with 16 goals, of which 14 came in league competition and two came in the Challenge Cup.

## Overview

Tommy Wright signed a two-year contract in February 2021 to become the Kilmarnock manager.
In the League Cup, Kilmarnock were drawn in Group G alongside East Kilbride, Clyde, Greenock Morton and Stranraer. The competition is scheduled to start on 10 July 2021.
On 18 December 2021, Tommy Wright was sacked from his position as manager with the club slipping to fourth in the championship table.
On 4 January 2022, former Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes was appointed as the club's new manager on an 18-month contract.

## Results and fixtures
### Pre-season

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers |
| 30 June 2021 | Linfield | A | 1–0 | Cameron 23' |
| 3 July 2021 | Larne | A | 2–2 | Cameron 9' (pen.), F. Murray 20' |

### Scottish Championship

| Date | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance | League position |
| 2 August 2021 | Ayr United | H | 2–0 | Polworth 56', Cameron 86' (pen.) | 3,692 | 1st |
| 7 August 2021 | Queen of the South | A | 1–0 | Naismith 90+1' | 1,195 | 2nd |
| 21 August 2021 | Hamilton Academical | A | 2–0 | Robinson 60', 70' | 2,595 | 1st |
| 28 August 2021 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | H | 0–1 | | 5,004 | 3rd |
| 11 September 2021 | Greenock Morton | H | 1–0 | McKenzie 75' | 4,189 | 2nd |
| 18 September 2021 | Partick Thistle | A | 2–0 | Holt 52' (o.g.), Shaw 65' | 4,315 | 2nd |
| 24 September 2021 | Arbroath | A | 0–0 | | 2,410 | 1st |
| 2 October 2021 | Raith Rovers | H | 1–3 | Hendry 76' | 4,008 | 2nd |
| 16 October 2021 | Dunfermline Athletic | A | 2–2 | Hendry 68', Shaw 75' | 4,095 | 3rd |
| 23 October 2021 | Hamilton Academical | H | 2–1 | Shaw 5', Armstrong 74' | 3,969 | 2nd |
| 26 October 2021 | Ayr United | A | 1–0 | Shaw 89' (pen.) | 6,052 | 1st |
| 30 October 2021 | Queen of the South | H | 4–0 | Shaw 17', 59', Hendry 90', Burke 90+2' | 3,992 | 1st |
| 6 November 2021 | Partick Thistle | H | 0–1 | | 4,560 | 1st |
| 13 November 2021 | Greenock Morton | A | 2–0 | Alston 34', Shaw 43' | 2,878 | 1st |
| 20 November 2021 | Arbroath | H | 0–1 | | 4,242 | 1st |
| 3 December 2021 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | A | 0–1 | | 2,296 | 3rd |
| 11 December 2021 | Raith Rovers | A | 0–1 | | 2,426 | 4th |
| 18 December 2021 | Dunfermline Athletic | H | A–A | Shaw 3' (pen.) | | 5th |
| 26 December 2021 | Hamilton Academical | A | 3–2 | Hendry 8' (pen.), Stokes 35', F. Murray 54' | 500 | 4th |
| 29 December 2021 | Greenock Morton | H | 1–1 | McKenzie 27' | 500 | 3rd |
| 8 January 2022 | Queen of the South | A | 2–0 | Stokes 43', Shaw 71' (pen.) | 492 | 3rd |
| 14 January 2022 | Partick Thistle | A | 1–1 | Shaw 59' (pen.) | 500 | 2nd |
| 29 January 2022 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | H | 1–0 | Lafferty 9' | 4,790 | 2nd |
| 4 February 2022 | Arbroath | A | 0–1 | | 2,803 | 2nd |
| 9 February 2022 | Ayr United | H | 1–2 | F. Murray 7' | 7,560 | 2nd |
| 12 February 2022 | Dunfermline Athletic | H | 2–1 | Lafferty 67', 83' | 3,698 | 2nd |
| 19 February 2022 | Raith Rovers | H | 3–0 | McGinn 5', Lafferty 12', 63' | 4,080 | 2nd |
| 26 February 2022 | Dunfermline Athletic | A | 0–0 | | 4,083 | 2nd |
| 5 March 2022 | Hamilton Academical | H | 2–0 | F. Murray 44', Alston 55' | 4,083 | 2nd |
| 11 March 2022 | Ayr United | A | 3–1 | McKenzie 3', Shaw 12', Sanders 16' | 6,136 | 1st |
| 19 March 2022 | Queen of the South | H | 2–1 | Taylor 42', Shaw 81' | 4,074 | 1st |
| 26 March 2022 | Partick Thistle | H | 2–1 | Lafferty 22', 46' | 5,003 | 1st |
| 1 April 2022 | Greenock Morton | A | 1–1 | Shaw 64' (pen.) | 2,650 | 1st |
| 9 April 2022 | Dunfermline Athletic | H | 2–0 | Lafferty 26', Shaw 76' | 5,013 | 1st |
| 15 April 2022 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | A | 1–2 | Taylor 60' | 3,829 | 1st |
| 22 April 2022 | Arbroath | H | 2–1 | Taylor 78', Alston 90' | 11,500 | 1st |
| 29 April 2022 | Raith Rovers | A | 1–1 | Shaw 50' | 3,417 | 1st |

#### Notes

* ^ A: Attendance restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.
* ^ B: Match abandoned due to fog after 63 minutes with the score at 1–1.

### Scottish Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 27 November 2021 | Third round | Queen's Park | A | 1–0 | E. Murray 45+1' | 1,153 |
| 22 January 2022 | Fourth round | Dundee United | H | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | McKenzie 20' | 5,380 |

### Scottish League Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 10 July 2021 | Group stage | East Kilbride | A | 0–3 | F. Murray 49', Naismith 62' | 270 |
| 17 July 2021 | Group stage | Clyde | A | 2–1 | Alston 1', Cameron 19' (pen.) | 500 |
| 20 July 2021 | Group stage | Greenock Morton | H | 1–1 (4–3p) | Connell 90+1' | 2,000 |
| 24 July 2021 | Group stage | Stranraer | H | 2–1 | F. Murray 38', Burke 66' | 2,000 |
| 14 August 2021 | Second round | Hibernian | A | 0–2 | | 5,990 |

#### Notes

* ^ C: East Kilbride were awarded a technical 3−0 win over Kilmarnock, who fielded an ineligible player. The match had originally finished 2–0 to Kilmarnock.

### Scottish Challenge Cup

| Date | Round | Opponents | H / A | Result F–A | Scorers | Attendance |
| 4 September 2021 | Second round | Falkirk | H | 3–1 | F. Murray 4', 78', Naismith 55' | 2,447 |
| 8 October 2021 | Third round | Queen's Park | H | 3–1 | Shaw 14', E. Murray 53', Hendry 61' | 2,149 |
| 30 November 2021 | Quarter-final | Hamilton Academical | A | 3–2 | Armstrong 53', Sanders 89', 90+4' | 829 |
| 2 March 2022 | Semi-final | Raith Rovers | H | 1–2 | Shaw 43' (pen.) | 2,118 |

## 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 % |
| Championship | 2 August 2021 | 29 April 2022 | 36 | 20 | 7 | 9 | 50 | 27 | +23 | 055.56 |
| Scottish Cup | 27 November 2021 | 22 January 2022 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0 | 050.00 |
| League Cup | 10 July 2021 | 15 August 2021 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 | −3 | 040.00 |
| Challenge Cup | 4 September 2021 | 2 March 2022 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 075.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | 47 | 26 | 8 | 13 | 67 | 43 | +24 | 055.32 |
Source: Competitions

### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Kilmarnock (C, P) | 36 | 20 | 7 | 9 | 50 | 27 | +23 | 67 | Promotion to the Premiership |
| 2 | Arbroath | 36 | 17 | 14 | 5 | 54 | 28 | +26 | 65 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off semi-final |
| 3 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 36 | 16 | 11 | 9 | 53 | 34 | +19 | 59 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final |
| 4 | Partick Thistle | 36 | 14 | 10 | 12 | 46 | 40 | +6 | 52 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final |
| 5 | Raith Rovers | 36 | 12 | 14 | 10 | 44 | 44 | 0 | 50 | |

### League Cup table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | KIL | STR | GMO | EKI | CLY |
| 1 | Kilmarnock | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 8 | Qualification for the second round | — | 2–1 | p1–1 | — | — |
| 2 | Stranraer | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 6 | | — | — | 3–0 | 1–0 | — |
| 3 | Greenock Morton | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 6 | | — | — | — | p0–0 | 2–1 |
| 4 | East Kilbride | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 | | 3–0 | — | — | — | 2–2p |
| 5 | Clyde | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 6 | −1 | 5 | | 1–2 | 1–0 | — | — | — |
* ↑ Stranraer were awarded a technical 3−0 win over Greenock Morton, who were unable to raise a team after a COVID-19 outbreak among players and staff.
* ↑ East Kilbride were awarded a technical 3−0 win over Kilmarnock, who fielded an ineligible player. The match had originally finished 2–0 to Kilmarnock.

## Squad statistics

    As of matches played on 29 April 2022
| No. | Pos. | Name | Championship | Championship | Scottish Cup | Scottish Cup | League Cup | League Cup | Challenge Cup | Challenge Cup | Total | Total | Discipline | Discipline |
| No. | Pos. | Name | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | | |
| 1 | GK | Zach Hemming | 36 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 2 | DF | Lee Hodson | 18 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Brandon Haunstrup | 17 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | MF | Stephen McGinn | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 41 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | Euan Murray | 27 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 36 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | Chris Stokes | 19 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Rory McKenzie | 27 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Blair Alston | 31 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 39 | 4 | 5 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | Oli Shaw | 29 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 35 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | Scott Robinson | 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | MF | Daniel Armstrong | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | Sam Walker | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Jack Sanders | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 20 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 15 | MF | Fraser Murray | 34 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 42 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | Callum Hendry | 13 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Declan Glass | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Brad Lyons | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 18 | DF | Calum Waters | 16 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | Liam Polworth | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Innes Cameron | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | MF | Dean Campbell | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | GK | Colin Doyle | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Jason Naismith | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | Rumarn Burrell | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | Dylan McGowan | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | Kyle Connell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | Steven Warnock | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | FW | Kyle Lafferty | 14 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 8 | 2 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Ross Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | Chris Burke | 28 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 37 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | MF | Daniel MacKay | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | MF | Thomas Brindley | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | Charlie McArthur | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | MF | David Watson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 48 | MF | Dylan Tait | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 55 | DF | Ash Taylor | 11 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 0 |

## Transfers
### Transfers in

| Date | Position | Name | Previous Club | Fee |
| 1 June 2021 | DF | Euan Murray | Dunfermline Athletic | Free |
| 2 June 2021 | MF | Daniel Armstrong | Raith Rovers | Free |
| 3 June 2021 | MF | Blair Alston | Falkirk | Free |
| 3 June 2021 | MF | Scott Robinson | Livingston | Free |
| 3 June 2021 | DF | Jack Sanders | Wigan Athletic | Free |
| 7 June 2021 | MF | Stephen McGinn | Hibernian | Free |
| 10 June 2021 | DF | Chris Stokes | Forest Green Rovers | Free |
| 16 June 2021 | GK | Colin Doyle | Heart of Midlothian | Free |
| 17 June 2021 | MF | Brad Lyons | Blackburn Rovers | Free |
| 17 June 2021 | MF | Fraser Murray | Hibernian | Undisclosed |
| 17 June 2021 | MF | Jason Naismith | Ross County | Free |
| 20 June 2021 | GK | Zach Hemming | Middlesbrough | Loan |
| 23 June 2021 | MF | Liam Polworth | Motherwell | Free |
| 6 July 2021 | GK | Sam Walker | Reading | Free |
| 14 July 2021 | DF | Dylan McGowan | Western Sydney Wanderers | Free |
| 30 July 2021 | FW | Rumarn Burrell | Middlesbrough | Loan |
| 31 August 2021 | FW | Oli Shaw | Ross County | Undisclosed |
| 3 September 2021 | DF | Lee Hodson | Gillingham | Free |
| 29 September 2021 | FW | Callum Hendry | St Johnstone | Loan |
| 13 January 2022 | MF | Daniel MacKay | Hibernian | Loan |
| 14 January 2022 | DF | Ash Taylor | Walsall | Free |
| 20 January 2022 | MF | Dylan Tait | Hibernian | Loan |
| 21 January 2022 | FW | Kyle Lafferty | Anorthosis Famagusta | Free |
| 2 February 2022 | MF | Declan Glass | Dundee United | Loan |
| 3 February 2022 | MF | Dean Campbell | Aberdeen | Loan |

### Transfers out

| Date | Position | Name | Subsequent Club | Fee | Ref |
| 25 May 2021 | MF | Diaguely Dabo | Free Agent | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | MF | Gary Dicker | Brighton & Hove Albion | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | DF | Clévid Dikamona | Caen | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | MF | Youssouf Mulumbu | Saint-Éloi Lupopo | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | FW | George Oakley | Woking | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | FW | Nicke Kabamba | Northampton Town | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | GK | Danny Rogers | Oldham Athletic | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | MF | Ally Taylor | Free Agent | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | MF | Aaron Tshibola | Gençlerbirliği | Free | |
| 25 May 2021 | FW | Danny Whitehall | Eastleigh | Free | |
| 1 June 2021 | DF | Ross Millen | Scunthorpe United | Free | |
| 4 June 2021 | DF | Kirk Broadfoot | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | Free | [98] [99] |
| 4 June 2021 | MF | Greg Kiltie | St Mirren | Free | |
| 4 June 2021 | FW | Kyle Lafferty | Anorthosis Famagusta | Free | |
| 4 June 2021 | FW | Mitchell Pinnock | Northampton Town | Free | |
| 21 June 2021 | MF | Alan Power | St Mirren | Undisclosed | |
| 7 July 2021 | GK | Curtis Lyle | Stranraer | Loan | |
| 12 July 2021 | DF | Aaron McGowan | Northampton Town | Free | |
| 13 July 2021 | DF | Kirk McNight | Dumbarton | Loan | |
| 7 August 2021 | FW | Kyle Connell | East Fife | Loan | |
| 17 September 2021 | DF | Euan Deveney | Clyde | Loan | |
| 30 September 2021 | FW | Innes Cameron | Queen of the South | Loan | |
| 31 January 2022 | MF | Tomas Brindley | Forfar Athletic | Loan | |
| 31 January 2022 | FW | Innes Cameron | Queen of the South | Loan | |
| 31 January 2022 | MF | Steven Warnock | Forfar Athletic | Loan | |
| 28 February 2022 | MF | Liam Polworth | Dunfermline Athletic | Loan | |