Don Bircham's latest member update for October 2026

Don Bircham, Trust director on the club board, gives his latest update to members...

Saturday was a great day at the office. We climbed off the bottom of the league table and scored three goals at home to beat a very good Motherwell side. It was a tense game, but it was lovely to see us get a bit of good fortune. Hopefully, the win gives us a boost as we head into three matches against teams we’re more than capable of taking points from. With only five points separating the bottom side from the top six, the table is incredibly tight. A good run over the next few games could lift the players, the fans and everyone connected with the club.

We played well at Ibrox the week before, particularly in the second half. But as Neil said after the match, good performances need to bring points. It was also nice to catch up with some familiar faces and former players at the game, including Peter ‘the Girvan Lighthouse’ McCloy and Ian Durrant, who spent four seasons at Killie later in his career.

We were disappointed to hear that Max will be out for around four months with a knee injury. The recruitment team moved quickly to bring in former RB Salzburg goalkeeper Nico Mantl, who will compete for the first team shirt alongside the very capable Calum Ferrie.

Behind the scenes at Rugby Park, we’re delighted to welcome Conor Brennan from Rangers as our new head of goalkeeping. He replaces Fraser Stewart, who leaves with our best wishes to join Newcastle United’s under-21 squad. Brian McLean has also taken up the role of loans manager and emerging talent lead. His experience is already helping the club keep a close eye on the progress of our developing players.

It’s great to see us back playing on grass at Rugby Park, and the new pitch has stood up well to the recent spell of bad weather.

Season ticket sales have now passed 5,000, and retail sales remain positive, particularly for the home and third kits, the LTD range and golf merchandise. With Christmas approaching, most of our festive stock is now in. Pop into the club shop or have a look online to pick up a Killie gift and support the club at the same time.

The Trust board has had a busy start to the season, particularly with the launch of our new app. More than 700 members have downloaded it so far, and the feedback has been fantastic. There’s lots to explore, including the Killiepedia section, so make sure you download it and have a look.

We’ve also launched our Refer a Friend initiative, which has already had a great response. When a new adult member joins using an existing member’s membership number, both supporters will be entered into a draw as a pair. The winners will enjoy hospitality together in the club boardroom at a home match later this season. Know a Killie fan who might like to join? Share your membership number and invite them to become part of the Trust. The draw for the boardroom places will take place on Saturday 31st October.

We’ve already welcomed some fantastic guests to the Trust Club this season, including Jamie Hamill and, most recently, Jim Stewart. For our next home match against St Johnstone, Frazer Wright will join us in our dedicated pre match space at The Park Hotel. Members can book their place through the Events section of the Trust app.

The Matchday Get Together in the Community Hub is also going well this season, and I’d encourage everyone to come along if they can. It’s a great place to enjoy the pre match atmosphere, meet fellow Killie fans and get ready for the game. Volunteers from The Killie Trust and Killie Community host the gathering, and everyone is welcome from 90 minutes before kick-off, whether you’re coming with friends or on your own.

Our £150,000 contribution to Pitch In has now come to an end. I want to say a huge thank you to our members for their generosity. It has been greatly appreciated by everyone at the club. We’re now looking ahead to our next projects. If you have an idea for something you’d like the Trust to support at Rugby Park, get in touch!