Latest news with #Kilmarnock
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
New eras begin and rivalries renewed... next season's standout Scottish Premiership clashes
The countdown to the 2025-26 Premiership campaign has now officially begun following the release of next season's fixture list. Kilmarnock and last year's promotion play-off winners Livingston will get the ball rolling at Rugby Park on Saturday August 2 in the opening weekend's sole 3pm kick-off. Four other matches — including Celtic v St Mirren — will be shown on TV in a surprise change from the norm. Eleven of the 12 top-flight clubs — Celtic being the exception — will have already tasted competitive action courtesy of European qualification and Premier Sports Cup group-stage matches. Attention will then turn to what promises to be another thrilling Premiership campaign, and Mail Sport has picked out some key fixtures for fans to jot down in the diary. Motherwell v Rangers (August 2) New Rangers boss Russell Martin will hope to have hit the ground running on the continent before he takes his side to Fir Park to face fellow Premiership debutant Jens Berthel Askou. The pair were team-mates at Norwich City, and Martin revealed messages were immediately exchanged after discovering they'd been thrown together for matchday one. Rangers have found themselves playing catch-up to their rivals across the city on the opening day in each of the last two years after dropping points against Kilmarnock and Hearts respectively. That's a trend Martin needs to halt. Falkirk v Dundee Utd (August 3) The Bairns ended up making hard work of their journey back to the top tier following a 15-year absence. They ultimately prevailed, however, and that's all that matters. It might be asking a bit much to expect the Championship winners to follow in United's footsteps by clinching a European spot at the first time of asking following promotion, but they will at least look to lay down a marker for the year ahead in front of a packed stadium against Jim Goodwin's men. Dundee v Dundee Utd (August 30) It's fair to say the appointment of Steven Pressley has done little to capture the imagination of the Dens Park faithful. No surprise considering the former Scotland defender was once on their neighbours' books. However, he's been granted an early opportunity to get them right on side by picking up three points in the derby. Rangers v Celtic (August 31) For all Rangers' issues on the park last season, the players didn't have much trouble getting themselves up for Old Firm clashes. Aside from a September defeat at Celtic Park, the Ibrox side were arguably the better team in the three other league meetings which followed. Abysmal form against pretty much everyone else proved to be their undoing. Coming into this one level on points with Celtic — at the very least — is a must. Hearts v Hibs (October 4) Steven Naismith had already been given the bullet by the time Edinburgh's big two locked horns for the first time last October. David Gray looked all but certain to suffer the same fate after a miserable start, and a 1-1 draw at Easter Road did little to help his cause. Good thing they stuck with him. The former Scottish Cup-winninf captain turned things around and guided his side to third spot with room to spare. Derek McInnes will make his Edinburgh derby bow in front of an expectant home crowd at Tynecastle. Kilmarnock v Motherwell (November 22) Stuart Kettlewell's departure from Motherwell in January came as a shock, but his absence from Scottish football hasn't lasted too long having been handed the reins at Killie. With a host of first-team players having already moved on this summer, he has a big job on his hands. Getting one over on some of his main critics within the Motherwell support would be an added bonus. Livingston v Celtic (December 27) The prospect of the journey along the M8 to Livingston tends to send shivers down the spine of Celtic fans. It's hard to work out why, however. They've won their last four at Almondvale, scoring 12 in the process. David Martindale has hinted he'd like to implement a change in style on Livi's return to the Premiership. It will be interesting to see whether or not he is successful. Celtic v Rangers (2026 — January 3) What better way to bring in 2026 than with the second Old Firm instalment of the season. Rangers thumped their rivals 3-0 in the corresponding fixture, but dropping four points over the next seven days brought them back to earth with a bump. Aberdeen v Celtic (February 4) A chilly midweek drive to Pittodrie lies in wait for the champions in early February. Sealing third spot will be the Dons' main ambition next season, but that will be no mean feat while also attempting a run in Europe. St Mirren v Rangers (March 14) Not one that would have previously stood out on the calendar, but Stephen Robinson's men took seven points from the teams' four meetings last season. After watching his players draw 2-2 in Paisley in April, former Ibrox interim boss Barry Ferguson admitted the fear factor was gone. The Saints are testament to that.
Edinburgh Reporter
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Key Premiership dates for Hibs fans in anniversary season
David Gray's men will begin their William Hill Premiership campaign away at Dens Park on Sunday 3 August, 2025 – kicking off at 3pm. The match will be played on the Sunday, rather than the traditional Saturday, due to Hibs playing in Europe that week. Hibs will host Kilmarnock in their first home league game of the season, with the home fixture pencilled in for Saturday 9 August; 3pm kick-off. This game will be moved to the Sunday due to Hibs competing in European competition. This match will also be the Club's first game at Easter Road after turning 150! The final match before Christmas Day sees the Hibs travel to Tannadice Park on Saturday 20 December. There is no match on Boxing Day this season, though Hibs will host Hearts at Easter Road on Saturday 27 December. The 12.30pm kick-off will be broadcast live on Sky Sports! Hibs face Aberdeen in their final match of 2025 at Easter Road on Tuesday 30 December; 7.45pm kick-off. Hibs kick-off 2026 with a trip to Rugby Park to take on Kilmarnock. The 3pm kick-off will take place on Saturday 3 January, 2026. Their final five before heading into the post-split fixtures sees Hibs take on Dundee away, Livingston at home, Motherwell away, Kilmarnock at home, and Aberdeen away. The final pre-split fixture, versus the Dons at Pittodrie, will be held on Saturday 11 April, 2026. The first Edinburgh Derby meeting of the league season will take place at Tynecastle on Saturday 4 October; 3pm kick-off. As mentioned above, Hibs will host Hearts at Easter Road on Saturday 27 December. The third encounter will be a midweek match-up in Gorgie, with Hibs travelling to Tynecastle for a second time on Wednesday 11 February; 7.45pm kick-off. Hibs have five midweek pre-split matches scheduled; with three matches at home and two fixtures away. Hibs host Rangers (Wednesday 29 October), travel to Livingston (Wednesday 3 December), host Aberdeen (Tuesday 30 December), host Dundee United (Wednesday 4 February) and travel to Hearts (Wednesday 11 February). Saturday 25 April, 2026, Saturday 2 May, 2026, Saturday 9 May, 2026, Wednesday 13 May, 2026 and Saturday 16 May, 2026 / Sunday 17 May, 2026. Like this: Like Related
BBC News
8 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Chesterfield sign Middlesbrough goalkeeper Hemming
Chesterfield have signed Middlesbrough goalkeeper Zach Hemming for an undisclosed fee on a three-year 25-year-old came through Boro's academy but never made a senior appearance for the had season-long loan spells with Kilmarnock and St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership and played 10 times in League One for Leyton Orient last will compete for the number one spot with Ryan Boot, after he extended his contract with the Spireites on Thursday.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Fixtures fall kindly for Killie?
There's always plenty of excitement for fixtures day and with the way they've fallen for Kilmarnock, that buzz surely ought to stick Kettlewell's first league game as Killie boss is at home to Livingston on Saturday, 2 August in one of only two 15:00 BST kick-offs on opening returns to his old stomping ground of Fir Park on Saturday, 30 August as Killie visit unlike last season, there are no back-to-back meetings with Glasgow's big two. Celtic visit Rugby Park on Saturday, 13 September while Killie's first meeting with Russell Martin's Rangers isn't until Saturday, 25 October at about the festive fixtures, you ask? Killie head into Christmas with a home game against Falkirk on Saturday, 20 December and make the trip to Paisley to take on St Mirren one week later before seeing out 2025 with a game at pre-split campaign ends with a home match against the Dark Blues on Saturday, 11 at the fixtures, where do you think Killie will be after 10 games? Tell us here.
Scotsman
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Derek McInnes factor behind latest transfer and what recruit knows about Tynecastle
Hearts have completed the season-long loan signing of former Celtic, Kilmarnock and Newcastle United defender. Sign up to our Hearts newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hearts new boy Stuart Findlay has revealed his delight at completing a season-long loan move to Tynecastle. The 29-year-old defender will reunite with his former Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes after the new Hearts boss continued his rebuild of the squad he inherited with the addition of the Oxford United centre-back. Findlay's career started in the youth ranks at Celtic where he enjoyed loan spells with Killie and Dumbarton before making a free transfer switch to English Premier League club Newcastle United during the summer of 2016. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After a second loan stint with Kilmarnock, Findlay made a permanent move to Rugby Park in 2018 before moving stateside with MLS outfit Philadelphia Union three years later. Oxford were his next port of call but the defender returned to Scotland for a two-year loan spell with Killie and he will now work under McInnes once again after agreeing to spend the upcoming season at Tynecastle. Why Stuart Findlay has moved to Hearts After agreeing the move, he told Hearts TV: 'The club itself is a massive, massive club. It's a club I've played against, I've played at the stadium many times and the atmosphere and the supporters, it's a fantastic place to play football. 'Doubled with the fact there's a manager here who I know believes in me and a manager I believe in as well - so we have a really good working relationship that we had at our previous club. It's something I'm really, really excited to try and take on into this new chapter in my career.' Derek McInnes factor The appointment of McInnes has played an integral role in helping persuade Findlay to snub offers from elsewhere and put pen-to-paper on a year-long deal at Tynecastle. The duo worked together during their time at Killie and Hearts' latest addition has told supporters what they can expect from the new man in charge. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He's a very direct manager, he wants to get on the front foot, he wants to get in people's faces and be hard to play against,' he explained. 'Nobody has played against a Derek McInnes side and particularly enjoyed it, I've had that experience and I'm glad I'm getting to be part of it again instead of against it. He knows how to win football games, he knows how to get results, he knows how to get up the league and with a club like Hearts, with the structure we have here, we have a really good partnership and I can see us being very successful.' Findlay is no stranger to playing at Tynecastle and has actually found the net on two occasions at the home of his new club during his time with Kilmarnock. The once-capped Scotland international has admitted he is relishing the opportunity to have the backing of the Hearts faithful as he looks to enjoy a successful first season. 'It would be nice to have nine tenths of the stadium celebrating with me instead of the one tenth. It's a place I've loved to play my football. Anybody that plays here and knows their football knows how good an arena Tynecastle can be when it's bouncing. Hopefully, during the season we are all planning on having, it'll be more like that than it's not and I can't wait to get started.'
