Stuart Findlay is primed and ready to redeem himself for his last appearance in European action for Kilmarnock.
The centre-back was sent off for fouling Jamie Insall during Killie’s infamous 2-0 home-leg defeat to Welsh minnows Connah’s Quay Nomads five years ago.
It’s a night that still rankles with the 28-year-old, who has been a top servant to the Rugby Park club over his various spells in Ayrshire. He re-joined this summer after Killie agreed a loan extension for another year with Oxford United.
Having been part of the team that achieved a sensational third place under Steve Clarke to flopping out of Europe at the first hurdle in unthinkable fashion, Findlay, like Rory McKenzie, is looking at tomorrow’s clash against Cercle Brugge as a chance to create positive memories on the continental stage and push the Connah’s quay disaster even further into the dark abyss.
He said: “I was just glad to find out I’m not suspended! I got sent off against Connah’s Quay.
“I get that was the last time Killie were in Europe, but a lot has happened since then and there’s been a lot of water under the bridge. It’s nice that we beat a Welsh team at Rugby Park in a friendly this summer to get the hoodoo off the back.
“We went into that game (CQN) with a new manager and what felt like a new squad, even though it was the same squad from the year before. To go into it this year, in what is a bigger tie, with the same squad, with a manager that has got a team on the up, it feels like a different situation completely.
“It’s not a case of righting wrongs, it’s more a case of enjoying a big game. It’ll be a very special night or two here for the club.”
Read more:
Stuart Findlay can’t really be regarded as a new signing at this point. Only Bruce Anderson and Robby McCrorie can be fairly called that.
Keeping the nucleus of the squad who performed so well during the 2023/24 season to help the club achieve fourth spot was a top priority for Derek McInnes as he set about his recruitment work this summer. It’s a strategy Findlay think will benefit he and his teammates as they host the Juplier Pro League side in Ayrshire, and when Killie take to the field at the Jan Breydel Stadium next week.
“The manager had the problem where a lot of boys who had a good year and were out of contract,” he said. “You also had the good side of that where there’s not much that needs fixing after the year that we had.
“The main thing for me looking in was hoping that we got all of the players back. I got back as soon as I could. Marley’s back which is a huge boost, we’ve got Kieran [O’Hara] and Gary [Mackay-Steven] signed on too.
“It is ‘Don’t fix what isn’t broken,’ but then you can add bits of quality, like Bruce Anderson. You’re not at the disadvantage of having to rebuild your squad and having to spread the budget over six or seven positions. We can look at what the manager thinks we need and identify those who can improve what we already have in the building.
“Bruce got a hat trick in a pre-season game, he knows where the goal is. He’s going to be a massive asset for us this season.
“To get Marley back feels like a new signing. When you have such a good season it’s good to have the same set of boys. Usually, the less rebuilding a team has to do then it works out well.”
