Williamson at heart of the matter

Jim Reynolds

7 Apr 1997

Kilmarnock ...............1 Hearts................. 0

WHILE the supporters of one premier division club - at the top end of the table - wonder when and how their manager will be given the sack, another set of fans, whose club are at the blunt end, are somewhat bemused that the man who has guided them to near safety has still not been given a ''full time'' job.

Kilmarnock's Bobby Williamson, outwardly, seems least concerned of all that he still retains the tag of caretaker manager of the Rugby Park side, despite having performed magnificently.

Saturday's victory over Hearts was Kilmarnock's fourth league win in succession, the first time the club has had a run like that in the premier division.

They now look to have secured their place in the top flight for next season - something which looked a bit beyond them when Alex Totten was removed as manager a couple of months ago - and they are in the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup.

Ironically, so is Totten with Falkirk.

Feats during March, including victories over Celtic and Rangers, brought Williamson the manager-of-the-month award, or should it be caretaker manager of the month? Yet, the Rugby Park board still will not come out and say that he is the man for the job.

The players want him, the fans want him, and Williamson would accept the post with pride.

The board should move now.

Yet when questioned about the situation, all Williamson would say was: ''I knew the position when I was asked to stand in, and nothing has changed.

While I'm here, I will continue to do my best for Kilmarnock.

''If the worst comes to the worst, then it will have been a great experience for me.'' It will have been an even greater experience for youngsters such as David Bagan and Alex Burke, who have blossomed under the coaching of Williamson.

They have played a huge part in Killie's great survival battle and last week were members of the Scotland Under-21 squad.

Kilmarnock is a club with much going for it at the moment and a fitting reward for the man who has made it possible would be a vote of confidence in the shape of a worthwhile contract.

On Saturday, they played with such commitment and enthusiasm that Hearts, who have made great progress under the leadership of Jim Jefferies, were at times made to look second rate.

The scoreline flatters the men from Tynecastle, who should have been beaten soundly.

''I'm really pleased with the result, especially as others at the bottom end of the table also picked up points,'' said Williamson.

''We have now got into the habit of winning and the players now have self belief.

I'm getting everything from the lads, although they should be taking more of the chances they are making.'' Hearts manager Jefferies said: ''How it finished 1-0 I'll never know, because there were lots of chances at both ends.

But I have to say I'm disappointed.

''In this league, you have to apply yourselves week in, week out.

''Hard work will win you more points than just ability - I know that from my time with Falkirk.

''We just didn't compete as well as Kilmarnock and we had too many passengers on the day.'' The only goal of the game came as early as the fifth minute when Stefano Salvatore fouled Paul Wright 20 yards out.

Wright took the free kick himself and drilled his shot just inside the right-hand post.

Afterwards Hearts goal-keeper Gilles Rousset accepted the blame, but the big Frenchman more than made amends with a string of fine saves later in the match.

Now Kilmarnock can take a break from the rigours of the league and concentrate on their Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United at Easter Road a week tonight, and one man who is urging his team mates more than most is striker Jim McIntyre.

He said: ''Although the league is the priority, it's great to be in the semi-finals of the cup.

I've played in a Scottish Cup final before, for Airdrie against Celtic, if you can call coming on for the last 10 minutes as a substitute playing in a final.

''It was, however, a great experience and the build-up and everything else about a final is brilliant.

I know our lads would really enjoy that, but I suppose we should not really be talking about that yet.

We still have to play Dundee United in the semi finals and that will be a very difficult game.'' Bobby Williamson will take his players to stay at Turnberry for three days this week to prepare for the cup match, but he will let them stay at home over next weekend.

''I trust them and I have faith in them.

They are all good professionals,'' he said.

Next league matches: Kilmarnock - Hibernian (h); Hearts - Aberdeen (h).

q KILMARNOCK'S Gary Tallon has signed for English third division side Chester City.

The defender was signed by Alex Totten from Blackburn Rovers in the close season as a replacement for Tom Black.

But after an impressive start he faded out of the Rugby Park picture and was soon loaned out to Rotherham United.

Now Chester have stepped in to sign the 23-year-old until the end of the season.

QUOTE ''IT was a typical Kilmarnock performance.

They kept us hanging on until the last minute, but that is something you have to live with here''

BOBBY WILLIAMSON

Taken from the Herald