UK (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Kilmarnock have appointed Neil McCann as manager, with Billy Dodds joining as assistant, on contracts running until summer 2028.
Stuart Kettlewell, who was fired after six victories in 25 games, is replaced by McCann. Killie’s last four games were managed by Under-19s coach Kris Doolan, who took one point.
In the previous season, Dodds and McCann collaborated as members of Barry Ferguson’s Rangers interim management team.
McCann has overseen Dundee and Inverness Caledonian Thistle, where Dodds also served as manager. Dodds most recently worked as an assistant at Ross County from 2014 to 2017.
The Scottish Premiership’s second-bottom team, Rugby Park, will travel to Livingston on Saturday at 15:00 GMT.
With a game remaining, Livi is four points behind.
Kilmarnock’s board of directors said in a statement:
“We fully understand how important it was to get this appointment right.
After a thorough process, we are assured that Neil and Billy have the qualities, experience, and character required to lead Kilmarnock Football Club forward.
We have complete faith in their ability to do what needs to be done to keep this club competing in the Scottish Premiership. Both Neil and Billy know the Scottish league inside out, understand its demands, and share a vision that aligns strongly with the culture and values of this football club.
This is a significant appointment for Kilmarnock FC. We are confident the players will adapt quickly to their leadership and respond positively to the clarity, belief, and ambition they bring at a crucial moment for the club.”
How has McCann’s previous experience influenced his approach at Killmarnock?
Neil McCann’s former directorial experience has shaped his early Kilmarnock approach toward protective association and realistic survival tactics, drawing directly from his Dundee stint where he achieved Premiership deportation avoidance.
McCann guided Dundee to safety through a run of just three defeats in 12 games, emphasizing compact 4-4-2 conformations, set- piece routines, andcounter-attacks principles apparent in his opening Kilmarnock press conference where he linked” poor defending from wide areas” as the precedence fix for their league- worst 38 pretensions conceded.
Rangers assistant places under Steven Gerrard and Barry Ferguson honed his youth development and high- pressing systems, while Inverness caregiving( 2021 creation drive) corroborated data- driven reclamation; adjunct Billy Dodds brings reciprocal no- nonsense provocation from Inverness title wins, targeting Kilmarnock’s 11th- place position with immediate politic tweaks ahead of the table split.
Kilmarnock FC appointed Neil McCann as director on January 6, 2026, with Billy Dodds joining as assistant director, both subscribing contracts until summer 2028.
McCann replaced Stuart Kettlewell, sacked after a 14- game winless run left Kilmarnock second- bottom of the Scottish Premiership; Kris Doolan managed the interim period, earning one point from four games as the club sought educated leadership for survival.
With the split approaching, Kilmarnock faced a critical fight alongside Dundee( 22 points, 9th) and St Mirren( 18 points, 10th); McCann and assistant Billy Dodds’ three- and-a-half-year contracts gesture long- term survival intentions through better defense and political discipline.
