Kilmarnock manager Neil McCann is targeting Scottish Premiership progress and a top-six finish rather than battling relegation. When appointed in January, the side sat 11th after losing more than half their league matches, but a late surge saw them avoid the play-offs.

"If you are standing still, you're effectively going backwards," McCann told Sky Sports News. He and assistant Billy Dodds aim to build a squad that sustains last season's positive finish. Killie open the campaign at McDiarmid Park against newly-promoted St Johnstone on Sunday, live on Sky Sports. McCann warns against underestimating St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari, noting his side has a "solid way of playing."

Rugby Park has also undergone a major change, replacing its artificial surface with grass for the first time since 2014. The move aligns with a top-flight vote to ban plastic pitches from 2026/27, though Falkirk received an extra season. McCann believes the new pitch — laid over the old astroturf base — will become "one of the finest in the country" and suit his team's style.