Born in Irvine in January 1922, Willie Kilmarnock began his football career in boys’ brigade football. He then went onto his local side Irvine Meadow and then onto Renfrew Juniors.

The full back joined Motherwell at the beginning of the 1939/40 season, when ‘Well had an abundance of great talent such as George Stevenson, Hutton Bremner, Ben Ellis, Hugh Wales, John Blair, Tommy McKenzie and Duncan Ogilvie.

By the time Willie left Motherwell he was without a doubt of that calibre as well certainly one of the greatest full backs to represent the club. Kilmarnock was to remain at Fir Park until season 1956/57, when the full back partnership of Kilmarnock-Shaw was broken up when Willie moved to local rivals Airdrieonians.

He truly was a great talent who possessed a number of key attributes such as being a dead ball expert, rapid pace and tremendous timing in tackling. His loyal service to the club saw him collect Scottish Cup winner’s and loser’s medals, League Cup winner’s and loser’s medals, a ‘B’ division championship badge, a wartime international cap (1944) against England at Wembley and a League international cap against the league of Ireland in 1948/49.

Just as the Ferrier-Stevenson left wing partnership became renowned in the 1930s, the Willie Kilmarnock and Archie Shaw full-back pairing was famous in the 1940s and 50s. Willie achieved so much in his long career with Motherwell, his finest memory will be that of captaining the club as they brought the Scottish Cup back to Fir Park after the tremendous victory over Dundee in 1952.

Name:	William Kilmarnock
Height:	5′ 7″
Weight:	10st 7lbs
Date of Birth:	16th January 1922
Place of Birth:	Irvine
Position:	Right Back
Nationality:	Scottish

Football Career:

Irvine Meadow	–	1946
Motherwell	1946	1956
Airdrieonians	1956	1958

Well Career:

	Apps	Goals
League:	296	11
Scottish Cup:	42	1
League Cup:	80	4
Other:	0	0
Total:	418	16