Shiels says he is happy to have proved himself right

Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels would savour self-vindication more than confounding critics should his team finish seventh in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

Kilmarnock will clinch seventh in the SPL tonight if they beat St Mirren at Rugby Park and Aberdeen lose.

Shiels had to rebuild his team following a host of key departures last summer and he is revelling in surpassing expectations after also winning the Scottish Communities League Cup. On the prospect of finishing seventh, Shiels said: “It would be fantastic, beyond all expectations. [At the start of the season] I was favourite and Terry Butcher was second favourite to be sacked first in the SPL.

“Eighteen journalists had us down for relegation. So it’s a fantastic achievement to win a trophy, get into seventh and go out of the Scottish Cup in an unfortunate way [against Hibernian]. I feel we have had a really good season.”

When asked whether he thrives on proving critics wrong, Shiels said: “I do, not to prove people wrong, but to prove myself right more than prove people wrong. In my head I always believe what we can achieve and I keep talking to myself all the time about doing that, so it’s great.”

Shiels, who had no update to give on contract talks between himself and chairman Michael Johnston, added: “I think we have had a good profile this season and people have respected us. I’m really delighted with how we have produced a flair in our play that has kept the fans happy at times.”

St Mirren manager Danny Lennon, meanwhile, is looking for one last push from his players this season.

After tonight’s game, St Mirren have a home game against Inverness before the Saints finish the campaign against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

“The players have ten days or so to push themselves before they get the relaxation they deserve,” said Lennon. “I don’t want them to have any regrets at the end of the season, thinking that maybe we could have climbed one place higher up the table. We have aspirations of finishing as high up the table as we can, in seventh place.

“We need to get a result against Kilmarnock to do that and we are prepared to do that and, after beating Hibs, we want back-to-back wins. There is so much for the players to play for, not least win bonuses. So the players can’t switch off. There is a big incentive to finish as high up the league as we can.”