Kenny Shiels in May 2007, as their head of youth. He left Tranmere in June 2010 to become assistant manager at Kilmarnock, following his three-year stint at the club. After Mixu Paatelainen left Kilmarnock to become manager of the Finland national football team, Shiels became caretaker manager. His first game in charge was a goalless draw with St Johnstone on 2 April 2011. On 15 June 2011, he became manager of Kilmarnock on a permanent basis and upon being manager, he soon added Jimmy Nicholl as his assistant manager, who just quit Cowdenbeath. He helped Kilmarnock achieve their first home win against
William Shiels became Premier. The Shiels government responded to the financial disaster of the 1892 crash in the orthodox fashion of the time, cutting spending and increasing taxation to balance the budget – measures which only made the situation worse. The conservatives who had supported the coalition governments of Duncan Gillies and Munro opposed increased taxation, and during 1892 they deserted Shiels. In January 1893 the conservative leader James Patterson moved a successful no-confidence motion, and Shiels resigned. Shiels stayed in politics and kept his reputation for integrity. He was Treasurer under Allan McLean (1899–1900) and William Irvine (1902–1903) and Minister for