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
Mark McWalter by Partick McWalter moved to the Irish Football League with Coleraine and became a 'cult hero' at the club. He was linked with the manager's job after the departure of Felix Healy in 1994 but lost out to Kenny Shiels, a manager with whom he would later clash, resulting in McWalter moving to Ballymena United for a year. He was the club's top scorer in his sole season. McWalter returned to Scotland in 1996 to play three final seasons back at Gayfield Park. Unable to cope with the rigours of full-time football due a persistent knee injury McWalter left full-time