Kilmarnock fail in appeal to overturn Kirk Broadfoot ban for Celtic game

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Kilmarnock’s appeal to have Kirk Broadfoot’s red card overturned has been rejected.

This leaves Steve Clarke without his first-choice centre-back pairing for the trip to Parkhead on Saturday. Both Broadfoot and Stuart Findlay would likely have featured this weekend. But both are now suspended after Findlay picked up two yellow cards against Aberdeen last weekend.

There was some solace from Clarke to take from this afternoon’s hearing, however. Rory McKenzie’s red card was downgraded to a yellow. That means he will be available to face Celtic this weekend.

But today’s decision is a great boost for the Parkhead side. Neil Lennon’s men will now come up against a Kilmarnock side who could struggle to put a solid back-line together.

The likely alternatives would be both Alex Bruce and Calum Waters. Bruce, however, has only made two appearances since joining Killie in January. Waters, meanwhile, has only had four outings all season.

Clarke could also try changing his shape or perhaps throw a full-back in at the centre instead. But that would surely be asking for even more trouble.

In Bruce’s two appearances for Killie, they’ve shipped six goals in total. He’s by no means proven himself to be a viable replacement for the impressive Findlay.

Not first-team regulars

Waters, meanwhile, is still inexperienced at this level. Celtic Park on a day as potentially emotional and huge as Saturday will certainly be a case of being thrown in at the deep end for him, if selected. Waters wasn’t even on the bench at Rugby Park last weekend, so his inclusion could be questionable.

Of course, it probably adds up to the two Killie defenders having a stormer. That’s usually the way it works.

But Celtic should have no excuses at this point. There must be a real desire in the air to go and snatch their eighth consecutive league title as quickly as possible.

During recent struggles against Killie, it’s been generally Findlay and Broadfoot who have been the top defensive performers. Them being out surely must be positive from our perspective.

Yes, we would expect to win the game anyway. Yes, we shouldn’t be hoping that domestic opposition players are suspended for us to overcome them.

But we’ll take any advantage we can get ahead of Saturday. It’s a simply colossal match, and Killie will be heading into it without their two best centre-backs.