Lee Miller had a lucky escape from relegation as a teenager - but the veteran striker is not holding his breath on another dose of good fortune saving Kilmarnock this time. The former Scotland striker was making his name as a 19-year-old with Falkirk when the Bairns finished second bottom of the old First Division in 2002. That should have seen them demoted to the third tier of Scottish football - only for Airdrieonians' implosion to hand the Brockville men a reprieve. Miller finally experienced the bitter taste of relegation last year when Carlisle dropped out of England's League One. But with Kilmarnock locked in a three-way duel with Motherwell and Ross County to avoid the relegation play-off slot, the former Aberdeen and Hearts frontman is worried he could be forced to go through it all again. And having escaped once with Falkirk, he is not expecting another favour to save the Rugby Park side.
Miller - whose side take on Partick Thistle in their penultimate Scottish Premiership game at Firhill - said: "Technically I've only been relegated once and that was last year with Carlisle. When I was in my first year at Falkirk, we finished second bottom of the old First Division but didn't go down because Airdrie went bust. The next season we won the league but didn't go up because Brockville didn't meet the criteria, so it was a weird couple of years. But we won't have it so lucky this time if we do finish in the play-off spot. We can't rely on anything else doing us a favour. We have to do it ourselves. We are all sticking together. The only people who are going to get us out of this mess is ourselves. The experience of being relegated last year with Carlisle was a horrible place to be. Going through that again 12 months later would not be ideal. It doesn't matter how many times you go through it, it's not a nice experience."
Callum Booth is looking forward to some stability after his fifth loan move from Hibs led to a permanent contract with Partick. Booth joined Thistle on loan in January and this week signed a one-year contract for next season at Firhill. He had season-long spells at Arbroath, Raith Rovers and Livingston earlier in his career as well as six months at Brechin, while also making close to 50 appearances for Hibs. And he is now keen to put down roots in Maryhill. Booth, who is set for his 13th Thistle appearance against Kilmarnock today, said: "Being out on loan is good to get a bit of experience if you are not wanted by your parent club, but it's good to have a bit of stability. I have been at Hibs since I was 10 years old and I left on good terms but it is good to have a fresh challenge and being in the top division is a bonus. I was away for two years but I have been at Hibs since I was 10, I grew up a Hibs fan, and we left on good terms. I enjoyed myself when I was there earlier this season. I wasn't a regular but I was playing here and there. But that's in the past now and I'm just looking forward to Partick Thistle. Next year will be the third year in a row we have been in the top division so it's an exciting time. Every player wants to be in the top division, it's good to be established."