Hearts were the source of all of Gary Locke’s childhood dreams. The chance to play, captain and manage the club ensured that, for long enough, the love affair was requited. A year ago, though, a long-standing relationship hit the buffers with a rather dull thud. Widely acclaimed for the way he led the club throughout administration and a season of near-certain relegation, the 39-year-old awoke one day having to digest one of the game’s great truths: No one is indispensable. Gary Locke is currently manager at Kilmarnock after leaving his post at Hears last year . Locke chats with Ryan Stevenson last season . Brutally axed as Ann Budge and Craig Levein made way for Robbie Neilson, Locke licked his wounds before returning to Kilmarnock, initially as assistant manager to Allan Johnston. What’s transpired since the parting of the ways has been utterly intriguing for both parties. Neilson’s side romped to the Championship title with seven games to spare to mute anyone still clinging to the notion that they were wrong to dispense with Locke’s services. Yet, in only losing one of seven games since taking the reins from Johnson last month at Rugby Park, Locke, in turn, has underscored his dug-out credentials and then some. Would Hearts have won the Championship title with him still at the helm? We shall never know. But, as he puts the finishing touches to a new long-term deal in Ayrshire this week, the growing feeling among observers is that his former employers were perhaps both right and wrong. ‘I don’t think I have proven a point to Hearts,’ Locke insisted. ‘I didn’t feel I had anything to prove. I did a good job there. ‘It is like any football club. When new people come in, if they have their own ideas and want to change things then that is what they will do. ‘I am delighted to see them coming straight back up - they have some cracking young players there and it is great to see them do so well. ‘But my focus now is Kilmarnock. All I want is the best for them. Hopefully, we can finish the season strongly.’ Privately for Locke, the irony of what’s gone on at Tynecastle over the past year or so won’t be so much painful as excruciating. Locke insists his focus is on Kilmarnock and wants to end the season strongly in the Scottish Premiership . Last season, boxed in by administration and a transfer embargo, he played the kids. Fledglings like Sam Nicholson and Jamie Walker featured in sides that were routinely thrashed. Some feared for the psychological impact it would have on them but Locke knew what he was doing. To say the experience has stood them in good stead is a huge understatement. Supported by a string of more experienced campaigners, those little boys lost have flourished under Neilson’s tutelage. Might it be said that the club which binned Locke now owe him a huge debt of thanks? ‘You probably have to ask people at Hearts,’ he added. ‘I think the young lads certainly learned the hard way. A lot of them had to play when they probably were not ready. ‘I think that certainly set them up for this season and full credit to them. They have had a fantastic season, they have played some great stuff and scored lots of goals. ‘Yes, I’ve been in touch with couple of them. They didn’t thank me and I didn’t want them to. ‘I’m just glad to see them doing very well because I knew they all had fantastic potential. ‘It’s good to see them all fulfilling it.’ A consummate professional all his days, Locke’s dedication to Kilmarnock is now absolute. And yet, when the prospect of returning to Tynecastle next term is put to him, the broad grin on his face says it all. Locke says he is happy to see the youngsters come through in Edinburgh after working with them last year . ‘It will be strange going back,’ he conceded. ‘I went back as a Kilmarnock player and all I want now is for Kilmarnock to win games. ‘You’ve got to be professional. I was very fortunate in life in that the team I grew up supporting, I managed to play for, captain and manage. ‘There’s not a lot of people who can say that. ‘But my only focus now is Kilmarnock football club. I’m employed here and I want to very best for them.’ Be that as it may, does what happened in Gorgie getting on a year ago still rankle with him? ‘Not at all. It’s football,’ Locke insisted. ‘One of my best mates in the game, Davie Weir, is at Brentford. You see the job he’s done there with Mark Warburton yet they are leaving at the end of the season. Nothing surprises you. ‘It’s a game that’s great to be involved in but it can be tough, as well. I’m not the type of person that feels sorry for myself. You’ve got to take these things on the chin and move forward. Fortunately for me, I got a great opportunity back here and hopefully I can take it.’ That new contract should be inked by the end of this week and then the building for the future can start in earnest. The 39-year-old manager admits it will be strange facing his former club Hearts next season . Finally, without the yokes of administration and the intentions of new owners, Locke is relishing the chance to lead the Rugby Park side unhindered. Diplomacy prevented him talking openly of his desire to see Kris Boyd assume a playing/coaching role next term but it’s evidently part of Locke’s plans. ‘Obviously I played with Kris, he’s a friend of mine and possibly because I was sitting beside him at Ibrox on Saturday, someone saw me,’ he said. ‘He’s very much a Rangers player and his focus is obviously trying to get Rangers back in the top flight. ‘It’s not for me to speculate on other team’s players as they have a lot of big games ahead. ‘It wouldn’t be right of me to comment on Kris Boyd. I’m not sure how many goals he has scored this season but he has still contributed eight or nine goals. ‘If we had a striker contributing that, we might be in the top six. I know Boydy well and I’m pretty sure that wherever he ends up next season, he will score goals because that’s what he does.’ The prospect of Boyd returning to Kilmarnock for a third spell will gladden the hearts of the Rugby Park faithful. The striker may have endured a poor season second time around at Rangers but, at 31, still has the capacity to ensure a return to his first club is a successful one. For Locke, too, Rugby Park has largely been a very happy second home. For all his strong Tynecastle links, it was in East Ayrshire that he spent seven years as a player. And, after being cut-adrift by Hearts last summer, it was Killie that offered him a way back into the game. You sense that’s something that will never be forgotten. Locke was speaking at a Tesco Bank Football Festival at Rugby Park . ‘I played at Killie for seven years and I know what they are capable of,’ he added. ‘The facilities here are fantastic. I spend a lot of time down here and I see what the club is doing in the local community. ‘There are kids here every single night of the week, which is fantastic to see. Things are really positive. ‘When I played here there were a lot of Celtic and Rangers strips about the town and now there are lots of Killie ones so that’s encouraging in terms of the future. ‘Hopefully, we can see a lot of these younger kids coming through like we do at the moment - we have eight academy players in the first team which is great. ‘The club is moving forward in the right direction and hopefully it can keep moving forward.’ GARY LOCKE was speaking at a Tesco Bank Football Festival at Rugby Park. Over 700 children from 16 schools are expected to be involved in this year’s programme across East Ayrshire.
Gary Locke was let go by Hearts last season and is now at Kilmarnock .
39-year-old says it will be odd facing former club in Scottish Premiership .
Hearts were the source of all of Gary Locke’s childhood dreams. The chance to play, captain and manage the club ensured that, for long enough, the love affair was requited. A year ago, though, a long-standing relationship hit the buffers with a rather dull thud. Widely acclaimed for the way he led the club throughout administration and a season of near-certain relegation, the 39-year-old awoke one day having to digest one of the game’s great truths: No one is indispensable. Gary Locke is currently manager at Kilmarnock after leaving his post at Hears last year . Locke chats with Ryan Stevenson last season . Brutally axed as Ann Budge and Craig Levein made way for Robbie Neilson, Locke licked his wounds before returning to Kilmarnock, initially as assistant manager to Allan Johnston. What’s transpired since the parting of the ways has been utterly intriguing for both parties. Neilson’s side romped to the Championship title with seven games to spare to mute anyone still clinging to the notion that they were wrong to dispense with Locke’s services. Yet, in only losing one of seven games since taking the reins from Johnson last month at Rugby Park, Locke, in turn, has underscored his dug-out credentials and then some. Would Hearts have won the Championship title with him still at the helm? We shall never know. But, as he puts the finishing touches to a new long-term deal in Ayrshire this week, the growing feeling among observers is that his former employers were perhaps both right and wrong. ‘I don’t think I have proven a point to Hearts,’ Locke insisted. ‘I didn’t feel I had anything to prove. I did a good job there. ‘It is like any football club. When new people come in, if they have their own ideas and want to change things then that is what they will do. ‘I am delighted to see them coming straight back up - they have some cracking young players there and it is great to see them do so well. ‘But my focus now is Kilmarnock. All I want is the best for them. Hopefully, we can finish the season strongly.’ Privately for Locke, the irony of what’s gone on at Tynecastle over the past year or so won’t be so much painful as excruciating. Locke insists his focus is on Kilmarnock and wants to end the season strongly in the Scottish Premiership . Last season, boxed in by administration and a transfer embargo, he played the kids. Fledglings like Sam Nicholson and Jamie Walker featured in sides that were routinely thrashed. Some feared for the psychological impact it would have on them but Locke knew what he was doing. To say the experience has stood them in good stead is a huge understatement. Supported by a string of more experienced campaigners, those little boys lost have flourished under Neilson’s tutelage. Might it be said that the club which binned Locke now owe him a huge debt of thanks? ‘You probably have to ask people at Hearts,’ he added. ‘I think the young lads certainly learned the hard way. A lot of them had to play when they probably were not ready. ‘I think that certainly set them up for this season and full credit to them. They have had a fantastic season, they have played some great stuff and scored lots of goals. ‘Yes, I’ve been in touch with couple of them. They didn’t thank me and I didn’t want them to. ‘I’m just glad to see them doing very well because I knew they all had fantastic potential. ‘It’s good to see them all fulfilling it.’ A consummate professional all his days, Locke’s dedication to Kilmarnock is now absolute. And yet, when the prospect of returning to Tynecastle next term is put to him, the broad grin on his face says it all. Locke says he is happy to see the youngsters come through in Edinburgh after working with them last year . ‘It will be strange going back,’ he conceded. ‘I went back as a Kilmarnock player and all I want now is for Kilmarnock to win games. ‘You’ve got to be professional. I was very fortunate in life in that the team I grew up supporting, I managed to play for, captain and manage. ‘There’s not a lot of people who can say that. ‘But my only focus now is Kilmarnock football club. I’m employed here and I want to very best for them.’ Be that as it may, does what happened in Gorgie getting on a year ago still rankle with him? ‘Not at all. It’s football,’ Locke insisted. ‘One of my best mates in the game, Davie Weir, is at Brentford. You see the job he’s done there with Mark Warburton yet they are leaving at the end of the season. Nothing surprises you. ‘It’s a game that’s great to be involved in but it can be tough, as well. I’m not the type of person that feels sorry for myself. You’ve got to take these things on the chin and move forward. Fortunately for me, I got a great opportunity back here and hopefully I can take it.’ That new contract should be inked by the end of this week and then the building for the future can start in earnest. The 39-year-old manager admits it will be strange facing his former club Hearts next season . Finally, without the yokes of administration and the intentions of new owners, Locke is relishing the chance to lead the Rugby Park side unhindered. Diplomacy prevented him talking openly of his desire to see Kris Boyd assume a playing/coaching role next term but it’s evidently part of Locke’s plans. ‘Obviously I played with Kris, he’s a friend of mine and possibly because I was sitting beside him at Ibrox on Saturday, someone saw me,’ he said. ‘He’s very much a Rangers player and his focus is obviously trying to get Rangers back in the top flight. ‘It’s not for me to speculate on other team’s players as they have a lot of big games ahead. ‘It wouldn’t be right of me to comment on Kris Boyd. I’m not sure how many goals he has scored this season but he has still contributed eight or nine goals. ‘If we had a striker contributing that, we might be in the top six. I know Boydy well and I’m pretty sure that wherever he ends up next season, he will score goals because that’s what he does.’ The prospect of Boyd returning to Kilmarnock for a third spell will gladden the hearts of the Rugby Park faithful. The striker may have endured a poor season second time around at Rangers but, at 31, still has the capacity to ensure a return to his first club is a successful one. For Locke, too, Rugby Park has largely been a very happy second home. For all his strong Tynecastle links, it was in East Ayrshire that he spent seven years as a player. And, after being cut-adrift by Hearts last summer, it was Killie that offered him a way back into the game. You sense that’s something that will never be forgotten. Locke was speaking at a Tesco Bank Football Festival at Rugby Park . ‘I played at Killie for seven years and I know what they are capable of,’ he added. ‘The facilities here are fantastic. I spend a lot of time down here and I see what the club is doing in the local community. ‘There are kids here every single night of the week, which is fantastic to see. Things are really positive. ‘When I played here there were a lot of Celtic and Rangers strips about the town and now there are lots of Killie ones so that’s encouraging in terms of the future. ‘Hopefully, we can see a lot of these younger kids coming through like we do at the moment - we have eight academy players in the first team which is great. ‘The club is moving forward in the right direction and hopefully it can keep moving forward.’ GARY LOCKE was speaking at a Tesco Bank Football Festival at Rugby Park. Over 700 children from 16 schools are expected to be involved in this year’s programme across East Ayrshire.
Gary Locke is currently manager at Kilmarnock Premiership . Last season, boxed in by admits it will be strange facing his former club