Kris Boyd is aiming for Kilmarnock to go even higher this season with his goals

KRIS BOYD loves a challenge – and that’s why he has set his sights on another top-six finish for Kilmarnock AND a Cup Final slot.

The Rugby Park veteran enjoyed a fabulous campaign last season, when, at 34, he scored more than 20 goals to take his tally to more than a century for the Ayrshire side.

He is also the third-highest post-war scorer of league goals.

Only Ally McCoist and Willie Wallace have netted more.

But personal glory is not at the forefront of Boyd’s agenda. He would give up any individual accolades to see Stevie Clarke and the Rugby Park squad thrive collectively.

Boyd told The Sunday Post: “We finished fifth in the league last season, and that was wonderful as we had rarely been in the top six in the past decade.

“But it is about moving on and setting new goals. We can’t rest on last year. It’s about earning new rewards.

“What we can do is take great heart and a level of confidence from the last nine months.

“We really put it together in February, March and April. That’s what the manager asked.

“Finishing in the top four would be quite incredible considering that Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibs have budgets many, many times bigger than ours.

“So, if we can get into the top six and equal last season’s place, then we couldn’t be disappointed.

“We are looking to improve on our Cup runs. Last season, we reached the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup and lost out to Aberdeen on penalty-kicks. That was a sore one.

“But we need only look at Motherwell for inspiration.

“They reached both domestic Cup Finals and deserve enormous credit for doing so.

“However, they did not make the top six, which goes to show it’s hard for a club outside of Celtic and Rangers to achieve it all.

“As much as Celtic have dominated domestic football for two seasons, every team – including Kilmarnock – must believe they can stop them and win a cup.

“We last won the Scottish Cup in 1997 and the League Cup six years ago.

“I’d love to bring our support some silverware. They deserve it.

“It would also be great for the manager. He has been just brilliant. We all owe so much to him.”

On the back of his excellent work at Rugby Park, Clarke was linked with several jobs last season. But Boyd knows his boss is happy and not in any rush to leave Ayrshire.

The striker is also satisfied in his current job and would be more than happy if he plays on and eventually hangs up his boots as a Killie player.

That scenario though is, at least, two years away.

Boyd said: “We started back training this weekend and I was raring to go. I enjoyed a nice break but it was time to get back to work and I was itching to get the boots back on.

“We will train at home this week and then head to a training camp in Spain for a week.

“I’ve returned with a mindset of wanting do well again.

“I want to play in as many games as possible, score goals and help the team win games.

“If I’m playing regularly, then I know I can score goals. I know I will find spaces on the pitch and I have the team-mates with the ability to find me with their final ball.

“Personally, I also look to find a rhythm as quickly as possible.

“I’m not the type of player who benefits from playing a game and then sitting it out for two weeks.

“I need to be on the front foot every week.

“After the gaffer took over last season, I think I only didn’t start three or four games.

“We all benefited from that.

“But I’m also old enough and wise enough to know that I will need to be on my game to get into the team.

“We have some excellent strikers at the club and they are all hungry to get into the team.

“Collectively, we all know how important it is to for us all to get off to a good start.

“Last season, the League Cup campaign didn’t go well and we lost out to Ayr United.

“We kick off next month against St Mirren in the same competition and we need to be ready.

“We will be.”