Ryan Stevenson I’d love to help relegate Kilmarnock!

Lifetime Ayr United fan Ryan Stevenson says he would love to dump arch-rivals Kilmarnock.

Hearts fans might be desperate to see Hibs relegated, but Honest Man Ryan Stevenson can’t lie.

He’d love to face Kilmarnock in the Championship!

A Jam Tarts win over Killie today would go some way towards condemning the Ayrshire side to the play-offs.

As a life-long Ayr United fan, Stevenson can be forgiven for taking pleasure from such a scenario.

But whether Hibs or Killie ultimately find themselves in a post-season fight for their Premiership status, the Jambos midfielder insists he’s just happy to be involved in meaningful games at this stage of the season.

He joked: “It’s a win-win situation for me! To be honest, though, I haven’t really thought about who will go down.

“I just want to concentrate on the job in hand and that is today’s game.

“It will be a difficult match. Hearts have a poor record against Kilmarnock and it is going to be a big afternoon for them.

“Hopefully the fans turn out in good numbers like they have done all season because we are on a good run just now.

“I’ve never been a great fan of the split. But this year it has worked out the best for years.

“The play-off idea is great and it is good to be involved in games that mean something .”

With the best part of four years at Tynecastle under his belt, Stevenson is no stranger to drama.

But in spite of the tribulations of this season, he insists the mood in the dressing-room is the best he’s ever known.

“There has been a good harmony this season,” he revealed. “At times it was difficult and there were some low moments, but we have all grown. We have knitted closely as a team and everybody gets on well.

“When I first came to the club, I walked into a dressing-room where hardly anyone spoke to each other.

“There were cliques and the British players and the Scots were a minority.

“But there’s a good dressing room in there now. Hopefully with the new owner coming in the manager can get his future tied up and bring in a few additions.

“I feel the nucleus of this squad will be enough to do well in the Championship next season.”

Of course, if it hadn’t been for the 15-point penalty imposed on Hearts at the beginning of the season, the Jam Tarts may not have been contemplating playing in the Championship.

Stevenson insists that finishing within 15 points of 11th place is now the be-all and end-all for the team.

He admitted: “There is no-one else to blame but us for some of the results, but finishing within those 15 points means that if the penalty hadn’t been there, we would have been safe.

“That’s the silver lining.”