It was hardly the news Kilmarnock supporters wanted on the day they celebrated the club’s 150th anniversary.
Killie winger Jordan Jones took to social media on Saturday to announce he was “unbelievably proud” after concluding a pre-contract agreement to join Rangers in the summer, adding it was “a dream come true”.
The Northern Ireland international threw in a Union Jack emoji and the WATP (We are the people) acronym used by Rangers supporters to underline his delight at joining the Ibrox side.
But unless Rangers have a transfer offer for Jones accepted this month, the 24-year-old will remain at Kilmarnock until the end of the season and his excitable tweet about his impending departure from Rugby Park was criticised by Killie fans.
Jones has been part of a side that has excelled this season and they sit only one point behind second-placed Rangers after 21 games.
Some fans were quick to tell Jones on social media his tweet was disrespectful to the club paying his wages and that they did not wish to see him don their team’s strip again.
Jones followed up his tweet with another praising Kilmarnock for helping him “achieve” his dream and pledging to continue to give everything for the club.
As fate would have it, Kilmarnock’s next league game is against Rangers at Rugby Park on January 23. It would be no surprise if Killie manager Steve Clarke left the winger out of the squad for that one.
And what would happen if Kilmarnock were to play Rangers on the final day of the season with European places or even the league title at stake?
Would the Kilmarnock supporters believe Jones was fully committed to their cause?
Of course, the Aberdeen supporters could soon receive the news that Graeme Shinnie or Gary Mackay-Steven has signed a pre-contract agreement with another club. They are entering the final months of their deals at Pittodrie and free to speak to new clubs, with Brentford and Hull City already linked with Dons captain Shinnie.
The defensive midfielder signed a pre-contract agreement when he made the move from Caley Thistle to Aberdeen but there was no drop in Shinnie’s desire at the Inverness club, going on to captain the side to Scottish Cup glory before making the switch to Pittodrie.
Derek McInnes, the Aberdeen manager, says the club have made Shinnie a very good offer to remain at Pittodrie but it looks increasingly likely that the Scotland international is set to become the second Dons captain in a row to leave under freedom of contract following Ryan Jack’s controversial move to Rangers in the summer of 2017.
It would be a blow if they were to lose Shinnie but the Dons would much prefer to lose him at the end of the season than this month knowing the player has already shown he can be fully committed to his club when his future lies elsewhere.
