The visitors will hope Stewart does not set out to prove a point in a similar manner to Jordan Jones, who proved his loyalties still lie with the Ayrshire outfit by firing Wednesday's winner against the team he has agreed to join this summer.

Dicker, though, has no doubt his team can cope without Stewart.

He said: "Greg is a good lad, he fitted in well here – not the sharpest tool in the box. His comments about winning stuff – I think we've probably won more games in the last few years than they've won.

"Nah, listen, he's a good lad and you move on in football. Come three o'clock it doesn't matter who you are. You'd play against your brother, it makes no difference.

"Am I surprised he made that move considering how well we're going here? Yeah and no. It is what it is. We've moved on.

"I think everyone doubted us and thought the wheels are coming off at Killie. It just shows what a good team we are. It's not all about one player.

"We couldn't have had a bigger game to start with without Greg, but we got the result against Rangers. We were doing well before Greg came and I'm sure we'll do well again."

Boss Clark, who claimed the behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings which saw Derek McInnes win the race sign Stewart after he was recalled from his Rugby Park loan stint by Birmingham reeked of "bull****", joked he would like to be taking on the 28-year-old himself.

"I won't be playing against Greg myself personally – unfortunately," said the Killie boss before pausing to let the laughter in the room die down. "And you can tell Greg I mean that in the nicest possible way.

"Listen, it's just one of these things that happens in football. Obviously we know a lot about Greg and are grateful for the contribution to our season here at Kilmarnock.

"He's now an Aberdeen player and we'll treat him like we treat every other opposition player and that's with respect. We'll then try to minimise the damage he can do to us.

"We've got nothing to prove to anybody. We'll just go about our own business and try to focus on ourselves."

While Killie sit just a point behind leaders Celtic after their 2-1 Gers triumph, the Dons are also in the title hunt two back.

And Clarke, who admits he is interested in signing former Ipswich and Hull defender Alex Bruce but denied an 18 month deal has been agreed, added: "I think for Scottish football it's been good that the competition has been so good this season. Everybody seems capable of beating everybody else which is good for the league."

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