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Steve Clarke slapped down talk of him becoming the next Rangers manager because rebuilding Kilmarnock is the only job he wants in Scotland.

The Killie boss has been widely touted as a contender for the Ibrox hotseat since Gers failed to lure Derek McInnes from Aberdeen two weeks ago.

That prompted one worried fan to raise the subject during Wednesday night’s club AGM - and he was pleased by Clarke’s reassurance that his mind is solely focussed on the job he has started so well in his first two months at Killie.

Now, as Clarke prepares his side to go head-to-head with Rangers tomorrow at Rugby Park, he has delivered a timely rebuke to insist his future remains firmly at Kilmarnock, not Ibrox.

Clarke said: “My quote (at the AGM) is ‘it’s not my intention to leave Kilmarnock for any other Scottish club’.

“That’s it. I don’t think I need to elaborate on that. It’s quite clear.

“It probably says a lot about me as much as what it says about settling in here. I came here for a reason.

“I said at the time that a lot of different reasons fell into place at the right time. Nothing has changed that.

“I didn’t come here to leave. I came here to do a job.

“I came back to Scotland for Kilmarnock. It’s always hard to look too far into the future but it’s definitely not my intention to leave to go to another Scottish club.”

It wasn’t the only story that Clarke insisted had nothing in it yesterday.

Reports that former Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong could sign after training for two days with Killie were knocked down, as he revealed the Cameroon internationalist was only up to visit his friend Youssouf Mulumbu.

And rumours of a loan deal for Aston Villa’s out-of-favour £5 million signing Aaron Tshibolo - who played under Clarke at Reading - was also ruled out.

He added: “Bassong came up as a friend of Youssouf’s, spent a couple of days with him and did two days training then he went home. I haven’t heard from him since.

“Aaron is another non-story made up by people who know that I like him as a player. He’s at Aston Villa, it hasn’t really worked out for him there but he’s a good player and a good boy.

(Image: Eddie Greville/GetReading)

“I’m a little surprised that he hasn’t done as well as he should have at Villa and I’m sure somebody will get the benefit of him in the future, but not here.

“He moved for £5 million and is on a hell of a lot of money at Aston Villa, so he’s probably just a bit outside our wage bracket.”

Meanwhile, Clarke made a phone call to Killie’s legendary Scottish Cup-winning boss Bobby Williamson to pass on his and the good wishes of the club after it was revealed he has been diagnosed with cancer.

Williamson is hoping to return to work in 2018 in Kenya, where he has set up home since 2014, after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy and Clarke sent a warm message of support.

He added: “Obviously it’s not nice when you hear somebody is fighting cancer but hopefully he is recovering very well, so I’d just like to send him my best wishes from everyone here at Kilmarnock.”

Killie also joined Williamson’s former Scottish clubs Rangers and Hibs in issuing messages of support.

Kilmarnock’s statement said: “Everyone at Kilmarnock FC sends their best wishes to our 1997 Scottish Cup winning manager Bobby Williamson as he undergoes cancer treatment.”

Hibs official Twitter account said: “Hibernian would like to wish Bobby Williamson well with his ongoing cancer treatment - we’re all hoping for a full recovery.”

Rangers added: “Everyone at Rangers FC sends their best wishes to former striker Bobby Williamson as he undergoes treatment for cancer.”