Boss Jim Jefferies was pleased to have eased his goalkeeping worries. "We targeted Alan a few weeks ago. We knew he was available with his situation at Bradford. There were one or two other names in the frame,but Alan was in front because he's played in Scotland before. I had a chance meeting with Andy Rhodes on holiday and he coached Alan in England and gave me such a good reference that we decided to go for him."
Combe is a happy and relieved man to be at Killie. "I've heard a few good stories about Jim and Billy Brown, so when I heard they were interested, I wanted to wotk for them."
Bradford's financial plight put a strain on Combe's spell in England. "We got paid on and off, but the boys were good and we all stuck together. It was a big move for me going down south, but the football was hard as the team was always struggling."
The keeper was on the fringes of the international side when he was with Dundee United, and he hasn't given up hope of breaking into Berti Vogts's squad. " I just want to play well for Kilmarnock just now but everyone wants to play for their country."
The keeper told KillieMad that he hopes to play his part in improving the team's goals against record. " I'm an organiser on the park. I don't take any excuses." He also looked forward to teaming up with coach Jim Stewart before casting a longer term eye. "I've worked with Jim since I was 19 or 20. I'd like to help bring the young keepers along. I've always had to do some coaching as there has never been a full-time goalkeping coach at the clubs that I've been at and it's something I want to get involved with after I finish playing."