Kilmarnock have revealed that former chairman Jamie Moffat has written off £900,000 of the £1.8million debt owed to him.

But current chairman Michael Johnston has called for further financial help from the local community and Scottish Government to ensure the Ayrshire outfit survive in the Scottish Premier League and hold onto their top players.

He said: “This £900,000 write down of the club’s debt of £1.8million to former chairman Jamie Moffat is yet another example of the remarkable generosity of Jamie Moffat and his parents to Kilmarnock Football Club.

“The family has contributed around £5million in supporting the club over the last fifteen years.

“Jamie’s father, Jim Moffat, was also a chairman of the club in the late nineties – a period of great success for the club, both on and off the pitch, with the redevelopment of Rugby Park and the Scottish Cup win in 1997.

“The Moffat family have also supported many local and national charities through The Moffat Charitable Trust, which received a donation of £50m of Royal Bank shares from Jamie’s mother prior to the banking crisis.

“The subsequent inability of the bank to pay dividends has curtailed the Trust’s charitable giving in recent months but it remains a strong supporter of many good causes.

“Everyone who cares about Kilmarnock Football Club should be aware of the debt of gratitude we owe the Moffat family.

“This debt reduction marks another step in the process of improving the club’s balance sheet in the hope of attracting new investment.

“Over my five years as chairman, debt has now been reduced by almost £2.5million.

“But if the club is to survive in the SPL during the current recession, new capital is required in order to maintain a competitive squad without selling our best players to our SPL competitors.”

Kilmarnock secured their SPL status on the final day last season when a goalless draw with Falkirk saw the Bairns drop down to the First Division instead.

Johnston said: “We incurred a trading loss of over £1million last season, mainly due to the collapse of satellite TV broadcaster Setanta in June 2009 but also due to poor results on the pitch, in spite of a large and expensive squad.

“We have had to make major cuts to the player wage bill to avoid a similar result this season but if we want to keep players like Craig Bryson we need new investment.

“It’s time for the local business community, East Ayrshire Council and the Scottish Government to do more to help Kilmarnock’s most famous institution survive in the top flight of Scottish football.

“Everyone recognises the importance of that to the regeneration of Kilmarnock as a post-industrial community with a strong identity in the west of Scotland but not enough practical support has been forthcoming. That’s got to change soon.”

Rangers will begin their Co-op Cup defence with a third-round tie at home to Dunfermline in September, while Celtic play host to Inverness.

Rangers captured the trophy last season with a dramatic 1-0 win over St Mirren at Hampden in March.

At Hampden on Tuesday, Celtic were drawn at home against Inverness, whom they beat 1-0 on the opening day of the Scottish Premier League season.

In another all-SPL clash, Hibernian travel to Kilmarnock, managed by former Easter Road boss Mixu Paatelainen.

Aberdeen get the chance for revenge when they take on Irn-Bru First Division side Raith Rovers at Pittodrie, the Kirkcaldy men having sensationally knocked the Dons out of the Scottish Cup after a replay last season.

Hearts, Dundee United and Motherwell face tricky away ties to lower league sides.

Jambos boss Jim Jefferies goes back to former club Falkirk, United take on Ross County, in what will be a repeat of last season’s Active Nation Scottish Cup final, while Motherwell travel north to Brechin City.

St Johnstone complete the draw with a home fixture against Queen of the South.

The ties will take place on Tuesday September 21 and Wednesday September 22.

League Cup third-round draw: Rangers v Dunfermline, Kilmarnock v Hibernian

Aberdeen v Raith Rovers, Falkirk v Hearts, Celtic v Inverness CT, Ross County v Dundee United, St Johnstone v Queen of the South, Brechin City v Motherwell.

Danny Lennon wants more from St Mirren as they face Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League on Sunday after losing to Ross County.

St Mirren take on Hibs seeking to bounce back from their Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat by Ross County.

Saints lost to the First Division side on penalties after a 3-3 draw in Dingwall. County defeated Celtic, Hibernian and Hamilton in cup action last season but the defeat was unacceptable for manager Lennon, who has told his players they must live with the expectation levels at St Mirren Park.

Saints got to the final of the tournament last season and the Scottish Cup semi-finals the previous campaign and Lennon is desperate to avoid a drop in standards after taking over from Gus MacPherson.

“There is an expectation at this football club,” Lennon said ahead of the Scottish Premier League contest. “That is set upon what they have done here in previous seasons.

“Players bring that within themselves and they have got to learn to live with that. Celtic and Rangers players live within that expectation.

“They have got to play with that pressure. Although we did that at times, scoring three goals away from home, we didn’t pass it well for long periods of time.”

Lennon added: “I certainly had the mentality that we would come back down in the next round of the cup. These lads have to understand the expectation.

“The supporters have the belief that we can go and win every single game. We have got to have that and that is my message to the boys.”

Hibs manager John Hughes has warned his side they will have to lift themselves following the highs and lows of their defeat to Rangers as they seek their first away victory against St Mirren in 11 years.

The Easter Road men hosted Rangers last Sunday but could not mark the opening of their new east stand with a win as they went down 3-0, despite holding their own for around an hour.

However, Hughes has urged his team to ensure they are just as motivated for their trip to Paisley. He said: “It’s a whole different mindset to the Rangers game.

“It was quite easy here, with the opening of the new stand. There was a fantastic atmosphere and a new pitch.

“If that doesn’t inspire you you shouldn’t be playing football.

“Going to play St Mirren is very difficult. The last time we won through there was 1999, so the mindset and the focus has to be 100%.

“They’ll be hurting after the Ross County match, which is no disgrace because they knocked us out of the Scottish Cup last year. Danny Lennon will be wanting to get his first win under his belt.

“We’ll have to be focused and spirited and trust each other.

“But if we play as we did in the first hour against Rangers, consistently for 90 minutes, I think we might have too much in the locker and we can go and win the game.”

Meanwhile, Hughes is looking to make a couple of signings ahead of Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

He added: “I feel the group still needs a wee hand. I’m hoping we can get one or two in that try to take this club forward.

“We just feel we’re a wee bit short and if we can get one or two in that could help the group that’s what we’ll do.”

Hearts midfielder Eggert Jonsson wants to make Tynecastle a fortress once more as they prepare for Sunday’s visit of Dundee United.

The Edinburgh outfit won nine of their 19 home games in last season’s disappointing sixth-place finish in the Scottish Premier League and the Iceland international reckons a trip to the capital was less daunting than it used to be.

Hearts are looking to build on the momentum of their impressive start to the season. After drawing with St Johnstone on the opening day, they overcame Hamilton 4-0 last weekend before scoring four more against Third Division side Elgin in the Co-operative Insurance Cup on Tuesday night.

Hearts are keen to get back into Europe this season and Jonsson reckons they need to make the most of home advantage.

He said: “We are only three games into the season so it’s too early to say, but we want to be hard to beat and make Tynecastle a fortress like it used to be.

“Sometimes we didn’t manage to do that last season. Jim Jefferies came in as the new manager and the team is now set up the way he wants.

“Now I think we’re going to be more hard to beat and hopefully we can use our home advantage with the fans to make it a hard place to come.”

Jonsson played and scored in the 4-0 thrashing of Elgin in what was his first appearance of the season after missing the first two SPL matches due to suspension.

The versatile player cut a frustrated figure looking on from the stands against Saints and Accies but admits the promising performances have lifted his spirits.

He said: “It’s good to be back, I had to sit out the first two games and it was really hard but I’m glad to be back.

“It was to good to play on Tuesday night, it was a good result and the whole team has had a good start to the season so it’s great to be back in the mix again.

“It’s hard watching on if you’ve worked hard during the pre-season and then you can’t contribute to the team. The team has had a good start and that’s made it easier and I’m just glad to be back now.”

New Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic has been granted a work permit today by the Scottish Football Association, the club have confirmed.

Subject to paperwork being completed, the Croatia international could make his debut against St Johnstone in the Scottish Premier League at Ibrox on Saturday.

Jelavic agreed to move from Rapid Vienna to the SPL champions last Friday in a £4million deal.