Kilmarnock striker Kris Boyd has said he never doubted his own ability to score goals but hailed his teammates for helping him to his PFA Player of the Year nomination.

Boyd's 16-goal haul in the Premiership has seen him make the four-man shortlist for the award, marking an incredible turnaround after he was ready to hang up his boots earlier in the season.

The veteran forward admitted he had become disillusioned but the arrival of manager Steve Clarke had galvanised the team and given him to opportunity to shine as its spearhead.

"You start every season with good intentions but the longer it went on at the start the more I fell out of love with the game," he said.

"Round about October when the manager came in, I had had enough. If it wasn't for him I probably wouldn't be playing football.

"He threw a challenge to me that I was willing to accept and hopefully I've repaid him with that.

"For me sitting here today, yes it's an individual award but it wouldn't be possible without my teammates and a big credit needs to go to them and the rest of the staff at Kilmarnock."

He revealed that Clarke told him at the outset that he would be a key player and given the support he needed to do what he does best.

"I know I'll always score goals," he said. "I know I'll always get myself in the position to score goals.

"At the start there were a few niggly injuries and you get to an age where you feel as if the body is about to pack in. I did feel that way.

"There's long training sessions, you're in and out the team, trying to do be fit enough for when you do get an opportunity.

"When the manager came in and said 'Listen, I want you to be my number nine. I'll build the team around you and get balls in the box,' for me it's a responsibility that I know I can go and get myself into those positions.

"The manager has thrown down the gauntlet to Jordan Jones, Rory McKenzie and he obviously brought in Youssouf Mulumbu, a lot of attacking talent at Kilmarnock."

Boyd praised the collective and said that although he was getting the plaudits, there was a group at Rugby Park who worked hard for each other so that everyone benefits.

"We've caused a lot of teams problems but we've been brave ourselves," he said. "It's not as if we're just sitting in and making it hard for teams. There's a game plan and we know if we stick to it, we can get results. I bought into it right away.

"I think the one thing we've had is that we're a team. We stick together.

"Everybody congratulated me today, as it would be the exact same if it was anybody else. I've said after numerous games that the attacking talent we've got at Kilmarnock has had a lot of credit but for me, to allow them to do that it's been the performances of Jamie McDonald, Kirk Broadfoot, Stuart Finlay, Greg Taylor, Gary Dicker and Alan Power.

"The guys who are doing the hard work to allow the so-called attackers to go and perform. I think Stephen O'Donnell has been superb up and down that right hand side as well.

"The full team can take credit for how we've performed in the last few months."