Source: Team_Talk
Clarets are financially sound - Kilby
urnley chairman Barry Kilby insists the sensible financial planning at Turf Moor means they do not fear their return to the Championship.[LNB] The Clarets' relegation, confirmed after Sunday's 4-0 home defeat to Liverpool, was something the club had been making provision for over the last few weeks.[LNB]But it is the overall approach to their first top-flight campaign in 33 years which Kilby believes has been more important.[LNB]While some promoted clubs spend huge amounts in trying to survive in the Barclays Premier League only to have to deal with the repercussions when they drop back down, Burnley took a pragmatic approach.[LNB]Former manager Owen Coyle was given a limited transfer budget - the smallest in the top flight and none of the players, new or existing, had vast sums lavished on contracts.[LNB]Burnley were hopeful of surviving but officials were not prepared to threaten 128 years of history for one brief flirtation with the Premier League.[LNB]Kilby said the club had to put things in perspective and not get carried away by the lure of the top flight.[LNB]"Going up was special but from a financial point of view the Premier League had very real dangers," said the chairman.[LNB]"I have always been mindful of the disasters that have befallen many relegated teams, and even administration in the case of Leeds, Southampton and Bradford.[LNB]"Because of our size it would be very hard to recover if we went down that path, compared to some clubs who have four or even five times our revenues.[LNB]"We could find it especially hard to regenerate from such a disaster and, for that reason, we have been ultra-sure with our spending.[LNB]"We are not frightened of going down. History tells you that at least one, more often two, of the relegated clubs bounce back and that would be our aim."[LNB]Kilby now plans talks with manager Brian Laws, who took over in mid-January when Coyle left for Bolton, at the end of the season as they prepare for life as a Championship club again.[LNB]"We'll sit down with Brian in the summer. He didn't have a great hand when he arrived, and we'll see where we go from there," said the chairman.[LNB]Laws, whose record of 14 defeats in 17 matches since hardly inspires confidence for the future, is optimistic Burnley's financial stability will provide them with a solid platform.[LNB]"Financially we will be one the of the strongest sides in the Championship," said Laws, who was appointed Coyle's successor a month after leaving Sheffield Wednesday having taken them to the brink of relegation from the Championship.[LNB]"We've had the lowest budget in the Premier League and nearly did the impossible.[LNB]"There has been a lot of financial mismanagement in the Premier League but, like West Brom, we didn't throw money at it.[LNB]"The club has done the right thing in making sure the financial situation and structure of the club is paramount and that we will be strong for many years.[LNB]"We will need to freshen up but the majority of the squad are intact and we will address it in the coming weeks.[LNB]"We've asked those players to over-achieve week in, week out and that's what they've tried to do."
