Chief Executive Jamie Clifford is looking towards a brighter financial future for Kent Cricket, but warned there will be no overseas signing this season.

On Thursday Kent announced positive financial figures with EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) profits for the year at a very respectable £1,250,655.

However, that news has been tempered by the fact Kent are still awaiting planning permission to develop the Old Dover Road side of the ground and that has hit their financial aims and objectives.

With the club having seen year on year improvements over the past five years, down to hard work and looking at how to make cricket within the county more financially viable, Clifford is hopeful the recent financial position reflects a trend Kent are keen to continue:

“I am always measured in where we have got to in our longer term plan, but the encouraging thing that year after year the trading results are improving.”

“That’s a big part of the story and I’m confident this year with Australia coming, the Women’s Ashes Test match, the return to Beckenham, Tunbridge Wells back on stream and a concert that at the end of the year we will see trading result moving in the right direction once again.”

“The cloud, if there is one, is where we are in relation to realising the asset value of the Old Dover Road side of the ground and that’s a major factor.”

“We haven’t yet achieved the planning permission we need to develop the Old Dover Road side of the ground and that was a major block in the turn around project.”

“Our original plan was that we would have received planning permission at the back end of last year and we’d be sitting here now celebrating a much, much better position.”

With loans to both Canterbury City Council and Club Chairman, George Kennedy, to be repaid, Clifford is hoping an appeal on the planning issue will bear fruit and allow the club to move on and pay back what they owe:

“We don’t want the situation forever where we have the debt levels that we have currently got and the key part of the plan is to make sure those debt levels come back down and Canterbury City Council have been very supportive and we want to repay that support.”

“We want to make sure the loans are repaid to them and that in turn will have a benefit with regards interest as there is interest on that loan and that’s cash going out of the business.”

“There is a lot for us to gain by paying down debt levels and that would improve the trading position still further.”

“We have taken it to planning appeal so it’s now a decision taken away from Canterbury and going to be made by the planning inspectorate.”

“They will determine their own timelines and I don’t know exactly how long it will take. The planning appeal has been lodged and has been in for around five weeks. I expect quite soon we will get a timline on that.”

“We are working with planning for what we consider to be a considerate and appropriate development for that part of the ground.”

With the trading position as it is and the financial situation at the club as it is, Clifford indicated there would be every chance Kent wouldn’t be in the market this season for an overseas signing, with the likes of Vernon Philander and Doug Bollinger having played for the side in recent years:

“You can come at this from two angles, one by virtue of our finances and one equally compelling that we are driven by the evolution of the squad that we have got.”

“It would have been an interesting situation had we achieved the planning consent, whether we would have gone into the overseas market anyway.”

“I still remain to be convinced there is the perect solution when it comes to an overseas that delivers you substantially more than you can achieve through your own resources.”

“I accept an overseas signing can add a level of excitement, but I don’t think that the big name players that have come onto the scene have necessarily delivered for their clubs.”

“I think the ones that have delivered more have been the names that you wouldn’t have heard of before they were playing county cricket.”

“My hope is that players that have come through our own systems will go on to get international honours. The likes of Sam Billings, Adam Riley, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Sam Northeast, Matt Coles and Joe Denly all have future international aspirations and they can deliver us the same in terms of output as an overseas player.”

“I think it is important for us to back our own resources, almost regardless of the financial position. Throwing money at it isn’t necessarily the solution in my opinion.”

“It might be a quick fix, but it doesn’t necessarily bring about a long term position.”

Check out Kent Sports News on Monday for the second part of our exclusive interview with Jamie Clifford as he talks about his thoughts on some of Kent’s players going on to play for England, the return of Joe Denly and Matt Coles, whilst stating his position on franchises in the county game.