Kilmarnock: New figures reveal trading profit of close to £1m

Kilmarnock sold striker Souleymane Coulibaly in January for a fee in the region of £800,000

Kilmarnock have reported a trading profit of £967,672 for the year ended 30 May.

It is a substantial improvement on the previous year when the Rugby Park club posted a loss of £69,089.

The figures include the transfer fee received from the sale of striker Souleymane Coulibaly to the Egyptian club Al Ahly in January.

And Killie received compensation when manager Lee Clark left to join Bury in February.

There was also a £300,000 increase in gate receipts on the previous year, an 8% increase on season ticket sales and a rise in commercial income.

Monies received from Uefa linked to Scottish clubs participation in European club competitions also contributed as did the prize money received from the SPFL for finishing eighth in the Scottish Premiership.

The Ayrshire club's turnover was £5.1m, up from £3.9m in 2016.

Director Billy Bowie, unlike in previous years through Billy Bowie Special Projects Limited, did not advance funds to the club. However, the accounts show that at the end of May £888,833 was owed to his company.

Kilmarnock confirmed they are in the process of looking for local land to accommodate a new training facility and are pleased to have been granted elite status for the Scottish Football Association's youth development programme "Project Brave".

Club secretary Kirsten Callaghan said in the club's strategic statement: "The board are proud to have attained elite status within Project Brave. This is justification for the ambition and additional investment of the board and reinforces our passion surrounding our academy ethos and staff pathway.

"The board are currently considering land options for a training facility for the use of both first team and academy players in line with the club's player pathway philosophy."

The Rugby Park club emphasised their focus on the youth system by highlighting the progress of players such as Iain Wilson, Greg Taylor, Adam Frizzell and Greg Kiltie. They have all represented Scotland at youth levels and progressed to the Killie first team.