KILMARNOCK have told manager Jim Jefferies that he will have no money to spend in the transfer market this summer as the heavily indebted Rugby Park club prepare for the fresh financial difficulties anticipated in Scottish football.
Last season, Jefferies was able to refresh his squad with the recruitment of Manuel Pascali, Gavin Skelton, Allan Russell and Kevin Kyle at various stages of the campaign.
But Kilmarnock, who are understood to be around £9 million in debt and on
e of the most vulnerable of the SPL clubs if the worse-case scenario regarding the broadcasting contract with Setanta unfolds, have decided to cut their first-team squad to 24 players for the new season.
Six players have been released. Former Hearts and Scotland winger Allan Johnston, along with defenders Grant Murray and David Lilley, have left the club on the expiry of their contracts along with youthful trio Scott Anson, Paul McInnes and Thomas Nolan.
Johnston, 35, has reached the end of a two-year deal, while 31-year-old Lilley turned down the offer of a contract extension. Murray, 33, has also reached the end of a two-year deal.
So far, 21 outfield players and goalkeeper Alan Combe are under contract for next season.
Kilmarnock hope to successfully conclude contract talks with goalkeepers Cameron Bell and Damien Rascle to complete Jefferies' full complement of first-team players.
Club captain Gary Locke is also out of contract and is considering his options after being offered a coaching role by the club.
"Jim Jefferies has been informed that there are currently no plans to reduce the first-team squad budget next season, which has been increased in each of the previous three seasons to its current level of circa £2m," Kilmarnock announced in a statement.
"However, it is not intended to repeat last season's £250k expenditure on transfer fees and related player and agent costs.
"Last season the club commenced the SPL campaign with a first-team squad of 34 players, plus 14 full-time under-19 professionals. It was recognised that the squad size should be reduced and the intention is to commence season 2009-10 with 21 outfield players and three goalkeepers, in line with the majority of SPL clubs.
"The club wishes to extend its thanks and best wishes to out-of-contract players Allan Johnston, David Lilley and Grant Murray who have been great servants to the club over a period of several years and have always displayed a highly professional approach to their training and playing duties.
"Scott Anson, Paul McInnes and Thomas Nolan joined the first team squad last season having graduated from the club's youth development scheme.
"As part of the planned reduction in the size of the first-team squad, they have not been offered new contracts but that should not detract from the undoubted potential which they all possess.
"Everyone at the club who has observed their progress is confident that they will soon find new clubs and continue to play professional football at a high level for many years to come."
Alan Robertson, Kilmarnock's head of youth, is also recruiting replacements for the under-19 squad.
• Kilmarnock have arranged a friendly at Rugby Park against Owen Coyle's Burnley, who have won promotion to the Barclays Premier League after their play-off victory over Sheffield United, on Thursday, 6 August (7.30pm).
The full article contains 571 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
