Cash-hit Killie aim to keep Kyle

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Kyle was candid about his future with Kilmarnock

Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston is determined to keep Scotland striker Kevin Kyle despite admitting the club face major cost-cutting next season.

Kyle joined Killie in January but is keeping his options open despite Johnston's wish to talk about extending his contract beyond next summer.

"He is one of the players that we want to keep," Johnston told BBC Scotland.

Nine players are out of contract next summer and Johnston says the squad must be reduced then to tackle a £9m debt.

The Scottish Premier League was forced to accept a reduced television contract following the collapse of broadcaster Setanta at the end of last season.

"Over the minimum three years of the new Sky/ESPN contract, we reckon that, if we finish seventh each year in the SPL, which is what we budget for, we are going to lose a total of approximately £3m, which is a very serious loss of revenue," said Johnston.

Obviously the club is in a lot of debt, so if somebody was to come in in January and offer a figure for me, can Kilmarnock say no? Kilmarnock striker Kevin Kyle

"We are going to have to make cuts in the playing squad for next season. There's no other way round it and other clubs will be in the same position.

"However, we have had great support from the Bank of Scotland and I expect that to continue.

"They know the problem is not of our own making and we will be working closely with them to make sure Kilmarnock get through this."

Johnston pointed out that, since he took over as chairman in 2005, the club had already reduced their debt by £1.5m.

Kilmarnock started last season with 34 first-team players, plus a youth team, while this season that was reduced to 26 plus 14 under-19s.

Johnston did not think the bank would intervene to force the club to sell Kyle should they receive a cash offer in January.

"The difference between finishing in the bottom half of the SPL and the top of SFL1 is huge and you are talking about a drop from approximately £1m to £100,000," he said.

"Kevin Kyle did very well for us last season, scored crucial goals and you could say helped save us from relegation, so I would fight very hard to keep Kevin Kyle and hopefully he will want to stay."

The 28-year-old himself, however, raised doubts about that possibility as he spoke to the media after joining the Scotland squad preparing for Saturday's friendly against Wales.

"Obviously the club is in a lot of debt, so if somebody was to come in in January and offer a figure for me, can Kilmarnock say no?" said Kyle, who previously had injury-hit spells with Sunderland and Coventry City.

"I know I had a bad time with Coventry in the Championship and obviously I would like to get back there and prove that I was good enough.

"It was just that circumstances meant that I did not do as well as I should have done and I would like to get back there and prove a point and prove to myself that I am capable of going down to the Championship and scoring goals.

"The Championship is only one tier away from the Premiership. So, if you go to the Championship and your team does well, you could end up in the Premiership."