Dyche’s delight at record profit

Last Friday Burnley announced a record net profit of £36.6m, up from £22.2m the previous season, beating the club record of £30.1m set in 2015.

The following day, Dyche’s players delivered a big three points at home to Wolves in his 300th game in charge, to keep their Premier League survival hopes firmly in their own hands.

While it has been a difficult season on the pitch, Dyche acknowledges he is the custodian of the club and has to make sure it remains in good health, while maintaining the success he has enjoyed, and he said: “It’s been a positive week, the numbers were released for the club and the chairman and board were delighted with them, the size of the number obviously, and when you look at the breakdown, we’re circling around that £58/59m mark for wages, and then big incentives on top.

“We like to think the incentives encourage the team, and after finishing seventh last season, and the incentives on top of that, and to still make £36.6m is really positive.

“It’s difficult for me sometimes because you want some of that to keep building the club, but the club’s in a position where it wants to be solid for years to come, and it’s certainly showing that.

“Then we went and delivered a very good performance against a very good side and got a big three points, so it’s been a big week.”

He added: “I think we made £22m last season, before that £3m when we were getting back in the Premier League, and about £30 before that, so strong numbers.

“In the last four windows I think we’re about plus-£10m in transfer spend.

“Obviously I want to win games, but you kind of kind of balance that out and it’s a strong performance over those seasons.

“But, we still are where we are, and it’s more important to focus on the football after those numbers. We have to take those numbers seriously, and work inside a certain frame work, and it has its challenges, but it’s still the focus on the three points and performance, and the players had that focus last weekend.”

While it remains to be seen what Dyche will have to spend in the summer, he feels the appointment of technical director Mike Rigg has pushed the recruitment side of things forward: “I always think about recruitment, we don’t have magic dust. No matter what level, recruitment is very, very important, and it’s very difficult.

“Particularly if your numbers are not as free-flowing, there’s no guarantee when you’re looking at a player, or scouting, first he has to benefit you, affect your first team, and push others - the knock on effect of players looking over their shoulder when good players come in the building.

“It impresses on everyone.

“Riggy gives us more options hopefully, a wider blueprint of players, from different areas, countries possibly - we’ve been trying to build that but he’s given it another kick start and push forward.

“But he can’t do it all on his own, he’s got good knowledge, but it takes time to get the right people around him, the analyst team, scouts we think can help us find the right players.

“We’re not looking for miracles, but he’s fitting into the culture nicely and I think he’s enjoying the task.”