Burnley: We don't have to sell

Clarets chairman happy to keep Lafferty

By Lewis Rutledge   Last updated: 6th September 2007

lafferty kyle

Lafferty: Stayed with club

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Burnley chairman Barry Kilby is delighted to have kept Kyle Lafferty at Turf Moor.

Fulham were interested in the Northern Ireland striker over the summer but Burnley insisted he was not for sale and their stance never changed.

Kilby believes selling Lafferty would have been at odds with Burnley's ambition of securing promotion to the Premier League.

He admits Burnley would have been forced to do business if their financial position had not been so strong, but maintains the club can now afford to keep their best players.

"The beauty is we don't have to sell," Kilby told the Burnley Citizen.

"It is tempting but we're trying this season. We want to get to the Premiership and I think selling Kyle at this stage would have been the wrong message.

"We want him to grow and prosper in the team and grow with Burnley along the way.

"A couple of seasons back we had to sell at crucial times. We don't have to this time."