Northampton Saints are “in a resilient position” after returning a £300,000 profit and record turnover during the last year, says chairman John White.

Fellow Premiership sides Worcester and Wasps recently went into administration after racking up huge losses.

“Saints emerged strongly, making an excellent recovery in the aftermath of two very challenging financial years,” White told the club website.

Northampton’s pre-tax profit was aided by a one-off business interruption payment of £500,000 following the Covid pandemic – otherwise they would have made a loss of about £200,000.

But White said Saints, who finished fourth in last season’s Premiership, losing to champions Leicester Tigers in the play-offs, are reaping the rewards of long-standing fiscal shrewdness.

“The 2021-22 financial year was the club’s first full season since the devastating impact of the pandemic,” he added.

“The return of crowds saw more than 220,000 people pass through our gates, with Saints one of only four clubs in the Premiership to have increased attendances compared to pre-pandemic crowds.

“We are operating in a challenging environment, both within the Premiership and in the wider economic context. However, we are in a resilient position and have a clear plan for the future.

“Saints have a track record of responsible financial management and were profitable for 16 consecutive years, bucking the trend across the league and enabling us to maintain a strong balance sheet.”