Earl Spencer new Northants president

Earl Spencer has been unveiled as the new president of Northamptonshire, replacing Lynn Wilson who held the position for 10 years. The Earl was unanimously voted in at the club's AGM last night and promised to offer his full support to Mark Tagg, the chief executive, and the coach Kepler Wessels.

As reported in Northampton News the Earl said: "I am delighted at being asked to perform this role which I consider a huge honour. Mine is not a day-in, day-out role, but I will do all I can to help the management team deliver the success it deserves."

Members at the AGM also heard how the club had transformed a £217,000 loss into an operating profit of £1,000 in the past four years, despite not winning any silverware and suffering relegation back to Division two of the County Championship in 2004. Savings had also been made ahead of the new season with the release of high earning players, including Graeme Swann.

It was also revealed that Susan Woodward, the former financial administrator, who siphoned off £80,000 from the club's accounts before she was jailed for 18 months last year, has been given until May 2 to forfeit a property in Spain as part of a confiscation order taken out by the club.