President Graham Johnson looks back at the 2014 season

At the end of the 2014 campaign, I have been reflecting on what has been an enjoyable and fascinating season for me as Kent president and chairman of cricket.

From the start of summer my wife Marian and I wanted to do things our way and be around at the cricket as much as we could, and we’ve really enjoyed that. In fact, we didn’t really want the season to finish!

It’s been great fun from a presidency point of view but, wearing my other hat, it has been terrific as chairman of cricket to witness the potential that’s developing in this side and, in some ways, it is a pity that the progress has to stop for six winter months as we plan for next year.

I’ve seen quite a lot of cricket, both home and away this year, and it has been thoroughly rewarding to see this Kent squad growing and developing both as a team and individually. There has been a realisation in the group as the season has progressed that they are good enough to compete at this level and beyond.

The consistency maybe hasn’t been quite as high as we would all like, but that will improve given match experience. The old view of Kent was that we were punching above our weight.

The new one is that we’re better than that and, with our new-found confidence and improved approach, we can continue to be really competitive in all formats.

Keeping this group of players together is key to this side progressing as a unit and, as chairman of cricket, I’ve been very busy in recent weeks working in order to achieve that goal.

For their experience and ability, keeping players like Darren Stevens and Rob Key at the club was essential and I’m delighted that has been achieved.

We’re not just looking at the now, we’re trying to look ahead and to manage the next two to three-year period and ensure the progress we’ve already seen is maintained over a longer time.

Consistency is core to achieving success and I’d like to put on record how good a job both Jimmy Adams and Rob Key have done at the Kent helm this season.

You want your head coach to be doing such a good job that they’re being talked about for international posts and that has been the case with Jimmy.

Also, as you know, we only appoint our captain on a year-by-year basis, and while Rob has endured a tough time with the bat, he has been a magnificent leader.

People may sometimes overlook what Rob brings to the side but our Royal London Cup quarter-final win here over Gloucestershire was a captaincy master-class in defending a low total.

Of course, as a top batsman he wants to score more runs and I’m sure that will come good, but never underestimate what he brings to the team as its skipper.

In the past, as chairman of cricket, I’ve found myself talking to a tired captain and a group of players who were worn out physically and mentally come this time of year.

But this time there is an energy about the coaching staff, captain and squad that tells me ‘we’ve tasted some success and we’d like some more please’.

So let’s stay together, remain positive, realise the potential and move upwards and onwards together. If we do, there will be exciting times ahead.

I hope you all winter well.

Graham Johnson, Kent County Cricket Club President 2014 and Chairman of Cricket