By Longsider
May 5 2004

We all knew when we saw todays papers there would be speculation about the manager's job and we weren't disappointed. Today was no exception with every paper revealing 'exclusive' information about the man set to replace Stan Ternent. Barry Kilby revealed that the club has no names but a profile of the 'sort of manager we would like in'.

The Manchester Evening News have today revealed that former Claret Micky Phelan is the favourite for the job. Phelan has been the number 2 at Manchester United this season and his work, according to the MEN, has been 'noted' by Burnley Football Club. The MEN then go on to say that Brian Flynn is also a front runner as he looks for work following his dismissal at Swansea earlier on this season.

The Times also have Phelan as the front runner and this is their article....

STAN TERNENT, an eccentric among the sport’s dying breed of old-school managers, was “stunned” yesterday to learn that his services were no longer required at Burnley. Ternent has won praise for helping the Nationwide League first division club to avoid relegation under severe financial constraints this season, but Barry Kilby, the chairman, said that a change of direction is needed, with Mike Phelan, the Manchester United coach and a former Burnley player, believed to be the main target.
Any approach for Phelan would have to be directed to Sir Alex Ferguson, but the United manager’s initial reaction is likely to be one of sadness for Ternent, 57, whom he has called “one of the greatest characters in the game”. Ternent’s man-management style may have been old-fashioned, to judge from the frequent punch-ups with players that he details in his autobiography, but he is warmly regarded by his contemporaries.

Ternent was shocked to learn that his contract would not be renewed after six largely successful seasons at Burnley, the club he led to the FA Cup quarter-finals in 2003 as well as promotion from the second division in 2000. Otherwise, he vowed to maintain his silence until after his final game in charge, at home to Sunderland on Sunday. “I did not want to leave Burnley and I’ll be making a full statement after Sunday’s game,” he said.

Kilby was adamant changes were needed at the end of a season that saw the club flirt with relegation. “I’m looking to the long-term future of Burnley,” the chairman said. “Managerial changes are inevitable. There can never be a good time and difficult decisions have to be made. Stan and I have enjoyed a close working relationship, he has always been passionate about Burnley and has been one of the best Burnley managers of all time.”

The decision may be regarded as ruthless, given that Ternent has been forced to offload many of his star players over the past 12 months and that he had taken a pay cut to ease the club’s financial difficulties. His six-year reign at Turf Moor had made him the country’s seventh longest-serving manager, behind Dario Gradi, of Crewe Alexandra, Ferguson, Alan Curbishley, of Charlton Athletic, Barry Fry, of Peterborough United, Arsène Wenger, of Arsenal, and Ronnie Moore, of Rotherham United.

The Independent say that Flynn is going to take over....

"The First Division strugglers have set their sights on the former Wrexham and Swansea manager as the man to cope with their limited budget in future. Ternent had been unhappy with the way the club's ambitions had dipped, but he had planned to fight on. The chairman, Barry Kilby, decided otherwise."

The Mirror also agree with the Independent.....


BURNLEY are moving Stan Ternent out of the management seat - and want old boy Brian Flynn to return as boss.

"Ternent's contract will not be renewed at the end of the season in the latest Turf Moor cutback. And the First Division strugglers have set their sights on former Wrexham and Swansea manager Flynnn as their man.Burnley will sell a couple of their big earners this summer, headed by striker and top scorer Robbie Blake, and they will need a boss who can work without much money. Flynn is out of work and still lives in Burnley. He was a star player for the club at the start of his career."