RAY INGLEBY, the man who tried to takeover Burnley FC single-handedly but who is now more than happy to serve as vice-chairman under major shareholder Barry Kilby talks here to PETE OLIVER. Tonight in the second part of this intriguing interview Ingleby tells of the working relationship the two multi-millionaires have formed and how along with the other directors they aim to take the club forward to new heights.

BARRY Kilby was the man that ended Ray Ingleby's dream of taking control at Turf Moor.

But Ingleby now believes Kilby's intervention was the best thing that could have happened for Burnley.

And he admits he wouldn't have put any money into the Clarets if it wasn't for the new chairman.

Although rebuffed by the previous board following a £3million offer for ownership of Burnley, Ingleby felt he would still force his way into power with the directors likely to come under increasing pressure to stand down. That all changed though when the board ditched Peter Shackleton's doomed takeover plan and were rescued by Kilby. The Blackburn-based businessman - and lifelong Clarets fan - had recently sold a large chunk of his company Europrint to American firm GTECH and had the cash to fulfil his ambition.

Kilby bought out retiring directors Bernard Rothwell and Dr David Iven and agreed to underwrite a two-for-one share rights issue, taking his investment in the club to £3million.

He therefore became the majority shareholder and was appointed chairman at the end of last year. Ingleby's chance had gone.

"I got a phone call saying did I know Barry Kilby had just bought the shares and had agreed to underwrite the share issue. "I had never accepted defeat. I thought it would all play out and by the shareholders' meeting something would happen.

"I felt totally dejected for a day or two," he admitted.

However, Ingleby still had the chance to be a major player in a club he had become increasingly attached to if he so wished and if he was prepared to put cash into the Turf Moor coffers for the first time.

And, while owning Burnley as a business venture was no longer an option, Ingleby decided to work with Kilby to turn the Clarets around.

"I always knew that if someone came in and if they had enough money and they were a good guy I would probably have gone along with it," he added.

"Probably within a week we spoke and agreed that when the dust had settled to speak again.

"I immediately had a rapport with Barry. We had the same interests and the same philosophy in business.

"Just before the AGM I agreed not to vote against the rights issue, which I could have done, because Barry asked me not to and he said he would like me more involved with the club once the rights issue was out of the way."

The only question now was whether Ingleby would come up with the £500,000 needed to win a seat on the board.

"I thought I knew Barry Kilby but I didn't see any of the financial details Barry had seen. Did I want to put money in when I wasn't backing me? "I decided a couple of days before the rights issue. I would not have put any money in if it hadn't been for Barry Kilby. I could have walked away and Barry would have bought my shares," he said.

Ingleby insisted that finding the £500,000 wasn't a problem.

Being appointed vice-chairman was crucial to the deal, however.

And he claimed that one other factor had persuaded him to top up the shares he had bought privately in the takeover battle at a sum of £700,000 - fan power.

"I believe that because of me fighting this battle, as regrettable as it was, Barry ended up getting involved," he added.

"I thought Barry would revolutionise the club and I wanted to be part of that.

"The best outcome for the club is what has happened. I can't put in the time that Barry is putting in and he's more mature than me.

"At his time of life, he's better being chairman than me.

"He understands football better than me and he's a local guy. I'm an upstart in that area.

"We work as a team."

The team has since been strengthened by the appointment of John Turkington - an Ingleby ally - to the board and Andrew Watson as general manager.

"I think John Turkington was a fantastic and vital appointment. He's a very successful businessman and he's passionate about Burnley. And Andrew Watson has done a brilliant job in operations."

And while Ingleby and former chairman Frank Teasdale seemed unlikely co-directors at the height of the power struggle, Ingleby insisted: "The relationship with previous directors is good. We buried the hatchet a long time ago."

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