THE Burnley board is planning to raise over £1 million to underpin a concerted promotion push in the second half of the season and avoid "doing a Preston."

The Turf Moor transfer coffers are currently empty, preventing manager Stan Ternent from making a major spree into the market to further strengthen his squad.

But vice-chairman Ray Ingleby revealed that moves are under way to bring in between £1-£1.5 million to allow Ternent to spend at a potentially critical stage of the campaign.

Ingleby said: "We have just developed a three-year plan. The plans shows us what we needed to do financially and what we can do financially if we are in the First Division and the Premiership.

"On the back of the plan we are going to try and raise between £1-£1.5 million before Christmas and to work with the bank to potentially expand our current facilities.

"As a board we don't want to be in a position our colleagues at Preston North End seemed to be in last year when coming into the final straight.

"They did not seem to have the ability to add to the squad. We are raising money in the expectation that come the New Year we will be up there and might have to strengthen the squad. And we want to be in a position to do that for Stan."

As well as negotiating with the bank, Ingleby said that money would come from "directors, associates and unconnected investors" and said that he was "considering" increasing his own shareholding in the club. Burnley are facing a £1 million loss on the last financial year but are speculating to accumulate in a bid to get into the richer pastures of the First Division.

"As a board we are committed to continue spending more money than we are receiving to get us out of this division.

"We are losing money but we are doing that in the full knowledge that we have to get out of this division, if not this year then no later then next year.

"We are giving Stan all the available money to get us out of this division," Ingleby added.

While giving Ternent money to spend remains the priority, Burnley are also bidding to become commercially viable in the not-to-distant future.

Strengthening the board with another major player would help but that is a more long-term aim.

"The board will not increase as the result of people investing (now) but I believe that in time we will need to strengthen the board," Ingleby confirmed.

While Ternent would prefer to be in a position to spend now to build on an impressive start to the season, he will still be encouraged that there is some finanical help on the way.

In the meantime, the boss is trying to keep the Clarets in the promotion frame, continuing against derby rivals Blackpool at Turf Moor on Sunday.

He won't finalise his side until after training tomorrow but Gordon Armstrong, Dean West and Lenny Johnrose may all be fit, while Tom Cowan is progressing well from a hamstring injury.

However, Paul Smith has been ruled out to give his calf injury time more time to heal.

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