STAN Ternent will be staying on to oversee Burnley's promotion bid, despite being touted as a possible successor to Colin Todd at Bolton.

Ternent's name has been mentioned alongside the likes of Roy Evans, Bruce Rioch, Lou Macari, Denis Smith, Sam Allardyce and caretaker-boss Phil Brown as the First Division club search for a replacement for Todd, who resigned last week.

Ternent, then coaching at Chelsea, was close to landing the Wanderers job when Rioch was appointed eight years ago and could figure in the Bolton board's thinking as a manager with a proven Nationwide League record - often on limited resources.

He said today that any link with the job was news to him and he maintained his usual stance of not commenting on speculation.

But the Clarets boss is committed to his post at Turf Moor where he is turning round the fortunes of the club he came home to manage when leaving Bury 16 months ago.

Ternent has transformed the Clarets from relegation material to leading promotion candidates.

And they continued their impressive start to the new season with a 0-0 draw at Bristol City on Saturday, which leaves them second in the table, a point behind new leaders Bristol Rovers.

Ternent was delighted with another rock-solid defensive performance which saw his side keep a clean sheet for the third game running. "The lads are delighted. It was a big battle. We knew it was going to be hard and there weren't many chances and we've done well to keep a clean sheet," said goalkeeper Paul Crichton, who has now conceded just four goals in nine League games, two of them from the penalty spot.

Crichton was called into serious action just once and his excellent second-half save from Greg Goodridge allied to some secure handling kept City at bay.

"It was low to my left and came through a few bodies. I managed to get my hand on it but that's why I'm there," added Crichton, who was well protected by a defence only stretched in the dying stages as City finally found a way into the Clarets penalty area.

The home side swung over a number of crosses, although Ternent didn't count as many as rival manager Tony Pulis.

"He said they had 40 crosses. I had 40 crosses on my coupon last week and I didn't win anything either," said the Clarets chief, whose side have the best defensive record in the division.

Crichton added: "We wanted to win the game and we came down here with a plan to win. But as the game progresses you have to take it as it goes and in the last 15 minutes we dug in. "The lads in front of me have been marvellous all year and as a team we can't really complain and touch wood we can keep it going.

"We are working hard in training and just doing as well as we can.

"I know what the gaffer wants out of a goalkeeper. Obviously we speak week-in, week-out and we work on the way we want to defend and it's working.

"The tables have turned upside down since last year. We're delighted. This club's too big to be in this division. And without tempting fate we are going to try and do everything we can do to get out of it."

Paul Smith is the Clarets only injury worry after picking up a dead leg at Ashton Gate. But he has a clear week to recover in time for Saturday's visit of Brentford.

Former Burnley defender Rune Vindheim, who left Turf Moor at the start of the season, made his debut for Hartlepool United on Saturday, but couldn't prevent them losing 2-1 at Leyton Orient.

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