BURNLEY plan to follow the off-field blueprint for success displayed by Bradford City and Watford in the hope of following them into the Premiership.

Watford have long held the tradition of being a buoyant family club, while Bradford have made massive strides to reach out into the community.

Their reward has been increased interest in the club, reflected in the size of the gates at Valley Parade, which has gone hand-in-hand with City's rise to the top-flight for the first time in 77 years.

Now Burnley want to follow the same path and increase their revenue to support a successful team under Stan Ternent.

"They are both perfect examples of what can be achieved. Both of them have done a magnificent job over the years.

"But I think potentially we can be a bigger club than Bradford or Watford," said Clarets general manager Andrew Watson.

"We feel we've got to do the same things here and, if we can get things right off the field, it will help the manager get things right on the field."

And Burnley, under the stewardship of new chairman Barry Kilby, have already made significant strides towards starting the process. "I felt we needed to strengthen the marketing department at the club to promote and market the club professionally for 52 weeks of the year.

"I have looked at the business and felt we needed to re-shape to bring everybody together," added Watson, who has instigated a number of staff changes. Commercial manager Peter Davis has gone to be replaced by marketing manager Richard Collier, who makes the switch from managing the Turf Moor leisure centre.

Collier's aim is to promote the use of the club and its facilities all-year round, with an emphasis on corporate facilities, sponsorship, the leisure centre and the Cafe Claret.

Increasing revenue through business use and sponsorship will be a major policy for the Clarets, who are keen nowadays to promote themselves as a "listening club" with regards to supporters' views.

"A major gap is the hospitality boxes," Watson admitted.

"We have got to sell out our current boxes in the North Stand and then look to develop the East Stand. We've got to get there."

Only around a third of the ground's match-day boxes were sold for last season and the club sees little point in spending the £500,000 it would take to complete the refurbishment of the East Stand for corporate use while accommodation is standing empty in the North Stand. And in a bid to attract new customers, the Clarets - who launched a new corporate brochure yesterday - are staging a sponsors evening tonight and tomorrow there will be a business open day at Turf Moor.

The plan is to get 150 businesses through the doors to woo them ahead of the new campaign.

A new hospitality package is also being introduced for individuals wishing to join a 'Legends Club' based in the North Stand which will involve match-day tickets, a three-course meal and hospitality for £1,000 a season. Other new appointments include sales manager Rita Walsh, who has joined the club from the Comfort Friendly Hotel in Burrnley, Michael Dooley as ticket office and administration manager, Jason Whittaker as lottery manager, Sue Geoghan as lottery customer services manager, Dean Ramsdale as joint head of the Football in the Community Scheme and the leisure centre and Caroline Fowler as the new retail manager.

Fowler will be responsible for the running of the club shops and stock management and the club is to start marketing sport and leisure wear under its own Clarets Collection label.

Burnley are also set to unveil a new Clarets 'brand' with everything associated with the club bearing the Burnley name in 1930s-style claret and blue lettering.

The Clarets are obviously making a major effort to get their house in order and maximise the club's potential on and off the field going into the new millenium.

And they will be serenaded into the new era by the recording of a club song 'No Nay Never' from the 'Wild Rover' performed by Townley High School Brass Band.

The Clarets are looking for some suitable 'politically correct' lyrics to use the anthem on match-days and would welcome any suggestions.

The fixtures for the new Nationwide season are expected to be announced next Wednesday.

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