Clarets 'need big injection of cash'

4:00pm Wednesday 23rd May 2007

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By Gary York »

CLARETS legend Andy Payton has urged Burnley to show their Premiership ambition by providing manager Steve Cotterill with the necessary summer funds.

Chairman Barry Kilby revealed he will meet with Cotterill on Friday - ahead of England B's friendly against Albania at Turf Moor - to discuss the budget available for next season.

It is unknown how much money Cotterill will be provided to mount a Premiership push ahead of his fourth year in charge of the Clarets.

But striker Payton, who bagged 81 league and cup goals for Burnley from 1997 to 2003, has called on the club's money-men to splash the cash and allow Cotterill to attract top names.

"The club have always said their ambition is to be in the Premiership, but they need to prove it by giving the manager what he wants," revealed Payton.

"It would be fantastic if we got a massive cash injection this summer.

"We need a stronger squad - that is the situation we are in if we are going to be seriously challenging for promotion, which is what everybody wants.

"It could be that the budget is £5million. But realistically, that isn't good enough to challenge the likes of Derby and West Brom, who have made the play-offs this year.

"You are looking at needing around between £15 to £20million to really challenge, but the manager is not going to get that much. The club has not got an unlimited amount of cash, although I think we are all interested to know how much investment Brendan Flood is looking to put in."

Payton added: "If the budget is £5million, taking into account wages, it's going to be difficult to attract top quality players. That's a problem we face every pre-season.

"With the players we are trying to sign, we are going to be in a situation where half a dozen teams are also looking at the same player. That player will then look for the best deal.

"At the end of the day, players have a short career and many of them are looking to make as much money as possible."

Payton insists Burnley's squad needs serious strengthening in numbers before the start of the 2007/08 Championship campaign.

The Clarets are down to 17 players after John McGreal, Danny Coyne, Graham Branch and Frank Sinclair were not offered new contracts, while Garreth O'Connor was placed on the transfer list.

Payton added: "We need a much bigger squad than we had last season. Ideally, it needs to have around 30 players.

"As far as I'm concerned, you need two players in each position, fighting for the shirt and putting each other under pressure."