Howe not expecting transfer cash (From This Is Lancashire)

Howe not expecting transfer cash

7:18am Monday 27th August 2012 in Sport By Suzanne Geldard, Burnley FC reporter

BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe is not expected to get extra funds to strengthen his squad before Friday’s transfer deadline, despite the Clarets due to receive a portion of the estimated £14m sell-on fee for Steven Fletcher.

Howe would have hoped for a timely budget boost after former Burnley striker Fletcher completed his move from Wolves to Sunderland last Friday.

The Clarets are entitled to 15 per cent of an anticipated profit of £7.5m, although first club Hibernian are also due their share after factoring in additional sell-on clauses at the time of his Turf Moor move in 2009.

But that windfall, which is believed to be upwards of £600,000 following the payment to Hibs, is unlikely to be made available to Howe, who was again without Martin Paterson for Saturday’s defeat at Huddersfield Town after a scan revealed the striker had suffered a minor hamstring tear.

Although the 25-year-old could have a chance of returning for the visit of Brighton at the weekend, his latest absence after a catalogue of injuries over the last three years has increased the demand for reinforcements.

The Burnley boss has made six signings since the end of last season – five on permanent deals plus a season-long loan for Reading left back Joseph Mills.

As things stand, it is unlikely that he will be able to add to that, unless the club can free up finances by offloading further fringe players on loan.

Defender Kevin Long has joined Portsmouth for a month, while first year professionals Joe Jackson and Tom Anderson have joined AFC Barrow until January.

“I am still hoping to get bodies in, but I am very supportive of the board and what they are trying to do and it’s a case of finances,” said Howe. “We’ll have to see if we can or can’t.

“The Steven Fletcher money was good news, but I think that may already have been accounted for.

“We’d be hopeful to (make a signing before the deadline) but whether or not we can is a different matter.

“I’m very supportive of the board and what they’re trying to do – it’s a case of finances. We’ll see what the week brings.”

Of Paterson’s injury Howe added: “He’s had a scan and he has a ‘Grade I’ on his hamstring, which is a really tiny tear so we expect Martin back very soon. Whether he makes the Brighton game or not we’ll have to wait and see.

“I’m frustrated for him and for us. It’s nothing serious, we’ve had the area scanned it is just a really minor tweak so it’s nothing to shout from the rooftops about. It’s a slight setback for him, but he’ll be back.”

After boosting their attacking ranks to four with the return of Sam Vokes on a permanent deal from Wolves, injuries to Paterson and Danny Ings - who has been ruled out until at least November with a knee injury – have whittled Howe’s options down to just two recognised strikers.

And their lack of firepower, combined with a disappointing defensive display, consigned the Clarets to a first defeat to newly-promoted Huddersfield Town in 40 years.

“I thought for large parts we did well, we controlled possession and had some really good moves but in both boxes I thought we were disappointing,” said Howe.

“You look at the amount of chances they had from set plays – that was their biggest threat and we couldn’t deal with them. At the other end we had a number of set plays ourselves and we didn’t cause too much threat.

“I think the lack of creativity and lack of spark in that final third was always missing from an attacking perspective, and defensively we didn’t stick our heads on the block and clear enough balls with our heads.”

After the Huddersfield defeat came on the back of a late loss at Middlesbrough, Howe added: “In the last two away games we’ve lost both but we could have definitely picked up points in both.

“The reality is we haven’t and we’re disappointed with that but I don’t think we’ve been outplayed or outclassed, it’s a case of just being a little bit better than we are, and we’ll endeavour to do so.”