BARRY Kilby has handed Burnley boss Stan Ternent a transfer kitty boost.

The Clarets coffers were swelled by £175,000 earlier this week following the sale of former striker Alan Lee to Cardiff.

And chairman Kilby revealed the unexpected windfall will go straight into the manager's budget for wages and new players.

Kilby confirmed: "The money is a welcome boost for us because we never budget for such measures.

"It all goes into Stan's budget and I know he is always on the look out for new players. We have just got David May in, so it all goes to help the overall cause."

Kilby explained that this week's dramatic swoop for May was unconnected to Rotherham striker Lee's £850,000 move to Ninian Park.

Moves were already afoot to bring the former Manchester United defender to Turf Moor before the Clarets received 25 per cent of the Millers £700,000 profit for Lee, whose switch to Cardiff was tied up yesterday afternoon.

And despite the lack of incoming transfer activity at Turf Moor this season, with only five new faces replacing the mass exodus that took place in the summer, Kilby urged supporters not to panic.

He said: "The fans just have to be patient. We were unlucky not to get Michael Stewart when he chose Nottingham Forest over us, but we are always searching.

"However, they they need to be the right players to add to the team and Stan is an excellent judge of that.

"If you look around, there is still very little movement, with Alan Lee certainly an exception to the rule.

"But remember we are half a million pounds down on season ticket sales this season, so there is not an unlimited amount to spend."

Ternent, who admitted his search for new players goes on ahead of tonight's First Division game at West Brom (5.35pm), added: "We've made £175,000 on Alan Lee, so it was a good deal. Buying him for about £75,000 means we have made a decent profit."

Meanwhile, Lee joined the Bluebirds yesterday with a blast from Millers boss Ronnie Moore ringing in his ears.

Moore - father of Clarets striker Ian - said: "I don't want to say too much about Alan leaving how he did, because if I do it will get me in trouble.

"I know he wanted to go mainly because of money, which you cannot begrudge a

player of doing in this day and age.

"But to be honest, I think he could have done better than joining Cardiff. If he'd sat and waited, maybe a Premiership team could have come in for him because I think he could play at that level."