BURNLEY manager Steve Cotterill was pleased with the performance and attitude of new signing Clarke Carlisle, despite the Clarets slipping to a 2-0 defeat at Championship newcomers Scunthorpe United.

The 27-year-old, who signed a three-year deal from Watford for £200,000 last week, on the day that Wayne Thomas moved to Southampton for £1.2million, made his debut at Glanford Park alongside new defender David Unsworth.

And Cotterill said he provided a good example to his team-mates, both on and off the pitch.

"I thought he had an excellent debut," the Burnley boss said.

"He would be one of our shining lights out there.

"It was good, as well, because he came in (after the game) and had something to say straight away, which I thought was good.

"Quite man-like, good leadership and at the risk of embarrassing him, I actually said that agreeing with the new boy is what I would probably do."

Carlisle made some important contributions at both ends of the pitch on Saturday.

The 6ft 3ins former Blackpool and Leeds stopper got on the end of a well executed Robbie Blake free kick but side-footed over the bar from close range.

Then, as Scunthorpe ended the first half on top, he kept out Martin Paterson's goalbound effort by flicking a header back over the bar off the line.

Meanwhile, fellow new signing Unsworth was handed the captain's armband in the absence of the injured Steven Caldwell, who limped off with a hamstring problem in last week's win over West Bromwich Albion.

"Steven Caldwell was touch and go, to be honest, and I didn't want to be risking him and then finding that we would be even lighter over the next month if he went out there and pulled it," Cotterill said.

"For someone to come off with a pulled hamstring last week, to try to play this week, I think that might have been just a week too early."

Cotterill has a portion of the £1million profit of the sale of Thomas at his disposal to further strengthen his squad before the transfer window closes at the end of the month.

The Burnley boss has previously admitted his search for a right back, but added: "If we were strengthening a right back area that means we would be leaving Michael Duff out, who also has been arguably one of our best players in two (league) games. So I don't want to keep harping on about that one.

"The players that were out there today, I felt certain individuals would escape a little bit in the dressing room but there were too many that I was unhappy with."