STEVE Cotterill has warned Burnley fans there will be no quick fix by splashing the cash.

The new Clarets chief this morning began the hard task of assembling a squad capable of holding its own an a fiercely competitive First Division next season.

Cotterill starts from base camp, with only eight players under contract at his disposal.

And if the former Cheltenham and Stoke boss is to take Burnley to dizzy heights, he insists it will be done through plunging into the free transfer and loan markets.

"We won't be buying any players unless the chairman or I win the lottery," warned Cotterill.

"They will be free agents, but that's how it is. We are going to have a lot of tough games next season - we know that.

"But we also have less of a budget than last season - I know that. That's why it's absolutely vital that we get the Burnley supporters behind the 11 players who go and pull on the shirts.

"They can be the extra man we need, especially at home. And if we can get bigger crowds then it does maybe give us a little extra money to play with."

Eager Cotterill, who has put his own holiday plans on hold to solve the player crisis, added: "We have eight lads at the moment, so four-a-side will be tough in training! But they are all good lads and I am looking forward to working hard with them.

"I need to get that free transfer list quickly because I want to open up all my options, look at what we have and how we can fill the holes.

"I've already earmarked someone for a loan, but the manager won't be able to speak to him yet because he will have ideas of coming back and trying to get into their first team.

"The better players we can attract, the better football we will play. That's a cast-iron fact.

"So we need to get the best available players we can with the money we have.

"We may have square pegs in round holes for a while, but that is no different than my early times at Cheltenham.

"It takes three years to build a team with no money. You try to get in three or four in the summer and nick another couple either side of Christmas.

"I have theories on how I think that boosts squads and adds competition, but it's going to take time for it all to evolve. That's fine by me."

Cotterill tantalisingly revealed a former Burnley player is expected to join his backroom team, which he aims to have in place within days, rather than weeks.

But an insistence on having his own men surely casts question marks over the Turf Moor futures of reserve team manager Ronnie Jepson, coach Mick Docherty and youth team coach Terry Pashley.

Cotterill said: "I have my backroom staff tentatively sorted out, but obviously I couldn't go ahead with giving them full a commitment until now.

"There will be calls to make over the next few days and I need a little time. But obviously there is no massive urgency there at the moment."