JOHN Aldridge is the man to take Burnley Football Club forward.

Ronnie Moore, Steve McMahon, Phil Brown and Brian Flynn are some of the names in the frame, but chairman Barry Kilby should make a phonecall to Merseyside to end his search for a new manager.

The former Tranmere boss is itching to get back in the game - and he's got all the credentials to build a Clarets side strong enough to hold their own in Division One next season.

Here's why Aldridge is the perfect candidate:

Like Moore, he has experience of managing a side in the First Division - and that's what Burnley need. They can't afford to take a chance on another Chris Waddle. A rookie boss could spell financial disaster.

Aldridge is a free agent. Burnley are free to talk to him, and he has no expensive buy-out clauses, unlike Moore, who will cost the Clarets £150,000 in compensation.

He is used to working with a tight budget. At Tranmere, he transformed a mediocre, unfashionable club into a side on the brink of the Premiership.

He put much of the emphasis on youth - nurturing the careers of Alan Mahon and Jason Koumas - but he's always had an eye for a bargain, and this would be vital at cash-strapped Burnley.

Aldridge has a profile most chairmen dream of. He's played in the World Cup for the Republic of Ireland, and won almost every honour with Liverpool. In 882 career games ranging from Oxford to Real Sociedad, he scored 474 goals. A high profile manager will always attract high profile players.

Looking at the other candidates, Aldridge has the most impressive CV. He took Tranmere to the brink of the First Division play-offs, to the Worthington Cup final, and to the FA Cup quarter-final. That beats a LDV Vans Trophy hands down.

Aldridge has only applied for one job since leaving Rovers in 2001, when he was short-listed for the Republic of Ireland vacancy. Contacts in Ireland tell me he impressed the interview panel, but the decision was to go for an Ireland-born boss in Brian Kerr rather than another Englishman.

This year, Aldridge has been busy with media work, sportsmans dinners and opening a new restaurant in Liverpool, but I'm told he's itching to get back into management if the right job comes up.

It could be the best phonecall Barry Kilby has ever made.