ROTHERHAM have promised to make Ronnie Moore a millionaire to ward off interest from Burnley.

The Millers manager is one of the names emerging as favourite to take over the vacant hot seat at Turf Moor.

Moore, 51, therefore finds himself in the envious position of being coveted by two First Division clubs.

And United's prospective new owner, Neil Freeman, has thrown down the gauntlet by offering a lucrative five-year extension to Moore's current contract - and a place on the board - if his expected takeover of the club materialises.

Yorkshire businessman Freeman, who met with Moore in Jersey over the weekend following talks with legal executives, said: "I want Ronnie to be at the club and I'm prepared to give him a five-year contract and a place on the board, so he knows what is happening with the day-to-day running of the club.

"It's important that we keep him."

The snag - and one that could open the door for Burnley to make their move - is that Freeman's proposed takeover could yet take three months to tie up.

And Moore, who has a £150,000 compensation clause written into his present contract, is refusing to rule out a possible switch to Turf Moor.

Despite recently dismissing talk of any move away from Millmoor as "speculation", Moore has openly admitted the Burnley job would interest any manager.

And when pressed on his future, he told journalists to "watch this space."

Moore who last week rubbished rumours that he had signed a new two-year deal, added: "It's nice to be linked with the job at Burnley. They are a big club, but this happens all the time.

"Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday - it goes on so often, it's unbelievable. I don't think there are many people who wouldn't want to manage Burnley."

Recently sacked Coventry chief Eric Black is now another name in the frame.

Black was ably assisted at City by former Manchester United number two Archie Knox - a pairing that would fit Burnley chairman Barry Kilby's profile of a young manager working in tandem with an experienced right-hand man.