THE race is on to find the successor to Stan Ternent, who will part company with Burnley Football Club later this month.

Ternent's own back room team would help provide continuity in the wake of Ternent's imminent departure.

Assistant boss Sam Ellis and reserve team coach Ronnie Jepson know the workings of Turf Moor inside out and may help to stabilise the club after today's bombshell news.

However, a host of ex-Clarets are already being linked with the vacancy.

Former Burnley midfielder Brian Flynn and his right hand man Kevin Reeves would certainly be in the frame following the duo's long and fruitful association with Wrexham and then Swansea.

Adrian Heath, who managed the Clarets in the 1996-97 season, is another candidate with the right credentials.

Heath worked alongside Peter Reid at Sunderland before losing his job in the wake of Reid's dismissal late last year.

Reid himself is now in the frame to be appointed as the new Coventry manager following yesterday's sacking of caretaker chief Eric Black.

But the managerial merry-go-round could take another turn, as Reid would surely be interested in the position at Turf Moor held by old pal Ternent for six seasons.

Another former Sunderland manager, Steve Cotterill, is also itching to get back into football management.

Cotterill is one of Micky Adams' backroom staff at Leicester, but may feel the profile of Burnley attracts him.

The Sunderland connections continue with Kevin Ball, currently on the coaching staff at the Stadium of Light, also a possible outside bet.

Elsewhere, Blackpool manager Steve McMahon is another ambitious manager who may feel the Burnley job offers him a leg up.

McMahon has a stormy relationship with chairman Karl Oyston and almost quit Bloomfield Road earlier this year before performing an 11th hour U-turn.

He is known to be hugely ambitious and would undoubtedly see the Turf Moor hot seat as a big challenge.