PROMOTION-CHASING Burnley kick of the New Year at Notts County on Monday facing a big month on and off the pitch.

The Clarets face a major test of their away form in up to three Second Division fixtures and a mouth-watering FA Cup fourth-round clash at Coventry City a week tomorrow.

And off the field, January promises to be a crucial month in the club's plans to raise cash for manager Stan Ternent to strengthen his squad in the promotion run-in.

Chairman Barry Kilby confirmed: "I am trying to get some investors to take up the shares that were left over from the share issue and if we could get that money in it would help.

"We are coming to a really crunch month in January."

The board is striving to strengthen Ternent's hand in the transfer market and has stepped up its efforts to bring in some fresh money by targeting fresh investors, who could be tempted by making money should Burnley reach the cash-laden Premiership and put themselves in a position for possible flotation.

Kilby added: "We have put out a document that maps out for people, other than those who are doing it from their hearts, ways that they can get a return on their money if we do reach the Premiership and the television monies that come with that.

"Again I would use Watford as an example and if we get among the big television money you can show people a return.

"We are talking about non-Burnley people who have a passing interest who can take a stake and see a possible return. "Getting this document out maps out a business plan and we will wait and see what it brings in, although that's not to say we are dependent on it."

Some £1.2 million worth of shares was left unclaimed following the rights issue the club staged a year ago.

And that cash could be vital for Ternent, who is spoilt for choice in some areas but without genuine strength in depth for a couple of other positions in the absence of key players, as was shown at Bury last Sunday.

"We are conscious of this. It's a matter of if we have to spend, doing it at the right time," Kilby added.

Having bounced back from their Bury defeat by beating Oxford on Tuesday, fifth-placed Burnley will be keen to establish another decent run against a Notts County side that has slipped out of the play-off zone on the back of just two wins in their last 14 league and cup games.

The Clarets will be without suspended captain Gordon Armstrong and will hope that midfield play-maker Paul Cook is fully fit after feeling below par against Oxford, when he came off at half-time.

Armstrong also missed that Oxford game through injury when he was replaced by Graham Branch, who would be the favourite to start again in what could be an unchanged side.

Paul Weller and Paul Smith, who both looked lively when coming on on Tuesday, are likely to be on the bench again where they offer Ternent some attractive options.

County will be without suspended central defender Mark Warren, with Nicky Fenton set to replace him in his last game on loan from Manchester City.

Burnley from: Crichton, West, Branch, Mellon, Davis, Thomas, Little, Cook, Cooke, Payton, Mullin, Jepson, Johnrose, Smith, Weller, Cowan, Brass, Robertson, Heywood.

Notts County from: Ward, Holmes, Blackmore, Fenton, Redmile, Richardson, Owers, Rammage, Bolland, Angell, Stallard, Dyer, Rapley, Tierney, Murray, Liburd, Gibson (gk).

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.