NEW Clarets director John Turkington is planning to boost his shareholding in Burnley as part of the increased investment needed to take the club forward.

Turkington, who bought £200,000 worth of shares under the club's rights issue at the start of the year, was recently voted onto the Clarets board.

He has pledged to commit further cash to the cause and admits that increasing revenue is vital to Burnley's prospects, predicting that the Clarets will need an injection of up to £5 million if they are to make it up and prosper in the First Division.

"I know that if push comes to shove in the not-too-distant future we will have to make more investment," said Turkington.

"That's an area we are concentrating on at the moment, looking at ways where we can get money into the club.

"If we go into the First Division, and I'm hoping that will happen, we will need some brass.

"If we go up I think we would need £3-5 million. That's my personal view.

"Let's not forget we aren't there yet, but we want to be positive and that's where we are heading for."

He added: "Is it the intention of going up and holding our own? The answer, as far as I'm concerned, is no.

"We would be going in to win the thing. It would be nice go in and hold our own for a couple of seasons, but it would be even nicer to go in and win it, like Manchester City look as though they might."

Burnley are looking at all avenues to increase revenue, with new vice-chairman Ray Ingleby taking on extra responsibilities on the commercial side alongside general manager Andrew Watson.

And one of Turkington's projects as a board member is to look into ways of developing a profitable hospitality and leisure area in the currently unfinished section of the Jimmy McIlroy Stand at Turf Moor.

The Clarets have already generated record season-ticket and replica kit sales and sold more ground advertising space and match-day hospitality boxes than ever before.

But, despite the injection of £4 million into the club coffers over the past 12 months, 75 per cent of which has come from chairman Barry Kilby, funds remain tight.

The club is still losing money and paying off debts, while manager Stan Ternent currently lacks the cash to further strengthen his promotion-chasing squad.

And Turkington stressed that the supporters have a role to play.

"It is fully understood that without the fans we have no club.

"The more fans we can entertain and get on Turf Moor, the more it will reap wonders for the club.

"At the end of the season that will make the difference as to what we can afford for new players and other developments we might need," he added.

Another source of capital is from fresh backers, and Turkington is hopeful that others might follow Ingleby and himself into the boardroom.

"If we bring people onto the board it will be about their ability, and just as importantly the financial side," he added.

Turkington, who has developed his Burnley-based Turkington Engineering Limited into a company with a £15 million takeover, was an ally of Ingleby in his unsuccessful takeover battle.

The pair now sit together on a board united behind Kilby.

"I think it needed a kick up the backside. I say 'thank God for the chairman' because if he hadn't come in when he did we would have been in the Third Division," said Turkington.

However, he added: "Let's put the past behind us and work as a team for the future. What's gone's gone. And let's not forget those directors (Frank Teasdale, Clive Holt and Bob Blakeborough) have given us one of the best stadiums in the country."

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