WANTED man Graham Alexander chose the wrong Lancashire club when plumping for Preston rather than Burnley in a £50,000 deal.

That's the view of Clarets boss Stan Ternent after he made a late move to sign Alexander from Luton Town before last night's transfer deadline.

Alexander had been a long-term target of Ternent but the Burnley boss stepped up the chase as Luton hit cash problems and Preston closed in on a deal.

"He was one of many on a list I was hoping would happen in the summer but it happened earlier. I spoke to him and I think he's made the wrong decision," said the Burnley boss.

"I would have liked to have got him for nothing in the summer but there was no problem with that and I was prepared to give £50,000.

"People say he's a full-back but he can play in four or five different positions and he would have been a squad player as far as I'm concerned."

However, Ternent wasn't too disappointed at missing out on the former Scunthorpe man who was just one of a host of players he has been keeping tabs on since moving in at Turf Moor last summer.

"He's no different to anybody else. There are loads of players I've tried to get in. Some are not available, some have gone elsewhere and some will wait until the end of the season," he added. And Ternent was more than happy to have completed his transfer business ahead of the hurly-burly of yesterday's deadline when the only activity at Turf Moor saw Michael Williams join Oxford United on a free transfer.

"I am absolutely delighted that no-one came in for any of my lot, although I wouldn't have sold them anyway

"I had done all my transfer business before. I brought in Tom Cowan and Paul Cook and didn't want to be scratching around," he added.

With Cowan and Cook in place and Lenny Johnrose and Ronnie Jepson set to return to the Burnley squad for Sunday's home game against Macclesfield, Ternent believes his current crop of players is good enough to keep the club in the Second Division.

"I am quite happy with what I've got.

"I think they are good enough. In fact I know they are good enough if they play as they can.

"That's my view and I'm backing the players to do it," he said.

Despite their injury problems, the Clarets are starting to get strength in depth in all departments. The forward positions had been a worry and raised thoughts of a pre-deadline swoop.

But with Jepson back in contention, Andy Cooke a couple of weeks away from a possible comeback, Kevin Henderson continuing his treatment and Phil Eastwood and Colin Carr-Lawton as potential back-up, Ternent should have enough firepower to get through.

Meanwhile, former Burnley defender Gerry Harrison has joined Northampton Town on loan from Sunderland until the end of the campaign.

That means he could face the Clarets on the final day of the season in a Cobblers side including his former Turf Moor team-mates Damian Matthew and Lee Howey.

Burnley's A team played Bury today but there is a game on at Gawthorpe tomorrow when the under-18s entertain Shrewsbury Town (kick-off 1pm).

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