STAN Ternent is looking for a translator to see whether Carl Smith and Colin Carr-Lawton can play for Burnley again this season.

The Clarets duo have returned early from Greece where they had been on loan with Ethinikos.

The struggling First Division club have parted company with manager Howard Kendall and their English-based players after running into financial problems.

And although Carr-Lawton and Smith are back training with Burnley, Ternent needs to know if the club can cancel their registration with Ethinikos and get international clearance to use them.

However, the waters are muddied by the fact that the explanation for their release has been delivered to Turf Moor in Greek.

Ternent, well read but not fluent in that language, confirmed: "The lads have come back and I have got a letter but it's in Greek. So I've faxed a copy to the PFA and I'm waiting to hear.

"The loan was supposed to be until the end of the season so we'll have to see if they can play."

If Smith and Carr-Lawton are given the all-clear to resume their Burnley careers, Carr-Lawton will give Ternent a further option up front.

But like Phil Eastwood, who impressed again and scored for the Clarets reserves in their 5-1 home defeat by Middlesbrough last night, the 20-year-old doesn't boast the experience Burnley are likely to want in their 10-game fight to beat the drop.

Ronnie Jepson could provide that know-how and the goals to go with it and played 47 minutes of last night's Pontins League clash.

Jepson was starting his first game since rupturing an Achilles tendon at Reading in September. And although he looked understandably short of match-fitness, the striker was one of the Clarets better players and showed some nice touches, bringing one save out of ex-Burnley keeper Marlon Beresford with a powerful header.

"He played a half and there was no set-back," confirmed Ternent.

Jepson may not be ready for an immediate return to first-team action, however.

And as that leaves Ternent with Andy Payton as his only available senior striker a move for a loan player before tomorrow's 5pm transfer deadline can't be ruled out.

Andy Cooke is still a couple of weeks away from a possible return following an appendix operation. But he is up and running and making progress on the comeback trail which should see him able to play a part before the end of the campaign.

Ternent, who has sent Brian Reid for a precautionary scan on his knee injury, is also hoping Mark Robertson's season isn't over following hernia surgery. And Peter Swan, who partially tore the cartilage on the inside and outside of his right knee in a freak injury at Wycombe a month ago, may also be in with a chance of returning before the potentially critical end-of-season games.

Swan is at Lilleshall this week for a second spell of rehabilitation.

Meanwhile, Second Division basement club Wycombe Wanderers won 2-0 at Bristol Rovers last night to bolster their hopes of beating the drop.

However, Lawrie Sanchez's side are still four points below Burnley and five away from a position out of the bottom four.

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