THE BURNLEY board today backed Stan Ternent to win the relegation fight at Turf Moor.

But it's also clear that Ternent's position as manager will not be so secure if there is a repeat of the kind of defeats the Clarets have suffered when losing 5-0 and 6-0 to Gillingham and Manchester City in their last two home games.

Conscious of the team's current position just above the Second Division relegation zone and presumably the reaction of the club's supporters, the board may not tolerate another humbling at Turf Moor.

Speaking from London, where Burnley were holding a board meeting this morning, chairman Barry Kilby confirmed: "Stan is still the manager and we have asked him to prepare the team for Sunday.

"We have got to keep cool heads and keep our nerve in a difficult situation.

"We don't want to panic and we know what options are open to us. We want the fans and everybody to get behind the team.

"It's an 11-week season now. We have got to get out of relegation trouble."

Sunday's derby clash with Preston at Turf Moor, which will be shown live on satellite television, is a massive one for Burnley.

However, I don't believe it's a make-or-break fixture for Ternent provided his side don't capitulate.

Kilby, who met Ternent and his assistant Sam Ellis yesterday to discuss the club's position, and his board are still supportive of Ternent.

They are keen not to act in haste and repent in leisure and are aware that the club is badly in need of a period of stability at management level, although they won't allow things to drift.

Ternent's position inevitably featured at today's board meeting, even though the meeting was a scheduled one.

It was held in London to fit around the business interests of Kilby and Ray Ingleby, who is in this country for just a week before returning to his base in America.

Frank Teasdale also needed to be in the capital and so fellow directors Clive Holt and Bob Blakeborough tied in business of their own to coincide with the unique staging of a Burnley board meeting at a London venue.

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