MARK Winstanley has turned down the chance of a loan move to Third Division play-off chasers Rotherham United.

The Yorkshire club wanted to sign the Burnley defender in time for him to face Barnet at Millmoor this afternoon.

Rotherham have been hit by an injury crisis which has left them with just one fit senior central defender.

And manager Ronnie Moore saw Winstanley as the kind of experienced player to help them keep their promotion aspirations alive.

But the transfer-listed Winstanley, who has previously joined Shrewsbury and Scunthorpe on loan this season, is thought to be prepared to bide his time and wait for a club in the North-west to express an interest in his services.

"He's decided he doesn't want to go," confirmed Burnley boss Stan Ternent.

Meanwhile, Gordon Armstrong is determined to ensure that his first season with Burnley ends on a high note.

Armstrong tasted promotion from the Second Division two seasons ago under Ternent when the pair were at Bury.

And he came to Turf Moor at the end of August looking for more of that kind of success.

But those ambitions have gone on the back-burner for another season as the focus has switched to survival before more re-building in the summer.

"The same as everybody else who's come here, relegation is not what you look at," admitted the Clarets skipper before today's game at Wigan Athletic was postponed.

"A club like this shouldn't be where we are. We have got too many good players.

"But it's alright saying we have got good players, you've got to go out on the field and get results and we haven't been doing that. "You look at the ground, you look at the fan-base and what it can be and you look at the squad we've got. There's no way we should be in the Third Division."

Striker Andy Cooke is expected to be sidelined for around a month following his appendix operation earlier this week.

"I would say he will be out for about four weeks. The operation went okay and he's come through it all right," said Ternent.

Cooke's illness could hardly have come at a worse time with the Clarets back-up resources stretched through injuries to Peter Swan and Kevin Henderson. And although he returned to the fray last Saturday, Ronnie Jepson was set for a place on the bench at Wigan again today.

The 35-year-old striker came back from rehabilitation work at Lilleshall to go straight into the 14 on duty against Gillingham.

And Ternent admitted Jepson's subsequent 45-minute appearance had been "above and beyond the call of duty" so early in his comeback from a ruptured Achilles tendon injury - the same kind of injury which this week ended the career of Leeds United goalkeeper Mark Beeney.

The FA Cup will be on display in the Cafe Claret at Turf Moor before Burnley's game against Manchester City on Tuesday night.

Supporters can have their picture taken with the trophy from 5.15-7.30pm by ringing 01282 700081.

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