RAY Ingleby is poised to gain a seat on the Burnley board to signal the end of the power struggle at Turf Moor.

Ingleby has had an offer for shares provisionally accepted by the Clarets directors and subject to final ratification will finally be brought into the fold to work with the new-look board.

The America-based businessman is thought to have bought up less than the £1.4 million worth of shares he was entitled to under the club's on-going rights issue.

But after protracted talks with chairman Barry Kilby, Ingleby has come up with a big enough offer to gain one seat at the boardroom table - provided there are no last-minute hitches.

Ingleby has never been closer to having a say in the running of the club, although not in the position of major shareholder which he had sought to achieve through a number of bids for control since he first expressed an interest in the club in the autmun of 1997.

"It's very close. We have just got to dot a few 'i's and cross a few 't's," confirmed Kilby, whose £3 million investment in the club has made him the major player and driving force.

He added: "It's looking like in principle that there is a working agreement that Ray can come onto the board.

"He has made an offer that on the face of it seems to be acceptable, subject to the lawyers' scrutiny.

"I look forward to having him on board."

Ingleby's latest offer was accepted at last night's meeting of the Burnley board which is currently made up of Kilby, Frank Teasdale, Clive Holt and Bob Blakeborough. However, Teasdale may not wish to serve on the board alongside Ingleby who was publicly critical of the former chairman during his takeover campaign.

Ingleby's expected introduction to the corridors of power at Turf Moor - and Teasdale's possible exit - will not signal the end of boardroom changes at the club, however.

Kilby is keen to strengthen the board by bringing on a number of other investors.

The chairman wants to bring in as much money as possible arising from the rights issue to manage Burnley's debt and give manager Stan Ternent extra spending power in the transfer market.

And that will mean fresh cash from outside the existing list of shareholders with potential new backers being able to buy shares not taken up under the rights issue by next Tuesday's deadline and allotted to them by the board.

Kilby said: "The shareholding of the club is held between very few people - the big players - and that's not being disrespectful to the people who have fives and tens. "After the rights issue has closed I am looking at further investment from people who are not currently shareholders.

"In some ways that is more crucial than the current round under the rights issue."

If 100 per cent successful, the issue would raise £5.75 million. With a number of shares lost down the years that is an unrealistic target but Kilby naturally wants to get as near to that figure as possible.

With Ingleby not expected to take up his full entitlement of shares then there will be potential for an outside bidder to make a fairly substantial investment.

Kilby has already said that he has spoken to a number of people who are interested in backing the Clarets, and Holt has also pledged to increase his shareholding by pumping further funds into the club.

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