BURNLEY manager Stan Ternent's latest acquisition, Micky Mellon, adds to the recent "buys" of Ally Pickering, Steve Davis and Graham Branch.

Credit must go to the financial backing of chairman Barry Kilby for providing the necessary resources to make these signings possible.

Let's be honest - before Mr Kilby's input, the club was on its knees, both on the pitch and off, surely contributing to Ternent's inability to bring in the playing staff he would have liked.

Also the financial precariousness of the club allowed key squad men such as Gerry Harrison and Damien Matthew to leave.

Further strengthening where possible is still an agenda item, but we also need the support and further patience of the Burnley crowd.

I'd be happy to see the Clarets competing for honours in the division they are in at present and perhaps having a good Cup run or two. The worry is that some fans may not be of the same opinion and that we continue to hear the all too regular barracking and booing.

Please, Burnley fans, remember we have got four new players in a month, one of whom is a record signing and the best in the division.

There are also players coming back from long-term injury and one of them is potentially the most exciting player in the last decade.

A future for the club can be seen in the likes of Carl Smith, Chris Scott, Matty Heywood and Kevin Henderson who have all shown promise.

Let's give it a little more time, get behind the team, management and new chairman, and hope Ray Ingleby gets on board at long last and then see how it goes.

GARY STOREY, Kimberley Street, Harle Syke, Briercliffe, Burnley.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.