BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent insists he is no magician and has appealed for patience and backing from the Clarets' fans as he tries to reverse the club's current fortunes.

Ternent spoke out after his side lost 1-0 at Vauxhall Conference side Morecambe last night in their latest warm-up game.

One supporter in particular had a go at the players as he left the main stand early and directed his comments towards Ternent on the touch line, while there have been murmurings of discontent from others.

But Ternent retorted: "I would like to say something to the supporters who keep running about the place and coming up here and saying 'It's rubbish this and it's rubbish that'. In all fairness it's been rubbish for a long time and I have got the same players. I am not Merlin with a magic wand and a hat on my head.

"I am looking at the players now. They are working hard for their fitness and they are doing their best but, if their best isn't good enough, I will do something about it."

He added: "We are looking for a bit of patience and understanding and bit of support and I would prefer it if they didn't come if they are going to do that. That's how I feel about it and I will tell them how I feel.

"Walking out and rubbish this that and the other, it's nonsense."

Having inherited a side that only escaped relegation on the last day season - and since losing a number of senior players - Ternent insists he should be judged when it is his team. "And not until then," he stressed.

Supporters are equally anxious to see Ternent stamp his own mark on the side with some new faces to go alongside Ronnie Jepson who played 20 minutes of last night's game. Asked when that could happen Ternent replied: "As soon as I can get them. If I need them I will get them."

Burnley have been below par in their first two pre-season games against senior opposition.

But it has been a learning curve for the new management team and it's a fair bet that they are yet to field the side that will line-up on August 8.

"The acid test will be when we play Bristol Rovers," added Ternent. "Results are not important, win lose or draw, at this stage but to be fair we would like to win."

Ternent conceded that he wasn't happy with the performance or Morecambe's winning goal which came direct from a free-kick.

The Burnley manager thought Tony Parks should have dealt with it better and a goalkeeper remains on his wanted list.

The Clarets are down to one senior keeper following the departure of Chris Woods who has joined Birmingham as goalkeeping coach following his release from Turf Moor. Woods is reunited with his old Nottingham Forest team-mate Trevor Francis, despite a national newspaper report that Woods had joined Everton.

Meanwhile, Burnley are still to appoint a full-time first-team physio. They were helped out last night by John Dawson who was on hand to treat strikers Kevin Henderson and Andy Cooke but Ternent confirmed that he is still to get his full-time medical man.

Paul Weller again watched the game from the stands as he decides whether his future lies with Burnley or elsewhere.

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