ONE of the men that groomed the new Clarets' boss believes Stan Ternent is the right man to lead Burnley back towards the big time.

Bob Stokoe gave Ternent his first coaching position at Sunderland in the mid-1970s and then appointed him as his number two at Blackpool.

North-East legend Stokoe believes Ternent had shown management qualities from early in his playing career.

And he is convinced Burnley have made the right appointment in bringing the former Bury boss back to Turf Moor.

Stokoe said: "He took Bury up to the First Division and there's no reason why he can't do it with Burnley.

"I hope he takes Burnley back to where you feel they belong. They were always a good First Division club in our days.

"He has taken Sam Ellis with him and they have a good partnership.

"Stan is a very experienced campaigner and he is back home. I am sure he is absolutely delighted to be back.

"It's a new start with a new bunch of players and that's amazing what that can do for you. You can get a bit flat even after two or three years in the same place because there are only so many things we can say.

"In the 1960s Bury had a few seasons in the First Division and Stan did the same. He deserves another crack. Burnley will always be a bigger club and that's no disrespect to Bury who gave me my first chance." Stokoe became player-manager at Gigg Lane after leaving Newcastle United and went on to enjoy a successful 26-year managerial career.

He first came into contact with Ternent at Carlisle and the two have remained close since.

"I took to him straight away," added fellow Geordie Stokoe who was named by Ternent along with Jimmy Adamson as two of the major influences on his coaching career.

"He was always good in the dressing room, a good talker and a good organiser. He knew what the game was all about and only the lack of a bit of pace stopped him going to the top as a player."

And Stokoe, whose finest hour arguably came when he guided underdogs Sunderland to an 1973 FA Cup final success over Leeds United, believes those attributes have stood Ternent in good stead as a manager.

"He was always very thorough, studied the game and always thought things out before he spoke," he added.

Stokoe is in retirement in the North-East where Ternent has at least one more admirer and friend. Sunderland boss Peter Reid has gone on record to hail Ternent as "manager of the year" for keeping the Shakers in the First Division last season.

Ternent was settling in at Turf Moor yesterday as he and Sam Ellis checked out the training facilities at Gawthorpe where the pair will be plotting their route to success next season.

"I am a football man and I like to get out with the team," said Ellis who would have been a front-runner for the vacant Bury job if he hadn't wanted to keep the new Burnley management team intact.

"I have got a job to do. I am quite happy with it and I am looking forward to it."

And after sharing in the success at Gigg Lane, Ellis had no qualms about moving down a division to try and help spark a Clarets' revival.

"Every step you take is a positive one," he added.

One of Ternent's next jobs is to sort out players' contracts and arrange a pre-season fixture programme.

Six players are still out of contract at Turf Moor and yet to accept new deals.

Ternent is expected to talk to Gerry Harrison, Damian Matthew, Mark Winstanley, Paul Weller, Jamie Hoyland and Chris Vinnicombe and hopes to iron out all the players' futures before the squad reports back for pre-season training on July 7.

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