YESTERDAY Stan Ternent took over the Turf Moor hot seat to the general acclaim of the Clarets faithful. Few, however, know what makes the new Burnley boss tick. So tonight we give you the chance to get a little bit closer to the real Stan Ternent. In April last year he gave our reporter Brian Doogan one of his most frank one-on-one interviews. Here we reprint that revealing and insightful Saturday Interview. At the time, Ternent had guided Bury into the Division Two promotion race. He went on to win that and last season kept Bury in Division One

training was over at Gigg Lane and the bottle of bubbly Stan Ternent had just acquired as Second Division manager of the month was obviously still on ice.

Neither he nor his players were in party mood.

Sensibly, you might suggest, given that more important issues than the winning of bottles are still at stake in Division Two.

The man who has guided Bury to the precipice of something extraordinary didn't seem in much mood for talking either.

"How long will this interview take?" he demanded gruffly. Told that it may take around half an hour, he responded in a manner reminiscent of a bank manager who has just been approached about the possibility of a substantial loan - "YOU MUST BE JOKING".

Stan Ternent doesn't suffer fools - or those foolish enough to expect too many precious minutes of his time "ON A FRIDAY AFTERNOON" - gladly.

But when he is coaxed into expressing his thoughts, he does so in a measured North East drawl that is easy to listen to, made easier by the fact that when he speaks he usually has something to say.

Where one word will do, the alternative half dozen are left by the wayside.

For every person who finds this tendency to be to the point a noble trait, two or three - some of whom have no doubt been on the receiving end of his bluntness - will say he's a pig ignorant so-and-so.

Establishing the truth is a fraught process, particularly when exposed to him for only a limited length of time.

But the lingering impression he left was one of goodie rather than baddie, an assessment borne out by the testimony of those who know him well. "I remember him as a brilliant lad who was a dedicated pro and as straight and honest a man as you could hope to meet," enthused Jack Hixon, the famous scout from the North East who signed Ternent for Burnley in 1962 and unearthed the newly-named PFA Footballer of the Year, Alan Shearer.

"He was a very devout Catholic - and still is a Church-goer - and has remained true to his roots.

"I speak to him regularly still." Hixon's glowing endorsement is no doubt influenced by the working class ethic that compelled a 16-year-old Ternent to continue with his apprenticeship in cabinet-making well after signing for Burnley.

He had been serving his time in the Corporation Wholesale Society at Pelaw, just three miles from where he grew up in Gateshead, and was found a job in Burnley.

But the grind of working all day, while at the same time learning the ropes as a professional footballer, eventually proved too much and cabinet-making yielded to pursuing his dream.

It seemed a questionable privilege when his first team debut for the Clarets resulted in a 7-0 trouncing at the hands - and feet - of Sheffield Wednesday.

But things improved and with Carlisle he soared through the divisions before moving to Sunderland where an injury terminated his playing days and opened up the path to coaching, a profession at which he has excelled.

His mentors include Jimmy Adamson, Bob Stokoe and Steve Coppell.

Should Bury gain promotion to Division One, 12 months after leaping out of the bottom division in English league football, it will be ample demonstration of how he has interpreted each man's style and the achievement will be little short of phenomenal.

"From early on, it was clear that coaching was his future," added Hixon. "The thinking man's coach, that's Stan. "His ability to explain and to show professional footballers their art is second to none.

"He can not only man-motivate, his judgement and training methods make him the consummate coach.

"He always dedicated himself to everything he did."

It is surely not incidental then that when we talked Ternent's reading material - he is well-read in politics, current affairs and literature - included Tornado Day, a story about SAS men captured during the Iran-Iraq war.

"I'm into books about the special services," he said.

"Because it's a discipline, it's a dedication, they're the best.

"I recently read Dalglish's book - I'm very interested in autobiographies about people I admire and respect.

"I like Kenny as a lad. I think he's a terrific fella. People get the wrong impression of him.

"When you get to know him he's a terrific lad.

"And you can't go through football, being as successful as he's been without having a great talent."

Ternent, to an extent, is misunderstood too, unflinching when chasing his goals but a family man primarily and a team man too.

His objectives, when stated, are simple: "To be promoted this year but first to win the next match we play in."

And his explanation for success typically deflects much of the praise off himself (even describing himself as player he says he was a 'ham and egg' man).

"The first thing you need are decent players," he said. "I get the manager of the month award because of the success the players have had - it's on their backs really.

"But it's obviously a great honour for the club, proves that we're on the right track.

"There's three things I assess a player on because when you look at them you don't know what goes on between their ears - unless you particularly know them.

"I look at mobility, or speed, skill and aggression.

"If you can get those three things in one player, and he's bright and willing and the right sort of lad, then you've got an international footballer on your hands.

"We got promoted last year and the players have progressed.

"I've added a few - some have gone one way and a few have come in from other places. And we have a pretty strong squad now.

"As a manager, to be successful, you need time, you need a good chairman, there's a thousand things that come into the equation. "You have to be single-minded and at the same time be prepared to listen - you've got to be a good listener.

"I achieve the balance by listening to people and drawing my own conclusions."

Others' conclusions on him can be harsh, a recent profile in another evening newspaper concentrating on the misnomer that he rarely smiles.

"I might not be smiling now," he told his interrogator.

"But I promise you that if we get promoted, that night I'll have a bigger grin than the Cheshire cat."

Socialising with him on such informal occasions can be a dangerous occupation, particularly if you have difficulty in lasting the pace.

If you manage it, the reward usually justifies the risk.

In such circumstances, he likes to talk about the family life he shares with wife Kath, who works in advertising, and his two sons, Chris, 28, and Danny, 24.

Danny's in finance and Chris works in office supplies.

But at work, he's all business.

"To go up would be enough but we'd like to go up as champions," was his parting shot.

"To go up, though, is the object of the exercise. After 46 games we can sit back and wallow in it - or when we've got more points than anyone else can get."

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