MARK Winstanley's stock at Burnley is rising in tandem with the team and he could take a further step towards securing a longer term future at Turf Moor against Brentford tomorrow.
Winstanley has been on a week-to-week deal since the start of the season but his performances in recent matches look set to prompt fresh contract talks.
"He has been on a week-to-week and probably thinking nothing will happen but he has been playing well and I will have a chat with him and see what he says.
"If people are realistic I'm sure we can work things out," confirmed Burnley player-manager Chris Waddle.
Winstanley is one of a number of players at the club who will be out of contract in the summer and Waddle will be making moves over the next few weeks to rectify the situation and plan for the future.
He added: "I am trying to draw up a list of players to start to talk to. There are five or six players who need doing and we are really looking at a good young side. Certain ones will move on and I can't stop that but the majority we will try and get on longer term deals."
Waddle believes he has the basis of a successful squad which he hopes to further develop provided the club and the players concerned are not poles apart in their financial demands.
Waddle said: "There will be a lot of players out of contract in the summer and nobody will hold us to ransom.
"We are building for the future and I will try and keep this group together but that will depend on demands. If their demands match our standards I will be delighted." Winstanley's return to the side has seen him figure in six wins out of eight, a run Burnley would hope to improve on against a Brentford side without a League win away from home this season.
The former Bolton defender is likely to continue in the left wing-back role he filled successfully against Preston in midweek.
Paul Weller is fit again but Winstanley should get the nod in what is expected to be an unchanged side if Damian Matthew (groin) and Gerry Harrison (ankle) pass fitness tests in the morning.
"My big problem has been the left wing-back situation but Mark did well there the other night," said Waddle.
"He has played there a couple of times and not really enjoyed it but said he enjoyed it against Preston and it's something to look at with him or Paul Weller."
Burnley could do themselves another big favour by beating Micky Adams' side to register a seventh straight home success.
The third-from-bottom Bees are three places and one point behind Burnley which makes the importance of the result self-evident.
Waddle said: "We are on a great run and the great thing is that we are winning games and not drawing. We could go level with Wigan and above Preston and it's a great chance for us.
"We have set ourselves up for these two home games and the way we are playing I will be disappointed if we don't get six points. Everybody was up for the game against Preston on Tuesday and I am confident they will be up for it again, although it will be a different game." Waddle is expecting a physical challenge against a five-man defence and has urged patience in the bid to make the breakthrough.
Burnley from: Beresford, Brass, Winstanley, Harrison, Moore, Little, Blatherwick, Robertson, Cooke, Payton, Matthew, Hoyland, Henderson, Ford, Weller.
Brentford from: Pollitt, McPherson, Watson, Hutchings, Cullip, Hogg, Canham, Aspinall, McGhee, Taylor, Scott, Rapley, Dennis, Clark, Oatway.
Waddle is to take a further look at Blackburn Rovers left-back Tony Whealing.
Whealing played for the Clarets' reserves on Wednesday night and impressed Waddle sufficiently for him to further his interest.
Waddle hopes to bring the 21-year-old to Turf Moor for a couple of weeks' training and a further outing in the reserves.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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