A MYSTERIOUS third party has joined the race to buy Burnley Football Club.

Clarets director Bernard Rothwell today revealed that there are three contenders for control at Turf Moor.

Apax Partners have already had one bid on behalf of a consortium of investors rejected.

And the Burnley board have held face-to-face discussions with tycoon Ray Ingleby.

Mr Rothwell said: "There is a third party but I do not know who he is.

"He's someone from abroad working through a representative.

"It troubles me when there is mystique.

"We do not know the people behind Apax - but at least there is a name there."

Mr Ingleby today refused to elaborate on his intentions from his New York base.

But the Burnley board met last night to discuss their own plan of action.

Mr Rothwell said: "We reviewed the direction we want to take and there were discussions on the tactics and how to approach these people.

"We are hoping to put markers down and meet all these people. "The thing to do is to ask 'What can you do for Burnley Football Club'.

"It is a momentous decision when it is taken.

"And, by God, it has got to be the right one. You only sell a football club once.

"We are representing a town and a tradition. But we are not introducing a Dutch auction. "We want to know what the bottom line is with each one. All three of them might fall apart. We have no evidence there's going to be any deal at all.

"Apax are the only ones who made a financial offer for the club. We informed them that £1million for the club was not acceptable.

"There has been no offer back from them but we have not taken an entrenched position.

"When Mr Teasdale met Ray Ingleby the chairman wanted to discuss principles and not money."

Vice-chairman Dr David Iven had to leave the board meeting before discussions on the takeover because of ill-health.

But he revealed that no date had been set to further inform shareholders on a special resolution, put back from the recent annual general meeting, on the handling of unissued shares.

On the team side, Chris Waddle today pinpointed the key to Second Division survival for Burnley - he must have a new striker.

The Burnley player-manager, preparing for tonight's Auto Windscreens Shield tie against Notts County at Turf Moor, is naturally more concerned with League safety than fleeting success in a minor tournament.

And he knows he might have to sell first in order to bring in the sort of player he wants, as he admits Burnley are "skint" at the moment. "We might have to sell to generate cash but we have to find money from somewhere," said Waddle, who doesn't just want a temporary deal but would take a loan signing with a view to a permanent move.

"We have to bring somebody in up front. We are not scoring there is a lack of confidence and it's not going our way.

"You need to have competition for places. People have to be looking over their shoulders, knowing they have to do well to keep their place.

"We don't have that at the moment."

He is reluctant to push former non-League striker Kevin Henderson and youngster Colin Carr-Lawton too quickly, as it would be far from ideal to throw inexperienced players in at the deep end just now.

One of Waddle's two experienced strikers, Paul Barnes, is expected to sit out tonight's tie against Notts County with a hamstring problem he picked up at Gillingham.

And defender Lee Howey will also be absent as he needs a scan on a pelvic injury.

"We will probably leave them out tonight as our priority is the League and to make sure we stay in this division," added the manager.

Steve Blatherwick could come back into contention and the likes of Paul Smith and Glen Little will also be challenging for a starting place. Waddle hopes to look at one or two options with Saturday's crunch game against Watford in mind.

Burnley seem likely to choose the starting line-up from: Beresford, Brass, Harrison, Moore, Vinnicombe, Williams, Ford, Matthew, Cooke, Blatherwick, Waddle, Smith, Little.

Notts County boss Sam Allardyce, who has been named Third Division manager of the month for December, had envisaged changes and carrying out a few experiments.

But, after their game against Hull was postponed on Saturday, he has decided to field as strong a team as possible. They need to play before weekend and tonight is a game in which they can relax and try to play football," said Allardyce.

"Burnley will not be under the same kind of pressure they are under in the League and they will probably play a lot better than their place in Division Two suggests."

County choose from: Ward, Pearce, Hendon, Redmile, Baraclough, Finnan, Robinson, Robson, Cunnington, Derry, Jones, Martindale, Jackson, Dudley.

Only the Bob Lord and Endsleigh Stands are open tonight and it is all pay at the turnstiles, £7 adults, £3 concessions.

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