CENTRAL defender Neil Moore is Chris Waddle's biggest injury worry for Saturday's Lancashire derby against fellow-strugglers Wigan Athletic at Turf Moor.

Moore picked up a knee injury in Burnley's last game - a 3-1 defeat at Bristol City - and, at this stage, must be rated as doubtful to face Wigan.

Player-manager Waddle, who expects everyone else to be fit for a game which could see Burnley climb above Latics and out of the relegation zone, is wary of taking any risks with the defender's fitness.

The injury is not dis-similar to the one suffered by Waddle himself and he had to take a short break to make a proper recovery.

"It's been over a week now but we'll leave it a couple more days before giving him a test," said the manager.

"I don't want to push him and play him if it could set him back for weeks. I can still feel my knee a little bit and it might be better to leave him for one game rather than risk losing him for four or five."

It could be a late decision but Waddle has options to cover for Moore in the centre of defence.

The former Everton man, however, has been an ever-present in the side since sorting out a contract to stay at Turf Moor, following a successful trial period.

He made his first team bow in the Coca-Cola Cup tie against Stoke and has not missed a game since. Meanwhile, Burnley chairman Frank Teasdale was among the 72 Nationwide League chairmen meeting in London today to consider changes in the structure of their competition. The most radical of four proposals was a plan for a 12-club Super League for Nationwide teams.

Two separate working parties have been preparing proposals to present to the clubs before next year's 100th anniversary of the formation of the world's original league football competition.

The first deals with an overhaul of the existing rule book to simplify regulations, and the second concerns the shake-up of the current league structure of three divisions of 24 clubs.

Turf Moor director Clive Holt said: "As I understand it, the proposals are being put to the clubs and will then be brought back for us to discuss them internally.

"We will then make a decision that is in the best interests of the Football League and Burnley. We haven't got a pre-determined policy on this issue.

"There is no point making change for change's sake and the greatest fear would be if one or two of the leading clubs in the First Division were simply looking to increase their share of the pot."

The clubs do not need to accept any of the options when they vote on them in February but the proposals put forward were:

1 Three divisions of 20, 26 and 26 clubs respectively with increased promotion and relegation between the divisions.

2 Four divisions of either 18 or 20 clubs with increased promotion and relegation.

3 Six divisions of 12 clubs with increased promotion and relegation.

4 The creation of a Football League Super League of 12 clubs with two divisions of 24 and another division of 12.

"Fifty-seven out of 72 clubs were losing money last year - that's the strongest reason," said Football League chairman David Sheepshanks.

"Clearly we have to tackle that problem and improve the product and the excitement.

"We need to become more commercially led and need to become more responsive to the interests of fans.

"One of our challenges is to popularise the live experience and, while there is increasing opportunities for armchair viewers, we need to present the Football League in a guise which will work well for all our clubs."

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