CHRIS Waddle today asked for patience as he attempts to rebuild Burnley into a force capable of challenging to climb out of the Second Division.

Turf Moor fans saw their team outplayed for 45 minutes by promotion-chasing Millwall on Tuesday night.

And a second successive League defeat kept the club on the brink of the relegation zone.

But Burnley's player-manager stresses that it can take time to construct something worthwhile, especially when you can't just go out and buy to solve the problems.

"I don't think people realise that you don't just walk into a club, change one or two faces and win promotion," he said.

"I would like to have it that way very quickly but, even though patience is sometimes a horrible word in football, patience is what you need."

"A lot of people say you should do this, or do that but the main thing is to keep building and that is what we are doing with the players we have got.

"And, when you get it right, it can give you a lot of satisfaction." Waddle, of course, is aware that he needs to boost his striking resources - hence his major offer to Gerry Creaney.

Nothing happened in time for this afternoon's game against Grimsby at Blundell Park and it is now simply a case of wait and see over the Manchester City striker.

Burnley have put together the best offer they can muster and, with little future seen for him at Maine Road, Creaney has to decide whether to accept what is on the table and drop down a division in order to get his career moving again.

Richard Barker, the former Sheffield Wednesday striker who has spent some time training at Turf Moor, also has decisions to make.

He is under contract with Linfield and Waddle - understandably - is reluctant to use up one of his loan options by taking the player on a temporary basis to give him a few games.

"He's in a catch 22 situation," said the manager. "But he really has to decide whether to take a gamble and cancel his contract with Linfield."

"That way he could give himself the chance of getting a club, but he could also end up on the dole. It's a problem for him."

First division new boys Bury have signed Kenny Dalglish's 20-year-old son Paul on loan from Newcastle. He will stay at Gigg Lane until the end of the season and went straight into the Shakers squad for today's home game with Sunderland.

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