CHRIS Waddle told his new Burnley players today - You'll get your chance.

Having taken over in a blaze of publicity at Turf Moor yesterday, Waddle hinted that he won't be making any sudden dramatic plunges into the transfer market.

The prospect of new signings was clearly on Waddle's predecessor Adrian Heath's agenda with several potential captures lined up.

And the fans who met the new manager at Turf Moor yesterday soon turned their attention to asking him about possible signings.

But Waddle, understandably, needs to take stock of what he has at Turf Moor and he will be doing it along with his right-hand man Glenn Roeder, who joined him on the new management team yesterday.

Roeder will have a significant role as the duo get down to work. For Waddle intends to play as many games as possible and that will throw an extra burden on his assistant.

They both agreed that the present staff would, first of all, have to be thoroughly assessed.

No-one would talk directly about money being available for players but chairman Frank Teasdale said the club would support the new manager in any way they could.

Waddle said: "The chairman said earlier that they will try to help us. But we want to look at the staff we have got.

"There's no guarantee that the cheque book is the answer and we might have to wheel and deal.

"There's a month to go to the off but I have said I will look at the boys and decide whether we strengthen or not.

"Everybody starts with a clean sheet and we will take it from there. "Let's hope they are up for the challenge in the same way that Glenn and I are and that we are all going in the same direction."

When he does eventually move into the transfer market, however, the new manager wants to make the sort of signings who can move upwards with the club.

"I think you can strengthen every team but I will weigh up the situation first," he said.

"I would like to bring in players who can hold their place in the First Division as well as in the Second."

Waddle and Roeder go back a long way - to the days when they played together at Newcastle in the 1980s.

They have remained friends ever since and Roeder has managerial expertise which will be vital to Waddle as he sets out on a new adventure.

As well as giving the players a chance to impress him, Waddle also intends to leave the backroom staff alone for the time being, with Clive Middlemass reverting to the role of chief scout.

Mr Teasdale paid tribute to the work done by Middlemass, stressing he was someone the club had been able to rely on.

With a player-manager now at the helm, however, there must be the possibility of further strengthening of the backroom team.

Names such as Gordon Cowans and Frank Barlow have already been mooted as possible additions.

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