WORRIED Burnley fans believe Adrian Heath could quit Turf Moor if he is not allowed to play the summer transfer market.

Fans' fury boiled over today following the departure of Gary Parkinson to Preston North End.

"If the board of directors are not going to back the manager with serious money to compete in the transfer market then I honestly think we are in danger of losing one of the brightest young managers in the game," predicted Burnley Supporters Club member Stephen Cummings.

"I feel I'm speaking for a lot of Burnley fans when I say it is deeply worrying that Gary Parkinson was allowed to leave.

"It was not Adrian Heath's fault. It is due to the fact that he has not got the financial clout to operate.

"It is a hard one for fans to swallow because he has gone to one of our local rivals and there is always a lot of pride at stake over issues like this.

"It's also clear that we lost out on signing a very promising Northern Ireland international (Colin Murdock) for the sake of a few thousand pounds. "That is complete folly for a club whose aim is to compete at a higher level."

Parkinson's departure comes as a double blow for the Clarets with supporters still furious after Preston beat the Clarets to the punch for the signature of Murdock just 48 hours before.

And they say losing Parkinson to their Lancashire neighbours is the final straw.

Dave Wynne, membership secretary of the Clarets Independent Supporters' Association, said: "It is a scandal that Gary Parkinson has gone to Preston.

"I don't blame Gary Parkinson or Adrian Heath - I blame the board for not making the finance available.

"Preston have offered him a three-year deal and the player is only looking after his future. Here was a player who was voted the best right back in Division Two by his fellow professionals last month and voted the player of the season by the fans in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph."

"Now he has gone to Preston and a lot of fans are asking just what is going on at Turf Moor.

"My telephone was red hot with fans ringing me up this morning and everybody is deeply concerned at the situation.

"We have lost on quality players. It is clear we are getting left behind as a football club.

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