Exclusive, by Tony Dewhurst
ADRIAN Heath was hot on the continental transfer trail again today.
I can reveal the Burnley chief will visit Holland tomorrow to run the rule over a highly-rated Norwegian international.
Although he refused to reveal either his name or position, the player is expected to feature in the Cup Winners' Cup tie between FC Brann of Bergen and PSV Eindhoven.
Heath will watch the star in action in the second leg tie in Eindhoven's Philips Stadium and could follow up his keen interest with a bid to bring the player to Turf Moor.
The player was recommended to Heath by a former First Division team-mate at Sheffield United.
I understand the target is a 26-year-old and is a player with explosive speed.
Heath confirmed: "I will be watching a player in Holland tomorrow. He comes highly recommended. That's all I can reveal at present."
Meanwhile, Heath said he was satisfied with last night's 1-1 draw in a rip-roaring Lancashire derby at Preston North End.
Kurt Nogan's ninth goal of the season handed Burnley a share of the Deepdale spoils after Preston had taken a first half lead.
"We'd probably have settled for a point before the game," added Heath. "I thought we'd have won at Preston to be perfectly honest. We perhaps didn't play to our full expectations.
"Marlon Beresford wasn't really troubled in the first half and the only real effort they had at goal in the first 45 minutes was the David Reeves strike.
"Daft as it may sound, I thought we were more likely to steal the game in the second half when Preston were applying all the pressure. I thought we might nick it at that stage of the game."
Heath added: "We looked a lot brighter in the second half and I'm not too disappointed.
"Preston have a good record at home this season and not too many teams will come here and get a result.
"In the final analysis, you have to be reasonably happy with a point from a local derby match away from home."
Heath confirmed he had injury worries today following the bruising red rose clash.
Defender Mark Winstanley was under treatment for a gashed shin while fellow defender Vince Overson was carrying a leg injury. "We've one or two bumps and bruises but Mark Winstanley is definitely the worst," added Heath.
"He's got a big gash on his shin and on his calf. We don't know how serious it is yet.
"Vince is very sore but he should be okay for the weekend."
Steve Thompson is set to step up his comeback in tonight's friendly against Accrington Stanley at the Crown Ground (7pm).
Thompson has not featured for six weeks due to injury but played in a friendly fixture against an Endsleigh select side at the weekend.
"We're hoping to give Steve another run-out at Accrington," added Heath. "He saw the specialist yesterday and we're hoping he will get the green light to play."
First team squad faces Peter Swan and Jamie Hoyland are also expected to feature against the UniBond Premier League opposition.
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
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