STAN Ternent today blasted a warning that he is ready to quit Turf Moor if his under-achieving players do not start improving - and soon!

"I would rather walk away from the job than watch any more of that," confessed the furious Burnley boss this morning.

"I am absolutely sick to death of it. They are nicking money while people are paying their hard earned cash to go and see them."

In the space of six days, the Clarets have crashed out of the FA Cup and suffered two damaging league defeats, conceding nine goals in the three games. Two days after the 3-2 defeat at lowly Walsall, he admitted: "That was the worst week in my time at Turf Moor, without a doubt.

"I am not going to keep carrying the can for the players. If I can't shake them up then I don't know what to do. They have got to shake themselves up, it has to come from within the players. They are not having a go and they are bone idle."

Ternent wielded the axe at the weekend with four changes to his side, and he admitted: "I left Westy out because he has been hopeless by his own high standards.

"Lee Briscoe did have a virus and that was why he did not play."

Ternent's tirade this morning followed a similar onslaught on Saturday after the match when he made it crystal clear he was not amused by the latest dismal display from his players.

"At the moment I think the players are having a laugh," he fumed.

The defeat at Walsall was given an undeserved gloss thanks to two late goals after the home side was reduced to 10 men having taken a 3-0 lead.

Ternent was not looking for excuses and back in training this morning he was busy looking for answers ahead of tomorrow's return to Turf Moor for the clash with second placed Leicester City.

And he was clearly unconcerned about the latest verbal assault on his players.

"If the cap fits, wear it," he announced after leaving his side in absolutely no doubt that their performances have been far short of what he demands.

"We were 3-0 down and in the last 15 minutes we might have got something out of it but it was too late. We got all we deserved - nothing!

"The performance at Walsall and those in the past couple of weeks have been totally unacceptable and the players are under no illusions how I feel about it.

"They are not playing with any enthusiasm, there is no spark and there was no brightness. Something has to be done about it and I intend to get to the bottom of it.

"But I can't kick the ball off the line and into the goal, it is the players."

Ternent again changed team and tactics and at half time he shuffled his pack yet again with Steve Davis, Glen Little and Robbie Blake coming off the bench but it was not until keeper James Walker was dismissed for a professional foul on Gareth Taylor that Burnley got back into the game.

Blake's penalty and a lovely late strike from Little were no consolation to the angry manager.

Now he is calling on his players to put things right themselves and show their true colours in front of their home fans after five successive away games.

The Clarets have not played at home since the memorable 3-0 FA Cup replay triumph over Fulham almost three weeks ago.

That was a result that created huge expectation, confidence and belief within the squad and on the terraces.

All that has been lost following three deeply depressing displays that Ternent is clearly unwilling to accept. He is demanding the players put them behind them and rediscover their form - starting tomorrow night!