Clarets chairman Barry Kilby insists that there will be funds available for Stan Ternent to do some summer shopping.

But he warned that Burnley also have to balance the books to safeguard the club's long-term future.

Despite a highly encouraging first season back in Division One, the Clarets evidently need to strengthen their squad to have a chance of sustaining a top-six challenge next season.

That fact isn't lost on anyone at Turf Moor and Kilby confirmed: "We are well aware of where we need to strengthen and where we need to weaken and you've got to have resources. There will be extra revenue available."

However, cash is tight at Turf Moor, where money is still being used to pay off long-standing loans, and so rather than pay over the odds for tranfer targets last month the Clarets decided to wait until the summer to try and get their men at more realistic fees.

"We took a conscious decision at deadline time whether to spend big money then or wait and keep our powder dry and have those resources available at a better time," Kilby added.

That means a testing run-in with the squad down to its bare bones following the departures of Micky Mellon and Chris Brass and injuries to Lennie Johnrose, Lee Briscoe and now Graham Branch.

However, Kilby stressed: "That's strong management. We are here for the long haul."

And the chairman re-iterated the need for a sensible spending policy.

He said: "I would say we have to start balancing the books now. The rights issue funded losses to help us get where we are but we've got through that money now.

"We've got to balance the books as well as going forward. That's the aim through good management and by playing our cards as best we can. It's evolution, not revolution."

Burnley will benefit from increased television revenue next season but don't want to sell their best players so that is likely to be the only source of outside income -- unless anyone wants to take up the £800,000 worth of shares left over from the £5 million rights issue of two-and-half-years ago.

Everything else has to be generated in-house, hence the increase in season-ticket prices, so Ternent will have to try and shop cleverly to stick to his budget and deliver the goods on the pitch.

"We have increased our wage bill three times since I took over but I would estimate even by doing that we will still be in the bottom quarter (of the division) next season in what we are paying players," said Kilby.

Despite that, the chairman insists Burnley can mount a Premiership challenge in the future.

He said: "We can be a top-six side. When I came in we had a five-year plan and that was the aim. To be honest it sounded quite fanciful when we were having a relegation struggle with Macclesfield. Next year is year three and we are well on course for that.

"I think what we have to do is what we have done and improve the club year on year. We've got to be sensible about it. We have got a plan and we know where we are going."