BURNLEY boss Brian Laws is relieved that the £500,000 fee set for Richard Eckersley by a tribunal will not affect his budget for next season.

The Clarets had set a pot of money aside after failing to agree a price with Manchester United for the Bosman free transfer, who arrived on a four-year deal last summer.

With United demanding £1million plus add-ons for the Salford-born right back, after the 20-year-old rejected a new contract at Old Trafford, and Burnley looking to pay just £200,000, Laws feared having next season’s transfer kitty eaten into.

But the 48-year-old was pleased a compromise deal was reached following last week’s FA tribunal, and said it was time for all parties to move on.

“The club had set aside a similar figure so it wouldn’t impact on the budget, which is good to hear,” said Laws.

“The player’s pleased it’s all over now and we can concentrate on getting him some games - some football - and then we can progress the lad.

“He’s certainly a prospect, there’s no question about that.

“The last thing you want is for a player to have uncertainty in his mind, but thankfully the decision’s now been made and we can all move on.

“Just getting the figure and getting this sorted out has seemed to have been dragged out for such a long time.

“But there was some good work done by Paul Fletcher at the tribunal and the solicitor; they put a good, strong case forward and we just wanted common sense to prevail, and I think it has in the end.

“From his point of view, I think it’s important that he just gets his head down now and works extremely hard to see if he can break through into the team.”

He added: “Everyone has a chance at this football club.

“I’ve got to give players opportunities (in the first team), but I’ve also got to give the support of the (players) behind them as well to say the door’s not shut.

“If players aren’t up to scratch and not playing to the standard required then we’re obviously going to start changing things around.”

Neither Laws or chief executive Paul Fletcher had been involved in the original transfer, with previous boss Owen Coyle now departed and operational director Brendan Flood away on holiday.

But, like Laws, Fletcher was pleased with the outcome.

“It was a worrying time for Burnley Football Club,” said Fletcher.

“A million pounds was money we couldn’t really afford to pay.

“The chairman manages the funds very carefully and we were nervous about it.

“We thought they might set a fee somewhere in the middle or we feared that with Manchester United’s lawyers the tribunal might find in favour of the big club.

“So we were quite happy when we found out the tribunal’s decision.”