BURNLEY are set to appoint a new chairman as Barry Kilby’s 13-and-a-half year reign comes to an end today, but majority shareholder Brendan Flood is not thought to be in the running.

The Rossendale-born property developer has been Kilby’s right hand man since becoming a major investor and joining the board in 2007.

The pair shared responsibilities involved with the running of the club, with both taking the title joint operational director.

Flood’s cash injection was key to the club mounting a successful promotion bid in 2008/09, as he helped to finance the capture of Martin Paterson from Scunthorpe United, who finished that season as top scorer with 19.

He would perhaps be seen as the most natural successor as chair-man, having worked so closely with Kilby over the last five years and been involved with the last three managerial appointments.

But I understand Flood is not expected to replace the 63-year-old at the Turf Moor helm.

When he first joined the board he was asked whether he had ambitions to succeed Kilby and his response was, more or less, in the negative, and there is nothing to suggest his position has changed.

Instead, one of the three other existing directors is set to be voted in as the Clarets’ new chairman at today’s board meeting, where Kilby will officially step down.

John Banaszkiewicz appears to be favourite for the role.

The club’s newest director has had more of a vocal presence than counterparts Mike Garlick and Clive Holt, and along with Flood bought shares from Kilby almost a year ago.

Nelson-born Banaszkiewicz, who joined the board in 2010, is keen to establish a strong production line from the youth team, which ties in well with the UEFA Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations that come into force next season.

He is well-connected in business, particularly in the Far East, and financed the club’s tour to Singapore in 2010 in an attempt to boost the club’s global appeal.

Mike Garlick could also present a strong case for the role of chairman.

The Burnley-born entrepreneur, who specialises in information technology, has the finances required in modern day football. An estimated fortune of £50million ranked him in 64th place on FourFourTwo’s annual Football Rich List in 2010.

Garlick has previously been happy to stay in the background. But that situation would not necessarily need to change should he get the board’s backing, as chief executive Lee Hoos is hands-on in the day-to-day running of the club.

Clive Holt, the club’s longest serving director and current company secretary for Burnley FC, has an outside chance of stepping up.

Having first joined the board in 1986, he has seen the Clarets rise from the foot of the basement division to the Premier League.

Whatever the outcome of tomorrow’s vote, sweeping changes are not expected, with all three candidates avid Burnley fans.

“I’m sure the club will be in good hands, we have a board of directors, all of them are Burnley fans and have lived in the area a long time and are responsible to the area and the people, and what the club means to them,” said Kilby, who announced in February he was to step down this month after being diagnosed with cancer. “I think the future is set and what decisions are made will be made for the right reasons.”

Meanwhile, negotiations between Burnley and Southampton over the future of Jay Rodriguez are understood to be ongoing, after the Saints had made a £6m plus offer for the Clarets striker.