KEITH Hill appears to have come back into the Burnley board’s reckoning, after being ruled out earlier this week.

The Barnsley boss had been considered as an early option to replace Eddie Howe at the Turf Moor helm, but it is understood the Clarets later steered their search in a different direction.

However, there appears to have been a U-turn among the Burnley hierarchy, with the board now re-visiting the prospect of weighing up Hill as a candidate to be their fifth manager in five years.

There is still work to do in the search for Howe’s successor, however.

A number of formal interviews have taken place, with former Hull manager Nick Barmby understood to have met with Turf Moor chiefs yesterday.

Ex-Watford boss Sean Dyche is believed to have been lined up for talks towards the end of the week.

Mick McCarthy has already had an informal chat about the job, and remains in pole position, but the former Wolves and Republic of Ireland boss is also part of a three-man shortlist to replace Owen Coyle at Bolton Wanderers.

Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman currently looks most likely to pip both McCarthy and former Blackburn Rovers boss to the Reebok hotseat.

Burnley are not just facing competition for McCarthy though.

With rivals Blackburn Rovers also managerless following the departure of Steve Kean, it has thrown an added complication into the mix.

Hill, who guided Rochdale to promotion to League One in his second full season in charge, is believed to have come under consideration for the vacant position at Ewood Park, although he is not expected to be high up in the pecking order.

But the link highlights the competition among the three north west teams, and perhaps heightens the urgency for Burnley to act as quickly as possible.

Caretaker manager Terry Pashley has already been told he will be in charge for Saturday’s home game against Blackpool, and it is expected his position won’t change before Tuesday’s trip to Bristol City, with the board looking to make an appointment ahead of the game at Championship leaders Cardiff the following weekend.

Co-chairman Mike Garlick said: “In terms of timescales the reality is I don’t think we are going to have anyone in place by Saturday, or for that matter probably by Tuesday. We do want to take our time and find the right candidate.

“We have to get it right this time, so we are going to take our time.”