STEVE Cotterill is hoping to unearth a gem from the non-league scene that launched his own professional playing career.

The Burnley boss has revealed that he is monitoring a player from that level, while also hoping to pluck from the lower reaches of the Football League in a bid to strengthen his squad.

With the Clarets' financial constraints, the non-league scene might yet be the manager's best path into the transfer market as he seeks permanent cover for his small squad.

Cotterill himself made a startling leap from the old Beazer Homes League to the top flight in 1989 when he left Burton Albion to join Wimbledon.

But he is erring on the side of caution when considering players who would be capable of making a similar leap in standard.

"We're looking at one in non-league, but we're only looking because we're not sure," said Cotterill.

"It's different to my day when there was a little spate of non-league players going for quite big money then, but it's not so much now.

"It's a shame because there will still be players down there now, as there are in the lower Football League, but at least it means they will be affordable.

"Because of the influx of foreign players, boys from lower leagues stopped going to the top level, but they are down there so you've just got to watch them long and hard and make sure that they have the right mental toughness to step up as well.

"They've got to have that because it's different playing in front of 2,000 than it is playing in front of 20,000 so they are down there but you've got to make sure you pluck the right ones.

"You can get it wrong unfortunately and that's probably why people are not taking too many risks."

However, there are recent examples that Cotterill is taking encouragement from, not least one of his own players who climbed the non-league ladder with him at Cheltenham, Michael Duff.

And the Clarets manager also points down the road in the direction of Jonathan Stead, who leapfrogged three divisions to take the Premiership by storm last season.

Cotterill said: "If someone from the First Division had bought Stead they would probably have got him cheaper but as it's Premiership they pay a bit more money.

"I'm sure every club there would buy a striker for £1.2 million and if they were playing every week, they would see that as a bargain.

"So that was a great signing and there are lads down there without a shadow of a doubt.

"I knew Dave Kitson when he was at Cambridge and he has stepped up a level and done very very well, as has our own Michael Duff and Richard Duffy.

"Jason Roberts and Nathan Ellington at Wigan came from non-league and we know what they've done for themselves."