Clarets chairman Barry Kilby insists there is no shortage of ambition at Turf Moor, despite missing out on the capture of big-money target Peter Crouch.

The QPR striker this week opted to join Portsmouth ahead of Burnley and Preston in a £1.25 million.

And having put pen-to-paper on a four-year deal at Fratton Park, the towering front man said: "Burnley and Preston both wanted to sign me but I wanted to come to Portsmouth because they seem to be the most ambitious club."

However, Kilby stressed that a club record offer that must have matched Pompey's, therefore eclipsing the £1 million fee the Clarets paid Stockport County for Ian Moore last November, shows that Burnley mean business.

And he believes that geographical reasons were what counted Burnley out, and not Crouch's claims that Pompey are more ambitious than their First Division rivals at Turf Moor.

"I wouldn't concur with that," said Kilby. "We did everything to get him but he chose to stay down there and I think they perhaps upped the ante a bit.

"If it hadn't been a southern club I think we would probably have got him over Preston."

Kilby and manager Stan Ternent believe Crouch would have been a major asset at Turf Moor, given his impact on the First Division last season.

The Macclesfield-born striker, whose footballing career had all been played in the capital after he joined Spurs as a youngster, scored 14 times in a struggling Rangers side.

At just 20 he would have been a sound investment, but Burnley will now focus their sights elsewhere.

"These things happen all the time in football, but this one came into the public domain," added Kilby.

"We were very disappointed about Peter Crouch. It would have been a record signing for us because we valued him very highly."