Clarets boss Stan Ternent last night cashed in on goalkeeper Paul Crichton to help fund his squad strengthening ready for another tilt at the top end of Division One.

Crichton has signed a two-year contract, with the option of a further 12 months with Norwich City.

The deal has netted Burnley £150,000 up front with a possible further £50,000 to follow.

And Ternent felt that cash would come in handy for bringing in new faces in exchange for a player keen to earn regular first-team football after being kept out of the Clarets' starting line-up by Nik Michopoulos.

He said: "Paul is now 32 and he's a first-team goalkeeper. I had to think long and hard about it but they are paying us £150,000 plus twenty-five and twenty-five depending on appearances and I can use that.

"He needs first-team football and I can't guarantee him that with Nik as first choice.

"He's done well for Burnley Football Club and Burnley have done well for him. He got a promotion with us, which was the first one of his career. He goes with our blessing and we wish him all the best."

Crichton played in 85 consecutive games for the Clarets as they were transformed from Second Division strugglers to a First Division side following a £75,000 move from West Bromwich Albion in November, 1998.

But after losing his place to Michopoulos last September when stuck in traffic on the M1 en route to Huddersfield Town, Crichton didn't start another game for the club.

He was therefore yesterday happy to put pen-to-paper with the Canaries, having been given the all-clear to travel down to East Anglia by his expectant wife Karen, who is due to give birth next week.

Crichton is now nominally in competition with Robert Green for the City number one shirt vacated by Andy Marshall but will be manager Nigel Worthington's first-choice when City start their First Division campaign at Millwall. "I've come here to play in the first-team and play as well as possible to do well for the club," said Crichton.

"Me and Robert Green will go into the first day of pre-season level and whoever does best will go into the team.

"I've always been impressed with the stadium and the set-up here and I'm looking forward to playing here."

Ternent will replace Crichton but not with a senior keeper as Michopoulos is firmly installed as the number one at Turf Moor.

"I am going to bring another goalkeeper in, a young one. We have other youngsters here as well and we'll see where that takes us," the manager added.

It would appear that the money released by Crichton's departure may be better utilised elsewhere with the option of bringing in a loan signing should Michopoulos run into injury or suspension problems.

Ternent is keen to step up his recruitment drive and has completed the signing of Manchester City striker Gareth Taylor, who along with Gordon Armstrong, will formally put pen-to-paper on a contract when their current deals expire next weekend.

And Ternent is also hopeful of bringing in further new faces over the next seven to 10 days.