Burnley are prize guys

Turf Moor vice-chairman Ray Ingleby was at the relaunch of the Clarets Foundation last night -- and he's hoping the supporters will continue to play their part in helping Burnley to the top flight.

"Our goal is the Premiership. I am convinced in the next few years it is where we have got to be," he said.

"That is the goal of the directors and the aspirations of the manager, players and fans.

"And we can get there with a little bit of luck and support from the fans."

In the first year of The Clarets Foundation, the scheme raised £200,000. It began in April 2000 where initially around 2,000 people paid £2 a week, raising money for Burnley FC while receiving various benefits such as weekly prize draws and weekend membership to the Clarets gym.

The scheme is being increased this year by taking the membership limit to 3000 -- so the club hope to get £300,000 next year -- and offering a huge incentive to join of a one-off cash prize of £25,000 next year, increased from £10,000 this year.

"This is something never done in football before. It will change someone's life.

"It won't be someone from Peterborough who wins it or from the 90,000 people in Burnley but it will be one of our Foundation members. They have a one in six chance," said chief executive Andrew Watson, who will announce the £10,000 winner at the first home game of next season.

And he has been delighted with the scheme's success in its first year.

"The Clarets Foundation was started to put the foundations in place. Every penny from the scheme is for the benefit of the club, to boost the wage bill and get better players.

"We need it because the wage bills in Division One are rising and we need to keep moving on.

"Clubs have bigger budgets in this division and we need to take it to the next level."

"Under last year's scheme the club would get £2m over ten years and now with 3,000 members it will be £3m which is vitally important.

"That is how we have been able to sign the likes of Nik Michopoulos and Ian Moore and we need to sign more. We are aiming for bigger and better things next year."

Vice-chairman Ingleby says the Clarets are ahead of schedule with their plans and everything is in place for Burnley's push to achieve their ultimate goal.

"I think we did well last season, probably better than anyone thought," he said.

"Hopefully we'll sign up a few players and get a few more points next season, even if we stay in the same position. That would be an achievement.

"We have come a long way in the two or three years that I have been involved.

"I thought within two years we would be challenging for a place in Division One. We managed to do that in one year.

"I thought in four or five years we would be challenging for the Premiership. We have done that in two.

"And I hoped the gates would go up. They have doubled from around 8-9,000 to 16-17,000 and will continue to rise.

He continued: "We have also reshaped the board and supplemented and added to it. I think we have an incredible board.

"And paramount to the club off the field is a highly motivated and commercially-minded team and I think we have one of the best in the country with Andrew Watson and his team.

"They have helped to increase the non football revenue dramatically from £1m to £4m in a couple of years.

"So we are probably ahead of where we should be on and off the field.

"Football is a business and the money we give the manager depends on the revenue which comes into the club on the off the field, turnstile and non turnstile revenue.

"The more revenue, the more we can give the manager and keep moving upwards."

Another benefit to being a member of The Clarets Foundation this year is a match day bar with the Centre Spot being renamed 'The Clarets Foundation Bar' where members can get in for free and take guests, who will have to pay a nominal fee.

And they are offering weekly cash prizes ranging from £250 to £1,000.

For further information on The Clarets Foundation call 01282-704700.