No surprise

Clarets boss Stan Ternent might have been disappointed to miss out on the October manager-of-the-month award, but probably wasn't surprised.

Four seasons ago, Ternent guided Bury to the Second Division championship and wasn't named as the division's manager-of-the-year.

In an almost unprecedented move the award went to the second-placed manager, Stockport County's Dave Jones.

DARIO Gradi doesn't hang about when talking to the Press after a game -- or he doesn't mean to.

The Crewe boss always makes a beeline for the Press box minutes after the game has finished.

Unfortunately when he emerged from the Turf Moor tunnel on Tuesday night he spent several minutes working out there was no way up into the top tier of the north stand from pitch-side and had to ask a reporter in the Press room for directions.

Home alone ALTHOUGH disappointed not to play last Saturday, Clarets midfielder Kevin Ball had no hard feelings towards Whitley Bay-based referee David Laws.

"The referee was from the North-East as well and I went in afterwards and said do you fancy a lift home ?" said Ball after Laws had postponed the game because of a waterlogged pitch.

Laws didn't need to take up the offer and Ball had to endure the frustration of watching the Clarets fans travel in vain on his own.

"I was driving home and you wanted to flash your lights and say 'the game's not on' because obviously they hadn't heard," he added.

DAMIAN Matthew is keeping himself busy since retiring from the full-time game because of a persistent hip injury.

As well as scouting for Wolves, coaching some of Crystal Palace's young players and doing radio work, the former Clarets midfielder has also started work with an inusrance company.

The firm, which also employs ex-Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday defender Jon Newsome, is encouraging players to take out insurance against career-ending injuries.

"The main idea is for a player to be able to clear his mortgage and in the short-term give him some breathing space if he has to finish," said Matthew, whose move from Burnley to Northampton was dogged by injury problems.