NEW Burnley capture Steve Blatherwick took one look around Turf Moor today and declared: "I can't believe it - now I know I've made the right decision" writes BRIAN DOOGAN.

The 23-year-old defender from Nottingham Forest was delighted to become Burnley manager Chris Waddle's FOURTH signing this week, following Chris Woods, Michael Williams and Mark Ford through the Turf Moor gates.

He passed the mandatory medical yesterday before completing the £150,000 deal. A further £50,000 will be paid to Forest after Blatherwick makes an undisclosed number of appearances. "He's a player I watched all last season and singled out as someone I wanted to get when I got a (managerial) job," said Waddle.

"A lot of people may think that maybe I'm going for prospects all the time, that perhaps with their previous clubs these players were in and out and not established.

"But, as with Michael Williams and Mark Ford, Steve is a Premiership player who is very keen to do well.

"He's very aggressive and doesn't shirk from putting his head in where it hurts.

"He won't be in and out of my team. He will play regular first team football.

"His attitude is exactly what I want and his first impression of the set-up here was that it's excellent.

"I think he's another great acquisition for Burnley Football Club."

Meanwhile Burnley secretary John Howarth today expressed disappointment at the £50,000 fee decided by an independent tribunal for the transfer of Gary Parkinson to Preston North End.

Burnley placed a value of £150,000 on Parkinson, who last season was voted the club's player of the year and earned a berth on the Second Division's team of the season.

"I think the fact that he was out-of-contract for 12 months went against us along with the Bosman ruling," said Mr Howarth.

"Preston have got a bargain but that's not a criticism of anybody. That's the system.

"We expected a little bit more while Preston thought they were entitled to a free.

"We're disappointed but we respect the decision reached by the tribunal."

Tickets for the friendly fixture against Brazilian side Gremio on Thursday, July 31 went on sale from the Turf Moor ticket office yesterday.

Tickets for the Manchester City game on Saturday, August 2 are also on sale.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.