BURNLEY'S assistant manager Clive Middlemass has been linked with a return to former club Carlisle United.

But today Mervyn Day emerged as the number one choice after Brunton Park's Director of Coaching Mick Wadsworth joined Norwich City as the new assistant manager to Gary Megson at Carrow Road.

Several reports linked Middlemass' name with the post over the weekend, but the Turf Moor number two has confirmed that Carlisle had not approached him.

Middlemass, who managed the Cumbrians from 1987 to 1991, enjoyed considerable success during his four-year stint at Brunton Park before teaming up with Jimmy Mullen at Turf Moor and guiding the Clarets to two promotions. Meanwhile, Mullen accused his players of being naive after Saturday's disappointing 1-0 defeat at Rotherham United.

The reverse ended a six-game unbeaten Division Two sequence for the Clarets who saw Rotherham snatch the points with a late strike.

"We were naive and that cost us the game. I was very disappointed that we didn't get something out of the match. In fact we threw it away," he said.

"We dominated large chunks of the contest without really hurting Rotherham. There was certainly a phase in the game when we got in front but we seem to lose a little bit of our discipline.

"Our possession was good but we just did not use it well enough. I warned the lads not to fall into the trap of thinking that Rotherham were a poor side.

"They are a much better team than their league position suggests and they proved that."

Defender Chris Brass was under intensive treatment today for a groin injury which forced him out of the action early in the second half at Millmoor. "I knew Chris had a problem with the injury with about quarter of an hour to go in the first half," added Mullen.

"I was pleased to get him in at half-time. But it quickly became obvious that he could not continue and we had to take him off.

"I thought Paul Weller deputised very well in that role."

Full-back Gary Parkinson played the whole match for Burnley's A team in their 3-1 defeat against a strong Everton line-up on Merseyside. Tom Mutton was on the mark. The B team scored a 3-2 victory over Preston North End as Colin Carr-Lawton led the charge with a goal double. Phil Eastwood also found the net.

Former Clarets loan star Paul Shaw netted a 90th minute winner for Peterborough United in their 2-1 victory at Brighton and Hove Albion. Shaw also opened the scoring for The Posh. Another Burnley old boy on target was Graham Lancashire. Lancashire, on loan at Wigan Athletic from Preston, netted for the Latics in a 2-1 success over third division leaders Gillingham at Springfield Park.

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