Gray handed Burnley caretaker role

Stuart Gray has been placed in caretaker charge of Burnley following the departure of Brian Laws.

The first-team coach will be assisted by long-serving youth team coach Terry Pashley and club captain Graham Alexander.

The club revealed the three men would be in charge of first-team affairs for the next three games as they search for a new boss.

A statement said: “The trio will oversee Burnley’s next three games following the departure of Brian Laws as manager and his assistant Russ Wilcox.”

Laws left the club yesterday afternoon following a 2-0 home defeat to Scunthorpe and later released a statement through the League Managers Association.

It read: “Naturally I am very saddened to receive the news and disappointed that I will no longer have the opportunity to achieve my ambition of reaching the Championship play-offs this season and, ultimately, promotion back to the Barclays Premier League.

“I would like to take this opportunity to wish the club, the management, the players and the supporters all the very best for the future.

“I am taking advice from the LMA who will be working to reach an amicable agreement with the football club on my behalf. Accordingly, I will not make any further comment at this stage.”

Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe has been linked with the vacant post along with Sean O’Driscoll, Phil Brown and Gary Megson.