Huddersfield and Doncaster adamant Burnley have not made move for their bosses

Huddersfield Town's Lee Clark and Sean O'Driscoll of Doncaster Rovers have both been strongly linked with a switch to Turf Moor.

Bookmakers yesterday slashed the odds on the two men with O'Driscoll being available at 7-2 and Clark at 9-4 with SkyBet who make former Sheffield Wednesday manager Brian Laws the 5-4 favourite.

Reports in Lancashire even went so far as to suggest all three men had been quizzed about the vacancy caused by Coyle's defection to Bolton Wanderers.

However, Huddersfield and Doncaster have since both moved to distance their managers from the speculation.

Terriers chairman Dean Hoyle last night told the Yorkshire Post: "It is quite simple. Me and Lee Clark have a very good and open relationship so if he had been approached then I would be expecting him to come and see me.

"There has been no approach made by Burnley to either the club or the manager."

It was a similar story in the south of the county at Doncaster, where chief executive Dave Morris said: "I have not spoken to anyone from Burnley about Sean O'Driscoll and we certainly would not welcome any approach as we do not want to lose such a good manager."

That the Premier League club, who have already been told to forget about trying to tempt Simon Grayson away from Leeds United, may be interested in either Clark or O'Driscoll, who started the weekend priced at 16-1 and 25-1 respectively for the job by SkyBet, is not a total surprise with both men having impressed in their current posts.

At Huddersfield, Clark has moulded a side who seem destined to reach the play-offs, while O'Driscoll led Doncaster into the Championship in 2008.

Rovers then defied the odds again last season by surviving in the Championship and are currently mid-table with an outside chance of forcing their way into the play-off race.

Burnley, for their part, have vowed to have a new manager in place before the weekend trip to Manchester United after confirming several candidates had already been interviewed.

The club will not, however, be drawn on the identity of those who have been quizzed about the vacancy.

Chairman Barry Kilby said: "Sometimes, these things happen for a purpose, so let us all pull together and work as one for the betterment of this.

"When I think back to November 2007 and the appointment of Owen, I remember feeling good about the future. I have that same feeling again now as we concentrate on replacing him.

"We have a clean sheet of paper and a reputation within the game that has been enhanced by our promotion. We intend to try to get somebody who will be right for us and keep us in this Premier League."

Kilby stressed his search for a new man would not compromise the club's financial position.

He added: "Ultimately, we did all we could to keep Owen here as our manager and that was not enough. But I am not going to throw away all we have achieved by offering up funds we simply cannot afford.

"You can only work within the budgets you set out at the start of the season and there is absolutely no way I want to end up like some other illustrious clubs who have, dare I say it, bet the ranch."