Portsmouth boss Appleton will not rule himself out of Turf move

The 36-year-old insists he has not spoken with the Clarets, claiming stories are based purely on speculation at present, but he has not ruled himself out of the running should a call be made.

Appleton said: “I suppose with me being from up north people are going to put two and two together and make their own ideas up on what I am or am not going to do.

“To be honest, my kids live up north. But football is one of those games that if you play, manage or coach, anyone who is part of my family realises I might be there one minute, the next minute I might not.

“Now, at the minute, I am settled down here. I have been down here nearly 12 months. It’s a little bit warmer than it is up north and I have got a lot of friends here now.

“It’s a difficult one really in terms of I have not spoken to any clubs. And until they contact this club it is a question I cannot really answer. If there is no truth in it, what can I do?”

Appleton remains the bookies’ favourite for the Turf Moor job.

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