Wanderers are ready to spend again in their bid for Premiership survival.

Already buoyed by successfully clearing their first hurdle in the Coca-Cola Cup, all the indications from Burnden Park are that the chequebook is out again.

The managers were staying tight-lipped today but there appears to be far more than speculation in the air.

Wanderers have made definite enquiries in recent days for Forest's Scot Gemmill and Dundee United's Billy McKinlay - midfielders rated at £2 million and £1.5 million respectively - and for Swindon striker Peter Thorne, who is valued at £1 million-plus by his manager Steve McMahon.

The Swindon boss says he has rejected a Bolton bid for the player he signed from Blackburn for £225,000 last January but, whether that bid was ever tabled and whether it was, indeed, the £1 million that has been touted has neither been confirmed nor denied by Wanderers.

They were simply delighted to have safely negotiated their tricky Coca-Cola Cup second round tie against Brentford, winning 3-2 at Griffin Park last night for a 4-2 aggregate.

It was a win Roy McFarland and his players believe will fuel hopes of an improvement in the Premier League.

"After the difficult start we've had, it was important that we found a way of kick-starting the season," McFarland admitted, "and this result will help us do it."

John McGinlay, who netted his second goal of the season on the day he was recalled to the Scotland squad, said: "The win made it all worthwhile for the spectators, who made the trip. That could be the start of things taking a turn for the better.

"Maybe that's the break we needed."

And Richard Sneekes, whose first leg matchwinner always gave Wanderers the edge in the tie, was characteristically positive about the knock-on effect suggesting: "This will give us confidence for the next games."

Preston are still interested in taking Neil McDonald to Deepdale, despite the player turning down the move last week after Wanderers had agreed a £50,000 deal.

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