BURNLEY FC chairman Barry Kilby is hoping Saturday's opening match against Bolton will be a scorcher -- not just the game, but the weather too.

For the Reebok stadium will be the venue for the Burnley boss to settle a challenge with London Clarets fan Andrew Firmin and to return some of the pain he handed out over Mr Kilby's "Fozzie Bear" style winter coat.

Andrew, who has a regular column on the London Clarets website, cut the chairman to the quick late last year when he wrote that the only thing which spoiled the great day when the Jimmy Mcllroy stand was dedicated and Burnley beat Oxford, was "Mr Kilby"s appalling shaggy brown coat."

He suggested it was a Christmas present and was obliged to wear it."

Mr Kilby took up the matter when the two met at a London dinner in February -- pointing out the heavy winter coat was expensive and prized garment made of pure Peruvian Llama hair.

He challenged the London scribe to wear in on the first day of the new season if Burnley won promotion -- traditionally the hottest day of the year!.

"That made it a coat of destiny -- it just had to happen," says Andrew on his website.

Mr Kilby who handed over the coat at the London Clarets' annual general meeting last month said today: "I have never dared to wear it after what he said.

"Now I am hoping it will be absolutely scorching weather so he can suffer too!"