OOCH - Mr C Pritchard! (Sport letters, April 26).

I had forgotten what a sensitive bunch you Burnley fans are -- it's been such a long time since we played you.

Must be all that vinegar you put on your tripe to make it palatable that makes you so sour.

It seems playing Rovers again has become your Holy Grail -- whatever happened to "no nay never"?

Mr Walker's investment brought promotion, four championship chases, three European campaigns and, of course, that unforgettable day at Anfield which may well be the last time a town club has the resources to win the premiership.

If that's a definition of failure, you and Keith Reynolds must have an odd dictionary.

Even through my blue and white (if you don't mind) tinted spectacles, it's better to be in the top half of Division One than DivisionTwo.

Still it's nice to have the banter back -- those soulless Man U clones were just not up to it, you know, not being real footy fans and all that.

If you promise not to fluff the play offs and chicken out of playing us next year, then I promise to toast your success with a drop of Bordeaux. After all, it's the only vintage claret I know!

DEREK POWER, (derek@dpower62.freeserve.co.uk)