TODAY is the first of two days that will determine the destiny of Burnley Football Club.

So it's no surprise that manager Stan Ternent is spelling out the importance of this week's two titanic Turf Moor battles, starting tonight against Wimbledon.

"It's a massive game for us, and we have to win. That's the bottom line," said Ternent.

"But then Saturday against Derby is a hugely important game too. Of the four matches we have left three are at home so we need to win two of them.

"The Wimbledon game is our game in hand on the other teams around us, so it is a vitally important fixture for us. At 9.30 tonight we can sit back and see exactly where we are.

"We can take ourselves past 50 points and you would like to feel that would be enough, but we will have to see.

"But it is simply the biggest game of the season for us by a mile and these players need to pull us through.

"I have told them that I know they have the ability, so if we go down it will be down to them."

Wimbledon are already down, but won't be making it any easier for the Clarets to avoid joining them in Division Two next season.

They proved their willingness to make life hell for other relegation-threatened teams when they beat Bradford 3-2 on Saturday to drag them down with them.

Ternent added: "The Dons are out of it now and they have had some good results since the pressure has gone.

"They have got some good kids who are playing with loads of enthusiasm. But it's been a difficult season so there's no reason why tonight will be any different."

Meanwhile, Burnley's chief executive Dave Edmundson has also stoked up the fires by calling for a cauldron of noise to lift the Clarets to victory.

"What we want tonight is 90 minutes of positive encouragement from the terraces," said Edmundson.

"Everything has to be geared to helping the players take three points from the Wimbledon game - we all know it is a must-win match.

"It is understandable that some of the performances have been a little anxious, but one of the best ways to expel that anxiety is to generate both support and warmth from the stands."

The Clarets will want the same from their supporters for the next crucial game which is against fellow strugglers Derby County at home on Saturday, but Edmundson is making unsettling the young Dons the priority.

"Wimbledon might be already relegated, but since that happened their results have started picking up as their young side is now playing with some freedom," he added.

"But what we need is to show them just how much noise 14,000 or 15,000 fans can generate and maybe they will be unnerved by our support.

"Some people have said that there is not much atmosphere at the stadium, but it is our fans who create that atmosphere and that is what we need them to do.

"The difference between the two clubs is that you take Wimbledon, a club from the London suburbs, and put them in Milton Keynes. But there is no way you could ever take Burnley out of this town and we need our fans to show how passionate they are about their club."

Special offers for Clarets fans are still available for tonight's game.

Tickets for the original fixture, which was postponed on March 20, are still valid and tickets are on sale now priced at £10 for adults and £5 for concessions, while you can also pay at the turnstiles on the night.

Season ticket holders can also bring a friend for free to the game on production of voucher Z while tickets are also available. However, depending on availability, the friend may not be able to sit next to the season ticket seat.