THE Christmas period is fast approaching and it is often recognised as a significant guide to the eventual Championship winning teams and those doomed to scrap out a relegation dog fight.

The Clarets, after an impressive run of form and results, have eased away from an uncomfortable lower placed position to one where even a play off spot may not be out of the question.

Victories against top teams Reading and Sheffield United and a super draw at Sunderland must have given the players a massive confidence boost, coming into the busy holiday period.

The Premiership has thrown up the interesting fact that no team languishing rock bottom at the time Santa is dishing out his presents, has ever been able to avoid the drop. Too good to go down? Don't you believe it!

Any team can have one bad season. Look at West Ham. They had some fabulous players but their improved form and results, inspired by caretaker manager Trevor Brooking, came a couple of games too late.

But they certainly had the talent. Many of the ex-Hammers players are now plying their trade at the top level for other Premiership clubs.

Paolo Di Canio, still tumbling over and gaining dubious penalties I grant you, is now at Charlton, Joe Cole and Glen Johnson went for big fees to Chelski, Frederic Kanoute to Spurs and Trevor Sinclair to Man City. Shaka Hislop moved earlier to Portsmouth.

Looking at the teams struggling this time around, it makes interesting reading.

Promoted teams Leicester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portsmouth were most experts' favourites to make a rapid return to the Nationwide League but during the past few games their fortunes have changed.

Pompey got off to a flyer but are now in a slump. Leicester struggled early on but their results have been excellent in recent games and Wolves, after a nightmare opening five games when they gained the tag of no-hopers, finally got a win and are looking to make a fist of it.

So with these sides pushing to survive which teams are now vulnerable? Big clubs Aston Villa, Leeds and Everton are feeling the icy blasts of an uncomfortable winter.

Even though they all picked up vital points recently in tense, niggly affairs, they would all settle for that fourth bottom position right now.

With managers and supporters alike hoping and praying that they will not be the ones to suffer the ignominy of the guillotine chop, what can the thousands of die hard supporters do to help the cause? What about developing a feel good factor? Or even putting faith in superstitions? Maybe that will help.

It is well known that players dabble in peculiar set routines.

Paul Ince, for example, doesn't put his shirt on until he's actually crossing the white line. He did it at Old Trafford and now at Wolves.

Interesting. When I played my first game for England at the Stadium Light in Portugal and Alf Ramsey told me in the dressing room I was to make my debut, I put that shirt on straight away, proudly displaying the three lions.

Problem was, I still had my shirt and tie on, as well as my suit trousers!

So can supporters go through their own eccentricities in an attempt to help their heroes be more successful?

A recent poll involving 3,000 supporters brought up some fascinating results.

Apparently, more than a third of male football fans abstain from sex the night before a big match. Is that to keep their testosterone levels high so they can vent their anger on the officials if things don't go according to plan?

It also reckons 45 per cent wear a lucky shirt before big matches. One guy said he wouldn't change his underpants until his team were defeated. I understand his wife moved out of the marital home after a seven match unbeaten run!