BURNLEY Football Club have defended their controversial decision to only offer an extended discount period for season ticket holders in the Family Stand.

Sections of the Turf Moor faithful had hoped the club's re-introduction of cut-price tickets, following disappointing summer sales, would apply to all seats.

However, anger set in when it was revealed the offer would only be open to EXISTING season ticket holders in the Jimmy McIlroy Stand (upper tier) who have not yet renewed their applications.

Yet club chiefs are standing firm on their initial decision and do not plan to open the offer throughout other sections of the ground.

A club statement, issued last night, read: "As a club, we have made the offer to Family Stand Season Ticket Holders who have not renewed for the forthcoming season.

"The club needs Season Ticket numbers and cash, and to be pro-active we have tried this promotion to gauge its effect.

"This stand was chosen to bring in families and family bookings for the forthcoming season.

"We have received both praise and criticism for this offer, which proves that we cannot please all supporters, all of the time.

"So far we have had 25 people take up the tickets at discounted rate."

Only two people had purchased season tickets for the family stand after the discount offer ended and before its reintroduction.