WHILE most of the country is winding down for Christmas, Burnley physio Ian Liversedge suddenly finds himself the busiest man at Turf Moor.

"It is amazing how these things happen like this," he said. "When we played Manchester United a few weeks ago we had everyone except Andy Payton fit and available.

"But then you have a match like last weekend against Rotherham when three of the lads come off needing treatment."

Liversedge, affectionately known as "Sos" by everyone at the club, is used to having a full treatment room and he and assistant Nicky Reid are doing their best to ensure that Ternent has players returning to his squad as soon as is possible.

After today's trip to Gillingham, the Clarets take on Wolves at Turf Moor on Boxing Day and then have two more away trips, at Brighton a week today and at Sheffield United on New Year's Day.

Add to that the away-day at Grimsby Town in the FA Cup third round and the need to have bodies available is obvious.

Steve Davis, is definitely out for at least a couple of months with his knee problem which was being scanned yesterday afternoon.

The other walking wounded, Lee Briscoe, Alan Moore, Paul Cook, Gordon Armstrong and Payton are all expected to be available a lot sooner and Payton is hoping he might be ready for action in the next few weeks.

Having had a hernia operation at the end of last month he is starting to step up his recovery programme and he said: "It is getting better and I hope to be playing again in about three weeks."

Cook is battling back from the shoulder injury that he suffered in the game against one of his former clubs Norwich City. He has been in the side since then but was forced to see a specialist this week in the hope of sorting out the problem on a more permanent basis.

He will certainly be keen to be fit for Boxing Day against a club where he played so well as he looks to wipe out the bad memory of the first match between the two sides at Molineux on the second weekend of the season.

Cook was shown a straight red card by referee Jeff Winter inside ten minutes for a foul on Alex Rae, ensuring it was anything but a happy return to his old stamping ground.