AFTER three weeks on inactivity the Clarets youngsters are getting ready to play three games in a week that will decide where they finish in the Youth Alliance.

At the start of next month a new league will be set up with the teams from the North West region taking on clubs from the other side of the Pennines.

"The top three, middle three and bottom three in the table will go in to a new league with clubs from the North East region," said youth team manager Terry Pashley.

"We have always said that results are not the most important thing but obviously when it comes to the end of the season you would rather be up at the top rather than near the bottom.

"Tranmere will finish top of our league but we have got games in hand and we can finish second if we do well. We could then be playing in Sheffield or as far south as West Brom."

The Clarets are currently lying in third place but after a number of postponements in recent weeks they have a hectic schedule next week with three home games in a row starting with the visit of Preston on Saturday.

On Monday they will welcome Oldham and then a Tranmere side that has already beaten them three times this season.

"Playing Saturday, Monday and Saturday will be a different experience for some of the lads but it will be good for them," said Pashley. "It is something that the first team players are having to do all this month and it is all part of the learning curve.

"But the lads are looking forward to it because they have been frustrated. It is hard when you are training all weekend there is no match at the end of it."

Pashley has also been frustrated by the lack of practice out on the pitch as he explained: "We are used to bad weather, and last year was poor, but I think this is worse," he said.

"I have only been out on the grass once in the past three weeks so we are grateful we have got the Astroturf. But we can't spend too much time on it because the lads blister easily and can get back pains."

Pashley only has two current injury worries, long term problems keeping Robert Grimes and Rhys Carpenter out of the reckoning.

Grimes, who broke his leg at the start of the season, has started running while Carpenter has been in a body cast for several weeks with a back problem.

"Rhys has not been able to sit down with it on," explained Pashley. "He has been forced to lie down or stand up so it has not been easy for him. He has been unlucky with injuries since he got here but hopefully they will soon be over."