EWOOD Park will not be a sellout for Burnley's first visit to Blackburn Rovers in 18 years.

With some sections of the Darwen End -- where the Clarets fans will be housed -- due to be left empty in the interests of segregation, the ground capacity for Sunday's televised clash will be reduced to around 28,000.

Even that figure is unlikely to be reached but Rovers chief executive John Williams is still expecting a bumper gate for the high-noon showdown.

Williams is predicting a crowd in excess of 23,000 judging by current demands. And he would consider that a fair achievement given the fact the game is being screened live on Sky TV.

"If the game was being played now we'd have about 22,500 according to my latest information from the ticket office," said Williams.

"So I think we're probably looking at between 23,500 and 24,000 for the day itself, depending on how things go this week.

"With it being a Sunday game live on Sky we were never going to hit full capacity, even if it is a local derby.

"But if we can get somewhere near 25,000 then that would be a tremendous achievement.

"We are currently selling tickets for three different games and we are fully aware that it's an expensive time of year for the fans.

"That's why we've tried to ease the burden by offering a couple of games at a fiver."

Burnley were given just over 5,000 tickets for the away end and are expecting to sell their full allocation.

They had almost 1,000 left earlier today and are still taking written applications for season-ticket holders.

Around 80 coaches have been laid on for away supporters with Burnley urging fans, who have had to pay for a coach seat in the price of their ticket package, to use the transport provided.

Police will then escort the coach convoy in a repeat of the successful crowd safety measures they implemented for the game at Turf Moor in December -- which attracted an attendance of 21,369.

Of the First Division clubs, only Birmingham and Nottingham Forest have a better average home attendance than Rovers' 19,590 this season.

And if Blackburn break the 25,000 barrier on Sunday then it will be a season's best with the 24,899 gate against Birmingham on Boxing Day currently the highest attendance at Ewood.