would

give

everybody

a lift:

Thomas MITCHELL Thomas is looking forward to locking horns again with former boss Lennie Lawrence when he seeks a return to the Clarets defence at Grimsby Town tomorrow.

Thomas missed only his second game of the season as Burnley went down to Crystal Palace last Saturday thanks to a one-match ban.

But a comeback at Blundell Park will bring him up against a side managed by the man who was his boss at Luton for four years.

Thomas said: "He was very unfortunate to get released by Luton but he has got Grimsby a few results and they have been clawing their way out of it.

"It's going to be hard game but if we play like we did against Crewe, when we played some good open football and were unfortunate not to get a result, we should be all right.

"If we can reproduce that form and that type of performance hopefully we can get the three points."

Grimsby are hovering just above the drop zone, having been stuck in the relegation places when Lawrence replaced Alan Buckley after a dismal start to the campaign.

The Mariners have spent all but one of the last eight seasons in Division One, but Burnley's need for three points is almost as great given their current run of just one victory in nine games.

"A win would give everybody a lift, the players, management and the whole town and that's what we need," Thomas added.