BURNLEY have broken the 10,000 season ticket mark for the first time in their history.

They have sold 10,600 tickets for next season's First Division campaign so far -- and expect it to rise to over 11,000 before kick off in August.

"It is astounding," said general manager Andrew Watson. "We had already sold 8,500 before the season finished when people didn't know we'd be playing in the First Division next season.

"And now it just seems to get higher and higher. We had sold 6,800 by the start of last season so we are already 55 per cent up."

Burnley wanted the 4,500 fans who attended on a match-by-match basis last term to buy a season ticket -- and it looks like it's worked.

And what has been particularly pleasing to the Turf Moor outfit is the number of tickets bought by children.

The club introduced a scheme in March, aimed at under 16 supporters, where they could buy a ticket for just £35 -- equating to just £1.50 a game whatever division the Clarets were in.

And this too seems to have paid off as Burnley bid to extend their fan base for the future.

"We had the special price of £35 for children anywhere in the ground and it seems to have worked. 3,300 children have bought this ticket, compared to just 1,500 last time.

"We want to encourage children to Burnley and hope they continue to come as they grow up. They are our future," said Watson. One of the draws to Turf Moor has been former England and Arsenal striker Ian Wright but it could be all over by Friday as Wright is reported to have said he will hang up his boots on that night's pre-recorded Jerry Springer Show.

The 36-year-old's agent, Jeff Weston, has fuelled the speculation by simply saying "no comment".

Meanwhile the fixtures for next season will be out later this month, on Thursday, June 22.

Then Burnley fans will be able to plan their trips to Blackburn, Preston, Wimbledon, Wolves and the other First Division sides.

Second Division champions Preston have also been boosted by their season ticket sales.

Three thousand North End fans have so far snapped up tickets for Deepdale, who's season tickets went on sale last Thursday.

Preston's meeting with the Clarets last season at Turf Moor produced the highest gate of season in the Second Division with a crowd of 22,310.

And North End fans will be relieved that manager David Moyes is not longer topping the list for the vacancy at Leicester City.

The Scot was favourite at the weekend, but Gillingham's Peter Taylor and Bolton's Sam Allardyce are the latest names to be linked with the job.