Promotion parade

Players, directors and staff from Turf Moor will then attend a civic reception at the Town Hall where the Mayor, Coun Eddie Fisk, and Mayoress, Coun Pat Chadwick, will congratulate them on their promotion to Division One.

Details of the celebrations were released by Burnley Council today.

The tour will start from Eastern Avenue at 6pm and travel along Casterton Avenue, Colne Road, Active Way and Queen's Lancashire Way to the town hall in Manchester Road.

Fans have already complained that the procession will not go past Turf Moor.

Insp Dave Holden said: "The route has been agreed between ourselves, the club and council to offer the public the best views in safety.

"We also want to stress that the town hall reception is a private event which could even have to be postponed if many thousands of fans gather in such a confined space. We are appealing to them to pick a spot on the route to cheer their team." It is hoped the players will be in an open-top double decker bus. The club was today desperately trying to hire such a vehicle so that their fans can get the best view of the heroes who have taken them back into soccer's big time.

A town hall spokesman said the route had been chosen to provide supporters with the best views.

The biggest crowds are sure to be outside the town hall, where the players, manager Stan Ternent and directors will meet the Mayor and Mayoress and other Burnley Council representatives.

They will then be invited into the town hall for a private reception and there will be no further opportunities to view the team.

Promotion fever has been running high since the weekend when Burnley won at Scunthorpe and only rivals for automatic promotion Gillingham were beaten at Wrexham.

The Mayor is a lifelong Clarets supporter and was keen to make arrangements for a civic reception.

Coun Eddie Fisk said: "Everyone at the club deserves the town's congratulations. They have kept us on the edge of our seats all season and that is what football is all about, it is brilliant."

Football bosses at Burnley and Blackburn are already holding three way talks with police ahead of next season's fixtures between the two clubs it was revealed today. Club secretary of Blackburn Rovers Tom Finn today said they were already making plans for the two games at Ewood Park and Turf Moor.