BURNLEY'S banned players could be facing a double punishment as the yellow cards rack up at Turf Moor.

The Clarets' impressive disciplinary record was undermined over the holiday period as they collected 11 cautions and one sending off in three games.

Burnely had avoided a ban all season until Paul Cook was forced to sit out the Boxing Day defeat at Bury.

But Gordon Armstrong was then suspended for Monday's game at Notts County and Steve Davis and Micky Mellon are set to miss the match at Chesterfield a week on Saturday.

And Glen Little is the latest to receive a ban after he was cautioned for the fifth time this season at Meadow Lane and will now miss the visit of Oldham on January 22, or a possible FA Cup replay against Coventry City a few days beforehand.

Suspensions and bookings for fouls are part and parcel of the game and getting to half-way through the season before losing a player was a creditable achievement.

But manager Stan Ternent was less than impressed with the caution count at Notts County, where five Burnley players went into the book.

"It was diabolical," he admitted.

And as well as falling foul of the club's usual internal disciplinary code, Ternent warned that his players may also suffer further consequences from sitting on the sidelines.

"The thing is they could lose their places in the side," he added. Armstrong, who has missed the last two games, will be free from suspension and injury for Saturday's FA Cup tie at Coventry and is likely to return at left-back.

And his presence could be important as the Clarets plan how to stifle the threat of Cedric Rousell, Noel Whelan and Robbie Keane after leaking two more goals at Notts County to make it six goals against in two away games.

"We were disappointed with the goals we conceded. We have got to start picking up away from home," admitted central defender Steve Davis, who still feels Coventry manager Gordon Strachan will have been given some food for thought after watching Burnley on Monday.

"He will probably have taken a few notes. He will know they are in for a decent game because we have got a good side.

"But they are at home and they will probably be feeling pretty confident."

And Davis hopes that Burnley will still have some suprises in store after a change of formation when chasing the game at Meadow Lane may have muddied the waters for Strachan. "If it had been 0-0 we would still have been 4-4-2. Hopefully that will do us a bit of good on Saturday," he added.

Meanwhile, Burnley reserves will have a clutch of senior players on duty when they look to extend their unbeaten run in the Pontins League Premier Division to eight games against Birmingham City at Turf Moor tonight (kick-off 7.15).

Clarets reserves squad is: Mawson, Scott, Cowan, Brass, Heywood, Johnrose, Weller, Swan, Robertson, Jepson, Maylett, Williamson, Kevan, Devenney, Kelly, Paxton (gk).

Burnley have been allocated 2,770 tickets for their game at bottom-of-the-table Chesterfield on Saturday week.

Standing tickets are priced £11 for adults and £6 for concessions and the 700 seat tickets cost £12 and £7.

Tickets will go on sale to season-ticket holders from 9.15am this Friday and any left after 5pm next Wednesday will go on general sale from Thursday, January 13.

Wigan boss John Benson was named the Second Division manager-of-the-month for December after extending the Latics' unbeaten league record, which now stands at 24 games, and keeping them clear at the top of the table.

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