THE Clarets boast the second highest average home gate in Division Two this season.

Prior to the mid-week fixtures, only local rivals Preston had pulled in more fans than Burnley.

The Clarets average home gate is 10,659, compared with 11,262 at Deepdale.

Stoke and Bristol City also top the 10,000 mark, while Chesterfield's 3,115 is the lowest average gate.

THE CLARETS' involvement in the FA Cup third round means their Second Division game away to Gillingham, scheduled for Saturday, December 11, will be re-arranged for later in the season.

FORMER Clarets midfielder Paul Comstive is part of the new temporary management team at Southport.

Paul Lodge has taken over at the Nationwide Conference club following the departure of Paul Futcher.

And he has brought in Comstive as his number two.

GERRY Harrison has joined Bolton Wanderers for a trial spell.

The former Burnley defender, once a transfer target for Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce when he was in charge at Notts County, played for the reserves in midweek. Harrison has had loan spells at Luton and Hull and also spent time at Oldham Athletic since joining Sunderland from Burnley a year-and-a-half ago.

WIGAN striker Stuart Barlow, unsurprisingly, was the bookmakers' favourite to score the first goal in Burnley's visit to the JJB Stadium today.

The country's leading scorer was quoted at 3/1 with Corals, who make Simon Haworth second favourite at 4/1

Andy Payton is Burnley's shortest price to get the first goal at 15/2.

THE reserves are scheduled to visit Oldham Athletic in the Pontins League Premier Division on Tuesday night.

BARRY Kilby and vice-chairman Ray Ingleby will be guests at a question-and-answer session hosted by the Clarets Independent Supporters Assocation in the Jimmy Adamson Lounge (Centre Spot) next Tuesday night, start 7.30pm. CISA will also hand over a cheque for £250 for the Gawthorpe training ground fund.

BURNLEY'S Football in the Community project is staging a number of soccer schools in the Christmas holidays.

Venues and details are: Turf Moor, December 20, price £3; Gawthorpe, December 20,21, price £18; Todmorden High, December 22,23, price £18; Turf Moor, December 22/23, price £20; Turf Moor, December 27,28,29, price £20; Accrington, December 29/30, price £18; Skipton (Gargrave), December 29/30, price £14.

On-going soccer clinics take place at Turf Moor leisure centre on Monday and Wednesday 5-6pm, Sunday 10-11am, Saturday 9.30-10.30, 10.30-11.30am, price £2.50.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.