A MAJOR row has broken out between sections of Burnley fans.

Seven supporters' clubs have asked for the Clarets Independent Supporters' Association to be banned from future meetings with the club's board.

The seven clubs - Burnley, Colne, Accrington, Earby, Boundary, Rossendale and ex-Clarets in Sport - have also told the Turf Moor board in a letter that they wish to disassociate themselves from CISA's activities.

Representatives of each of the seven supporters' bodies have signed the letter which follows a growing feeling of disenchantment towards CISA, who many fans feel have worked against the best interests of the Clarets.

It appears that the boycott of Burnley merchandise promoted by CISA in protest at the board's running of the club brought matters to a head.

And, when CISA received considerable publicity for calling off the boycott following Barry Kilby's appointment as chairman, that was the final straw for Burnley Supporters' Club vice-chairman Shaun Borman.

"This, in my eyes, radical supporters' group were costing the club thousands of pounds and then receiving all this publicity," said Borman, one of those behind the letter.

"They (CISA) feel they are the voice of the supporters and like to see themselves as speaking for everybody. But we don't feel that's the case. "They haven't supported anything for the club and they have done nothing but upset directors and a few of the supporters. We just feel they are there to rock the boat."

Borman's view is echoed by Colne Clarets treasurer Alan Beecroft.

Beecroft said: "They (CISA) don't do anything constructive towards the club. Everything is in the negative. They don't support the club in any positive way at all.

"Every time they speak or write an article it's knocking the football club. Supporters' clubs should support the club."

And Phil Miller, secretary-chairman of Accrington Clarets, said his members backed the opposition to CISA.

"I don't have an axe to grind with CISA but if I had to go with one side or another it would be with the genuine supporters' clubs. All our members feel the same," he said.

"No matter how bad the going gets, you are there to back the club and support it, not boycott things. If they change their policies then fine they can fall in with everyone else."

Angus Williamson, secretary of CISA, was upset with the opposition to his organisation which was an outspoken opponent of the last board, and chairman Frank Teasdale in particular, and critical of the running of the club.

"I am very disappointed. Why didn't they approach us? I'm disappointed there's a feeling that we can't speak together," said Williamson. "We have tried to get people working together and they didn't want to know. They have different constitutions and I find it sad.

"As far as we are concerned we want all the groups to work together. We don't want antagonism.

"The whole idea of why CISA was set up was to create a communication link and, without that, these two meetings wouldn't have happened."

Referring to the boycott of club goods, Williamson added: "The board were going nowhere but appeared to be stifling money coming in.

"In our action plan last year we circulated other supporters' groups with the view of coming up with good ideas to work on but we got very little response from the other groups and the board ignored it.

"The boycott came about because we were getting nowhere with good ideas and the club was not going anywhere. But it wasn't a decision that was taken lightly."

Williamson pointed out that CISA does take out a small amount of programme advertising and during the boycott discussed starting a trust fund for their financial contributions, along the lines of that planned for the proposed improvement to the Clarets Gawthopre training ground.

"For various reasons that didn't get off the ground but it was a positive way forward," he said.

The difference of opinion between the two sets of supporters seems to come down to the different agendas each pursue. The supporters clubs have been active in raising money for club items, such as ground machinery, goal nets and Bertie Bee, as well as running transport for their members to follow the Clarets in away games.

CISA, on the other hand, are more of a campaigning body aimed at trying to instigate change and improvement where they feel necessary in the running of the club.

"If CISA went away what would happen? If it wasn't for CISA I don't know what would have happened. The suggestions we make would be to improve the lot of everybody and not just members of CISA," Williamson added.

"We would like to get involved on the positive side of the running of the football club and getting good ideas and developing them.

"If anyone thinks the club is being well run they are in cloud cuckoo land. The likes of Barry Kilby and Ray Ingleby want to know what the problems are but how will they find out?"

The board are unlikely to remove CISA from future forums as it would be a difficult ruling to uphold.

But director Clive Holt said: "I would hope they could sort out an agenda and talk as one voice in the best interests of the football club because what we all want, board and supporters, is a successful football club."

Tom Cowan has now joined Burnley on a permanent basis after Stan Ternent agreed to pay Huddersfield a nominal sum. Cowan's loan signing was rushed through last Friday to enable him to play against Preston on Sunday.

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