BURNLEY FC face up to their make or break match with Plymouth on Saturday with a clear message from Clarets' bosses - "Give it passion, support and emotion...but keep off the grass!

They fear that in a match vital to both Division Two strugglers, passions could overflow into a Turf Moor pitch invasion - and they warn that could mean real trouble.

In a message to fans they say anyone setting foot on the pitch will be arrested and face an indefinite ban from attending home games.

And they warn that any major pitch invasion problem could result in the Football Association ordering closed door matches on the Turf in future.

But there is also a message of hope and optimism from club bosses who add: "We are sure the team will do a lap of honour at the end of the match if fans keep off the pitch." Burnley need to win the game and for Brentford lose their match for the Clarets to stay in Division Two.

The club statement calls the Plymouth clash "probably the most important match for Burnley since the Orient match a decade ago" when Burnley, then a fourth division club, faced dropping out of the football league.

"Passion, emotion and a will to win will be present from both sets of fans, players and officials," it says.

It states there was encroachment of the pitch at the last home match and goes on: "We must remind all fans it is an offence to enter the field of play and if apprehended and arrested they will fall foul of the Burnley Football Club zero tolerance policy of an indefinite banning order to attend Burnley's matches at home.

"It goes on: "The vast majority of our fans are very good, but unfortunately since the last home match, it is with much sadness we had to write to three Burnley fans advising them of an indefinite banning order from Turf Moor, which is strictly-applied."

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