Christmas - a time for giving, not taking. I only hope Championship managers take that sentiment into the New year.

Because with the transfer window opening again in the New Year, there will be plenty of people with money burning a hole in their pockets looking to spend, spend, spend.

Already there has been talk of Gifton Noel-Williams being a target for Swansea and I suppose we had better get used to all this transfer talk for a wee while yet.

The introduction of the window for clubs outside the Premiership has been a real dampener on all the speculation that you hear around town and in the pubs and clubs, but with Burnley doing so well I fear we had better brace ourselves for a testing month, especially following Ade Akinbiyi's amazing few months.

But I really don't think Steve can afford to let anyone go at all next month.

There may well be a tempting bid for someone like Ade, especially after the chairman broke the nightmare news about the club losing £20,000 per week.

But in my view Barry Kilby and the Burnley board need to stand strong, otherwise everything we've achieved so far could quickly be lost. Think how the season petered out last season once Robbie Blake and Richard Chaplow left.

The same thing cannot be allowed to happen again if fans are to be enticed back to Turf Moor. If anything it should be about strengthening the squad, although the cash shortfall makes that unlikely.

Before January, of course, there's a hectic schedule on the pitch to think about. Last week I said the target from three home games, including Watford, was nine points. Well it's one down, two to go.

I can't see any reason why we can't take plenty of points over Christmas, but I think it's wise to split the programme into two halves.

Norwich seem to be enjoying a bit of a revival and will be tough opponents next week, especially with a frankly ridiculous evening kick off in Norfolk.

But before then Stoke will be also hard game for varying reasons. Clearly they are playing quite well at the moment, with four successive away wins under their belt.

But it's the four former Stoke players now wearing Burnley colours, and the love-hate relationship City fans have with their former manager Steve Cotterill, that add extra spice to the Boxing Day meeting.

I am sure Steve will get abuse again from the visiting fans, but he won't let that get to him one little bit. He will be more upset if we don't get the three points and that's the measure of the man.

Right now we are playing well as a unit, creating chances and sticking them away, so all in the garden is rosy and I think a betting man would make Burnley favourites.

So much so that I would be as disappointed as Steve - well, maybe a tad less - if we didn't make it six home wins on the spin.

Here's hoping.

Merry Christmas everyone.