AS A striker, I know there's nothing better you can do to get the fans on your side than scoring on your home debut.

So I was mighty happy for Michael Ricketts when he fired Burnley to a welcome first win of 2006 at the weekend.

Last week, in this very column, I urged him to get his head up and prove the knockers wrong and his classy finish was the perfect answer to those who openly questioned his ability.

Michael has had his critics, but at the end of the day he can invite each and every one home to view the England cap he won four years ago.

Ade Akinbiyi was worshipped here, but even when he was a £5m striker I don't recall his form ever coming close to earning him an international call-up.

And having given it some serious thought over the past week, I really believe this could be the re-invention of another career at Turf Moor.

As much as I loved Ade, I would much rather have £1.75m and Michael, than a striker well into his 32nd year.

His goal on Saturday lit up a pretty poor spectacle, but you simply can't put a price on the feelgood factor of winning all three points.

That's four in two games now since the trip to Tenerife - fully justifying Steve Cotterill's decision to take the lads away for a training break.

But it's going to need more hard work between now and the summer to keep the supporters upbeat.

The uproar following Akinbiyi's sale was always to be expected and having seen three assets leave now in 12 months, they can be forgiven for not eagerly snapping up season tickets unless they see some real ambition and forward momentum.

It's going to take some pretty smart marketing to halt a decline in sales. But let's not forget, it's not all doom and gloom.