FORMER Burnley and Cardiff striker Alan Lee is sitting on the fence and predicting a score draw when the two sides meet tomorrow at Ninian Park tomorrow.

Lee was a £200,000 signing for the Clarets during their promotion-winning season in 1999/2000, although he failed to hit the net in the league and spent much of his time on the substitutes bench.

He enjoyed a more successful three-year spell with the Bluebirds from 2003 until January this year, starting 47 league games and scoring 10 league goals.

But the 28-year-old said he still has fond memories of his time at Turf Moor.

He said: "It was a really special time for the club, getting promotion and the celebrations afterwards, the Town Hall reception and seeing all the crowd outside.

"I was always on the periphery of the squad and in those situations you don't really feel like you've earned it, but I always look for the Burnley results when they're playing."

One Clarets result he didn't have to look very hard for was last weekend's, when his Ipswich side were humbled in the last minute by a Chris McCann strike.

It was the fourth time he had returned to Turf Moor since he was transferred to Rotherham, and although Irish international Lee, who has scored eight Championship goals so far this season, felt his side deserved better, he saw enough of Steve Cotterill's team to admit they would be challenging at the end of the season.

He said: "It was a disappointing game for us and I think both sides were in with a shout of winning.

"But I was very impressed with Burnley. They have some good players and they are very strong. Their two centre forwards in particular are very good at holding the ball up.

"It's great to see them doing so well and it's always nice to go back to Turf Moor and see some old friends, although I've probably spent more time there playing in the opposition than I did as a player."

Lee will be keeping a close eye on proceedings at Ninian Park with the Tractor Boys due to face them at the start of next month.

And he sounded a warning to anyone else making the trip to the Welsh capital.

He said: "I think it's dangerous to write off any side that is managed by Dave Jones. He has a great record, but I think they might have even surprised themselves with the start they've had this season.

"They've obviously got a decent squad, although it's not a huge squad because they've not got the money.

"They're a lot like Burnley in that sense. But it's still early days.

"Burnley fell away towards the end of last season, as did Cardiff, so they'll both be hoping this can be their year."