PLAYERS, management, staff and supporters have waited for over four weeks, but Steve Cotterill hopes Burnley will finally be able to make their first Turf Moor bow of 2007 tonight.

The Clarets take on Stoke City (kick-off 7.45pm) in the re-arranged game following their New Year's Day washout, which was swiftly followed by their FA Cup clash at Reading being postponed at the 11th hour due to a water-logged pitch.

Burnley's misery was compounded when they had a second consecutive home game called off on Saturday, when referee Martin Atkinson deemed the pitch unsafe for their Championship clash with Norwich City.

Now the club is desperate for tonight's game - what will be the Clarets' first home game of the year - to go ahead.

"It's been a poor start for us really, in terms of not playing," Cotterill said.

"It isn't just up here that's suffered (with the weather) but we just happen to be on the wrong end of postponements.

"We're very much looking forward to tonight's game. We need a game.

"We needed a game on New Year's Day, and on Saturday, but I've said before the weather doesn't pay any attention to criticism.

"We've had a lot of rain up here, and when it gets in those hills it stays in there.

"There's nothing we've been able to do about that.

"No matter what the ground staff have done it's been an almost impossible task for them.

"They were in here on Sunday working all day and hopefully they will get the rewards by the game being on tonight.

He added: "At this stage (of the season) we don't want to be behind with games. The last thing we wanted is our two home games postponed.

"But we have the opportunity, hopefully tonight, of playing one of those games and getting some points."

While Burnley have welcomed four new faces into the fold this month with the acquisition of Ade Akinbiyi and Joey Gudjonsson and loan signings Mike Pollitt and Eric Djemba-Djemba, Stoke have reaped the benefits of their dealings in the loan market.

Aston Villa's Patrik Berger and Lee Hendrie were among their most high profile borrowed players, who helped to lift the Potters from the relegation zone to begin challenging for a play-off spot.

After winning only one of their first 10 league games, they had a run of seven consecutive clean sheets through November to mid-December.